Concerning Sisters Academy I wasn’t sure what I was going into on that first day. My expectation was neither bad nor good; actually I had decided not to have any expectations at all and therefor having a completely open mind. When I arrived at the academy the first day I was overwhelmed with impressions. There were so many weird and unusual people, which of course was the staff. My first encounter with speaking English to my fellow students was awkward. Because all of us knew that this wasn’t our native language, and it felt unnatural to speak English to others which you knew would be able to understand you better if you would speak in your native language. It felt way more natural to speak English to the staff, because you didn’t knew anything about them and therefor you weren’t able to associate with them. The Silence was defiantly the most interesting from the staff, a man choosing not to say anything… It just made you asking so many questions and after you learned the rest of the staff you started asking many more questions. I can’t even remember anyone of them now. It was tiring for me going around at school asking a lot of questions and then when we had lessons we should try and find solutions. So many questions unfulfilled and unanswered.
After about a week I started realizing something. I would always and instantly become way happier once I left the academy. I also realized that I was depressed when I was at the academy, and I started asking myself why. By time I came up with an answer which I was actually very satisfied with. The academy robbed you of your identity and tried to made you so aware of your felling’s that it felt like your head was about to explode. You should always question so many things, and think about your felling’s at every god damn word. I was so depressing being in that universe. I think the staff themselves could learn a lot about the Danish saying: “a shovel is a shovel.”
In the end I probably learned a thing or two. I can’t quite put a finger on what I learned or when, who knows, perhaps I learned something which I can’t use for anything or perhaps it doesn’t have any value to me. I may someday discover what I learned because my life goes in another direction or because I myself change. Still, Sisters Academy is an experience I wouldn’t be without. A special thanks to The Gardner for some great talks. Also! What is up with the music? It certainly doesn’t do anything good for your mood, just some words for thoughts.
Best regards,
Aske Bjerre Post, student at Flow and participant in Sisters Academy.