PART 6: GOOD BYE IOWA CITY...

Two weeks before the End of the IWP happened a lot. I had several readings in Iowa City, at the German Department of Iowa University, a discussion at the Creative Writing Workshop of Iowa Univ. and a reading of my essay "Dog´s Freedom" of my essay on the radio KRUI in Iowa City.
You can listen to it here, podcast from New York, in the original version. In the public radio - here in Iowa City KRUI  - in the USA one cannot say any "rude" word  - and I did, I said my slogan: TWO TIMES! fuck! - without knowing the consequences:: 60 thousand dolars is the sentence, they told me after my life reading.:: Hui!Hui!... Goddness blessed me, all went well, a big relief! Good people, good purpose! There fore there isn´t it any other possibilty to hear my reading in Iowa City on the radio KRUI again... but I could read it again in New York, this was free:. Enjoy (a short version)! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/odamilena/2011/11/28/literary-critical-essay-dogs-freedom
I was also invited to read at the German - American Heritage Center in Davenport, in state Iowa.

 On the road to Davenport I had a great surprise: I saw the large river MISSISSIPPI. Wow, I love it, so big, large!! This river has really an attraction, a spirit, no wonder there are some songs about this monument.... This a visibel bridge ove the river Mississippi in Davenport. Walk & Talk.

  I was also invited for the reading to the private College in Grinnell, there is a famous German departement. I had a reading there in German and participated at a school- workshop. There I was speaking about my work at the German radio WDR3in Cologne. I was surprised there were only 6 students. Well, I was reminded this was a private college for a few students, not public, where are more than 15.
And had a reading in The Haunted Bookshop in Iowa City, accompanied by the wonderful piano player ("booggie, wooggie-style") Chase Garett. In IC is he well known piano player. Later in the week I visited his amazing concert at the Englers Theater in Iowa City. He was the first one I got to know in IC. I invited him to my reading to play on piano - exactly there where we met for the first time!! He accepted kindly my invitation and made my reading of my poetry lively. I was reading inside of the bookstore, but also outside - there is one piano standing in front of the Café "Tea Spoons". It was a wonderful reading with the Iowans! In Iowa City, in the bookstore The Haunted Bookstore you can buy my T-Shirts with my slogan "I am a writer not a fucking besteseller", some people bought it during my reading - so far in Iowa City I already have my fans, thank you! One reader also bought my novel n German: Nennen Sie mich Diener.

And the last but not at least to Iowa City was invited to a ceremony:
I was as other writers participated on the International Writing Program and therefore in the end AWARDED THE TITLE OF HONORARY FELLOW IN WRITING (see above the photo) by the University Iowa City. (see later the document I attach here).
Our final stay we enclosured with the reading of Wole Soyinka in the Englert Theater in Iowa City.
I packed and packed, books and papers, I had to send some packages to New York! How I deliver them to Europe? I think I must stay in the USA... I build here up my new library, even moving library in the luggage... They shipped our luggage to New York, and we could easily fly to Washington DC!
On November 8th I left (with all the writers) and said GOOD BYE to IOWA CITY and all people I got to know, there were a few I will miss! For example the German-American artist Hans Breder.  With the musician, fantastic bluess player Chase Garett we would like to continue on our common preformance...  Three students -  Alex, Jeniffer and Evelyn  - and their professor Jon -  from the Media Art Departement: New Media and Literary Research of Iowa Universiry chose me to focus on me as a writer and to collect all documents published about me and from me. What an honour! I say: thank you; this is a gift from you, Iowa City.
I was delighted to speak with them in their class about my way... as a young writer, living between two cultures: Czech and German. They write about me an absolut detailed bibliography and made with me a video, photo album... And there is also a student who likes to translate my play "Mehr als Meer" into English. We have already managed a part of it...
As the guide Lonely Planet comments: The US president´s way to the White House leads through Iowa, - I adjust it to my way, if you allow it to me - the writer´s way to Parnass of the Literature leads also through Iowa, exactly through Iowa City (International) Writings Program.

Helás! Good bye Iowa City!

I had a very enriching time there!
PS: See you soon, Iowa sure sure sure!
I know I have friends there!

Daily  coffee drink in Tea Spoons. Nice people in there.

Daily walk & jogging along the river Iowa, direct next to my hotel.

Daily walk along the Capitol.

The Haunted Bookshop in Iowa City.

At the "Foxhead" my favorite pub in IC:

This is my absolute favorite building, guess who is the architect??  - Frank Gehry.

Photos from Iowa City by Evelyn Aguilar.

ESSAY: DOG´S FREEDOM (Oct.2011) Iowa City&Chicago Panel discussion (short version)

MILENA ODA

 Dog´s freedom

There is an aphorism from Franz Kafka I always remember when I speak about freedom: “A cage in search of a bird.” I would like to adjust it for my essay to say: “A chain in search of a dog”.

My motto is: “I am a writer, not a fucking bestseller.” I created it not for the provocation, but because I felt it to be a truth. Sure I know that the freedom in this motto is limited. The basic sense is this: the writer is an individual; the bestseller is a part of the system, and happy.

There is a chain of fast food in the US called Jack-in-the-Box. I visited one recently; during my quick visit to Spokane, I found only fast-food restaurants on the highway. The feeling of sitting there and actually being a jack-in-the box, chained to simple, unhealthy food, made me vomit.

They put us in this prison, in that box. When they told me that, first and foremost, I was Eastern European and I should write about my experiences as Eastern European, about the politics. Shall I do violence to my soul and mind, and start writing what the literary business demands from me? No. My mind is not committed to politics. Politics in literature is for me nothing more than nonsense.

 I started becoming ill; when they put me and my literature in that cage and told me “You are not needed, if you don’t write as we wish,” I got crazy. What madness, being useless! This was the absolute precipice; after this there was nothing else, only madness or fortunate survival through a great miracle… Being a writer and not fitting in with the current topics, the current spirit or melody in the framework of a society is like being a jack-in-the box – popping up and down, suffering and howling to be noticed while still alive. Must the writer suffer? Not rich, not accepted. Hm. I don’t want to suffer; I want to live a good life as a needed, respected writer…and enrich and motivate the others. Limitations shouldn’t damage creativity. I see this not as a grotesque game but as a serious one. To have no means for communication as an unnecessary writer, with nothing but humanity – no readers for my writing, no audience for my performances – is what I dread most, like all creative souls. We know many examples of such writers from the world´s literature.

But one thing is clear: I say loudly - Milena, a new regime is being formed. A quick switch from communism into the new art of oppression and of limitations for art, the so called Media-Regime. Media dominate us and set the rules of the freedom. This limited freedom of creativity and expression is the first sign of a world gone wrong! No more kindred spirits! Human beings are walking towards stupidity.

What a blessing to be a writer, to be able to sense hidden truths. I know there is something wrong about politics? And about the world’s hidden social structures that make individuals anxious. I see young and old people demonstrating. Now! In NYC, in Chicago, even in Iowa City - all over the world. I took part in “Occupy Chicago”. I prompt my soul to go on strike, too. I want to create a revolution in literature. I will start that revolution! It is fate that forces me to forsake my power and my courage. I am not giving up fighting. I fight for my freedom and for the freedom of being a writer! I am a writer, not a fucking best seller! I don’t want literature to become fast food literature, the literature of business and empty profit.

I am convinced that I can act, not just carry a story through action like a chained dog, but also to register emotions and portray a real character with my individual loves, loyalties, and hates. Literature must become individual again, to the same degree that it had been for ages in Europe.     

Hold on, writer, if you don’t fit in this current world. The world is still changing. I have a vision. I am keeping on track, not on the chain, not in the cage. I’ll start the revolution as a fucking writer!

Chicago/Iowa City, 10.10.2011

More: www.milenaoda.com

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!