Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Where is IOWA CITY? Whew here I am. IWP!

Actually I would like to write in German. It´s easier for me. Well, I try in English I would like that my blog read my friends from the whole world :-). Sorry for my mistakes, please! I can hear very often here and I love this expression: feel free! OK, I am gonna feel free and write free ( for free).


I arrived to IOWA on the 27th. I didn´t reach Irene, I was flying over Amsterdam- Minneapolis- Cedar Rapids/ Iowa - 18 hours. Happilly arrived!! Back to the USA! Still my beloved country!! Good bye Berlin!!






From Minneapolis I was flying with a  mental weak girl from Japan, she didn´t speak any English, but she was happy to bump in me accidently on the airport, three times, while I was waiting there for 3 hours. She followed me till Iowa and in Iowa two days later I met her randomly in one pub, she was very happy, the only thing we exchanged was a smile and hello! She was sitting with two heavy American women, they said that they were her friends... well, I was frightened if there isn´t any criminal case... friend with a bit sick girl who doesn´t speak any word English... Hopefully not!!


In the plane to IOWA I saw a guy and I thought immediatly that he is one from the IWP (International writing program) - he was thinking about me the same, and fortunately he became my friend here - Joel M. Toledo from the Phillipines. Fortunately we were sitting next each other, so our conversation could start!! Then on the airport a driver was waiting for us - what an excitement USA again!  We arrived to the hotel and went immediatly out together and discovered a pub where a beer is during the day just for 2 dollars - also Czech one :-) I don´t like the American one - for me very bitter.
Well, we stayed in the bar till the night, survived the jetlag.  We were very happy to arrive and to be here and we knew there are 2 interesting months for sure ahead of us!


The next day  sunday: 28th. In the hotel we got to know each other step by step with other writers... the whole world on the plate!! We realized that we are a wonderful group of 37 writers from the whole world!!Amazing feeling to share all the experience we could now exchange!! Its said its UNESCO for writers - that´s absolutly true!! I feel here appreciated and welcome whereever I come! they know the special guests who visit every year this small but symphathic city!! I like it here... Be honest I had a bit fear to stay in a small city, from Berlin a big step in the unknown of the American sin city! Sin because of the smallness :-)
The IOWA CITY is not very known but what a shame! Is near to Chicago, 4 hours by car. I heard today - what a coincidence - in this city settled years-ages ago a lot of Czechs and Slowaks!! Czechoslowaks... Is it the slavic - BOHEMIAN SPIRIT which was set as a gift for the writers?? Maybe!!
On the second day - trip in the nature!

Now I must make the city famous! INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM is an unique incredible PROJECT! City as a meeting point for writers from the whole world!! I am so amazed about it... I am so happy to be here!! My great thanks is to Tarek Eltayeb who told me so much about it and then I applied with my novel: Nennen Sie mich Diener, published this year by http://www.verlag.schumachergebler.de/.
Just short notion about the project - I quote from the homepage - here you can see all the writers: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/about/index.html: Since 1967, over a thousand writers from more than 120 countries have attended the IWP at the University of Iowa. The project is designed for established and emerging creative writers — poets, fiction writers, dramatists, and non-fiction writers.
OK - here we are 2011 - 37 participants.
We have already met and got to known each other. I hope I can say next time more about the writers, who we are here....
Today August 31st. 2011 Coffee Shop T-Spoon, I like it here!! Today very nice sunny INDIAN SUMMER!