Hello, all -
New to your community, wondering if there are Bolad’s Kitchen scholars in Portland who’d be willing to share some thoughts about their experience in Martin’s school. I am signed up for the new cohort, and would love to get a deeper sense of what to expect (it being such a significant commitment of time and resources). Also very curious to know if and how the community of students coalesces outside of the NM gatherings. Enormously grateful for any insights (online or off line) that anyone is able to share. With many thanks
There are some Bolad’s folks in Portland, but as I unfortunately as I am not one, I cannot give you much more info. I do recommend you try and contact Wilem however, perhaps he can fill you in?
Many thanks for the reply - very much appreciated. Can you suggest how I can get in touch with Wilem?
I’ll send Willem a link to this post. 
Many thanks, so kind of you.
yes loads of Bolad’s Kitchen folks here. What would you like to know? There are semi-regular (quarterly?) gatherings of local students and things that happen behind the scenes that are offshoots of Bolad’s Kitchen. You’ll have a blast. After your first class you’ll be inundated with people to meet and things to do.
I think the biggest thing to know is that you will feel like you’re failing at all the homework, can’t keep up, can’t reconcile the modern world with what you’re learning at Bolad’s Kitchen, etc. but it’s one big lesson in finding a home in the impossibility of our situation and learning to fail magnificently.
I would also say with any background in “rewilding” (whatever that means - I guess I mean knowing and experiencing a more genuine story of the human family’s role in the world) you’ll be much better equipped than 90% of the students who have gone through the school. It never ceased to amaze me what was new news to some of my fellow students.
Hi, Willem -
Thanks so much for being willing to reach out.
I’m so curious about the school experience itself, the daily process, the teaching style and the interactions among students, and between students and Martín himself. What does it feel like to be a learner there - daily schedule, depth of teacher and staff commitment, diversity of students (young, old, men, women), the sense of an organizing overview (that is, a confidence that the teacher(s) knows what the learning puzzle looks like when it’s finally all put together, while delivering the puzzle pieces)? Did you feel that it was rigorous - not in the sense of stiff and overly serious, but in the belief that to get to anything really worthwhile, to build any really sustainable skill set and knowledge/wisdom base, one has to be relatively well committed to a certain level of effort and respect for the body of knowledge? I guess I’m asking, too, if you felt that you got something of lasting value, from teaching that was simultaneously generous and appropriately demanding.
I suspect that I’ve asked too much of you, Wilem! My apologies if so.
Watch out for what you wish for. The rigor is unbelievable. Endless readings, homework, reflection, things to make with your hands, research. Ugh it will take over the rest of your life haha. You want more details?
I’ll answer your other questions later - maybe tonight.
Checking back, don’t see any response - was that helpful? Not helpful? Should I continue?
Much too long of a hiatus here, Willem. My sincere apologies. Yes, please do continue. I’m particularly interested in any textual resources that you received there.
you are going to be snowed under by textual references at Bolad’s Kitchen. I hardly know where to start. Parzival by Von Eschenbach, Mummies of Urumchi, any book on the bronze art of the Eurasian steppe/scythian art, Beowulf, King Hrolf Kraki, any and all folktale collections you can find, Herodotus the Histories, Nart Sagas, I could spend the rest of the day typing. If nothing else, to really prepare, makes sure you’ve read Martín’s books ( think he has 6 out now) at least 3 times each. They are not idly written and are excellent preparation for where the class will go and will help you solve the scholarship riddles if you truly read them.
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Ah. I see. Wonderful! Truly appreciated, Willem. Thanks so much. Couldn’t have hoped for a better corpus to wrestle with. Especially piqued to see how Hrodulf might dance with the crippled king, and how they both untangle the indigenous knot.
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Hello! I see this is an old post, but I recently learned of Martín Prechtel and his teaching, and that bolads kitchen is accepting a new class soon…I have some questions about the experience and was hoping someone might be able to talk with me, and ideally link me up with some women that were/are learning under Martín?
Many thanks!