Freedom Bus Experience - Trier

My memories of Trier are scattered, because in Trier I went home and came back to the trip only in key moments and only for one night.

In Trier the workshops started. They were interesting, but the only one I was interested in got canceled. I took the photography workshop, but after a talk with the professors holding that workshop I did things my way.

I've started taking pictures of people's hands. As a true ethnographer, I observed and took pictures. Only of the hands. Somehow I still don't fancy people.

I posted collages on Instagram and I printed all my Instagram and blog posts on my sketch book. I am a communication person, I don't know how to draw and there is no sense in kidding me that I do. So on my visual diary I put my experience in this trip. I think I am good with words and I like taking pictures. That was my sketchbook.

I exhibited my visual diary in Trier and I have some pictures of people reading it, but Trier was more than that.

***

In Trier my travel companions would step on actual borders or on borders created by their mind. They would participate in performances in front of a lot of people, unknown people, and be fine with it. They would walk for kilometers and do not complain about the walk, but remember the overall experience. They would create some sort of art and exhibit it in one of the most beautiful exhibition places in Trier. I would give another speech, I would spent quality time with the other characters. I would find the person who's place I took in this experience and accepted it. I would get disappointed by my roommates and spent half a night in Trier's railway station. I would get a certificate of participation and I would get to tell my story.

I was the first one to leave. I didn't say good bye from anyone and I didn't cry. We will never be friends. We have nothing in common, except the two weeks we spent together in bunk beds, but when or if we meet again we know where we left it and pick it up from there.

***

I wouldn't make it an Oscar acceptance speech, but I have to thank the organizers of this project. I know my diary is not a funny one, but I am thankful for being part of this project. At the end I finished my sketch book and I had a lot of great experiences along the way. I am thankful for all the people I've met, for all the places I've seen and all the moments I was part of. I know it takes a lot of efforts to organise such a thing and I hope they could do it again next year. I crossed a lot of borders on this trip and somehow found myself. I found my voice. I remembered that I loved talking in English. I like meeting new people, actually. I like asking questions and I like to talk. I don't know if the organizers intended for us to have this experiences, but I did. Overall my travel companions were nice people. I could be friends with some of them, someday.

***

I am glad I took the challenge. I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. I am humbled by the experience and I think I took all I could take out of it. I met the most interesting people along the way. They are all characters and even though I talked about them in relation to their nationality, I eventually managed to remember their names. I hope they went back to their lives and I hope somehow we will meet again. Not in bunk beds, though :)