Today I start my workshops in the North. I have to get my brain our of Greek and into Turkish. I have learned so many Greek words, and I pepper my teaching with them. I will have to refrain in the North. My workshop isn't until the afternoon, so Yiola and I have decided to spend the morning together, perhaps at the Cyprus Museum. I meet Yiola in the lobby of the hotel, and of course, she runs into someone she knows. It seems everyone knows everyone here. I meet Irina, another interpreter, who upon hearing we want to go the museum, quickly pulls our her cell phone. Fifteen minutes later, I am in the museum on a private tour with an archaeologist, thanks to Irina. Cypriots are amazing this way.
After saying goodbye to Yiola at lunch, I run back to the hotel to change. Ipek Uzungolu, the Cultural Specialist from the North, meets me to take me to my first workshop, in the Kyrenia district. This is the most beautiful part of the island, on the north coast. Many Greek Cypriots especially resent the loss of this territory to the Turks.
We make our way through the buffer zone and I have my passport checked. They stamp a slip of white paper which is inserted. The South does not recognize the North, and if I have my passport stamped by the North, I will not be let back in.
We have a 30 minute drive through the mountains and toward the north side of the island. We arrive at Girna American University for a workshop with 6th - 9th graders. I ask Ipek if this is American owned or if there are American teachers there. She says no to both. They have just adopted America as part of their name to give their school legitimacy. They also have a logo which looks much like the seal of the State Department, which they've been asked to cease using. Apparently this is common. Because no one in the world recognizes the North, the people of the North look for ways to have legitimacy. I have noticed a set of golden arches on the way to the school, but they do not belong to McDonald's. The arched logo is identical--except this restaurant is called "Big Mac." Because the North is not "legitimate," there is no legal means to stop this kind of infringement. I am told by Jason that there will soon be a brand new Hooters in the North. I tell Ipek I'm shocked that the North would welcome a Hooters and she says she is not surprised--anything that seems like an endorsement from the West is welcomed.
The school is beautiful and overlooks the sea. There is a spring festival happening at the school as well, a festival which is open to the community. Apparently spring festivals are happening all over the North as this time. I hear hip-hop music and see food stalls of every kind. We are met by the children who walk us to a brand new dance studio where the workshop will be held. The studio is one of three and it is bright and clean and new. The teacher who introduces me is British and she tells me that the class includes the children of many ex-pats and that they all speak English. This is the first workshop I've taught in Cyprus without translators.
During the workshop, one of the boys unexpectedly cries. It turns out he is a special needs student and got his feelings hurt during an exercise with the other children. The teacher then tells me that in fact there are four special needs kids in the class, one of which I had already identified on my own. I wish she had told me before I began, but I quickly make new game choices that will be better for these kids. The class breezes by and I thank them and leave. We hit the festival food stands for a quick snack before heading to the hotel.
This evening I am invited to the embassy for a special reception for the Fourth of July. They are hosting it in May because it was oppressively hot last year. It's a little strange, but everyone just accepts it. This is a somewhat formal affair and is apparently a hot ticket--they expect over a thousand guests.
I put on my suit, grab my formal invitation and hail a cab. I arrive at the embassy and spot Jason outside. I am lucky because he is able to walk me through some of the security. Once inside, I stand in a receiving line to meet the ambassador. Christina is at his side and introduces me. There are red, white and blue flags everywhere.
I step on to the lawn and it reminds me of the cantina band scene in Star Wars. People of every description are there--diplomats, Greeks, Turks, US Marines, Cypriot soldiers, ex-pats, old clerics in long black robes and tall hats, old British women with canes. I am handed a glass of wine and servers pass trays of canapes. The bulk of the food however, is provided by American companies on the island--McDonald's, KFC, Papa John's, Lay's Potato Chips, Coke, Jack Daniels, Beringer wines. Odd and tacky but completely appropriate.
At the end of the lawn is the bi-communal jazz band, the only bi-communal arts project the embassy has done to date. Mine is tomorrow. A singer steps up to the microphone to sing one of the many American songs that are part of the repetoire--Route 66, Paper Moon, etc. The singer is beautiful, in a long print dress and ridiculously high heels. Her red hair runs down her back. As she sings, I realize she was one of my students at Near East University during the last visit. I'm not sure because when I taught her she was in sweat pants, with no make-up and her hair pulled up. She spots me. She gives me a little wave and I know I'm correct. After her set I step up to say hello. Turns out she was one of the Cypriot contestants in the Eurovision singing contest, which is as big here as American Idol is in the states.
I mingle, and I am surprised to discover how many people I know. I talk to many people and finally get a chance to say hello to James Ellickson-Brown, the Public Affairs Officer. He tells me that the ambassador's home is on these grounds, and some years ago, during the war, the American ambassador was killed here by a sniper. Another reminder of the difficult situation for this embassy and country.
The saxophones begin to warble their version of the Star Spangled Banner as the marines retire the colors. As I look around at all the people from all over the world, I find myself mouthing the words that I sing every night in ComedySportz. I put my hand over my heart. For the first time in years, I hear the words to the song and get a little choked up. At the end, I decide to walk 30 minutes back to the hotel, thinking about how glad I am to be American.
Thursday, May 14th
Today is a big day. The bi-communal workshop is tonight. In the meantime, Marina has called to ask me a favor. She wants to know if I would lead a corporate workshop for the administrative staff of THOC, approximately 20 people. Of course, I say yes. How could I not do a workshop for the people who brought me here?
Marina picks me up at 9 am and we head to a church which THOC uses for rehearsal space. There are large rooms upstairs in the church hall. While we are doing a workshop, the actors from THOC are in another room rehearsing. The admin group is tentative like most corporate groups. Marina is translating today, and the workshop seems to go very well. After the workshop we stop by the THOC offices to see folks in their "natural" environment and say good-bye.
Marina and NIkki are taking the afternoon off to spend a last bit of time with me. We head to the mountains, one of the few regions of Cyprus I have not seen. We arrive in Lefkara, an old village on the top of a mountain. This town specializes in handmade lace and silver. We park the car and head to a cafe. Women are sitting outside of their shops working on lace. One of them calls me over because she wants to show me her work. I know this will be a sales pitch. As we approach the woman, she recognizes Marina from television. Now I know we're going to get the hard sell. She takes us inside and shows us all of her handiwork and makes suggestions for all the ways I could buy from her--for myself, for my mother, for Christmas gifts, etc. We dodge as politely as we can, and head to the cafe. I order a sampler plate of specialties from the area. It is a lazy day and the breeze feels good. Marina and Nikki and I decide to not run around and see more sites, but rather to just sit and relax.
After lunch, we return to Nicosia, about a 45 minute drive. I need time to get dressed before Ipek picks me up for the drive to the North. I say a heartfelt goodbye to Marina, my biggest champion in Cyprus. She is a special woman and artist.
Tonight's workshop is the first bi-communal theatre event the embassy has ever arranged. Young actors from the South will cross to the municipal theatre in the North for a workshop with their young actors. Ipek picks me up at 4:30 and we head through the buffer zone.
When we arrive at the theatre, I look out the window and see many people outside of the theatre, including many I know. There are adult actors and many of the young teens I taught last time. I see Osman Alkaş, one of the most famous actors in the North. He greets me warmly and we go inside for Turkish coffee. Waiting inside is Oya, my Turkish interpreter from the last visit. She has had a baby since I last saw her, so I've brought a baby gift for her. She seems genuinely touched.
The Greek Cypriots are late. Apparently the parents of one of the actors was upset with their son for heading to the North and didn't want to give him his passport. It has slowed the whole bus down. They arrive about 40 minutes late and I head in the theatre to begin.
There are a few challenges. There are approximately 50 participants, more than was expected. About 2/3 are from the North; the rest from the South. There has been a little communication problem--the actors from the South look to be in their early 20's while most of the actors from the North look mid-teens. I hope the age difference won't be a problem. The other challenge is that tonight we will be doing consecutive interpreting for three languages. Everything I say must be translated into both Turkish and Greek, and every question that gets asked or answered needs the same process. Christina from the embassy is interpreting for the Greeks. Oya, Christina and I are clunky. We speak in different order each time. We step on each other's sentences. We apologize to each other. Eventually we find our rhythm, but it takes enormously long to complete even the simplest exercise.
I get them on their feet. I decide to do exercises that use as little language as possible. I do trust games. Touch games. Teamwork games. I am trying to subtly deliver the embassy's goals. These cultures do not trust each other, yet soon we are laughing together. I see a Greek boy hug a Turkish girl after a trust game. It seems to be working. By the end of the workshop people are exchanging phone numbers and taking pictures. Despite the age and culture gap, it seems mission is accomplished. After an enormously session of photos for the kids from the North, we head out. I see the Greek kids again at the checkpoint and they wave to me from the small bus. I feel good.
I arrive at the hotel at 9:30 and walk to Ledra Street for dinner. I eat by myself tonight, and I have a few moments to think about the really cool thing that just happened. Improv has provided me with an amazing moment.
Friday, May 15th
This is my final day in Cyprus. Ipek picks me up at 9 am. We are off to Near East University. I taught the third and fourth year students (junior and senior) in the fall; now I will teach all of the theatre majors. Since the fall, many of them have added me as a friend on Facebook. When we arrive at the campus, there are familiar faces waiting for me outside of their largest theatre. I recognize the students and also the head of the department, Çetin Özen. At one time he had been director of the state theatre in the North, but had been replaced when a new government was seated. This is true for both the North and the South. The state theatres are part of government and the director of the state theatre is an appointed position, mostly influenced by politics. It is rare when someone who knows acting and directing is placed in charge. This had been a large part of the conversation at the Municipal theatre the night before because a new government is taking control, one that is more on the right than the left.
We go inside the theatre and there is an enormous stage. Hanging upstage there are two large flags, one Turkish and one Turkish-Cypriot. This poses a problem for Ipek and Jason who plan to take pictures--they cannot show these flags on the embassy website.
The students are very excited that I have returned and joke about coming back to Hollywood with me. They offer to work for me, wash my car, etc. They are a fun, boisterous group, diving into every exercise with raucous enthusiasm. I throw some challenging exercises at them today. As I end the workshop, they ask if they can please play Hitchhiker, a game that I taught them six months ago. Çetin says okay, and away we go. They love it. After we're done, another flurry of photos with cell phones. Turkish Cypriots love to take pictures. I imagine I will see them on Facebook.
After lunch with Çetin, Ipek and I depart for my hotel. Ipek asks if there is anything I would like to buy in the North before I return. There is nothing I really want, but I can tell that Ipek wants to be hospitable and take me somewhere. The last time I was here, I had a couple of marvelous Turkish desserts that used local cheeses. I suggest that we stop for dessert. Ipek asks me which dessert I liked because that will determine where we go. I tell her I liked them both and she can decide. We end up at a smart little cafe where, it turns out, they have both desserts. I know that Ipek has a sweet tooth and I can see what she's up to. She orders both desserts, two kinds of baklava and four flavors of ice cream. And she insists on paying, like all Cypriots.
As we eat our sweets, I notice a small house across the street with a sign that says "Museum of Barbarism." Ipek tells me that this is the site of a gruesome murder that took place during the war in which Greek Cypriots killed a family of Turkish Cypriots in their bathtub. The house has been preserved as a "museum" as a reminder of this horrible incident. The house is filled with photo displays, including photos of the dead mother and her children in the tub. The tub is also covered in fake blood. Ipek tells me that there is some doubt that they were actually killed in the tub and that it is rumored the Turkish army posed the bodies there to make the act seem more brutal.
When I comment that I can't believe anyone would go to this museum, Ipek tells me that this used to be a required field trip for all elementary school students who would spend two hours in the house. When I ask what high school students do for field trips, she tells me "picnics." When I suggest that maybe the barbarism would be better suited for the older children, Ipek comments that by the time one is in high school one can have their own opinion, so they take young children in order to etch the memory in their brains and plant the seeds of hatred/resentment of the Greek Cypriots. Ipek tells me she will never forget it, and many of her little classmates couldn't sleep for days and some couldn't take a bath for weeks.
The oddness of casually eating chestnut ice cream and baklava across the street from this tragedy is something I can't sort out in mind. I lose my appetite. Ipek happily keeps going.
Next door to the Museum of Barbarism is the Museum of Traffic Accidents. I'm not kidding. I can't even ask.
I return to the hotel and check email and get changed. Debbie Elickson-Brown, wife of the Public Affairs Officer, has offered to host a small dinner tonight for me as a way of saying goodbye. She has told me it will be casual, just chicken and salad. When I arrive, the table is formally set with china, huge tubs of wine, beer and soda are out, desserts are displayed and she is carrying a big silver tray of appetizers. I am the first to arrive. One by one guests arrive--Jason, Ipek, Osman, Niki, Yiola and her husband Paris and her daughter Angelina. Some others aren't able to attend because the invitation is so last minute, but I am flattered by those who have come, especially Osman who has come from Kyrenia into the home of Greek Cypriots whom he doesn't know. It is a lovely evening. We watch a tv commercial starring Osman on Youtube. We talk about the success of the bi-communal workshop. We play with Yiola's darling daughter who looks at Osman and calls him "papa." She doesn't seem him as Turkish or from the North. She just sees him.
The guests leave and Jim and Debbie and I sit for a few minutes and have a glass of wine. The conversation returns to the Cypriot problem, as it always seems to on this island. It is the ever-present elephant in the room. Jim suddenly gets the idea that perhaps my bi-communal work should be in the corporate sector. It has never occurred to him that the application of improv to business might be very effective here. We decide to look into it for next time. Everyone wants a next time, which of course, is very gratifying.
I return to my hotel to pack for my early flight the next day. As I check Facebook, I get an instant message from a 15-year old boy named Paisios who I met at the first workshop in Paralimni. He asks how Los Angeles is. When I tell him I'm still in Cyprus, he asks me where. When I tell him Nicosia, he asks me where. I simply tell him I'm in a hotel, for fear he may run away to join me in the circus. We have this exchange:
James
did you have fun in the games?
Paisios
it was......
perfect
excellent
u were excellent
James
yes? you enjoyed the workshop?
Paisios
yes yes
do u have kids?
James
no i don't have kids
Paisios
oh...ok but if u had they would have fun
James
thank you
:) i'm glad you had funPaisios
i would like to be like u
James
why?
Paisios
because i want to make people laugh
more and more
James
that's great. laughter is good for everyone.
Paisios
i know. thats why i got in the games
James
good for you Paisios
Paisios
it was really hard but really fun
and tiring
James
lol
what was your favorite part
Paisios
in that which we had to say yes but, or yes and
James
keep up the good work. you should be proud.
Paisios
i hope we chat again
James
sure. bye
Paisios
bye sir
continue make people laugh
And with that conversation as a perfect punctuation mark, I end my second trip to this complicated place. Hopefully a whole new generation of Cypriots will be like Paisios and learn to say "yes and" even though it is hard. And if I'm lucky, I will be invited back to help them on the journey.
Photos will follow in a week or so...
