Got back in Europe end March after a few weeks in Suriname. Strange to switch from a country with wild open space (except the traffic jams in the capital) and sunshine to the concrete landscape of Amsterdam and then now the hectic buzz of London.

One of the misconceptions I often hear about the Caribbean is that (all) people are more laid back (often intended as a euphemism for lazy) than Europe. I didn’t manage to meet most of my old friends, because they’re working hard from 7-16:00 and then rush back to rest half an hour or so before starting a second job e.g. in teaching part time or repairing cars or anything to pay the extra bills for their family. The cost of living is not cheap and some things I find are close to European prices, while wages are insufficient.

Occassionally –e.g. in the Easter weekend– do people find the time to leave the city and enjoy a break in a nature resort.

I moved like a hurricane from place to place, part research/work, part social and was entirely energised when I left, having seen a great number of young people persevering in their endeavours despite the corrupt political situation that would demotivate most starting entrepreneurs.

In some ways Napoli reminds me of Paramaribo, in the sense that the it’s all about “la arte di arrangarse”, to make due with whatever you have, without planning too much, survival despite the hardship and lack of support from the system.

Anyway, here’s a link of Suriname in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/world/americas/23suriname.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Can’t wait to shoot my next feature film there.

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