Moving on. A Farewell to Dortmund
Dortmund, DE - 21.12.24 - Community Winterfest in Konzerthaus Dortmund. Photo by Oliver Hitzegrad
With the whole Paper Lantern team together + more! An end of year farewell to our contribution to the Konzerthaus Dortmund Community Music & Education Programme. With guest contributions from our Advisory Board members Elisa Beck & Nhân Dang.
1 - How do you feel about goodbyes?
Mareike - Moving around quite a bit, I have become fairly used to saying goodbye. Ending something always makes me feel very grateful for the time I had in a place and more often than not it means that something new and exciting is beginning. Although my goodbye from Dortmund was a couple of years ago, it still feels like a chapter is coming to a close. A sweet sadness.
Marleen - Abschiede sind für mich Momente zum Innehalten und Nachdenken, zum Fühlen und Genießen, und alle diese Dinge mag ich gerne! In jeder Stadt und mit jedem Umfeld entdeckt man sich neu, deswegen nehme ich ganz viel von meinem Dortmund-ich mit und bin gespannt auf mein Chemnitz-ich:)
Nhân - One of the hardest things for me this year is saying goodbye to the [Konzerthaus Dortmund] team as it was this year. With Matt and Marleen officially gone. To me it’s closing a big chapter in my life.
The people I say goodbye to this year, I want to see them again. We have done so much together, it’s just difficult. But we will see each other again, that’s a fact.
From aquaintances to colleagues to good friends. In the Vietnamese language you often address people as your family. That’s how I see things with you Matt and Marleen.
Elisa - Gemischte Gefühle! Abschiede zeigen für mich oft auch, wie wertvoll eine gemeinsame Zeit war.
Matt - Slightly tricky!! Finding the time to do them properly and to really take the time to reflect and be with people - especially when busy, or when the next thing has already started. Moments to reflect, to gather thoughts and hope, to make new plans… it’s rarely a goodbye but instead something new or changing. But immensely important to mark that moment of change in the best possible way.
2 - What are you taking away with you from this year?
Mareike - It has been a very busy year for me, so busy in fact that I sometimes find it hard to remember all of the things that happened - founding PLC, starting (several) new jobs, traveling around Europe and Africa... All in all I am taking away a lot of optimism and motivation for the new year. While this year was about planting new seeds, the next year will be about nurturing and growing.
Marleen - Wenn wir für Community Music sprechen müssen, geht es immer um Impact, Nachhaltigkeit und welche Veränderung wir bewirken - und es sind Zahlen, die das belegen und ich bin kein Zahlen-Mensch! In dem letzten halben Jahr haben so viele Menschen mit mir geteilt, was das Community Music Programm für sie bedeutet. Sie erzählen ihre Geschichten, ich darf sie hören und so weiß ich wieder wo die abstrakte Zahlen herkommen! Ich nehme mit aus diesem Jahr immer wieder die Verbindung zwischen abstrakten Zahlen und echten Geschichten in Einklang zu bekommen!
Nhân - So much I can’t keep up with. This year I faced a bunch of challenges, gained amazing friendships, created many memories. There’s probably not a time in my life where I’ve been happier. One thing I’m taking with me this year is my back pain that I have to fix soon.
Elisa - Ganz viel Dankbarkeit für all die Menschen, denen ich durch Community Music in diesem Jahr begegnen, mit denen ich Momente teilen und von denen ich lernen durfte. Außerdem eine riesige Portion Mut, Neues auszuprobieren!
Matt - Hope. This year has been so full of massive things it’s easy to lose sight - that change comes and is possible and can be brilliant and powerful. The last days with friends in Dortmund have been an amazing reminder of all the great and positive things there are.
A story that will stay with me though: Back in July Marleen and I happened to find ourselves visiting a lighthouse in the far north of Estonia (as you do) and we got talking to the lighthouse keeper there. Now in her senior years, she cycles from the nearest town every day to man a little booth for the five or six tourists a day who visit and to keep the place open and to plant flowers on what feels like the edge of the world.
“How are things here?” we asked.
“You know, in the last 30 years, it’s just incredible, it’s so good and so much better.”
“Why is that? Because of tourists?” we replied, naïvely.
“No. Because, 30 years ago, every evening there would be bar fights in the streets between the locals and Russians and someone would usually end up getting shot. But then the EU came and brought peace… and a lovely cycle path so that I can cycle here. Now, no-one get’s shot and we’re a happy community all looking out for each other… you have to go to my friends cafe and try the cake!”
And so we did. And reflected on everything from geo-politics to cake. That big and little things have meaning and brilliance and joy. And that peace and change is everywhere.
3 - What are you leaving behind in Dortmund?
Mareike - Having left Dortmund again this morning, I am looking forward to the beginning of my Christmas break. I have left some of my work to dos and general stresses behind and, unfortunately, also the opportunity to celebrate a final goodbye with Matt and Marleen.
Marleen - I leave behind so many brilliant, loving, inspirational people who are so generous and were happy to spend their time with us, making music and eating cake! I’m so grateful and I will take this energy and love with me, it will carry me through challenging moments in the future!
Nhân - Things I’ll be forever grateful for.
Elisa - Viele wunderschöne Lieder, die wir gemeinsam mit den Menschen in Dortmund geschrieben haben - und die durch gerade diese Menschen in Dortmund ihre ganze Bedeutung entfalten. Doch um ehrlich zu sein, werde ich sicher das ein oder andere Lied auch an anderen Orten wieder hervor holen!!:))
Matt - An absolutely inspiring and brilliant Community Music team. Who always bring joy, brilliance, humour and are simply extraordinary.
Paldiski, EE - 29.07.24 - A small lighthouse cabin of hope (with excellent adjoining cycle path)
- Mareike, Marleen, nhân, Elisa, Matt in Dortmund, De