ETG Information Session

Yes, this is another post about work, it is busy times at the museum and a lot going on. I actually really enjoy these fall months when the season is slowly gearing up.

I ended up recently delivering the Information Session to my fellow External Tour Guides, because of some last minute changes in the schedule. I was happy to do it though, as I enjoy spending time with this group, and I felt confident after the successful Members Preview tour.

I am really enjoying being this link between the museum and the ETG community, providing them with the support I was missing when I first started out as ETG myself.

The following day this image so suitably showed up on the random slideshow on my Frame TV:

I mean, who would've ever thought when I was studying art, that I would be standing in front of this and other masterpieces of this caliber, and tell it's stories! Oaw, I am so lucky.

¡ Viva Mexico !

We have some spectacular and historic loans at the museum at the moment, in a partnership between the LAD and the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico.
For example this Atlante from Chichen Itza, dating from the Maya culture, ca 900-1200. This sculptural innovation that appeared for the first time during the Maya period is designed to hold an altar or a lintel of a building in place.

We also have this theatre-type incense burner from the Teotihuacan culture, 0-650, full of details:

And this Anthropomorphic mask, also from the Teotihuacan culture, 200-900. Given the weight, this type of mask was probably not worn by living people. Maybe they were attached to larger sculptures or deity figures.

Another mask on loan is this Mayan mask, from 200-60, probably from a royal burial site. The Mayan rules were buried with masks to reproduce the face of the deceased.

The final loan is the biggest one, and maybe the most special one as it is the first time an Olmec monumental head has been brought to this region. No small feat considering this is a sculpture that weighs 5840 kg!

I had the pleasure of presenting this loan during some school engagement sessions a couple of weeks ago when we had a visit from the Spanish School of Abu Dhabi. I did it with a little bit of Spanish, can you believe! Since it was kids I thought, why not, they will see past any mistakes I made.

Momancholy

It has been a bit quiet on the blog for the past few weeks, since Linnea left. I haven't done much else really than work, come home, eat dinner, see TV and sleep. Nathan and I are going away next week for a short trip, so making the most of getting some time in at the museum before then.

When I am here at home I walk around a little aimlessly, feeling sad for no particular reason, and keep thinking of old memories. It is quite weird here at home without Linnea. I keep waiting for her to come bouncing down the stairs in the evenings to make a cup of tea or some popcorn. It has been a big change for us both, to have our last child leave us. It was really very brutal and abrupt to just put on her on a plane, and say "See you at Christmas!". When you live this expat life, it's not like your kids can come home for a fika every now and then, for Sunday roast or to get their laundry done. It is very definite.

But, we actually talk more to her now than we have done all together I think the past two years. We text all the time and Zoom every day. She is doing ok with her Au Pair family, but of course it is not so easy to just go out and find friends, so she has been feeling a little bit lonely. It will take time, but we are sure she will find her feet properly soon. We will continue to be there for as long as she needs us (and beyond!), and hope that the momancholy feelings subside as well with time.