Reflection

Together we:
- Observed families and groups at a McDonalds in Rotterdam. We all met up on Monday
- Did research on McDonalds history: who is their audience? What are their social goals? Are all McDonalds the same?
- Read about the history of the Coolsingel

Lovely:
- Did research on social hierarchy in McDonald's.
- Draw comic versions of ourselves
- Collected research and input for the newspaper
- Came up with reflection questions
- Worked on the spread from 2015 - now
- Recorded audio in the city

Roles

Nandi
I really enjoyed working with Mette and Lovely. In the beginning we struggled to find a topic since none of us live in Rotterdam or have a certain connection to the city. We took the extra time to brainstorm. There was always space for everyone to join in and I feel like everyone was exited to contribute. We found a topic and were able to plan in tome to do research and go visit the area. We divided tasks based on interest and skills which worked out really well. Together we came up with an idea for the final product which we were all exited about. Overall I had a good time working together and enjoyed the research for this project.

Nandi:
- Did research about Coolsingel year 2015 - now
- Collected and researched audio fragments for each time period
- Created a soundscape for every time period
- Helped out with printing, folding and cutting the newspapers

Mette:
- Created basic structure on Hotglue site
- Collected research and input for the newspaper
- Designed the time period spreads
- Created a timeline
- Helped out with printing, folding and cutting the newspapers

Mette
Even though this was a project from only two weeks, I feel like we managed it quite well. Tasks were divided in a way that it fit each students' major, and interests. We communicated quickly on Whatsapp and in real life. Content-related, I feel like I learned a lot in these two weeks about the Coolsingel and Rotterdam's history that I didn't know about before. I also realized a city has more to tell you than the buildings and people that are currently there, often there is some stories of the history hidden, you just have to know where to look. Now that I know that the McDonald's at Coolsingel was first a place where they put emergency stores after the war, I feel kind of weird about something as capitalistic as an (American) company like McDonald's owning that space. I feel like there should be more respect maybe to the history, and for example put something in memorial there. Especially since the post office next to it was one of the few buildings that survived the bombings. Of course it's also a good thing that now we can just sit there and have some food after a day of shopping or going to school, and not have to worry about anything close to emergencies or war. It just makes me think twice, the next time I walk by.

Lovely
I learned lot in these past two weeks about the Coolsingel and Rotterdam's history that I didn't know about before. I really enjoyed working with Mette and Nandi. In the beginning finding a topic was hard since none of us live in Rotterdam or have a certain connection to the city other than the academy. We brainstormed and communicated a lot which made me feel like there was always space for new ideas and opinions that made everyone exited to work on this project. We had a short timeframe to work in but were able to accomplish a lot. ( wish it was longer though. ) I will be thinking about all the different stories a place or building carries with it, And how a city or building will always evolve with the needs of people at a point in time.