Author: Inés Alonso

Comencé mi preparación para facilitar Street Wisdom en Bilbao con un helado para activar mi sentido del gusto, sentido al que no le suelo prestar la atención que merece. El helado no sólo activó mi sentido del gusto, sino también la vista a través de los colores, el tacto frío, la textura y el olfato a través del sabor. Una experiencia sensual mientras esperaba a los participantes.

Como facilitadora, siempre trato de hacer un mini Street Wisdom a la vez que los participantes. Esta vez en lugar de hacer mini paseos, decidí prestar atención desde un punto fijo. Me sorprendió la cantidad de estímulos que sin moverme pude percibir. En especial las conversaciones, y cómo esas palabras me hablaban a mí.
Las respuestas llegaron encriptadas, tanto para mí como para los participantes: “Lánzate a la calle”, “Fluye”, “El secreto de las mujeres”. Sabemos que esas son las respuestas a nuestras preguntas, aunque ahora mismo no podamos descifrar exactamente su significado. Todo lo que podemos hacer es intuir un posible significado de acuerdo a nuestras circunstancias en este momento, y seguir abiertos confiando que en un futuro tendrá todo el sentido.

I started my preparation to facilitate Street Wisdom in Bilbao with an ice cream to activate my sense of taste, which I don’t usually pay the attention it deserves. The ice cream not only activated my sense of taste, but also sight through the colours, the cold touch, the texture and the smell through the flavor. An experience for all the senses whilst waiting for participants.

 As a facilitator, I always try to carry out my own mini Street Wisdom at the same time as the participants. This time instead of doing short walks, I decided to pay attention from a fixed point. I was surprised by the amount of stimuli that I could perceive without moving. Especially the conversations, and how those words spoke to me.

 The answers came encrypted, both for me and for the participants: “Throw yourself into the street”, “Flow”, “Women’s secret”. We know that these are the answers to our questions, even though we can’t exactly decipher their meaning right now. All we can do is attempt a possible meaning according to our circumstances at this time, and remain open. Trusting that, in the future, it will make perfect sense.

 by Ines Alonso

Como extranjera en Londres, Street Wisdom me ha ayudado a conectar con la ciudad, a dejar de verla como un lugar extraño en el que he establecido mi residencia, y verla como parte de mi hogar. Por ello decidí que para la World Wide Wander facilitaría un Street Wisdom en Español, con la intención de que otros con dificultades de integración a causa del idioma, pudieran conectar con Londres y comenzar a sentirse parte de Londres. Cancelaciones de última hora hicieron que mi experimento terminara en un solo. Después de la consiguiente desilusión, decidí dedicar ese tiempo para mí y pregunté a las calles cómo puedo aumentar mi energía y usarla del modo más eficaz y eficiente posible. La respuesta llegó claramente, ¡divirtiéndome! como los niños de la foto.

Como dice el slogan de Street Wisdom, las respuestas están en todas partes, independientemente del idioma en el que preguntes.

As a foreigner in London, Street Wisdom has helped me to connect with the city, to stop seeing it as a strange place in which I have taken up residence, and to see it as part of my home. So I decided that for World Wide Wander I would facilitate a Street Wisdom in Spanish, with the intention that others with any language barriers could connect with London and start to feel part of the city. 

 Unfortunately, last minute cancellations meant there were no participants. After the disappointing result, I decided to dedicate that time to myself and asked the streets ‘How can I increase my energy and use it in the most efficient way possible?’ The answer came clearly: having fun! Like the children in this photo…

 As the slogan of Street Wisdom says, Answers are Everywhere, regardless of the language in which you ask.

by Ines Alonso

Black Saturday afternoon. Shopping centre. A packed Bromley, with lots of people shopping all over the place, welcomed the Street Wisdom participants. Paying attention was a challenge with all the tempting items and activities going on around us. As a matter of fact, some of the participants ended up shopping, or checking the shops they would visit after the event, or having lunch. I usually get a bit anxious when participants don’t follow the instructions because I think they might not get any answer. This time I decided to relax and think that all those actions might be part of their Street Wisdom experience.

When sharing out insights, I found out that in fact, participants got inspiration from those interactions and even some good answers. I finished the event wondering when does the Street Wisdom experience start? At the moment of signing up? When thinking of a question?

by Inés Alonso