Willkommen, or, The Post that Became About Something Else Entirely

It should come as no surprise that as someone who does German wheel, I absolutely love Germany. I have no idea when or how it happened. My love of Germany is not at all like the love for my own country, or my love for Iceland, a country that completely ensnared my heart and soul. Nevertheless, my love for Germany is strong and is reaffirmed every time I visit. And you know all those dorky Facebook quizzes with names like "What should your nationality be?" or "From what country will your lover be?" It never fails, my result is always Germany.

When I finally hightailed it out of France my destination was clear: Berlin, Berlin, Berlin. Not only is it a city I love, but I have some friends from circus school working there at the moment. I cannot begin to tell you how good it felt to be with friends who go further back than my circus, to share stories about common friends, to fill in the blanks since the last time we were together, and to simply reminisce.

But the most important reunion of all was with a friend who had been in a terrible accident ten months earlier. He had been working in a variete in Berlin when he fell from his rope. Although witness accounts aren't clear (the artists weren't watching and the theatre isn't talking) the basic understanding is that he hit his head on a piece of decor while swinging, lost consciousness and fell to the floor. The damage was severe.

His story is personal, and I won't go into too many details about what he has struggled with since the accident. But what I can, and frankly, what I must say is that he is incredible. I don't think that I would be able to maintain the incredibly positive attitude he has consistently demonstrated. I don't believe that I would have the incredible strength to fight to regain what the accident took away from him. To see how luminous he remains, to see the hope, the strength, the determination... the force of will with which he radiates...

He inspires me, he humbles me, and most obviously, he reminds me of the grim reality that lurks in the shadows of this profession.

Yes, Berlin opened my heart and my eyes a little more. But like all good things, it couldn't last forever. And while it saddened me to leave, there were some very exciting opportunities waiting to be tackled on the other side of the country.