After visiting Vienna, my hub for classical music, where I participated for the first time in a meeting of the ÖSV, I traveled on to Ljubljana, where the stay was less fortunate, and from there on to the safe haven of Trieste.
On Christmas Day, I landed back in Trieste, and my whole body cheered with joy as I took my first steps in the Piazza Unita d'Italia. It was a short crossing from this beautiful square to the piers that bravely plunged into the water, bringing me into the midst of freedom. Tears of joy presented themselves, disbelief because two years before, I had left this place full of sadness and disappointment. But I am here again and will now enjoy it even more intensely.
The Trieste piers of joy
On one of these piers is my navel of the earth; here I find peace and inspiration, come up with new ideas, and at the same time, self-confidence to see them through. In addition, it is one of the few places in the world where the mountains rest on the horizon as you look out to sea. When the weather is clear, you can see the snow on the peaks reflecting the sunlight, while a short distance away, sailing boats are crashing through the waves, and in the corner of your eye, you can see Miramar. In the following weeks, I visited the places I knew and was able to renew contacts, such as with the 'Expats In Trieste'; all this was a warm reunion.
Anyway, back again. Trieste has much to offer, the science, the writer, the Barcolana, the connection with Vienna, a melting pot of cultures, a high standard of living, and inhabitants who master the art of enjoyment. A festive atmosphere is omnipresent, with people smiling at you. It is a balm for my soul; unfortunately, I had to deal with some harsh setbacks. Nevertheless, the return set in motion some favorable developments. For instance, I found a home sooner than expected and can surround myself with my personal belongings again, including my record player. I noticed how much I missed having a place on my own and my belongings and how much peace and confidence it gives me now that that is back in order.
Persistence that stings
So I push on; toughness and perseverance are some of my core qualities. Sometimes I think of the words of John Cleese, who confessed in an interview that the key to his success was persistence. Perseverance, then, brings me to one of my favorite films, the Sting (1973), where two men (Paul Newman and Robert Redford), full of inventiveness, set up a plan to turn a Mafia boss (Robert Shaw) heel with a daring plan (a betting office). Great courage, ingenuity, and indeed, perseverance fueled their operation. I hum the film score (The Entertainer) on happy and joyful days, which is often. In the past, I have attempted to play this Ragtime composition by Scott Joplin. Although I gladly accepted the challenge, I had the greatest difficulty playing this piece to any satisfaction. Humming suits me better.
The title has always stayed with me; that is how I combined it with the word trainer. Someone who trains (groups of) people and simultaneously entertains, or as MusikRoel puts it, 'Music makes learning fun.' Because from now on, after long procrastination, that is what I will finally take up. The preparations are in full swing, and I have worked out the concept to such an extent that I will soon be using my experience as a trainer and lecturer to teach people how to work together even better, to learn something about classical music at the same time, and all this in a way that is fun and educational. So a clear win-win; I will keep you posted on future developments.