# 我們的開始 Our start
# 存在感 Presence
……我最近喺度思考，到底點先叫一個好表演者? 能夠將內心世界透過自身身體投射到外面?有強烈的存在感? 而呢個strong presence又係如何透過唔同訓練去達到? 有時我會覺得presence被過度強調，又或者當我哋評價「佢係一個好表演者,因為佢一個strong presence」時，我哋應該要跟具體說明「咁即係點」。……
……我覺得呢個係桌上書寫中文的「我」好陌生，對於用手用廣東話寫信呢件事我竟然覺得好陌生，而我最後先直覺地選擇咗用英文去寫第一個score/指示俾你。
我諗我要啲時間消化呢個陌生嘅感覺，又或者將來透過多寫，呢個陌生感覺會消失。
……
# 存在感 Presence
……I feel like the task you give me is related to your thoughts on “What is a good performer?”. Is it so? After the task, I am curious if we are looking for a performer who is “good” in rehearsal or on stage/performing. I considered myself to be a performer with a strong presence, but when I do this task at home, I don’t know. I don’t think I am at all interesting to look at. Is my presence gone? Did I not activate my presence? Did I not pay enough attention to the tasks and details that make me not “presence”? Am I not connected to the tasks enough?
I think these questions are actually answers. At least to me, that’s what I always do to make myself present and “good”. Sometimes it happens naturally, sometimes I just spend more time on it and try to think it through.……
# Score
……It is pretty stressful to receive a task right away, although I know it is just an exploration and doesn’t have to be good. It is not easy to have a space and white tape and good time to scream haha. I feel like my work is done after I accomplished marking the floor.
2 meters and 30 centimeters is not exactly easy to know, I measured my door and used my feet to guess 30cm. (my feet are 24.5cm long so I will try to add a bit more) I could have found a better space instead of my home but I feel like it is more important to reply sooner.
....
It is a lonely process. So is life I guess. I doubt my rationality and decision. I worry so much about if I am doing the tasks correctly and struggle between whether I want to do it.……
# 關於語言 About language
……我唔知，我有時覺得繼續寫同講廣東話已經係一種Political action，但同時而家嘅我，我嘅腦同身體，又好struggle緊用廣東話去寫同講跳舞，喺柏林、歐洲decolonisation係一個好重要題目，我都係嚟咗呢度先慢慢認識呢個term，唔想講咩theory，只想表達我呢個struggle，好似顯示左我係一個「被殖」嘅腦袋同身體，曾經上堂有位教授講過: something is lost when we all express ourselves in English, but we also gain a chance to exchange with other.
的確有時慶幸自己讀英中，英文算係OK，但嚟咗呢度，發現用英文去fully express myself without struggle好難，唔係話會啞咗，而係用嘅字選擇少，不覺察地口講嗰樣嘢比心諗嗰樣嘢簡單general咗好多。但與此同時，因為睇關於藝術文章大多數係英文，好多時喺腦海構成idea嘅過程都係用英文，我好奇語言對創作影響。
你講到話I’m so bad at writing in any language，我諗我自己都無話想我哋通訊文字有多清晰或優美，同都想放下要講inspiring 嘢的野心，for 我自己，我想透過寫廣東話講表演喺呢個歐洲版圖上為自己建立一個小森林，而呢個森林啲樹根係連到返香港，我諗都係有少少為咗解決自身對母語嘅homesick，哈哈，有少少講到一嚿嚿，我好奇你喺歐洲呢兩年令你對語言有咩反思或感受。……
……我過去幾次都係用英文email寫東西給你，我想如果可以的話，我還是想用鉛筆寫東西給你，你在zoom說你感覺書寫因為費事，反而為排練帶來困難而沒有帶來新的元素，我也在想到底為什麼我要堅持去做這件事呢？以下是我的一些想法
- 留學兩年多，我想念我的語言，也覺得在這時代有書寫中文的必要
- 看到很多時score，notation 的例子和歷史。我想探索score (written instruction) 和body movement 之間的關係
- 我小學時代，還沒有手機，寫信寫blog是我跟世界 (即是我的朋友同學圈) 聯繫的重要方法，我覺得這段回憶很美好，也留在我腦裏 (甚至身體裏)，也許他沉睡了，想把這body換醒，也好奇其他與我年代相若的人是如何再看書寫身體這回事？
- 遠距離，用書信這方式，自己一個人卻同時感受到另一個人的presence 存在，一起舞蹈，想起來也挺浪漫。……
……對於我哋大家互相交換一個Solo Score的想法仍在，我諗我地大家都等緊嗰件事由過程生出來，但我反覆問自己我的urgency 急切性在哪兒？或者都有一部份係處理獨自在工作室排solo時的孤獨感，但我發現keep in dialogue，雖在異地，但仍然繼續透過同人交流從而同香港繼續有連繫好似更加重要，我唔知咩叫真正連繫，但我諗處理呢個執筆忘字的身體都已經係一個嘗試……( 我要查字典去搵返啲字)
我諗我哋冇需要有一樣的urgency，但會想知你有慾望或想處理的問題而同時想用呢件事處理嗎？(哈，好大問題。)……
Dear Suet Wa,
辛苦你呢段時間同我通訊嘅掙扎，我覺得其實都好正常，可能我真係一個奇怪嘅人，我覺得我知道你嘅期望，但我又無去做。忙係忙，壓力係壓力，不過可能都係藉口。
我唔太想畫一個score，我想試吓記錄、轉化書信入面一啲突出嘅野。例如情緒、presence。我想請你將剛剛zoom或者呢段時間嘅frustration, confusion用身體呈現，可以特登回想再郁、或者睇返個zoom call，然後試下做返出嚟再記錄下來，記錄方式隨你，我嘅建議係錄低佢。
呢個就係暫時嘅score。亦都想同你一齊思考呢啲「情緒」嘅性質，來自於邊度? 係因為想溝通但有誤會? 係因為唔係你期待嘅狀況? 係因為自己嘅work所以好緊張?
然後做完個task，希望你可以分享下你對自身嘅觀察，有咩movement quality? 點影響你嘅presence?
我知道你想一星期覆至少一次,宜家起我會做。
但都好想強調，沉默都係一個回應。而且，今次俾你嘅score正正就係想問你點樣回應我嘅沉默。
我問嘅問題絕對唔係要challenge你in a hostile way，不過我一向唔係好拿捏到being mean and being honest，至少頭先嘅zoom call我感覺到你應該明我意思，我地再一齊試下?
Best,
Christy
25th Oct 2022
Dear Christy,
I thought a lot about our conversation in Zoom last time and I will send a detailed response to you regarding how I feel about this framework and the collaboration later.
I did not do your score yet because I digested the emotion and distrust from our first month encounter into thoughts of how to collaborate together and especially how two strangers can come to work together in distance.
I won’t ask you to give me another score but instead it may be good to pick some keywords we are busy with and from there we think of what kind of instruction we will give to each other. What do you think?
Regarding the questions you asked in the last email, I am also interested in being in the same space doing something with you together. The two square idea is coming from an essay from André Lepecki (yes , he again) in his book. He is talking about the work from Bruce Nauman, in which the title of the piece is already describing what he will do in the piece. The title is called “Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square”.
It is actually from this essay that I think of the idea of this piece. The Essay is called “Masculinity, Solipsism, Choreography: Bruce Nauman, Juan Dominguez, Xavier Le Roy ” from his book “ Exhausting Dance: Performance and the Politics of Movement”. I avoid being too nerdy in it now.
The score also mixed with my fascination with working with imagination. How the imagination subtly changes our body movement and tone.
I am now typing on my phone on the street. It is getting colder. It is not a comfortable writing situation. I am waiting for the beginning of a friend’s party. I don’t know how to change the font and color of text on my phone. I'll stop here.
Have a good evening and stay warm.
Best wishes,
Suet Wa
3.Nov.2022
# 合作 Collaboration
……我在Zoom meeting後反思我第一封信就給你一個score可能是太快，我也感受到我還沒好好建立一個讓你舒服表達自己的空間和處理我們是不認識的狀況。我想跟你先聊天，我好奇你是怎樣看文字和舞蹈，書寫和身體之間的關係？你對這個合作框架感興趣想探索的地方是什麼？你對書寫有什麼回憶和印象呢？最後想再問一下你對我們互相分享各自正在忙碌的議題，然後再從中發展的想法。期待收到你的回信，假若你有任何問題、提議、感受我很樂意知道。謝謝你！……
# 書寫|舞蹈 Writing |Dance
……你講到話I’m so bad at writing in any language，我諗我自己都無話想我哋通訊文字有多清晰或優美，同都想放下要講inspiring 嘢的野心，for 我自己，我想透過寫廣東話講表演喺呢個歐洲版圖上為自己建立一個小森林，而呢個森林啲樹根係連到返香港，我諗都係有少少為咗解決自身對母語嘅homesick，哈哈，有少少講到一嚿嚿，我好奇你喺歐洲呢兩年令你對語言有咩反思或感受。但希望你唔好覺得有壓力要轉返中文，只係想講其中一個我感興趣探索嘅嘢係dancing body and writing body 之間關係，而how & what 都係open 同 TBC。
自言自語咗咁耐，我想分享收到你封信時我有一種興奮，睇完之後有一種開心，我發現平日用口頭上講呢種方式去排練，的確係有唔少內容不被記錄&流失，而家我可以反覆閱讀，同時想像你當時「排練」情況同心情。……
……我今日選擇咗喺飛機上回覆你嘅來信，一個相對辛苦嘅環境，已經飛咗九個幾鐘，又要特登開一個射燈因為班機想大家瞓覺。唔知點解呢啲複雜、麻煩嘅狀態先令我個人更有推動力。我都覺得書寫中有一啲細微嘅特質或影響係只有透過呢個特定行為，通過時間進行書寫，通過重複探索先可以體會到。不過整體嚟講我都比較懶，因為我揸筆方法唔啱隻手好易攰，然後字就超級樣衰
我覺得文字可以喺身體(Body)，佢有自己嘅節奏同Flow。文字大概係思想嘅manifestation 或者Embodiment(?)所以書寫對我嚟講都係一個舞蹈嘅過程。尤其是手寫，要寫通常都係為情人而寫，而且字要好靚Wahaha。……
另外好多時提及舞蹈同書寫就會去到一個documentation 嘅approach，將身體感受或行為Translate into文字，我覺得如何faciliate好重要，至少對我嚟講如果叫我跳下舞然後停低記錄，我會好冇癮，好似為做而做，為書寫而書寫，不過當然都同我當下有冇嘢想記錄有關，哈哈越解釋越覺得自己好麻煩。我諗係因為進行書寫時對於時間空間嘅感知好唔同，當然會有新嘅發現，但都要相對會失去一啲嘢。
我諗相比起Focus係score同個score點影響movement，我比較想探索書寫探索得純粹啲，呢個同你對話嘅過程，書寫嘅質感已經有好多Information，我覺得 “郁” 或者 “跳舞” 好似可以come slightly later？我最近忙緊我嘅thesis真係勁多idea勁多唔同議題哇哈哈，炒埋一碟！關於liveness，pandemic，HK， 自由生存與， suicide，唔知用唔用得着呢？……
……
……你喺飛機麻煩寫作嘅狀態令我想起我上兩封在街上打的英文email，當時我感受到我同人來人往的街道是隔絕，我整個人像被吸進手機螢幕裏，反而沒有任何分心，對比現在在家書寫，我感受到我有空間停下，回看你的文字再寫，或望吓天花板再寫，我哋喜歡這種寫下停下望下的時間流動。 我同意透過重複探索一個行為去找尋該事的特質，呢度成日都講what is your artisitc practise？我諗透過重複寫，我會諗到如何同人用書寫文字去講我哋同身體，我哋同舞蹈的關係。如果我冇理解錯，你似乎對文字如何Translate到動作，即如何寫一個score不大感興趣，反而對書寫和舞蹈之間的flow有興趣？
Word <—> Movement
Writing <—> Dancing
想分享我分享的文章 ”Inscribing Dance” 最後一句:
“... the moment dance is arrested, fixated, written down, it is no longer dance. Yet. “
我諗緊或者documentation 同dance materiality 是相沖，但flow of writing (可被看成flow of thinking) 同flow of moving 是有相通的地方，你提到文字是思想的manifestation / embodiment，所以書寫是一個舞蹈過程，好似都同你諗緊的 flow 相近?……
……Yes! I agree with your concept of flow! 要第一句就寫低因為驚自己唔記得! 我覺得我係抗拒文字translate成movement嘅，反而movement transcribe 成文字又OK喎。(暫時我唔解釋太多點解 --> 一個得 <-- 另一個又唔得) 但我覺得文字翻譯成動作，無論個approach 係literal, associative 定interpretative， 都依然太fixated and literal LOL ……/p>
# 飛機上on the plane
#同一時間在不同空間寫信給對方 Writing to each other at the same time in different space
Dear Christy,
I just moved to a new room again this week. It is the smallest room I have ever lived in Berlin. The width of the room is one and a half big steps and the length is three and a half big steps. This week I was busy trying to make my little cave be comfortable. My desk is facing the direction of the northwest. I closed my eyes. Thinking of you are also sitting in front of a table, writing something to me, in 686 miles away behind the diagonal right back side of my body.
I first tried to write Chinese on the paper. However, it was so hard for me today. I could not. I then chose to type you a letter in English.
I am imagining the sound of the tips of your pen hitting the table, kind of synchronizing with the typing sound from my computer. I am imagining both of us are quite busy and struggle in thinking about what to write to each other after a long pause of the project. Long pause. The last letter you wrote to me is in the beginning of March. I was asking about your perspective on dance and you mentioned your greatest concern is about the relationship of humans to the world and through movement we can be closer to it.
Expanding the notion of movement. What kind of movement do we need now to connect with the world? Sometimes, I am frustrated by the forgetfulness in humankind. I think we forget the time of pandemic time and now we return to “normal again”, back to the fast production of everything in full speed, even faster before the pandemic time I would say, as if we need to chase back the time we missed. Nothing stays and we just need to start running again to nowhere. Sometimes, I missed the pause we had during the pandemic time. The isolation we had with the world made us reflect what relationship we were having with the world before. What kind of movement do we need now to stay in the connection we want with the world?
I want something other than the options prevalent in the world. I think as an artist, we need to keep on actions in order to tell people that there are other options and possibilities that we missed or forgot sometimes.
Back to us, writing as a movement for us to be closer to the world. I would like to share a sentence I read in a book that I brought from Hong Kong.
Now, one hour has passed. In the middle part of the writing, I entered into my own world and forgot your presence somewhere on the far right back side of my body. But now, I am imagining you are waiting for me.
With warmth,
Suet Wa
17:13 (Berlin time)
# 香港身體 Hong Kong body
……我想同你講下香港，對你回望番喺香港CCDC舞者身份，香港人如何看身體或舞蹈，我諗你經過這兩年都會有新發現？我都好奇你thesis講香港係咩方向......
……
關於香港:
A: Where are you from?
B: I am from Hong Kong.
A: Where is Hong Kong? China?
B: ........
…我嘅身體話我知，我已經無辦法trace back翻歷史洪流所洗走嘅印記，我同現在、過去嘅中國都毫無連繫，我來自香港呢個城市，但我無根，我唔歸於任何國家。
P.S. 綠色框框我想講多啲，不過快啲覆咗你先，有時間再講，呢個係同身體好有關係。
……
……對我來說，香港是否一個國家並不重要，重要是香港是我生活了27年的地方，我有根係香港，呢27年嘅生活經驗構成咗我嘅世界觀，簡單黎講，而家嘅我諗野同行為都仲係好「香港人」，例如我會對德國行政簡單複雜化嘅無效率反白眼，又例如我仲適應緊同學見面時會熱情攬攬。
而當然我仲帶住呢個根係我舌根，即係廣東話XD 最近聽我同學分享，佢非洲裔母親19歲時嫁到法國，從此只說法文，現在佢已經忘記咗某些母語嘅字，殖民歷史之痛。我唔希望我自己將來會係咁，雖然我喺呢個書寫過程已經有執筆忘字的情況。
另外想分享我對回答where are you from? 覺得都易同快解釋。反而對人問我You speak Chinese, right? 我覺得唔知答Yes定No好，咁當然有時間我會再解釋廣東話、普通話、繁體字、簡體字、書面語、口語、 九音、四聲etc.
琴日有個moment:
A: Ok so you will speak Spanish in this exercise, and I will speak German and you will speak Chinese..
Me: Cantonese
A: O, sorry, Cantonese (continue talking about the exercise)
我諗我係類似一種本能反應的correction。
我好奇你幾耐冇返香港，返香港後你身體對於呢個時刻又有咩感覺或轉變。
……
……好，back to 綠色框框同我點睇番自己香港人嘅身份。首先，我係鍾意攬攬嘅人，我覺得呢個唔係主流香港人風格，可能某程度都揭示左我卡係中間，又唔係鬼妹仔，又唔係傳統華人。
有兩個例子令我覺得我同「中國文化」或者「過去的中國」失聯嘅。一係中國舞LOL雖然我個人興趣不在中國舞，但讀書時期都想認識更多，但我真係跳唔出個感覺。有一次舞團上workshop仲俾同事話我原生態。我覺得/相信我身體入面有一種「香港」生態。 呢啲係源自我日常生活喺香港所見到嘅嘢，香港嘅高樓大廈、香港嘅農地等。但呢啲同中國嘅關係太薄弱，我喺我生命或身體入邊搵唔到「中國人」嘅印記，我學嘅第一種舞種係ballet，我讀嘅中學係英文天主教學校，我成長嘅過程根本無當紅嘅中國明星，我鍾意嘅孔子亦都被挪用為promote中國係國際地位嘅孔子學校。好似中國一直只係我嘅鄰居，而唔係所謂嘅家人。......
……有很多東西想回應，我看完你的回信，我想我明白多咗你講已無法在身體追溯被歷史所洗走嘅印記，我唔知你係咪末代會考生，我係，我記得A-Level要考中國語文及文化，我哋讀各個中國哲學思想，道家既無為，儒家講人之初、性本事，嗰時已經有人問老師，但中國生產勁多廢氣，又多假食物(大頭奶粉)，我諗呢個失聯，um...，睇吓係咩層面講，可能係被現代化、全球化洗咗好多，而再拉遠講， 好多地方都發生緊呢件事，特別係殖民地方。
我快速知乎一下中國舞是什麼舞蹈，看到有趣東西:
在上世纪八十年代，香港的殖民地政府决定大力支持本土艺术发展，在舞蹈方面请来英国著名学者皮特·比里森教授前来香港考察，并提出辅助香港本土舞蹈发展的可行之法。
作为专业的舞蹈团，城市当代和香港芭蕾舞团先后于1979年成立，比里森参观了这两个舞团之后，向当时的殖民地政府建言：香港已经有了一个现代舞团和一个芭蕾舞团，从比里森的观点来看，现代舞和芭蕾舞都是来自西方，而这个城市九成以上是中国人，便应该有一个跳‘中国舞’的舞团。
于是，香港的专业舞蹈界便出现了三大门类：现代舞、芭蕾舞和“中国舞”……而1981年在殖民政府的运作下成立的香港舞蹈团，跳的便是‘中国舞’。
可能你已經知呢段歷史，亦都知 “随后于1984年成立的香港演艺学院舞蹈学院，学科的建设便跟随专业舞团三分天下的格局，成立了现代舞系、芭蕾舞系和‘中国舞’系’’ (知乎)
我諗而家仲係咁？原來有啲嘢，殖民政府留俾香港，係真係五十年不變!?
我覺得形容一個人跳舞好原生態好新奇，都係第一次聽，好似明咩意思，但又其實想問即係點，係咪即係指無個種韻味
(我都有表演過中國舞，只記得喺台上笑到面部抽筋)。而聽到你講你覺得你身體入面有一種香港生態，如果你係指跳舞時feel到，我會好羨慕，因為我都想係跳舞都連繫到香港。
→
可能有呢個諗法已經係錯
→ 又說唔說服到我呢個係香港生活左27年嘅身體，跳咩都連結到香港？Body archive 係咪就係咁？
Body Archive 似乎最貼切的中文翻譯是「印記」，但如果我哋一直經驗的舞蹈教育都只重複着學西方舞或學中國舞/東方舞的二元對立，如果想喺舞蹈上搵到香港，我哋可以從何入手？
舞蹈呢個形式之身體印記 <—? —> 表演者喺香港生活 之身體印記 （城市Landscape、食物、節奏、集體回憶、廣東話etc …… ）
我有時會諗如何在舞蹈上連繫到香港呢個問題，係出於一種好想搵到自己身體獨特性的一種焦慮，尤其喺柏林呢個萬花筒，呢個有機會再講……
…… 仲有「中國舞」嘅形成/定義都係因為見到西方有嘅嘢自己都要有，然後就要強行定義「中國古典舞」、「中國民間舞」係咩。 雖然啲舞者去山區採風好似好正促進交流，但當被書寫入教材就已經將可能性定格。
未到50年，都唔好咁肯定! 哈哈唔知仲有咩改變。
其實我係好開心被人話我「原生態」，因為我當時係學英歌(如果我無記錯)，而其他舞者都學過身韻就好自然有一種韻味，而我係無嘅。我唯有用我自己嘅理解跳出另一種味被馴化嘅味道。當然話呢個就係「香港」都有啲牽強，不過put it in a context去解讀，就可以理解成因為我嘅香港人身份所以跳出呢個感覺。(係廣東現代舞團時，同事大都有中國舞底。)
我自己通常鍾意喺作品嘅其他元素去搵同香港嘅連繫，始終我係覺得舞蹈應該要屬於個人嘅，如果話有「香港舞」，唔知會點呢?......
……關於「香港舞」我之前係一個線上讀書會上都有提問過，當我羨慕我同學用來自佢國家嘅folk dance或者佢土地上孕育出嚟嘅舞步做創作素材時，我有咩素材可以用到而係對我來說連繫到我成長的地方，之後有人提到個人故事經歷已經係講緊香港呢個地方，都有人質疑呢個想搵香港元素的急切性(urgency)正正係源於一種焦慮，而呢種焦慮就係讀書會上讀嘅 “Culture and the politics of disapperance’’ 作者Ackbar Abbas 係書中解釋緊呢種焦慮從何而來......
Dear Christy,
可惜我地無辦法約到時間去一同係同一時間步行呢件事，或者可以我係香港你係芬蘭進行？我而家係多哈飛去香港，甘岩而家身處地點係正正香港同多哈中間。
轉機時需要行去室外，身體好感受到個種好耐無感受過嘅炎熱，唔知再返到香港身體記番個種熱會係點。你去芬蘭讀書後隔左幾耐先再返香港，好奇你個時感受係點？我2020年10月離開到柏林，已經有兩年半無返過香港。我帶點期待帶點興奮帶點恐懼，到底關於家呢個概念今次我會有咩新睇法。
我無帶白紙上黎，所以用手機打，而家無網絡，我睇唔番我地上一次書寫對話係點。我每次寫信俾你都會睇番上一次或幾次文字先再寫，嘗試去回應仲未被回應的問題同點，但今次係用記憶，我記得你有一次都係飛機寫信俾我，同我講你係唔舒服嘅環境反而有動力寫信，而家我係飛機，諗起個時嘅你。我又記得你話上次同一時間寫信嘅經歷令你覺得好溫暖，同我接近。
What is proximity for you?
對於我，上次經歷的確係好感受到你存在，但中途寫緊會收到你一封信，有困難回應，有些時候會覺得反而我地各自係自己世界。
記得好耐之前你講過沉默都係一種回應，但我會覺得只有回應對方先能更了解，只有回應才是分享，只有分享，他人先可以靠近自己。係我地完全唔認識嘅前題下，我地嘗試用另一種方式——文字交換而行近，由完全陌生慢慢行去親近，好慢好慢甘行緊。
關於我地，我思考緊咩係回覆address 緊你，咩係合作in this open framework，我個角色係咩，你個角色係咩。我地嘅合作仲有無東西要攪清，我要攪到有幾清晰先令你知道如何參與但同時我唔會因為太有框格而令到我地合作變番編舞叫我做甘我就執行呢種合作模式？What is the way of creating in between too free and too restricted command base.
有時我覺得我寫信俾你係將我個腦寫俾你睇，希望你唔會覺得我好似自己同自己講野，或者呢個就係我，好多野諗同時想講俾人知我諗緊咩。
附上兩張相，記錄呢封橫跨呢個space 上寫嘅信件。
祝安好
SuetWa
19.06.2023
# Q&A
- Score 對你來說是什麼? What is Score for you?
- Presence 對你來說是什麼? What is Presence for you?
- 什麼時候你會覺得和人接近? When do you feel in proximity with someone?
- 什麼時候你會覺得和人共同在一起? When do you feel togetherness with someone?
- 你在芬蘭、在異地的時候會有想和香港繼續連繫的渴望嗎? 如果有，你會如何處理? When you were in Finland or other countries, did you have the desire to still stay in connection with Hong Kong? If yes, how did you deal with it?
# 在我和你之間 In between you and me
On 24th Sep 2023, Christy and Suet Wa walked towards each other
at
6pm.
Christy walked towards North-East from
Essen.
Suet Wa walked towards West in
Berlin.
After the walk, they wrote a list starting from
In
between you and me, I find......
在我和你之間，我找到
⋯⋯
Dear Suet Wa,
It was surprising warm and pleasant during my walk.
I walked in a
slightly
north-east direction and encountered various smells, sights and
sounds.
However, what caught my attention was the excitement being
along on
a street that I have never walked pass, thinking that you are probably
also
thinking of me while finding your ways.
That is a very embodied
sensation
of being aware of your company.
Thank you for suggesting this.
Best,
Christy
27th Sep 2023, Essen
Dear Christy,
My phone was dead yesterday but I hope you had a great walk yesterday. It was a coincidence that I started my walk toward the west direction along the Spree. I said it is a coincidence because I always want to do something with the Spree, as the only long river in Berlin, which reminds me a lot of the sea and sometimes I found a sensation of home in it.
I was trying to find a publisher from New York in the international arts book fair at the House of World Cultures before the walk. He/she lived in Hong Kong for many years and he was selling some zines related to Hong Kong's current situation. Unfortunately, the stall had no person when I visited and after some time, when I visited again, he/she left with his books. My walk started with this little disappointment and then I thought of us, the things that we were doing now for almost 1 year, the ups and downs, the roller coaster I was riding in this year.
I lost my time in my walk and writing because I did not have my phone. It is nice to walk toward the direction of the West at 6pm because the sun is always shining on my face. I was imagining you were walking away from the sun and with the sun shining on your back. It was around a day after autumnal equinox (秋分) so the night time will start to be longer than the daytime and I feel a bit cold even the sun was shining. At the end of a walk, I encountered a big road block, which prevented me from walking to the west so I stopped. Besides the roadblock was a bridge, I walked up and used the surface of the fence on the bridge to write the list to you.
I typed it also. Attached is also the photo I took at the beginning of the walk (before my phone died).
Looking forward to reading or hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Suet Wa
25th Sep 2023, Berlin
