Dartington College of Arts Interview in Totnes/Devon

At the beginning of May I was to visit Totnes for an Interview at Dartington College. I had applied for Theatre Studies and Visual Arts sometime in February and I was really happy to be accepted for an interview at that place.

I did my research about the College which was literally in the middle of the fields and surrounded by nature. So was little Totnes, small, green and simple village. Sorry, but I don't think this is a town by no means! I should also add that little Totnes is far more eco-friendly and organic products based than Thessaloniki itself. Shame on us Thessalonikians...anyhow. It was exactly the kind of life I would love to have. In contact with nature, against ageism and access of knowledge and a combination of my past education with new interests, hey!

I had the luck to stay in an B & B somewhere 30 minutes from the centre of Totnes. Heather was a lovely host, taken care of a lovely cottage which took her 5 or so more years to build to look as beautiful as it does now. I was mesmerised, I have to say. I could not stop taking pictures of my the place! Heather noticed it and asked me to take some pictures for her website in return of money. Of course I grasped the chance to take pictures, but not money of course. For the Greek readers of the post... φιλότιμο ρε, έτσι λέγεται και ταπεινοφροσύνη! But in all good faith Heather pampered me all right! The warmth of this place, the hot coffee first thing in the morning and the organic breakfast waiting for me at the table, the yogurt and bananas at dinnertime and the chilled out chatting about her life stories and mine by the fireplace, was a beloved experience and learning process! Once I get the website, I promise to add it to my links. So, here is the website: http://www.organicbedandbreakfast.info/

So back to the interview, yes I was a wee anxious, even though I turned dissatisfied and even upset at the end of the day. Here's the facts. Dartington College is beautiful college and a prestigious one. The course is a vocational course, no theory there. All the students in and outside the campus are about 600, artists with different backrounds. During the first 2 years physical work is primary, 2 & 3 year you kind of get into practise and meeting the combined module. The accomodation, the usual boxed rooms, dear as well. Internet connection to communicate with the rest of the world, dearer. Work? part time job at the Milk factory nearby or the pubs of course. Careers office and statistics of people finding work after that? There I met the English discrete irony!

I realized the fairy tales I heard in Theatre and fair enough the fairy tales I believed or created myself. I prefer to have a quality of life and a life-long learning. By means of γηράσκω αει διδασκόμενος and not the forever student. I want to have something more concrete with reagards to my education and the job that will feed me.

So, after that revealing interview. Upset enough for "opening my eyes", I continued taking pictures for Heather and sharing our life stories and Iridology information with her.

I am very glad I went there. I gave myself the chance to see, critisize and balance out my needs. Without this little trip I would have never set out and sail away, nore would I have had the chance and the strength to say no to Dartington and their unconditional offer! Saying all these, I remember Ithaca by Kavafis. which I will post in another post for those who never read this elegant and meaninguf poem, bringing tears into my eyes...~