Wednesday September 25th was an important day for ECLA of Bard. The school hosted a small reception to inaugurate “the Factory,” a place where, within the walls of one building, all students have the possibility to express themselves via various art practices. Formerly a can factory, the building complex has an interesting history, as it
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Commencement at ECLA
“Commencement”: though the word is rhetorically indicative of a beginning, it has trouble escaping its connotation––at least for students––as the official conclusion, the shake of the hand, and the goodbye to the thousands of pages and hours, myriad lunch debates, late-nights, page-tabbing, research forays, and all that comes along with the pursuit of a liberal
Biking in Pankow
In the autumn of 2012, I interviewed ECLA of Bard’s site manager Lars Köhler about the location and site of our campus. Lars explained why our location in Pankow-Niederschönhausen (in the quiet north eastern corner of Berlin) serves as an ideal setting for the student body. Our site manager remains firm in the belief that
Steamed: Ten Things You Should Know About the Sauna
Pankow’s local seniors have noticed a new phenomenon: in recent months, steady and growing streams of young foreign students have begun to patronize their beloved sauna. This is due to a new (and rather sweaty) trend sweeping the ECLA campus. As such, the Spok sauna is a legitimate hangout spot for young ECLAlites. Such attendance
As the Seasons Change
To celebrate the changing of the seasons and the commemoration of time, Berlin offered many opportunities to take a break from studying. At the end of October Berlin celebrated its 775th birthday with “fire poetry” in the streets. Combining medieval traditions with new age practices, the streets were alive with people and flames. The lights
Interview with Lars
Last year, the European College of Liberal Arts (presently ECLA of Bard) became one of the satellite academic institutions of Bard College, located in the Hudson River Valley of New York state. The new leadership of the college aims to expand the student body and administration. As a result, the current physical structure is also
Bard to Berlin
After a year of living a “choose your own adventure” lifestyle (highlights include but are not limited to: learning the proper way to slaughter a chicken in the south of France, running from a wild boar, catching a swarm of honeybees in the 19th district of Paris, and the serendipitous meeting of a member of
Coming Home
I completed the Academy Year programme at the European College of Liberal Arts (ECLA) in the summer of 2011. This fall, I returned to ECLA for the BA program. During the whole recent year, I worked with a theatre group and also taught theatre skills back home in Pakistan. Working in the theatre industry required