Quest Tour of the Czech Republic 
Journal Updates

November 10-11, 2003
It feels like we have been traveling for days...

We left Dulles airport on Lufthansa at 6:00pm. The flight was long and crowded. Those of us usually able to sleep on airplanes were not so successful this time. We read, chatted with each other, watched Hollywood Homocide, the online movie.

We arrived in Frankfurt, local time 7:00am, but feeling like 1:00am to our bodies. We were immediately herded into the holding area for the connecting flight to Prague. The plane was slightly delayed arriving so we boarded the plane approximately 15 minutes behind schedule, and then once again, we were on our way. This flight was uneventful and brief and we landed in Prague less than one hour later.

Upon arrival, we were pleasantly surprised that the temperature was not as cold as we were expecting. We quickly passed thru customs and were met on the other side by one of our hosts. We loaded all the baggage into a trailer, and then climbed into the van for a two and a half hour drive to Brno. Approximately 20 mintues into the drive, all of us were sound asleep. We all awoke as we were pulling up to the front of the Hotel Continental in Brno.

The hotel is quite nice and we all managed to check-in with a minimum of fuss. We had just enough time to drop our bags in our rooms before we reconvened for lunch in the hotel. After lunch, the group split up..some folks opting to go for a walk around the area, and others opting for a nap.

At 5:00, we gathered in the lobby and made our way by foot and tram to the Deaf Club. The Deaf Club is an information center and the headquarters for the festival. There we met other groups participating in the festival and had a short meeting (involving Czech language, Czech sign language, English, Gestuno, and ASL translations) to go over the agenda for the next few days...we will be very busy! After the meeting, we had dinner with the participants and hung out to chat with the others. Starting to really feel how long the day has been, we made our way back to the hotel for the evening. Everyone is exhausted but having a great time. Our day will start bright and early tomorrow with a master class and workshop at JAMU, the university where deaf people study.
--Myra Coffield

Impressions by Cara Miller
What an amazing experience it's been so far, and we have only just begun! On
Monday, November 10th, the QUEST team made its way to Dulles Airport in
Virginia and flew to Frankfurt, Germany, where we had a forty minute layover
until our flight to Prague in the Czech Republic. Exhausted but quite excited
upon our arrival, we hopped on a bus and rode for two and a half hours to the
city of Brno. After twelve hours of nonstop travel, the QUEST team arrived at
Hotel Continental in Brno and finally had the chance to catch our breaths
during lunchtime at the hotel. Clearly, the long day of traveling and the
significant time zone differences will take some getting used to!

After lunch, Darren, Miriam, Banafsheh, Whitney, Bev, Shira, and I took a
stroll in the neighborhood around the hotel. Bundled in jackets, hats, and
gloves, we were able to delight in the fresh, crisp air and the smells and
sights of the city. We took some wonderful snapshots of us frolicking in the
park and browsing through the shops. When we returned to the hotel after our
little escapade, we had some time to rest and unpack before meeting in the
lobby at 5 pm. We then trooped on over to The House of Deaf, approximately a
fifteen-minutes' walk and tram-ride away from the hotel.
Much of the stress and fatigue of travel melted away as we finally had the
opportunity to meet some of the amazing Deaf and hearing people who live in
Brno. They showed us around the House and gave us a thoroughly detailed itinerary of our stay in the Czech Republic. We were given armfuls of International Pantomime Festival of the Deaf programmes, posters, and postcards, and had the chance to ask questions and introduce ourselves. At 7 pm, we were joined by theater troupes from the Czech Republic, and Slovenia and had an introductory
session and lecture in the main hall. Language differences and communication
challenges soon made their presence known, managing to inspire our imagination
as we devised physical means of conveying our ideas, thoughts, and questions.
Those who are well-versed in International Sign Language were able to interpret
and translate for others, and the entire evening was a fabulous lesson in
teamwork and creativity. Rarely have I experienced conversations that were so
thought-provoking, stimulating, and exhausting all at once!!

We were treated to dinner and mingled with the other performers and their
managers and directors, all the while working to hone our expressive and
receptive skills in International Sign Language. Some hard-won bonding was
accomplished, and we were all tired but happy as we headed back to the hotel.
It has been an amazing experience for me so far, and I feel blessed and
fortunate to be in the company of my wonderful QUESTmates as I have the chance to meet and greet Deaf and hearing signers from around the world. And without further ado, it's time to sign off. Check in soon for more updates!!!
--Cara Miller

November 12, 2003
This morning we walked to the nearby JAMU university where deaf people study. We had a master class at the Educational Drama of the Deaf Studio that was oriented to movement. The class was taught by Professor Zoja Mikotova. Afterwards, everyone participated in a juggling class. We posed for our picture with the Faculty on the steps of the more than a century old building.

Impressions by Miriam Ganz
Wednesday afternoon we rehearsed in yet another rehearsal space.  Adding to the list of various settings where we have worked. We rehearsed and ran through the show finalizing some details and refining some movement. Last minute questions and clarifications were made and the cast finished the day knowing we had progessed before our big day! 

At night we walked to the theatre with much excitement for the festival's first performance.  The theatre lobby bubbled with brave conversations in multiple languages.  All gathered to join in celebrating the creative spirit of theatre.  The first show was performed by the Slovakian group, which consisted of four hearing members and one deaf member.  Their show was a combination of modern dance, storytelling, sound and silence, darkness and humor. 

The second group that performed was from the Czech Republic.  Because of an injured performer they decided to change which show they would perform.  So we enjoyed a heartfelt and funny performance of The Three Little Pigs.  The actors encouraged the audience to help and participate. They used puppets, sign language, and great colorful costumes.  The two theatre pieces were very different in style and purpose, creating a diverse evening of theatre.

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