“The retreat fostered our creativity and community feeling”
Zukunftskolleg Fellows joined for a Writing Retreat at Insel Reichenau
The Zukunftskolleg Writing Retreat took place from 30 September to 2 October 2021 on Insel Reichenau at Hotel Inselglück.
The aim of the Writing Retreat was to give the fellows the opportunity to commit their time entirely to their writing project, with no other obligations that demand their attention. Simultaneously, each fellow was part of a supportive community of writers who have set themselves the same task.
Each fellow came prepared with his/her own writing goals, which were shared every morning amongst the group, and at dinner, the fellows discussed their progress. The three days were structured according to several writing sessions with breaks in between.
To round off the Writing Retreat, the fellows had a hike around the island vineyards and a guided tour of the local museum and cloister.
Participant statements:
“It thought it was very well organised, I enjoyed the balance of edifying activities and also time to work.”
“The food was great, the accommodation and working space were excellent and I thought that Reichenau Island was a really nice choice for a short getaway. I already got more work done than I had planned for – the retreat was a total success for me.”
“It would be great to have such writing retreats on a regular basis.”
“I found Reichenau as the perfect place for a writing retreat. The hotel was an excellent place to stay: great facilities and delicious food. Still, I would extend the retreat one additional day. I enjoyed the experience very much and I would repeat!”
‘’The writing retreat was an amazing quiet and productive moment for me. It offered me the opportunity and time to stay focused for a comprehensive writing. Good to physical bond with fellows and share thoughts and experiences. Super great atmosphere. Perhaps it will be great to spend more than two- and half days next time for more efficiency.”
“We self-organised in a very productive way and the retreat fostered our creativity and community feeling.”
“The retreat experience was excellent! A wonderful opportunity to do writing in a space without the interruptions of the everyday, surrounded by likeminded colleagues. It was conducive not only to a productive writing time (I managed to write from scratch a conference paper and start working on revisions for a peer reviewed article), but also helped our community feel by getting to discuss and exchange with other fellows during meals and evenings. The venue was great as well – relaxing rooms, diverse food options, wonderful views, and a good working space. I am very grateful to Zukunftskolleg for organizing this!”