A Night at the Theatre

You know those movies where there's a (for instance) French guy who speaks and understands a little bit of English, but mostly sits there and nods? People talk to him and he reacts, but he's not quite getting it all because everyone is talking so fast and his English is a little spotty? Then they slow down a bit and he speaks is short sentences and, trying his best, makes his point, but mostly sits and nods at everyone. Or perhaps you've met a guy like that.

I'm that guy.

It's probably not as bad as that, but I have been in situations lately where I felt like that guy. The other night we went to see A Midsummer Nights Dream in the park - the Amsterdamse Bos. It was in Dutch, and I understood most of it. Fortunately I taught that particular Shakespeare play to my VWO 6 classes last year, so I knew the story. In fact, that's sort of why I agreed to go. I knew I could follow it through whatever "modern" twists they might put on it. (Dutch theatre seems to modernize a lot of plays, operas, ballets.) I also feel up to seeing a play I haven't previously read.

At the end of it all, it was a very nice production. A Midsummer Nights Dream lends itself well to that sort of playing around. There were a few parts that were particularly beautiful. And, of course, the four young leads just happened to be wearing clothing that was so bleached out that it ripped away easily and exposed their young, toned bodies - but no full out nudity, which is also a tred in Dutch theatre according to Fred.

Before the play, Fred and I had a very nice picnic with his friends Leo and Michiel. We sat beside the bosbaan (a long manmade stretch of water used for rowing, built for the 1928 Olympics) and had a nice fondu provided by Leo. (He's got lots of camping equipment. I really enjoy being involved in these very real, everyday activities of the natives. I feel very fortunate as some people never get to do that.

I also had a job interview yesterday, which was in Dutch for about twenty minutes until it got to a point where I thought it best to start in with the English lest I sound like a third grader. I went back in today to watch some classes in action, to see if it's something that I really thought I could do. It's teaching English. I think I can do that. Of course of the teachers I watched spent the whole class talking in Dutch, which I don't agree with in principle. It will be so good to work again. It's not like I've been out of work for too long. But it's difficult to really enjoy a summer off while looking for a job and wondering what's next.

I remain optimistic. "Say a prayer, or think a good thought," for me, as Maya Angelou says.