Russische Impressionen – Thal und Bärnbach

Thal und Bärnbach

Teil 4 – Eine ungewöhnliche Geschichte

Russische Impressionen aus der Steiermark von Sveta und Nastya:
Jeder ihrer Beiträge ist eine Hommage an die Steiermark aus der Sicht einer mit allen Sinnen erfassenden Russin.

Thal und Bärnbach [Russian]

Original English Translation by Nastya

Report on trip to Austria, part 2

7-th day. The Church Ernst Fuchs
The Church Of Hundertwasser
Glass manufactory in Burbage.
By the way, this tank is in the center moved in my collection of vases.
The Eggenberg Palace.

I’m planning a separate posts about all the above.
The weather that day was disgusting. The temperature dropped, the rain periodically began to pour in buckets. I tried on the way to remove fields with pumpkins, – Styria is famous for the production of pumpkin oil, pumpkin grow here everywhere, and the fields look very cheerful – but the rain muddied glass. And nothing but a light orange stain outside the window of the car, did not work.

Traudl very tired that day. Winding road, lots of tunnels, heavy rain. Of the morning news the next day revealed that in some places in Styria, even the snow fell, and the roads there were many accidents, including and with sad outcomes.
Therefore, the following,
8-day was a day of rest. We did not travel outside of Mürzzuschlag. We just walked around the town, visited the Museum of Brahms, ran to the shops. In the evening we received a gift from Traudl on the excellent bottle of pumpkin seed oil!

9-th day. In the morning we said goodbye to the nice Mürzzuschlag and sailed back to Vienna, where the first thing rushed to KHM to watch Brueghel.
Well, of course, not only Brueghel. A lot of things, and other interesting. After KHM, I fulfilled a mother’s duty and led my child to the Technical Museum.

I was found very interesting:
Once, in a past life, the subject of my dissertation included the prosthetics of the lower extremities. There were many interesting things on this topic in the Museum

We took to the Museum’s closing time and, frankly, not enough…

Nastya, instead of the Museum, went to Albertina. In her heart, knocked “the ashes of Klaas» the hare of Durer.
She saw the hare and the impressionists, and was perfectly happy. In this good mood she went to visit Tanya, where they watched a film about the theme of the Impressionists.
Stas and I went in search of Gazometro, and 20 hours had Daytona the Museum of sounds ( House music). On the advice of Traudl got off at the station and drove to the station on. But gone, apparently, in the wrong direction, went long and circles ))).

On the road:

The long-awaited gasometry..
So, gasometry we won!
It’s time to the Museum sounds. In the subway we got off at the right stop, and then we could not navigate. “House music?, – happily asked the tourist-Spanish – follow for us!” And we boys ran after the Spaniards. This house fled to a crowd!)
and the house was not the same…To “our” house we came at 8 PM and 15 minutes later. And time for the examination of a large heap of interactive exhibits seemed to us too little.

10th, the last day. Stas was in a deep sleep, Nastya and I went to the flea market, which operates exclusively on Saturdays ( the other days they sell food and stuff). The Vienna market called the Naschmarkt. In someone else’s story I read that a very appropriate name, because this “Markt” clearly “ours.” Fully confirm, – the number of Russian merchants “was through the roof» ). The market is located a pair of kilometers in length.

Nastya said it’s no good idea without a purpose to wander around the market, it is necessary to determine their desires. I wanted a little vase, a little doll and something for my soul ))). Nastya – wanted to find vintage jewelry and one definite book. From the market she left a few sad, because nothing found. However, she did not know which moral compensation is waiting for her in the evening. My program was 100% complete. Now I am the happy owner of three subjects about which I know nothing, but they like me by the way, if among you there are experts and will tell anything. Unlikely, of course, but suddenly…

So it will be placed. The vase ))) Rather, a bottle of perfume. Judging by the picture, refers to the modern era. Similar analogues in the Internet is not
found. But they found exactly the same cover, which, oddly enough, do not refer to modernism and to him the preceding Victorian era. I admit that the cap may not be native. Although the size is suitable. Best of all, from the cap and from the bottle, still exudes a slightly noticeable subtle perfume “Bouquet de Nice” ) now Dolly.

Originally wanted another. But that was sold only in pair with the boy in national costume. Not mine… I sighed, rummaged in the box and pulled out the tucked under the larger and more prominent of the beauties of this one:
She got me hooked. Probably a bow ))) Doll celluloid, sold as pre-war. I am not an expert, so I asked about its origin in the community on Facebook. Replied that the products of the factory “Minerva”. Maybe post-war, and maybe pre-war ))) And then my post deleted. Mess ))) Because a bunch of questions I was left with ) the information found in this factory: closed in 1955, the mark besides the word Germany starting from 1933 there was an inscription of Minerva. From what I have it isn’t there, a doll made earlier in 1933. I am silent, I see her all the same style ))) But there was a bunch of “but”: all the little dolls Minerva, whose photos have found have molded hair, my doll had real hair. And a stamp in the upper right part of the same (like a helmet), but all that’s left under this hat, unlike. However, in that Minerva joined a few other, smaller factories. Possible that done on one of them. But with a year to decide and failed. I want to determine at least a decade )))And the third thing ) Which for the soul ))) I don’t even know what it is ) as condition things is bad. But I fell in love with her at first sight ))) My little hands reached out to her, unable to break away ) the Salesman said that this Bedemier. Somehow trusted him right away ).

At first I thought it was a handbag. And in form it resembles, and flanked by two decent holes, as if a pen from her threw up. But after scrolling through books on fashion history, I started to doubt. All handbags of this period in the books of cloth knitted or made of a metal mesh, and leather that is not visible in the book. Maybe it’s not the bag, and some road four wheel accessory? I asked the expert on the history of costume. She said she’ll think about it. But it is silent, she is silent as the guerrilla on interrogation. Already I do not expect an answer.Well, okay, it’s time for us to leave the “flea market” ))) and return to the apartment to pick up my son ))). Secession was on the way.And anyway, this whole quarter of solid art Nuovo. Art Nouveau, as they call it here.
All together with Stas go to the House of the Sea. Price hoo! Well, there are some interesting… Although the St. Petersburg aquarium is much better. And the price is lower. Nastya it was not yet, because the House of the sea her unconditionally love.

What is good in the House of the sea is the viewing platform.In Schönbrunn with its palace, zoo and other delights son refused to go, early in the morning by choosing a replacement – the House of the sea. “No luck in cards, lucky in love…”, I mean so lucky in the morning on “the flea” because it is foolish to think that the rest of the day will also carry. Really, the second Museum today son chose MUMOK (Museum of modern art). Well, I did not like…

By seven PM we were home. Packed up for departure, waited, Traudl, which, like a the good kind fairy, came to us with gifts. And, most surprisingly, Nastya received the gift of the book with watercolor paintings, a book which dreamed! With a bottle of sunny spanish “Rioja”, Traudl told us absolutely incredible story of finding this book. So, miracles do happen and dreams come true. Especially when the good wizards try your hand )))
And wait for stories about the individual, only indicated here, landmarks )))

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Russische Impressionen – More Admont

Mehr von Admont – Bibliothek, Museum und Park

Teil 3 – Eine ungewöhnliche Geschichte

Russische Impressionen aus der Steiermark von Sveta und Nastya:
Jeder ihrer Beiträge ist eine Hommage an die Steiermark aus der Sicht einer mit allen Sinnen erfassenden Russin.

Admont Bibliothek [Russian]

Original English Translation by Nastya

The monasteries have always been not only a religious place but also a place of learning. Admont fully cared about the education of local children and youth. The monastery has  three museums.

The first of them is the Museum of natural history.

Just it is a classic. It is very small. I t is just a baby compared to our Petersburg Zoological Museum. But the collection is wonderful.

Nastya really liked the shelves with minerals…

…and I with birds

The colors are most unusual.

The ladies deer are horned too )))

The monks a little joked  in this Museum. This lion roars loudly when someone is  approaching to the exhibits.

After a devastating fire in 1865  the monastery and museum was restored. The Father Gabriel Strobl (1866-1910) devoted to the museum 44 years of his life. He devoted  himself to the botany  12 years and the following 32 years – entomology. He created a collection of 252000 instances of insects. Almost everything that we now see in the Museum is the work of Strobl. What he could not himself produce in his expeditions he is exchanged or bought. Еру сcollection of Strobl it’s something!!!

In one of the rooms has 243 varieties of Styrian apples. All made of wax by his father Constantine Kepler ((1778-1864). Some varieties of the now non-existent.

In General, the Museum is very worthy.

In one of the rooms have 243 varieties of apples from Styria. It is made of wax by his father Constantine Kepler ((1778-1864). Some varieties of apples are no more. In general this museum is very worthy.

Another museum is the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It presents the exhibits from the Romanesque period to the Rococo.  It is the paintings, sculptures, textiles.

The most valuable exhibits are the embroidery made by famous master Brother Benno Haan (1631-1720).

The view from the stairs at the glass transition from floor to floor.

The third museum is the museum of Modern Art. I understand that his exposition periodically updated. Here the authors are well frolicked. I like that most of the work has humor  in contrast the works in Vienna’s MUMOK. Here is an example of the use of spoons-forks not for its intended purpose.

The elegant chandelier made of plastic bottles.

I stumbled in the hallway on the currently fashionable artist Gironcoli.

And he was also spotted in the yard.

I can’t say that his work has impressed me. I retarded person.

And the area around the monastery is also quite good. There are a lot of flowers.

I liked the floral arrangements with the bricks in the windows of the flower shop

Here I asked   Stas to take a photo of me : Useless! Either he couldn’t fit the view in the frame, or does not fit the head or all remaining  body parts!

And it is a wonderful place to explore the local pond. You can see water lilies, ducks, swans, beautiful views of the mountains and the monastery. It is a very beautiful place.

From the monastery went to the nearby castle Strechau. The castle is the second largest in Styria. Inside should be an interesting museum.

But the first time we didn’t find the way and we had to go to the track countless kilometers. In general, when we arrived, the castle gates  had been already closed.

The castle is in private ownership. And it closes at 15:00.

With the lock connected a very old legend about an unfaithful lover.

The young girl took her lover to a crusade… And promised the knight that he would remain faithful to him to the grave. But if he does not return from a crusade, she will go to the monastery. Some time passed and she forgot about her promise. She said yes matchmaking to her grandee. They arranged a big wedding. But at the wedding feast with her there was a terrible metamorphosis: her delicate features distorted by a terrible grimace. Instead of the beautiful face  the stunned guests saw the skull. The ground opened under the feet of the unhappy and the demons dragged her to the hell…

The painting by an unknown artist Burgfräulein von Strechau hangs in the museum of Admont. And we made a little picnic on a bench in front of the castle. And we went  home…”

Wishing all the best, Nastya 🍁🍃🌞

Russische Impressionen – Admont

Admont

Teil 2 – Eine ungewöhnliche Geschichte

Russische Impressionen aus der Steiermark von Sveta und Nastya:
Jeder ihrer Beiträge ist eine Hommage an die Steiermark aus der Sicht einer mit allen Sinnen erfassenden Russin.

Wir starten in Admont

Admont [Russian]

Original English Translation by Nastya

I found by chance, this place is in Austria, when I examined in the internet map of Styria (clicking on all the pictures in a row). This place is in the boonies, it far from any major cities. After seeing the picture, I opened my mouth in amazement. What appeared before my eyes? It was a monastery library.

… And here, Traudl invited us into her car. Outside the window began to flash (flickersed) the beautiful views.In the immediate vicinity there is the national Park Gesäuse. So, if someone wants to spend their holiday actively, and in beautiful place, let has in mind this place is a Park and monastery, and a castle nearby.Two hours later we arrived at the scene.The monastery is situated in extensive grounds in the valley. And surround the monastery on all sides of the mountain, half of which are more than two kilometers tall.

We were lucky. The day was Sunday, in the courtyard of the monastery turned fair. There were local products, drinks, Souvenirs. Festivities were in full swing, many people were in national costumes.Generally things of juniper were many, but all very expensive.
People in the courtyard of a cultural rest, slowly drank the drinks of varying strength and listened to the orchestra.The orchestra itself is also not to offend. Even the nuns are allowed a little aperitif)

A General impression that in Austria everything and always in a good mood. ))) The monastery in Admont has a very venerable age.We staring on the bright bushes, and almost missed the point in this photograph – St. Emma. But it all started!But thank God for Nastya, who photographed the text on the green board.Judging by the headdress, inside the Church is also St.Emma.

Emma was born in 980. She was married Wilhelm of Friesach-Sanngau. She gave birth to two sons and lived happily and richly until murder her sons during the uprising. Their father is brutally murdered with a rebellious people after went to Rome to atone for sins. But the way he died. Emma was left alone. She spent all the wealth on charity, investing in the foundation of monasteries. Here it was founded the monastery of Admont, but 30 years after her death. Emma was beatified in 1287, and was canonized in 1938.

I admire Emmas headpiece )))

Photo from here

The information about St. Emma from the same and from the story of Olga

The land and the money was from Emma, but the real founder was Gebhard (1010 – 1088), Archbishop of Salzburg

In 1074 the monks Benedictines arrived here of the parish of St. Peter in Salzburg. In 1120 there appeared a women’s monastery of the Benedictine order. In 1644 he founded the school at the monastery. And besides, in the 17th century, the school of embroidery, led by brother Benno Haan. In 1735 under the direction of architect Gotthard Hayberger it began rebuilding in the Baroque style, which was continued by Joseph Hueber.

Please note that the picture of 1839 the monastery looks somewhat different than it is now. The head of the Church crowned with onions. (This and the next two pictures are from the site of the monastery. Information from the same place)http://www.stiftadmont.at/en/

But in 1865 a fire destroyed almost the whole monastery, with the exception of the library.

In the following years after the fire the monastery was built again. In the 1930-ies of the monks provided their living by selling works of art. In 1939 the Nazis expropriated the monastery and in 1945 the monks returned here.
Currently the Abbey is a spiritual, cultural and economic center of international fame. In his charge are 26 parishes, nursing home and a middle school with 700 students. In all of these schools employs approximately 500 people. In the monastery the monks 26. From 1 August 1996 the dean of monastery is Bruno Hübl. His motto, “Ex caritate confidens de adiutorio Dei” –

mercy, relying on God’s help.

So the monastery looks from the height of bird flight

The collegiate Basilica dedicated to St. Blaise.

The founder Gebhard was buried in the chancel.
Quite by accident I found on the internet the information that in a monastery in 1094 he died one of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise – Anastasia Yaroslavna. She was the wife of the king of Hungary András I. The name of the Admont monastery (and in older sources – Almond). This daughter of the Russian Tsar Yaroslav. Anastasia died not later than 1094, as in this year she was mentioned as deceased. According to legend, she died in the Admont monastery or Almond that in Styria. Anastasia is second from the left in the mural.
Through the Admont is the pilgrimage way of St. Emma. The way out in the southern part of Austria, then to Slovenia. Stretches 187 km elevation Changes are significant.http://www.outdooractive.com/de/pilgerweg/alpenregion..

You can see the pilgrims on pictures.

It’s late and we go to the museums part of the Abbey.
We looked interesting multimedia show About the monastery and the order of Benedictines.
The library is the main treasure of the monastery.
Before entering the library are copies of medieval manuscripts. They are beautiful in the extreme.

Russische Impressionen aus der Steiermark

Eine ungewöhnliche Geschichte über die Steiermark und St. Petersburg

Auf dem Camino del Norte in Spanien haben Karin und ich zwei Wanderinnen getroffen, sind einige Tage zusammen gewandert und haben uns in Spanisch und Englisch sehr unterhaltsam verständigt.

Sveta und Nastya sind in St. Petersburg zu Hause, unsere Muttersprachen Russisch und Deutsch konnten wir nicht verwenden. Besonders ein Erlebnis mit einem aus seiner Weide ausgebrochenen Jungstier, der den Städterinnen sehr gefährlich erschien, hat sich in unserer Erinnerung bewahrt. Der glückliche Ausgang dieses Abenteuers hat mehr mit Händen und Füßen als mit Worten seinen Abschluss gefunden. Wie oft auf Wanderungen haben wir unsere Emails ausgetauscht und unsere Wege haben sich getrennt. Karin und ich hatten unser Ziel erreicht. Sveta und Nastya sind bis Santiage de Compostela weiter gewandert.

Nach einiger Zeit haben wir Fotos ausgetauscht und sind in loser Verbindung geblieben. Im Sommer 2014 traf ich Sveta und Nastya in St. Petersburg wieder. Unsere Verständigung war noch ein wenig spannender, denn Karins Spanisch hat gefehlt (ich war mit einer anderen Gruppe unterwegs). Eine russische Freundin der beiden, die auf Heimaturlaub aus Australien in St. Petersburg war, übernahm die Übersetzungsarbeit. Wir hatten wieder viel Spass und haben uns einen Nachmittag lang köstlich unterhalten. Ich dachte an eine Einladung der beiden nach Oesterreich.

Diesen August 2016 kamen die beiden mit Svetas Sohn Stanislaw nach Wien und dann nach Mürzzuschlag, wo ich wohne. Sveta hatte in ihrer Vorbereitung ein umfangreiches Programm erstellt mit allen Orten und Sehenswürdigkeiten, die sie gerne sehen wollten. Nastya hatte in der Zwischenzeit ihre Englischkenntnisse in Kursen erweitert. So wagte ich mich in das Abenteuer. Zuerst erfolgte ein Wiedersehen mit Karin, ein von ihr liebevoll zubereitetes vorzügliches Essen und das Auffrischen von Erinnerungen in Klosterneuburg.

Nach dieser doch etwas längeren Vorgeschichte komme ich zum eigentlichen Anlass meines Artikels.

Sveta hat Eindrücke von unseren Ausflügen in der Steiermark festgehalten und in mehreren Postings online gestellt. Jeder dieser Beiträge ist eine Hommage an die Steiermark aus der Sicht einer mit allen Sinnen erfassenden Russin.

Grüner See [Russian]

Noch mal Grüner See [Russian]

Original English Translation by Nastya

“Austria is amazingly beautiful country! And we have not been to the mountainous parts of it. The trip was limited to Styria and Vienna.

In Austria every step of the castles…

…and interesting museums.

But the main wealth of Austria is people. Wonderful, kind, hardworking, very cheerful and very musical.

And the best of the Austrians to us, of course, Traudl, thanks to her  took place on this trip! If you knew what a fairy she was! Thank you, dear!!! May God grant you health, luck and fulfillment of wishes!

And where you can meet such great people as Traudl? Of course, on the Camino ))) There they go in the a crowd of people  (droves)    ))).

There we met with Karin. And a huge thank you to her that during their brief stay in Austria, she found the time to meet with us!

But sitting still wasn’t done. Lives in Vienna one infinitely dear to us – Tanya Gurin gmarta . And thank you, Tanya, for the meeting and gifts!

1 day. Vienna. 1 day. Vienna. The center of the city we toured on the tram on the ring (and then walked )

Hundertwasser house + village Hundertwasser

Church St.Othmar

The Hundertwassers Museum

Waste-to-energy plant project of Hundertwasser saw a glimpse, passing by in the subway.

By 12 o’clock, we rushed to the famous Ankeruhr clock. We could not find them and upset that it was late because it was already the first hour. But it turned out that the clock is well behind! Finding them, we still waited for 10-15 minutes, when the passage of the shapes.)))

Then we looked in the oldest Church Ruprecht

And in the Greek Church

And to the “dear Augustine”

We went to dinner in “Figlmueller”, where the reviews online was a endless wieners schnitzel and democratic prices.

I asked the waiter for ice water. He replied that alas… no. Then I tried to joke and asked for some ice without  water. The waiter laughed. But 10 minutes later he brought me a glass of ice without water” ))). Phew, what a joy it was, considering that on the street the day was muggy and hot.

After dinner we walked to the Cathedral of St. Stephen, on Stephanplatz and the district.

Then we bought a family combo-ticket “Treasury of the Hofburg + KNM”, but two museums on this day did not happen because of the intolerable stuffiness in the Treasury. With tenderness and nostalgia were reminded of our well air-conditioned and well-lit Museum space. There is almost total absence of light and air. By the way, Traudl was interested that Austria seemed to us better or worse than us. Well, “best” in Austria are endless ))), but a distinct disadvantage in Austria, we noticed bad transport links between settlements and very bad air conditioning.. In all museums it was hot and stuffy.

The day ended with a meeting with Tanya, who, as it turned out, lived just a 10 minute walk from our place.

2nd day. It was in the Kreuzensteins castle and Klosterneuburg. Where we met Karin. with Karin. About this day will be a separate post. And, most likely, two posts. )

The evening of the same day to the sound of rain we drink in small sips a cherry liqueur with Tanya )

3rd day. Early morning we moved from Vienna to Mürzzuschlag. Scenic area Simmeringly railway, included in the UNESCO list, among other things.

We located in the house of Traudl, surveyed the area, settled down in the car and went to the lake Grüner See and spent the day. About the lake there will be a separate post.

The 4th day was held in the Abbey of Admont. About it will a separate post. On the way back wanted to get to the castle Strihou, but not the first time I got onto the right road and came straight after its closure. We looked at the locked gate, had a little picnic but went home.

5-th day. The pilgrimage to Mariazell.

6-th day. Neuberg an der Mürz. Abbey glass manufacture. And pseudo-Hundertwasser ))) “

 

Mu(r)seums Tag

Was alles dahinter steckt: Die Vorbereitungen und Arbeiten zur Erstellung des Theaterstücks “Wasser”

Wie schon 2015 nahm Elisabeth Feiner auch heuer wieder die Einladung zur THEATERFABRIK WEIZ mit ihrer Klasse an. Die in die dritte Klasse aufgestiegene 3 C hat sich an ein spannendes und wichtiges Thema gemacht:

„WASSER“

Vor dem Theaterprojekt standen umfangreiche Vorarbeiten am Plan:

1. Zunächst Wortschatzarbeiten, da keines der Kinder Deutsch als Muttersprache hat. Das Erarbeiten von Redewendungen mit Wasser machte allen viel Spaß.
2. Erfahrungen der Kinder mit Wasser wurden gesammelt :
   Die Flussraumführung mit Dipl. Ing. Katharina Schüssler und ihrem Team aus der Abteilung 14 Wasserwirtschaft, Ressourcen und Nachhaltigkeit des Landes Steiermark war besonders beeindruckend.
   Auch am Experimentiertag waren die Kinder mit voller Aufmerksamkeit bei Auftrieb, Schwimmen, Wasserverschmutzung und -reinigung bei der Sache. Zirkuläres Denken, Denken in Kreisläufen, dass alle Teilsysteme in Kreisläufen miteinander verbunden sind konnten erfahrbar und erlebbar gemacht werden.

Am Mu(r)seums Tag konnten sich die SchülerInnen intensiv mit dem Hauptfluss der Steiermark beschäftigen. Die Führung: „ Da rinnt noch viel Wasser die Mur hinunter” brachte viele Erkenntnisse:

• Die Mur wurde als Transportweg, Wäscheplatz, Fischwasser  usw. verwendet.
• Wir bauen ein Wasserrad – im Rahmen der Murausstellung, um zu erfahren, wie man die Kraft des Wassers nützen kann.
• Verständnis zur Veränderung von Wassernutzung, Wasserbringen, Wasserwegen – die Murausstellung diente als Grundlage, die im Sachunterricht weitergeführt werden konnte.

Der Zugang der Kinder zum Thema Wasser wurde ein bewussterer, respektvollerer und gewissenhafterer.

UNSER ZIEL
Verantwortung spürbar und erlebbar machen, alles Tun hat (Aus)wirkungen, ob es ein kleines Rückhaltebecken ist, Licht,  welches man brennen lässt oder auf der Bühne steht und mit der gesamten Klasse ein Theaterstück spielt.

“Eine der großen Herausforderungen waren die Probearbeiten mit einem Kind, das eine A-Typische Form des Autismus hat. Die Kinder wollten aber, dass auch dieses Kind dabei ist und mitspielt.”

Elisabeth Feiner

Mehr als nur das Theaterstück ist der gesamte Weg dorthin bemerkenswert. Ich möchte dieses Beispiel eines aussergewöhnlichen und darum umso interessanteren Lern- und Erfahrungsweges durch meinen Bericht darüber nicht nur sichtbar machen und Elisabeth den gebührenden Dank aussprechen, sondern auch gern weitergeben und animieren, auch in solchen Bahnen zu denken.

Ein herzliches Dank ergeht an alle, die uns bei unserem Tun unterstützt haben …

LINKS

Theaterprojekt Wanted 2015

CREDITS

Theaterpädagogin Gudrun Maier

Die Theaterfabrik in Weiz hat die Bühne zur Verfügung gestellt, Vera und Kathi haben die Theatergruppen begrüßt und ihre Fabrik vorgestellt.
Eine der insgesamt 8 Spielgruppen kam sogar aus Wien angereist.

Der Landesverband für außerberufliches Theater in der Steiermark LAUT! hat die Aufführung mitorganisiert und gesponsert.

Would you ever …

Guest Author: Liz McCreary

… stand in front of an audience and speak about your biggest professional blunders for seven minutes?

Me neither! Lucky for us, fearless professionals Marne Platt, Alexander Ramseier, and Martin Daubney agreed to confide in us the unique challenges they faced on their journeys to success, much to our enjoyment at Basel’s second FuckUp Night event that took place on July 7th 2016.

Whereas a quick glance at anyone’s LinkedIn account will show a succession of shining feats and accomplishments, the beauty of FuckUp Nights lies in the frank discussion of mishaps and blunders that, until now, were taboo to openly discuss for fear of discrediting one’s professional talents and skills.

Thanks to the courage of individuals such as our guests speakers, FUN.Basel allows us the opportunity to erase the taboo of admitting imperfections and to simultaneously share how missteps are valuable learning experiences that contribute to one’s success.

I had the pleasure of chatting with the first speaker, New York native MARNE PLATT, before the event began, and I listened in awe as she casually mentioned her sudden career change from the veterinary field to the business sector, the myriad countries she has worked in, and the fact that she is currently promoting her book. While our light-hearted chat broached several topics, her speech centered on two conflicting yet fundamental internal voices that guided her during her corporate career: the “Superwoman” and the “Nemesis”. She shared with us the consequences of only listening to one of those voices and the importance of balancing the attention we give each one.

In vein with the night’s themes of encouragement and guidance, she has written and published her book Living Singlish: Your Life, Your Way in which she “walks young women through the process of self-discovery and empowerment she went through on her own journey”. She is also the founder of Fundamental Capabilities, an organization that offers workshops and mentoring, using the phrase “Straight Talk for Women” as its header.

If you met ALEXANDER RAMSEIER at a party and asked him about his professional background, you’d be equally impressed. His LinkedIn profile boasts his English, Portuguese, German and French skills, complementing a varied professional background in Accounting, IT and Sales. However, during Alexander’s speech at FUN.Basel, we were privy to the struggles and setbacks he experienced “behind the scenes” so to speak, and how those challenges were in fact valuable learning experiences that only made him stronger.

Above all, he emphasized how those missteps were necessary to his current success: “nothing was ever really a failure; it was trial and error.” His advice to us was to not fear failure as failure is inevitable, even after success, but rather to “fail fast, fail often, learn quickly.” Martin set out to start his own business and is now the CEO and founder of Futurebuilt since 2014, whose goals include “advising clients on strategic business development, alliance management, service practice and process optimization”.

Upon reading the book Strength Finder, our third speaker MARTIN DAUBNEY discovered communication was his strength, and so he set upon turning communications into a career in the corporate world. Despite the stability of a managerial position at a billion-dollar corporation, Martin sensed he wasn’t happy with the direction his professional life was going, and he set upon forging a new path using his communications strengths and experience to start his own company and become partner at another.

The path, however, wasn’t without its own challenges and surprises, but Martin not once considered going back in the face of adversity. Now, he is co-founder of Inspire Coaching GmbH, a coaching company that also offers workshops as well as NLP training, and is senior partner at CommsQuest, an organization that provides diverse services such as strategy development and narrative creation, among others. When an attendee asked him what helped him through the tough times, he answered that he simply took a deep breath and told himself, “It will be okay”.

Take-aways from last Thursday’s Fuck Up Night in Basel:

• Listen to your inner motivator as well as your inner critique
• Fail fast, fail often, learn quickly
• Focus, focus, focus

In a world where putting your best face forward is king, there’s nothing like the rare transparency of successful professionals openly sharing the less glamourous side of success.

PWG-Basel would like to thank the speakers for sharing their stories and their time with us, and most importantly for having the courage to be vulnerable.

We salute you!

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Meet the FUN.Basel Team

Hello 2015

On a very cold note I am saying Hello to 2015 in an icy world full of beauty and sparkle.

I want to say Thank You Universe for

• inviting two new friends into my life
• let me re-connect with old friends
• exchange thoughts from the soul with a few very special people

Thank you for the rich and fruitful discussions, work and time spent with

• my Creativity Engineering students
• my Top Talent Club Members from Cisco Networking Academy Austria
• the Wings for Life World Run NetAcad Team
• Netriders and Skills Participants I had the pleasure to meet or communicate with within the Networking Academy Program
• all educators, colleagues, partners, friends and family

Looking forward to the pathway ahead with all of you, meeting new individuals on the way and coming together for an amplified impact on causes we care about.

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year 2015 with health, love and happiness in abundance !

Weihnachtsspuren – Traces of Christmas

Thank you very much Leypoldt family for welcoming me this warmhearted. The most wonderful Christmas present imaginable.

Here is one of the poems we read on the 24th of December just before singing Holy Night Silent Night. It is coming close to capturing what Christmas means to me.

Wenn mir einer die Frage stellt nach Weihnachten in unserer Welt muss ich nicht schweigen will ich ihm zeigen, was damals begann als Weihnachten seinen Anfang nahm. Wo einer dem anderen neu vertraut und mit ihm eine Brücke baut um Hass und Feindschaft zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden. Wo einer am Ende nicht verzagt und einen neuen Anfang wagt, um Leid und Trauer zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden. Wo einer im Dunkeln nicht verstummt, sondern das Lied der Hoffnung summt, um Angst und Stille zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden. Wo einer das Unbequeme wagt und offen seine Meinung sagt, um Schein und Lüge zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden. Wo einer gegen die Strömung schwimmt, und fremde Lasten auf sich nimmt, um Not und Elend zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden. Wo einer dich aus der Trägheit weckt und einen Weg mit dir entdeckt, um hohe Mauern zu überwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden.

When someone asks me a question about Christmas in our world I do not remain silent and want to explain what it means when Christmas starts to take place. Where someone trusts another person again and builds a bridge with him or her to overcome hate and hostility, there you can find traces of Christmas. Where someone does not give up hope and dares to try again one more time, to overcome pain and sorrow, there you can find traces of Christmas. Where some does not fall silent in the dark, but is humming the song of hope, to overcome fear and silence, there you can find traces of Christmas. Where someone dares to do the inconvenient and voices his or her opinion openly, to overcome illusions and lies, there you can find traces of Christmas. Where someone is swimming against the current, and takes on others burden, to overcome poverty and hardship, there you can find traces of Christmas. Where someone wakes you from your inaction, and discovers a new pathway with you, to overcome high walls, there you can find traces of Christmas.

From an unknown author

Ich habe den Faden weitergeführt … I think I have something to add

Wo einer nicht die Augen verschliesst, und tief drinnen den Schmerz mitfühlt, können Wunden der Seele langsam verschwinden, da kannst du Weihnachtspuren finden.

Where someone does not close his or her eyes, and deep inside feels the pain of another, for the soul wound to be able to slowly heal, there you can find traces of Christmas.

Haben Sie etwas hinzuzufügen?   Do you have something to add?