Sun. Spring. Changes and Growth
May started with a beautiful change in the weather and the sky. The sudden sunrises and the prolonged sunsets inspire and influence my creativity in many ways. I feel a bit more blended with the city, new Chevener friends, and my new major of study – documentary – this month.
I had to do a major change on my final documentary film project at the beginning of the month. When you have spent a good amount of time on a project, it is hard to admit that it will not succeed and you should let it go (and start all over again!).
I’ve been following different Turkish-speaking women’s communities in their daily lives and documenting their cultural struggles and efforts to adapt towards living in UK. After filming them for two months I realised that they are not comfortable sharing their stories in front of the camera.
I had to find a new subject in order to make an interesting and successful documentary film.
Luckily enough, I have an amazing tutor at Goldsmiths University of London, Daisy Asquith, who encouraged me to change my direction and take a new path.
Through the Turkish women’s group I was filming, I found out about the most unusual and diverse theatre community in north London called the Interaction Theatre Group. The group have a blend of old, young, disabled, and non-disabled members.
A 92-year-old lady from the Caribbean, a Cypriot woman with a disabled child, a British-Bangladeshi girl in an identity crisis, and a black, albino, gay man from north London share the same stage and perform a play inspired by their own life stories.
The show is about their personal struggles with migration, discrimination, and identity while drawing attention to the fact that racism is once again getting more apparent in today’s world.
Ladies and gentleman, this is Jane Austen’s Bath
The month continued with cultural and social events with the Chevening community. Chevening Scholars met at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath to learn about England’s favourite author.
Born into a well-respected middle-class family in Hampshire, England, Jane Austen grew up in an environment that stressed learning and creative thinking.
Even though she was not formerly educated after her pre-adolescent years, she was encouraged to read from his father’s extensive library. During her adolescent years she started crafting her own novels unveiling her wit, a combination of realism, romance, and comedy.
Although she was not widely known in her time, Jane Austen’s comic novels of love among the landed gentry gained popularity in late 19th century and her reputation expanded to the world in the 20th century.
As we walked through the centre decorated with 1800s furniture, we slowly sank into the charming, literal, British energy of the era. When we saw the costumes available on the bottom floor for visitors to try on, we immediately took action!
It’s not every day that one has the opportunity to dress as a late 1800s lady or a gentleman, therefore laughter, giggles, and poses for the camera followed after.
The best part of the trip came after the Jane Austen Centre, we were taken on a ‘Jane Austen’s Bath’ walking tour of the city. We passed through the streets of Bath, once a fashion centre during 1800s, and took notice of the buildings that Jane and her family lived in. Back in those days, the streets became the inspiration for the novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
After the tour, a few of us decided to get a bite and explore the city furthermore. It was a unique opportunity for a Columbian, an Ecuadorian, a Mexican, an Indian, and a Turkish Chenever to get to know each other!
So we decided to sit under the sun and chat about our lives back home, politics and our majors. On our way back to catch our trains, we came across with the beautiful view of the Pulteney Bridge and the rafters practicing in the River Avon.
Cheveners’ picnic – to be continued…
Every time I get to meet a Chevener from a Media and Communications department I get excited to learn about their studies, interests, and the jobs they had before coming to the UK.
The possibility of making international projects with other Cheveners in the future is a dream come true for me, therefore I’ve been wanting to organise a ‘Cheveners in Media Picnic’ for the ones in London.
Unfortunately, the designated day was one of the few rainy days in London in May. We had to cancel the picnic and move it indoors, and lost a great amount of participants – yet a few of us showed up for the event.
Nonetheless, it was a lovely afternoon getting to know each other and discussing our current and future plans. Yet, this wasn’t the ‘real picnic’ and I hope to organise a larger one in June or July dear friends!
Many things to look forward to!
May left me with uplifting feelings. Even though the month started with unsettling emotions about my final project, I’ve finally completed my film for Goldsmiths! The longer days definitely helped me finish it in such a short amount of time.
In the beginning of June, we will be going to the Sheffield International Documentary Festival as a class and volunteering in order to make industry contacts. I’m also looking forward to watching some inspiring films at Sheffield.
While still in UK, I want to get to know the London illustration and art scene a bit more. Therefore I’ve signed up for volunteering at the House of Illustration. I hope to get more involved in the artist communities during summer, while I write my final essays for the course.
There’s still so much to do while I am here and it’s already been summer: there are Cheveners to meet, cities to see, and projects to make! Time is always a matter of debate and I don’t know if I believe in its existence. Yet I believe, I will have time to make everything possible, by being in the moment, forever.