First Name: Annette

Last Name: Strauch

Network: Cymru/Wales

About me:

I am a Cultural Anthropologist from Göttingen right in the middle of Germany who speaks Welsh, French, Italian, Spanish, Danish and other languages (languages and literature are my passion!) - and who has been in Wales for ten years now (first in Cardiff, then in Aberystwyth - and now in Machynlleth). It has been interesting combining the rural with the urban! I prefer the urban but I can be happy in the countryside, too. I like Aberdyfi Beach, Pembrokeshire with Carn Llidi, Canton in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, incl. Cowbridge. I also like the Welsh castles.

I have a couple of networks and blogs re. Wales which need updating all the time.

I wrote my M.A. thesis about the Museum of Welsh Life, St. Fagans in Cardiff and dedicated it to S. Minwel Tibbott and Delwyn Tibbott because they taught me a lot about the Welsh Culture, and Minwel was very dear to me.

I have a wide experience in the heritage sector, including museum work, tv, archives, web 2.0, fundraising, organising high profile art exhibitions in Wales and abroad) and digitisation. For almost twenty years now I have been promoting the Welsh Culture abroad, Wales Culture International.

I love nice people, cycling, running, climbing the Welsh mountains (Tryfan is beyond me! This one scares me I must admit!).

Like Pete (Telfer) here I was there when the Berlin Wall came down. I will never forget this important day in history. I was in my last school year when this happened.

I like the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol and try to go when I can, follow the activities of WLA with Sioned. I am a fan of Cordydd, Only Men Aloud, Fflur Dafydd (songs and lit.).

My favourite roast is Welsh lamb with mint sauce, I like Glamorgan sausages, Pemberton choc's, all the Welsh cheeses (food as culture! ;-), the Blue Creek in Aber and Penderyn whiskey and more.

At home we have a collection of Welsh paintings.

I also support photographer Mark Robert Davey, and he supports me: http://www.mrdgallery.com

We welcome couchsurfers sometimes and like having guests from all backgrounds.

Chaucer  and Beowulf are another passion of mine, that means Middle English and Old English in general. I have a degree in this, too - after struggling for many terms with the vowel shifts. Thanks Prof. Schabram!

My friend Waltraud's (from Leicester) brother is an inspiration for me. He is a film producer (Whalerider, etc. / Reinhard Brundig) with his office in Cologne and a vineyard in the South of France producing organic wine there, Les Courbissac). Anything is possible. I believe in that.

Also, Pete is an inspiration! Great to be here with Culture Colony!