It really is awesome to be able to say: 'Oh, I'm sorry I missed it. I was at a conference in Belgium.' BOOM. The academic community is a very funny place - the organizers were thrilled that around 200 people signed up for the dramaturgy conference, and many of those were intelligentsia who had actually published books on dramaturgy and theatre. The rest of us plebes in attendance were the ones who had purchased their books. (I think I may have made two of the speaker's months - maybe years - when I asked them to sign the book they had written. It was pretty funny, actually, how flattered they were. Now I just have to actually read the book!) The relative sense of things gets all out of whack in academics, as well - one of the speakers (the opening speaker, actually) is a noted long-standing expert on theatre theory, and all the other speakers clearly held him in awe - nodding to him when they referenced one of his works in their presentations, making weak jokes in his direction, generally gushing with big eyes and straight faces. The flip side is that he's actually one of my lecturers here in my program(me) at Kent, and He. Makes. Me. Crazy. SO MAD, every seminar. Such a big-wig 'expert', and such a lousy teacher! I'll just say it. I don't care if his teaching style is 'very French'; contradicting yourself regularly, asking a question and then not allowing students to answer it, forgetting to listen to actual contributions while supposedly 'encouraging' discussion - none of these are effective methods for running a stimulating classroom. The Germans have got it going on - Hans-Thies Lehmann, author of 'Postdramatic Theatre' and another recognized Very Big Theatre Deal, is ALSO a phenomenal lecturer/seminar leader. The French (name withheld, since he is in fact a very nice person) need to Step. It. Up.
Oh, wow, that was a nice little solar flare of a tangent - in other news, today was the last seminar of my program(me). It's all research and performance projects from here on out!
Anway, Ghent. Apparently it's 'Gent' in Belgium - I have no idea where the extra 'h' (or 'haitch', if you're British) came from. Possibly the same place as the extra 'i' in aluminium and the 'ta' in disorientated. Gent is a charming little city on a river with a castle, several cathedrals, a couple of universities, and a remarkable disinclination to feel claustrophobic even though the buildings are all piled on top of each other. It might have something to do with the fact that every house and shop is a painted a different color/uses completely separate decorating materials - the British have a tendency to make things look the same, but the Flemish seem to be pretty defiant about changing it all up.
Lots of houseboats on the canals, and it was interesting to think about living on one. For about five minutes, anyway.
The conference was fine - lots of very smart people talking about theatre, so that's always fun. Had a great time with the crew:
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| Helen, part of our original Kent gang before she moved away for a semester in Gent; Phil the Sage; and the lovely Phoebe (just ask her about the 40 Belgian truckers and chips on the ferry. I dare you). |
Thursday was just beautiful, so we went to the main 'square' to hang out with a few friends.
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| So. Many. People. Evidently they don't see the sun in Belgium much more than they do in England! |
The food was a trip (and an intercultural experience, if you will):
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| This Italian pizza place specialized in Indian food with an extensive buffet. I didn't know that was an option. (At least the pizza was tasty!) |
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| I forgot to get myself some Belgian chocolates, but I managed the Belgian chocolate mousse! |
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| The smallest bar in Ghent - yes, that's the whole thing. FYI. (I had some really salad-y mint tea.) |
And there was the castle: Gravensteen, the Castle of the Counts. (Dun, dun dunnnnnnn!)
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| Welcome. Come on in. So homey. |
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| 'Well, we got the place for the view...' Towers and roofs and more towers, oh my! |
And in an effort to be really cultural, instead of just touristy-cultural, I stopped by the Fine Arts Museum before getting on my train to London. Lovely, imposing, bristling with art and culture...
... and all I really saw was the TARDIS in tile on the floor of the front entryway. Honestly, how was anything inside supposed to top THAT?!?
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| I am, symbolically, stepping inside. The TARDIS, not the art museum. |
As you can clearly see, we love Ghent/Gent. (I will NOT forget the chocolate next time.)
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