Step by Step

I’ve landed in Bejaia. Imma Gouraya, a mountain top in the shape of a woman laying down, looks over the entire city. There is a film festival going on at the Maison de la Culture that I have been attending. Like the professional theatre festival in Algiers this film festival is free of charge—everything paid for by the cultural ministry--which of course means certain things be upheld in a certain way regarding content…

Today was my first experience out and about on my own taking the famous Algerian transport publique. Here in Bejaia they have small buses each clearly numbered but the stops are totally not clear. And oh I wish my Kabyle was better!

My host family is very nice. Mom, Dad, and two small kids. But I do have a curfew (to not give the neighbors any ideas…). Not surprising considering that this is Algeria where reputation is everything. But a curfew means I can’t see the films in the festival at night. It’s hard to swallow. But I keep reminding myself I didn’t come to Algeria to go out at night or to have a happening social life. I came to do this project. I knew there would be certain limitations and I tried to mentally prepare for them…but all the same my reference points of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Paris are totally thrown off balance.

Tomorrow I head over to the TRB and meet with the administration. Next week I lead a week-long workshop and I have to start recruiting for the KFP…in St. Paul at SteppingStone recruiting or advertising for projects, while not always easy, was made possible by being able to look any school up on the internet, send an email, set up a meeting. Here right now I am frankly feeling a little bit lost. But…like all things here in Algeria you have to really concentrate on the moment. This is really a step-by-step sorta system.