As I sit in my hometown, thinking about the past year, it feels strange. It’s like the year in Bremen flew by, but the memories are still very real.
The last two months were full of emotions, whether from knowing I would leave soon or just the events themselves. Life is so weird and I like it. It’s funny to remember how unsure I was at first and how Bremen quickly became a second home, full of friends and random parties or dinners.
The highlight of my time was filming concerts with a close friend, and we even made a short film. We had funny moments, like dropping a tripod piece or a guest of the concert spilling beer on it—maybe it was cursed! But we were proud of our project. I also enjoyed workshops on graffiti, film, theater, and recording. The graffiti workshop was special, and now my vinyl paintings decorate my room in Georgia.
I’ll never forget the week of theater rehearsals with my lovely coworker, watching the play come to life and seeing the actors improve every day. The privilege of attending one of the biggest Jazz Festival (Jazzahead) in Bremen, joy of Freimarkt, kayaking, a bunch of people seeing me off from the airport, talking with a friend the whole night and so on and so on. There is a lot and it’s impossible to write all of it.
Kulturzentrum Schlachthof for me? Seems like a huge castle from a fairy tale with a huge history and secrets. It took me the whole year to check all of its rooms and to make security guys at the concerts recognize my face 🙂 I’ll miss crowded “Kesselhalle”, passionate punk enthusiasts, joyous children after theater plays, and the people, who made me believe in my potential. It sometimes felt weird to be a tiny part of something big, with a lot of struggles if you were enough for it or not, but “Wer kämpft, kann verlieren. Wer nicht kämpft, hat schon verloren” (“Those who fight can lose. Those who do not fight have already lost”).
I am very thankful to NaturKultur, and the Cultural Center Schlachthof for this amazing opportunity. Their support made this year a special part of my life. The experiences, skills, and friendships I gained will stay with me forever. Thank you for making this journey possible and for helping me discover new things about myself.
Salome was hosted by Kulturzentrum Schlachthof Bremen on our project co-funded by the European Union.
