My One Year Anniversary With Cairo

Wellllllllll, today marks one year that I have been in Cairo and I am still happy to be here! Elhamdulillah!!! :-))

I am genuinely pleased to feel that I have succeeded in my goals; of course there is onward expansion and so much more I want to achieve but essentially I came to Cairo to expand my own creativity, to write and to hang out with writers and artists. And this is what I have been doing and still am. There have been several down times along the way, but mostly it has been and still is a good and groovy thing.

My aims with ARC are continuing to bear fruit; I hope the next year sees a bigger residence with the ability to take more people at one time and on-site or near sited bigger workshop space. Also to be able to get funding, so that selected artists can receive an actual stipend to come. I understand so much now about what kind of people benefit the most here; they are self motivated artists who are not looking for 5 star comfort but understand that Cairo can offer them so much experience and inspiration but that it is a developing African city and all that that means.

I will continue to run writing course, adding new courses to the menu and also running the associated events such as Salon and Open Stage. I also want this next year to see production of writers' monologues on stage, screen and radio. I continue to be blessed with wonderful students who emerge as talented writers and often blow me out of the water with their work.

My own work will continue, with my continued foray into prose as well as poetry and performance and gigs with my band. I want continued creative exposure, opportunity and outlets.

I have had several heart relationships this last year and I see this year with me having a steady, beautiful, nurturing and consistent relationship.

Other than this - to continue to be in this crazy city of constant change and be open to receiving and keep on giving - Oh yes, that alchemical circuit!!!!

All GoGo

Yes, it's been all go as usual.. and another long period of time has elapsed since last posting!

Sooooo.. there have now been three Up On The Roof events at CAV, each one being well attended and new work being platformed. The next one will be the first Thursday in January.

Christian Schink, the photographer and ARC resident left us Monday morning and last night Ana Cruz Blanco arrived, she is currently beside me eating pizza :-) Ana intends to study dance during her stay and generally get into Cairo life.

The novelist Sherry Jones and the classical composer Robert Spittal will arrive on 25th of this month for a stay of 12 days, you can read about them via their sites linked to the left of here. Sherry will be giving a talk and reading at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28 at Al Kotob Khan bookstore.

Other than this I am soon to be running more new courses, more gigs with my fab band, will be working towards a performance of new monologues and plays, hosting salons, writing, eating, going on feluccas and kissing pandas..

Happening Happenings

Hello, hello - I'm back again :-)

Woooooooooooow, that was a long illness I had!!!! Over 3 and half weeks and I got to the point that I thought I would never be well again!!!

Anyway... here I am and I'm soon to be rocking Cairo out with my new band; details to be released in very near future!!!

Apart from this new venture, I am continuing to learn Arabic (slowly), getting ready for the next Up On the Roof at Cairo Art Village on 4th November (about 10 acts will perform and I will do a debut track with my band)and I have several other plans in the bag.

I've also been doing a fair bit of writing, developing storylines for my novel and another article for El Dustor.

ARC will be joined by resident artist Christian Schink in late November, check out his work on: www.hc-schink.de

Bye for now!!!!! Mwah mwah :-)

In The Land of the Lotus Eaters

Dear World

Is it really so many days since I last posted?? Time, as I have said before, is another reality here. And neither an enchantment nor a bind. Just another dimension.

Well, I have been sick for over two weeks now :( I came back from the fantastically successful Fayoum residency and got an ear infection, then a weird neck rash, and absolute physical and emotional exhaustion. At the same time I was starting 3 new writing courses and launching the first Up On The Roof event. So.. these last weeks have been busy professionally (and successful) but personally a bit challenging. I have cancelled seeing some very dear friends several times due to my exhaustion and illness. Anyway, I will be better soon, inshallah *

New news in brief:

- 3 new creative writing courses underway
- a fabulously attended first Up On The Roof open stage night and people already on the waiting list for the next on 4th November
- Marte has been back for some weeks and is still in Danceworld
- some collaborations coming up joining ARC other arts organisations here; a meeting with one today
- the launch of Salon BonBon; a monthly writers' and artists' salon
- the launch of Cairo Writers www.cairowriters.blogspot.com

and more and more and more :-)

Stay tuned!

Ahhhhh.. and the post title... I just LOVE that story; on the journey to Ithaca...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus-eaters

Harvest Moon

Hello World!!!

Ahhhhhhh - and I am resurfacing at full moon, harvest moon in fact, bounty, riches, fruits - inshallah!!!!

It is SO busy.. I have lists in triplicate. So let's ring the changes:

Dearest darling Marte has left for Alexandria and I shall be going on mini trips to see her. She got a lucrative deal and can now shimmy away in her Sahars; I am so happy for her but miss her tooooooooooo!!!!!

The first oasis course happens this weekend and I am taking the 10 participants to Fayoum for 3 days of creativity and natural surroundings - exciting!!!

I will then come back and the week after start a busy autumn of 5 Creative Writing courses, Open Stage night, Film Night and more!!!

Various artists are booked in to ARC throughout the following months; more details soon.

I may also be taking part in a festival in Alexandria which will take place in Cavafy's house; the very writer who wrote The Road to Ithaca!!! I am VERY excited about this prospect!

For now.. it is coffee and sorting out exercises for the oasis and awaiting my lovely friend Lorna who will visit between her dance shows on the Nile.

Enjoy the moon XXX

'Up On The Roof' Open Stage at Cairo Art Village

'Up On the Roof' Open Stage at Cairo Art Village
www.cairoartvillage.com

Thursday October 7th then monthly

A new creative platform for both established and emerging artists using either Arabic or English language.
Live poetry, spoken word, music and performance. Each act will be a maximum of 10 minutes with a longer guest spot for an invited artist. This is a space to try out new material and take risks as well as present shaped work.
People interested in performing should contact Linda Cleary: lindawildfire@hotmail.com

A joint venture by CAV and ARC

Aywa to Cairo

Hello Beautiful People!

Well, another stretch of time has elapsed since my last post. I have truly stepped into the time paradigm of Cairo and life is as busy as ever.

I thought Ramadan would be quiet but I have been running a new course at Diwan, a monologue and short play course privately and also a novel writing workshop as well as my own writing and social situations.

I am now in the process of preparing several new courses to run at Diwan, Darb 1718 and a residential course at Sobek Lodge, Fayoum. And continuing with private students working on their own novels, monologues, plays and other writing.

Arts Residency Cairo is still hosting Marte Kjoell, the dancer, and soon to welcome Susan Vanhinsbergh, a life coach from England. Later in the autumn we will be saying hello to several international artists and writers; details to be posted soon.

We have been truly happy to have spent some time these last weeks in the presence of Mamoun Eltlib and Mazin Mustafa; two Sudanese writers of prominence.

Aywa to Cairo, aywa to Life :-))