writers in residence

Last weekend i joined the writers in residence, a course in creative writing. It was nice to see some familiar faces (like my teacher Leen)and it was wonderful to meet some new people with the same urge to write. It is great to know i am not the only fool who is happy with just a paper and a pen.
This residence was in a conventschool that turned into a religious-cultural centre in my neighbourhood (so i did not stay at night, but went home to sleep in my own little bed).
I was especially happy that one of the places that were offered to have writing inspiration was our gurdwara. So i gave my introduction (talked my head off actually) we had langar and i invited some sikhs to tell their story. For many of my colleagues this was the first time they met sikhs... and they were very impressed. Though i must admit that their story as a refugee made more impression than being a sikh, but anyhow... the results were some beautiful texts, some in poetry. I was particularly touched that some people interweaved the Mool Mantra in their poems or proze.
The other places that were offered were a farm (fruit) and an old jail. Everyone got a different trigger to write of course, but when we brought our texts together, there was a wonderful line in our stories.
The sikhs, being hard workers, coming to our area to work in the fruit farms, but ending up in jail very often. Not because they are criminals, but because being illegal, being without legal papers is enough to end up in jail. Sad, isn't it? But the true story!
Anyhow i hope that sikhs and sikhism are/is a little more unknown now and maybe it will inspire some again.