A Jack of all trades

Dr. Aranha, you’ve been working as an advisor to the Rector in the Office of University development and communication since mid-April. It’s high time we introduced you to the university community. So here we go: Name three words that best describe you as a person.

Number one: a typical Berliner. I love my hometown—especially from a distance. Number two: Potcake. The word comes from the Bahamas and originally referred to rice that had burned to the bottom of the pot and was then fed to the dogs. At some point, however, the meaning shifted so that it came to refer to the dogs in the Bahamas—who often live on the streets—themselves—similar to the term “mongrel” commonly used in Germany. It then became a self-description for people to whom that also applies in some way. And, last but not good, I’ve also been called— perhaps not entirely unfairly, be called a know-it-all—which is why I was a bit disappointed when I found out that there used to be a so-called “Know-It-All Aquarium” here, but I missed the chance to sit in it.

You come from a place that one can only dream of having visited, and you hold both German and Bahamian citizenship. Can you tell us more about your background?

My mother was born in Liberec—then known as Reichenberg—and grew up in Chrastava—then known as Kratzau—until 1946. After the war, her family moved to Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg, before settling in Berlin in 1966.
Although my father’s family has a Portuguese name—because an ancestor from the family line that gave the family its name migrated from Brazil to the Bahamas in the mid-19th century to help establish the salt industry on the island of Inagua—the family tree is a colorful mix of people from many countries and several continents.
The Bahamas were a British colony and did not gain independence until 1973. So in the early 1970s, while still a so-called CUKC (“Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies”), my father came to Berlin as a pilot, where he worked for Modern Air. At that time, pilots flying to and from West Berlin were required to hold citizenship in one of the Western Allied nations. After my parents separated, I grew up between Berlin and Nassau, Bahamas, and after completing my studies, I decided to move there permanently.

What educational path did you follow, and which career milestones are particularly noteworthy for you?

After graduating from high school, I studied North American Studies and History at the Free University of Berlin and earned my Master of Arts degree. I then moved to the Bahamas, where I first worked as an editor at the Nassau Guardian. However, I spent most of my time working as an assistant professor of history at the College (now University) of The Bahamas. In 2016, I returned to Germany to write my dissertation on the historical development of suffrage in the Bahamas at the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt am Main. This led to me earning a Doctor of Law degree from Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.

What has had a particular influence on you as a person?

I hope I’m not deluding myself when I say that all my experiences—that is, the people I’ve interacted with and the places where I’ve lived and worked—have shaped me. Certainly, both the move from Germany to the Bahamas and the return to Germany were major, life-changing events that perhaps stand out the most. But even changes that seem minor at first glance shape a person. In any case, I sincerely hope that one day I’ll be able to say that Zittau and Lausitz—as well as people in general and working with my colleagues at the HSZG in particular—have also shaped me.

What motivated you to work at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and take on the position of advisor to the Rector?

As much as comparisons may be flawed, there are nevertheless some similarities between the College or the University of the Bahamas and the HSZG. For example, both are relatively small universities, and both have two campuses. I enjoyed working at the College of The Bahamas, and I was happy to do my part to help create good learning conditions for students and good teaching and research conditions for faculty members. At HSZG, I appreciate the direct contact with my colleagues. These short lines of communication can make the work much easier.

What tasks and responsibilities are part of your role as an advisor to the Rector?

A bit of a jack-of-all-trades, a bit of a Houdini. And maybe also a bit of a pain in the neck.

As the liaison to the Rector, you’re surely in high demand—how do you facilitate communication between the university administration and the various faculties, and what challenges do you see in your current position?

I hope I can always maintain a sense of humor when tackling these diverse tasks. If I ever lose that sense of humor, it’s usually a sign that I’m actually stressed out.

What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?

I really enjoy cooking. No, actually, I mostly just enjoy eating. But since food doesn’t just appear on my table by itself, I’ve ended up doing the cooking. Photography used to be a hobby of mine, too, until I “lent” my equipment to my daughter a few years ago. I can definitely see myself taking it up again. It’s also good to be out in the mountains, even though hiking and mountaineering aren’t really possible for me anymore—or at least not yet. The scenery is another reason why I feel so at home here. And, last but not least, I really enjoy pub quizzes. If anyone has a recommendation for me in Zittau and the surrounding area…

This interview was conducted by the Office of University development and communication, Public Relations Division.