Casa Robino

I am absolutely stunned. There are moments I stimply can't believe that I have been “doing” this Casa experience for more than three years now. Where is this leading to, I ask myself regularly. Are we "there" already, or what are the other directions that haven't been followed yet? Is this going to close one day or are we simply moving further?

And in fact, how silly it may sound in itself, every day is yet another, and each one of them is nouveaux with fresh adventures, people, given books, food, sleep and silly jokes. Sometimes there is a lot of excitement, and people are fresh and young and are continuously into doing “something”, while at other times people are more relaxed, doing a thing or two and just going about. There is really nothing you can say about a day!

And so the same can be said about the house itself: it is never the same! Most rooms have been nicely put together. People who were here ages ago (let's say 2 or 3 years) really wouldn't even recognize some of the rooms. The Zula with its nice wooden floor, and the blue carpet in the middle of it (because the treasured wood ran out...), the new sofa against the amazingly painted wall, and all the ever-changing artwork that gives the space so much ambience... new sheets, blankets and pillows... the only thing that remains the same might be the sun shinging through the windows in the early mornings, but lightning a room that is simply really beautiful.

Some people say that the culture has changed also... That the casa has become different. I don't know and can't tell. I think this is part of the nature of the space. It has already gone through so many phases, you simply can't believe it! Every time there arrives a new person, that person fills the space with his or her own energy: the way this person gives attention to others, to food, to the self, and so on. And most of us actually do prefer certain people above others (try to look for the unique characteristics!) and therefore you will like it more at a certain time than at any other time, I guess... And what would happen to a place when you would enforce certain behaviour onto people? It would become a dogma and a cliché of itself I would say...

I have also been doing some museum-works lately, putting up more wall-paper and redecorating it (more orange!). I created a new writing-space in it, and put up some more art, which makes the space a lot nicer than how it used to be. The Barn has been nicely redecorated too over the winter, the balcony is called the Jungle and I've heard again recent rumours about a new Disco... (and kitten finally has a cat-door !)

We've been doing well since Spring and the re-opening after my short (!) Winter-sleep. We've only had two busy periods so far (if you know what busy means) and apart from those weeks, it's a relatively quiet, nice and stable time with a constant coming and going of the right people (although we've been seeing more boys than girls lately) who come to learn, chill and build. Me and kitten have seen mostly new people though, and only some from earlier years, as well as the people who still live in the city and who started off at the Casa. It is great to see the support that we get from the people who still live around and from others who continue to travel in Europe, and who still know how to find us!

Of course, I have also been away again. I just finished a short trip on foot. I decided to walk out of the Casa into the east. After leaving town, going through the center, I simply kept on walking until I had reached the border with Germany. There I waved, and came back.

I did all this without use of money or internet and it was a great surprise to see how well that goes in this country. There are enough friendly people offering food or a place to sleep. And where there wasn't, I had my hammock to sleep between trees and an occasional dumpster to help me through feeling hungry. A huge learning experience, and highly recommended to anyone I know!

Coming back was equally great though. Finally I had an abundance of good food again, didn't have to eat meat anymore and can enjoy warm showers whenever I feel like it. And of course the Casa has been going on fine without me, offering each and every person new learnings. It has had its ups and downs but overall I am pretty content with how everyone dealt with the challenges this place can offer when the guy who balances it all, isn't there.

So let's see how the Summer will go for the house. For sure I'll try to keep it more quiet than during past summers. I think it is easier that way for everyone, offering more space and relaxation. But maybe that's just me getting older... ;)