I’m sitting at my desk, looking into my computer – dressed up from the waist up, a dress and beads, there are flowers behind me on the ironing board and there is a candle next to me – and I have Mácha’s Máj book in black cover in front of me.
I have a feeling like I am about to maneuver a plane. It is easy to read the Máj poem on the Petřín hill and to speak to passers-by – but how will it work today? How will I connect with those who will be requesting to join? Will the little white flashing box support me or fail????
But we really have to read the Máj poem, the verses must be heard throughout Petřín as well as online. We must exclaim them into the world, we must not break the tradition.
We have our connections on Petřín hill. ECP students are loyal and they mediate the view of Mácha’s statue at Petřín. Thanks to them, all the rest of us connecting over the internet can be there as well. There are other loyal students, current and former, and even one of our parents joining in online, just like my children and their child…
This year, the Máj reading is happening online – we can’t call people to assemble – what if more people come than it is currently allowed, but we had our links there! So we were able to go ahead: Long is my journey! Vain is all calling!
Alena Švejdová, Deputy Head Co-Curriculum, Teacher of Czech
