What do Millennials want to do most of all?

I often wonder what the world will be like in the future. Will our planet just melt down, be swept in floods, will the human race die out? Or will people find a way to stop this destructive path, find a better way to take care of the environment, save resources, produce less waste, and live simply and in harmony with nature? I care about the human kind. And I care about my daughter who is almost five now. I would like her to live in a safe and happy world.

So speaking of the future of our planet, we have to admit that it depends a lot on the people who will be living on that planet at the time, who will have the powerful positions and make the important decisions. And who are these people? Well, the generations that are young now – the Millennials and Generation Pragma (my daughter). And us of course, as long as we are alive. Since I do not know them that well, I had to find out more about these generations in order to know where the human race is heading.

Therefore, I went to a lecture of Kairos Future talking about the different generations and their values, desires and priorities. I learned that these are quite cyclical and tend to repeat every 20 years. The Baby Boomers (our parents born between 1940 and 1960) are Self-assured Prophets – builders of the society, long-term planners, engineers with optimistic culture. I call them hippies, although my mom is not hippie. Generation X (me and everyone born between 1960 and 1980) are the Social Workers with passionate culture and strong convictions, pro maximum concentration of power, and a bit cynical. Well, yes, the Cynical Nomads who question everything, I recognise myself there. And now we come to the Millennials – Constructive Pragmatics, entrepreneurs, strong individuals with cynical culture and pro maximum division of power. The next generation (those born after 2000) Generation Pragma are the Diplomats – Leaders for change and action, well-cared for, but with a practical culture.

So the lecture actually focused mostly on Millennials, their desires and values.  A lot of facts were revealed – that their formative years were impacted by important events such as the attack on the WTC, the Financial Crisis of 2008, the Global Warming alarm (Al Gore’s  movie “An Inconvenient Truth” started the wave). I learned that most of them are pro multicultural society, say that the traits they respect the most are: the ability to be a good parent, being well-read and intelligent and keeping a family together. They dream of getting a good job (although with less emphasis on the “true calling” thing), of having a nice and safe place to live, finding the right partner and having kids. No surprises there.

They want safe jobs, normal working hours, nice and long holidays. I would have thought that they would be more adventurous, creating their own jobs, outside the traditional labor market (only 30% of them are self employed). But, hey, these are the facts!

What surprised me the most actually was the fact that what Millennials want the most is….. to close the door, do nothing and not be bothered! It got me thinking. Have we become so overwhelmed with information and demands that we just want to close the door and not be bothered? In an age where everything is changing very quickly  – concepts of the workplace, professions, relationships traditions – do we just get too confused and overwhelmed? Is it a primal instinct to just close the door and keep all “the noise” out?

I certainly do get overwhelmed, although not a Millennial, and generally can juggle a lot of things at the same time! I enjoy doing different projects – interviewing interesting profiles for Success Stories Magazine, attending Fashion Week and Stockholm Tech Fest, writing fashion trend analysis, teaching, working out, going to lectures on sustainability, new technology, start-ups. And yes, sometimes I too, just want to close the door, curl on the sofa and watch some series! Because even though I find all those activities terribly exciting, the truth is that for some of them I do not get paid.  So I shouldn’t bother, right? But no – I still want to do all these things, feel the pressure to be there and perform the tasks I have taken on. So yes, I am trying to do too many things at the same time, and should leave some time just for myself! And I try to do that. To the best of my abilities…..

But I still wonder – why are we pushing ourselves so much? Is it because there is so much pressure, so many expectations, the fear that we will miss out on something very interesting? All of the above perhaps. And yes, everyone needs a break now and then. I just hope that for the important things in life we are ready to leave that sofa, jump out and save our planet. Because it is up to us after all.

The Beauty of the Swedish Summer

The beauty of the Swedish summer. Who has not tried to capture it and explain it? Who has not tried to divulge its mystery?

So what is it? That magical, elusive, one day of the year, which makes everyone in Sweden so happy?

In order to understand the beauty of Swedish summer, we need to understand the heaviness of the Swedish winter. That long, cold, dark period of the year. The period that lasts almost six months when not only your body, but your soul too, freeze and plunge into darkness. No sunlight for days and days on end, cold rain, snow, chills, fever, sickness. Jesus, no wonder people get depressed during those months! That is why it is so important to find the warmth inside you at that time – your creative soul, the beauty of your own world inside. And do not forget to give vitamin and training boosts to your body to help it survive that horrible horrible period! So after that dark period, it is understandable that a single ray of light makes people in Sweden jump up and down with joy and throw confetti up in the air.

Now, after we already understand/ have lived and suffered during the Swedish winter can we search for the beauty of the Swedish summer.

Contrary to popular belief the beauty of Swedish summer is not Midsummer. In my 12 years living in Sweden I have had only two Midsummers when the sun was shining. One was a very memorable event as we were visiting a friend of ours at a house in Tyresö, who had just gotten twin boys (they were a few months old at the time). We had the herring lunch with schnapps and went to dance around the maypole jumping like frogs. But then the best part was making our own Bellini cocktails, sitting on the rocky beach and going for a swim in the cold water (“I dare you!”). And then of course, we followed with eating and drinking all night outside with friends/ neighbors and seeing that blazing summer sun come out at 3 am in the morning. So that is my most memorable Midsummer! That is how I fell in love with Midsummer only to be disappointed later on. Because for almost 10 years Midsummer has been crappy, cold, raining weather – the same weather as Christmas only we have had to wear summer clothes. The same food as Christmas as well. Well, almost.

So what is the beauty of Swedish summer? Is it the white nights, when you can party at an open air bar close to the water, drink rose wine and dance all night? Well, this does hold its charm. Or is it the barbecues in the garden with family, when you discuss life, love and the universe? Or taking a boat to the archipelago, docking on the island and spending a beautiful sunny weekend there with friends around the camp fire?

I will tell you what the real beauty of the Swedish summer is. It is that moment, when you are walking through a park, the temperature is perfect – it is not scorching hot neither chillingly cold. You walk through the park and notice first the shadows and the light on this lovely summer day. You see how transparent the tender green leaves are. Then you see how beautifully the light is touching the purple rhododendrons, the white lilacs, the yellow pansies, the fresh green grass. Then you follow that same light as it continues on its journey, bouncing off the tree leaves, bursting through the thick shadows and out into the blue blue sky. Ahhhhh! And in that moment everything, and I mean everything seems perfect. You are content with yourself and the world, and you feel that finally, finally winter is over and the hope of new beginnings is here. That is the real magic and beauty of the Swedish summer.

Sushi for the soul

I remember the first time I had sushi. I was in Geneva for three months for a Press Office internship with CERN, 26 years old and had heard about sushi but never had it. Oh wait, I had had sushi 6 years prior to that in hotel New Otani in Sofia. It was proper sushi, served by geisha-like dressed ladies in the Japanese restaurant, but I did not think it was anything special at the time.

So back to Geneva – I bought a sushi from a supermarket in a sunny September day and sat in the rose garden La Roseraie on the south side of Lac Leman. I enjoyed eating each small piece while looking at all this beauty surrounding me – the fragrant red and pink roses, the blue of the lake and the Jet d’eau in the distance, the mountain’s snow-covered caps. It was not that good of a sushi, but I still enjoyed it. So I think this experience stayed with me – eating sushi and enjoying the small things in life.

After that I have eaten sushi many times – sushi from a normal fast-food sushi place, high-end sushi from high-end restaurants on the beach, super gourmet sushi with flowers, roe, clicks of exotic creams; sushi brought for me especially by a waitress in my hometown from a restaurant nearby while I am sitting in my favorite bar.

I do love sushi and make sure to have it once a week. It has become not only a dish for lunch for me but also a pause, a quite moment. A nice stop from my hectic running from one school to another in Stockholm. A good time where I can be on my own, away from people demanding something from me. Time to be alone and focus only on that – eating sushi.

Focusing.

Focusing on each gesture and observing it:

The gesture with which I drink the miso soup from the bowl. The gesture with which I place the nigiri between the two wooden sticks, dip it in the little tray of soya mixed with wasabi, and then carry the piece to my lips. The movement of my jaw muscles as I chew the nigiri, the feeling of the first taste and then the way that chewed mass travels through my throat to my abdomen. The taste of the tiny pink ginger slices chasing after it and how it all makes me feel happy and content.

And then repeat.

For all 9 or 11 pieces of sushi I have ordered.

I have even made it a habit to go to a sushi place when it is almost empty – lunch at 11.00 or 14.00, or dinner at 15.30 – 16.00, to avoid the crowds. Sushi seems to be the dish that you can sit and eat alone, and even better – alone in the whole restaurant or only with one or two other customers looking peacefully at each other. Nobody jostling with you by the salad/ water/ tea counter.

Sushi seems to be precisely made for that – to eat and meditate. I wonder why – why can’t one meditate while eating Indian food for example or souvlaki? May be it is the arrangement of the pieces – how it is all clean, neat and tidy. And the way of eating sushi – precisely because you don’t just pierce your fork through it and put it mindlessly in your mouth while gazing away. Because these wooden chopsticks require focus and precision. The dipping requires precision too. Mindfulness. The Japanese have thought about it well. Or may be it has all to do with the elusive umami taste.

So there you go – the sushi for the soul concept explained! And if you are out and about in Stockholm and see me somewhere sitting focused and eating sushi – well, it is my meditation time. My sushi for the soul time. You can still come and say hello though.:)

The Jewell in the Gulf Crown

We have all seen the pictures – of Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab. We have heard the stories – how surreal the place is, how big the difference is between rich and poor. Well, I thought I have to find out if these stories are true and explore Dubai.

So I thought that a week in February might sit well – escape the winter in Sweden and see this wonder of an Arabic country at the Persian Gulf. I have been to Egypt, Morocco and Oman but knew Dubai would be completely different as is all of the United Arab Emirates, I imagine.

So a family holiday, not only with my husband and daughter, but with my father-in-law and sister-in-law. Here you have challenges already! I decided to focus on my experiences in this new and unexplored (for me) country rather than family relations.

First off I have to say I was very pleased traveling with Qatar Airways (and no, they are not paying me to say that). Such an amazing service and comfort! I did not sleep much on the overnight flight but that is for other reasons – my daughter was sleeping on me.

The first day at any long haul destination is a lost day – you are whacked out and sleepy, go to the beach but think it is too hot, go have a siesta and after that feel lost anyways and just go to the nearest restaurant.  In our case that involved going to JBR Walk since we were staying at Sofitel JBR. Well seated for a dinner at Pots, Pans & Boards, watching the sea and the swaying palm trees, we were disappointed that they did not serve any alcohol. Whatsoever. I have read about it, of course. I read that the only way to order alcohol was in the hotels.  But still – you believe in tourist areas they would do it anyways. Well, settled for a mango juice instead.

The second day you are rested and ready to enjoy that lovely breakfast on the balcony, swim in the pool, take & post some selfies on Facebook (to tease everyone freezing to death back home in Sweden), and ask the pool bartender when they start serving beer (at noon). Dubai Marina was on my list, so we took a water taxi at sunset and enjoyed the ride to the Dubai Marina Walk destination. After wowing at the skyscrapers (which reminded me of downtown Chicago) we settled in the Reem Al Bawadi Lebanese restaurant recommended by my friend Martin (now a local Dubai resident). I sampled some grilled shrimps and Lebanese dishes, while the rest of the family picked Angus file. However, I believe that when visiting a country, you should stick to the local cuisine.

Since my father-in-law has troubles with his legs, the family went back to the hotel. I stayed for a nocturnal walk and to meet a friend from AUBG who now resides in Dubai. He came and took me to Al Qasr hotel – a beautiful Arabic castle with golden horses galloping in the garden. Inside, the hotel had huge crystal chandeliers, pillars of flowers, marble floors and walls, gilded ornaments and big wooden fans swooshing on the ceiling of the bar. On the balcony the view offered rustling palm trees, the blue of the sea, the canals and the gliding abras (small wooden boats) of Madinat Jumeira. Plus the blue-purple-yellow lit billowing sail of Burj Al Arab. We browsed through Madinat Jumeira souk, took a buggy to the Burj Al Arab pier, settled for some Italian bubbly at 360 bar with a beautiful view of the bejeweled Dubai night skyline. We reminisced about common friends and enjoyed the warm sea breeze. On the way back we jumped on an abra to Al Qasr and settled for some Watermelon shisha and cocktails on the terrace.

So what do you do in a week in Dubai? How do you plan the perfect vacation? Trust me, I tried.

We went to outside observation deck of the 124^th floor of Burj Khalifa (not the 148^th floor which was terribly expensive!). My sister in law was glued to the walls inside because she is terrified by heights. Everyone has a cross to bear! We met some camels on the beach, and yes – we did ride one for a few minutes. Explored the Gold and Textile souks at the old town Deira and sampled Iraqi cuisine – mussafah (grilled fish), tabouleh, aubergines and beet pickles.

However, one of the most mind-blowing experiences is Atlantis on the Palm island (the island in itself an amazing construction albeit criticized for eroding the sea bottom!). We approached the hotel by taxi from the mainland. The hotel complex looms like a multi-towered castle in pink and at first looks like a Hollywood décor for a movie. Going inside from the tourist entrance, you think that you would love to escape the crowds! I told a guard that we were going to the Leventine bar & terrace (it pays off to have read things in advance) and he did let us in. So we went inside – into the heart of the palace adorned with dolphins, huge sea shells, a tower of Murano glass, water -rolling pearls in huge mussel’s basins, sea horses holding lampshades. The prelude to all this is a glass tunnel – walking among sharks, sting rays and shiny big fish all swimming among sunken ruins. We pressed our noses against the glass to interact better with the underwater dwellers. The child inside you rejoices! My daughter was jumping up and down, pointing here and there, screaming with fear and happiness.

If you feel for it, you can spend more time shopping at the Rolex, Cartier and other luxury shops at Atlantis.  Since my wallet does not have such a thick lining, we settled for a dinner in the garden of the Italian restaurant. I enjoyed a sea bass (that did cost an arm and a leg, but hey, you live only once!) and shared some white wine. The night vision of Atlantis from the beach was even more regal than the day one.

What else is worth mentioning? Well, the Dubai Miracle Garden of course – a huge garden made of 45 million flowers woven around in the shape of big houses, peacocks, hearts, Burj Khalifa, wind mill, Eiffel tour – you name it! We went there in the middle of the day and it was quite hot but I could imagine how romantic it would be at sunset with couples holding hands (although they might not be allowed to show too much affection). The Dubai fountain show is definitely worth seeing from the right vantage point – the bridge or one of the restaurants at the souk. All these jets of water dancing and singing, circling and hugging like light swans! Millions of dollars invested in big and tall, shiny and beautiful!

Did I see the big gap between rich and poor? No, I did not. To me it seemed that everyone could get a job in Dubai and get paid decently. The Indian/ Philippine chamber maids working at our hotel seemed happy. I heard about some high salaries offered to experts in Dubai and could not believe my ears!

As for whether a week’s stay was enough – no, it was not. I wanted to go to Abu Dhabi, to see camel races, do a nice brunch on a Friday as the locals/ expats do. But – no time. May be 10 days would have been perfect. And like with any destination – do travel with an open mind and an open heart. The rest will come.

To Be or Not To Be AirBnB?

So what is AirBnB? How does one use it? Is it scary? Can the owner turn out to be a psycho? Well, as an explorer and a curious writer I had to find out for myself. I travel a lot with my family or with friends. I have stayed in luxury hotels on the beach, in tents in the woods, in small cabins on a boat. But the allure of AirBnB was exactly the more personal relationship with the owners of the house/ apartment, and the feeling that you are just visiting this lovely local person.

So on our next family trip, which was Sorrento, Italy, at the end of October, I decided to book an AirBnB. After some research I found a house on the outskirts of Sorrento, near Santa Agata. It had lovely reviews and a lovely view overlooking the bay and Vesuvius, so I downloaded the app and booked it with the owner Mariachiara.

We landed in Naples, rented a car and after some winding roads along the Amalfi coast reached the house. Mariachiara’s son Chris met us, explained that his mother had some pain in the hip and was resting on the sofa. Mariachiara greeted us and seemed quite the elderly lady in pain – all bundled up in clothes, blankets and a hot water bottle on her head. We trooped into our room, loved the view from the balcony, found it a bit chilly but Chris promised that the heat from the AC will kick in at 5 pm. The decision was taken to get a nap first and then may be go out and explore the town. At 5 pm though I was freezing, and decided to take a shower. Hmmm, it came out it was just a cold shower – no hot water! I talked to Chris, of course – I do not mind roughing it up a bit, but not with my 4-year-old daughter.

After jumping up and down to warm myself, I woke up the rest of the family and we went to the village of Santa Agata, raided the local grocery shop for local Italian wine and cheese, and got a lovely dinner at Lo Stuzzichino. We left the exploration of Sorrento for the next day.

So putting aside the fact that it was rather chilly in the house in the evenings, and Sorrento in general (I had misjudged Southern Italy at the end of autumn and brought rather light summery clothes), it was a beautiful stay. We explored Sorrento, walked through orange and lemon groves, ate on the beach feasting on spaghetti and seafood, drove the scenic Amalfi coast ride, stopped at Marina Di Praya, Prayano, Atrani, were wooed by the Renaissance buildings and garden splendor of Ravello, got rained on in romantic Positano; went off the beaten tourist path and visited some fishing villages by the sea, where Dana could explore alive crabs on the shore with a small Italian boy; we sampled olive oil and limoncello in a farm.

As for the house, Mariachiara and Chris served warm croissants for breakfast each morning on the balcony. As Mariachiara’s pain subsided she revealed herself to be a rather youngish 40 something year old, joked and laughed with us. I even practiced some of my fledgling Italian with her “Buongiorno Mariachiara, come stai?” “Grazie, ci vediamo doppo!” and tried to learn more. The house had a nice garden where they were growing flowers, herbs and fruit, saw Mariachiara soaking in some olives and collecting chestnuts. I tried a chestnut marmalade from her stock and really liked it.

At some point I felt like the hostess of the house myself – chatted with an Italian couple the first morning, sat down for a glass of red wine with a couple from Florida, and then we had breakfast and gave rides to an elderly American couple. Even shared my lunch with the gentlemen when the couple found us at the Due Sorelli ristorante at the Marina di Sorrento. Not that they could not afford their own lunch but I felt sorry for the chap as he was devouring my fish dish with his eyes. Broke some Italian bread with an Israeli guy as well who had signed up for a cooking course in Florence but decided to quit it and travel around Italy instead. He was very secretive about what he does though, hmmm…..

As we were leaving a middle-aged American gay couple were moving in. They were busy that first evening uploading pictures of their travel onto a website so that their friends could follow the adventures. One of them was reminiscing about the time he did the Amalfi coast drive when he was 20 years old, and how it was all very different at the time. Must have been 1985 and I tried to imagine Southern Italy in those more innocent times.

So was the AirBnB experience different from staying at a hotel? Definitely. I would not have gotten to talk to all the people staying at the same hotel as us. Not for lack of desire, but because a big hotel just seems much more anonymous and then people staying there seem to not want to make friends. Or it depends on their nationality really but still. At Mariachiara’s everyone was open and curious, and wanted to meet other people. I made a conscious effort to talk to everyone – we were staying there the longest and I felt rather like a veteran lodger.

So my first AirBnB experience was lovely and I hope to do many more. Hoping they have a better heating system though.;)

A Hackathon for a Better World

So what is a Hackathon? Is it three days of creating and fun combined with sleepless nights? Or just an excuse to go and network with like-minded people? What makes The Port Hackathon at CERN special? Is it because you work on real life issues put forward by international organisations such as the UN and the Red Cross? Well, as a true writer and creator I had to find out! My purpose was sentimental as well – I did an internship at CERN’s Press Office back in the year 2000 and wanted to go back and see for myself how much CERN had changed. And if beautiful Geneva had changed.

Day1 – the one where chaos becomes order

 

So here we are, gathered in Geneva, Pier14 – the Sunshine Crew – Sujata, Alex, Zdravko,  Jose-Luis, Nick, Mukul, Kitty, me (Katja), Hansdieter.  Professionals with different backgrounds, we have travelled from different corners of the world – India, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Sweden, Jamaica, Holland, Portugal, Austria/ El Salvador. All of us gathered now at The Port at the Idea Square of CERN to work on a 3-in-1 device for humanitarian aid using solar energy for three days. We started 6 weeks in advance with teleconferences every Monday evening brainstorming, deciding on the materials we need.  Which meant not too much sleep and 1 am calls for some members of the team but the project idea formed and came together – a 3 in 1 device for cooking, purifying water and heating a room for families in Nepal, all of it using pure solar energy.

Why Nepal? Because we talked to Alex Zahnd from RIDS Nepal and he could supply us with all the information we needed of what humanitarian problems to solve there. We also armed ourselves with some world statistics such as that 4 million people in the world die from indoor cooking smoke every year and an average household in Humbla, Nepal, uses 20 – 40 Kg of firewood for cooking, heating and lighting. So we thought that if we could contribute to diminishing the number of deaths with 10-20% and abolish the use of firewood, we would be really happy.

Well gathered at CERN and THE Port we wrote down the inventory we needed, scoured the CERN dumpster for parts, took apart an old air conditioning to use the air tubes for transporting water. The unfortunate part of our story is that all the parts we had ordered from Germany were delivered to CERN but they refused to accept the package. Thus the parcel was sent back to Germany.

The first day involved looking at all the available parts at CERN, cutting and welding, killing a tree to make a xylem filter, designing and re-designing our 3 in 1 device. It did also involve getting to know each other and in which areas we could be most helpful to one another.

After doing some inventory, part of the team went shopping in France with an electric car (we did like the acceleration of the BMW electric cars). So we were standing there explaining in French that we are looking for valves for 8 mm tubes, the 8 mm copper tubes themselves, clams, etc. It was good that Alex knew some French to explain all our needs to the sales assistant. Buying a pressure cooker from MIGROS was the easiest part.

Back at the CERN Idea Square the team continued to work on our prototype until 4 am in the morning. I unfortunately had an upset stomach and turned into bed early. Must have been all that stress and the numerous cups of strong coffee or just a case of a flu. Who knows?

Day 2 – when we fail a little 😦

On Day 2 I was there bright and early only to find out that most of the crew was still sleeping. I decided to help in the kitchen and cook plenty of eggs instead. I love croissants but croissants every day for breakfast is not my idea of healthy living.

When the crew assembled we started with looking into additional parts we needed, working on prototype number two, creating a filter for purification of water from three big plastic bottles, coffee filters, pebbles, charcoal and sand. Alex and Hansdieter went to buy more parts in Geneva, while we worked on the midterm presentation for the Idea Square.  All the teams’ midterm presentations went really well. It was amazing to see all the interesting projects the teams were working on and it a good opportunity for participants to ask questions and get useful feedback on their ideas.

After lunch we went to the SRB site, connected our device with the solar panels to test it. Unfortunately the sun was hidden by clouds and even though the water started boiling we could not conduct the steam to the radiators so not able to declare our prototype as a fully functioning one.  Some of the problems: the pressure cooker was fully insulated however:

–       At a certain point, the pressure cooker pressure release was shut off. At this moment, the water started to flow out of the tube (as expected);

–       Pipes were too long – the temperature at the exit was too little;

–       Insulation was inexistent – temperatures decreases very fast;

(Do not ask me – plenty of engineering stuff! But I started writing our story on site and designed the logo for the team as featured above. What do you think?)

Back at the Idea Square we reconvened to see what we can improve in the prototype and settled on trying out one with a closed circuit the next day. The evening did include going to the Antimatter lab at CERN for some members, even if it was to just get a look at it from the outside. And no, no black wholes created there.

Brainstorming further we went totally out of the box to come up with applications for our device, which included relief trucks for the Red Cross and extracting oil with the help of steam. To see how a relief truck works part of the team went to visit the CERN Fire & Rescue Brigade.

I went to have a dinner in St.Genis in France with my dear friend Geri, who I had not seen for 15 years. And yes, we had some beer and red wine. CERN and the Idea Square are alcohol free.

Day 3 – when we succeed and hope the project will get picked for investment.

The morning started with breakfast at the Idea Square and then going to the SRB site to test the new and improved prototype. This time it worked, the water was boiling, heat and steam were produced so we declared our prototype fully functioning. We had two people from the Red Cross who came to see our prototype and the solar panels at CERN, so who knows what the future holds! After lunch we worked on our final presentation, making a functioning filter, documenting all our work.

An initial idea existed to help the team from Pier 20 use solar energy for their Baby Incubator and some people from our team talked to them. An exchange of ideas is the main purpose of the Hackathon and team members talked to different participants. And exchange of cultures. I heard two gentlemen from Turkey were distributing baklava one evening, and Mukul from our team treated us with Indian spicy bread especially made by his mum.

I am all for exchange of ideas and went to Campus Biotech in Geneva to hear the final presentations of the teams working there. I found some of the prototypes there really good and quite feasible.

After our final presentations at the Idea Square we spoke to a gentleman working with Disaster Relief Operations, who claimed that if we can reduce the cost of our prototype from 150 dollars per piece to 20 dollars per piece, he would be very interested in buying. Actually, the whole idea was that residents of Humbla, Nepal (or other areas needing it) could assemble a device like ours at a very low cost. So perhaps the continuation of The Sunshine Crew project can be finding a way to reduce the cost of the device and then contacting organisations who might be interested in buying it.

The Sunshine Crew did have some after party of our own having beer from tall pipes in a pub in Geneva.  A team member had beer for the first time in his life which was a cause for celebration in itself as well. Suffice to say – it was a lot of work but we had a blast and we are looking forward to next year’s Hackathon! And yes, this Hackathon was totally worth the time and the efforts. And Geneva is as beautiful as I remember it.

 

 

Frost

Warm.

Hot.

Swallow.

Velvet coffee

passing through my throat.

Delicate

frozen

fingers

 holding a cup.

Silver winter

knocking

on the window.

Time

to

dream.

 

Stockholm Fashion Week SS 16 – The Land of Lagom

Before I even approach Stockholm Fashion Week SS 2016 I need to explain Swedish fashion. The Swedish fashion industry as it is now is quite young – I will say it developed in the last 10-15 years. Mostly it is famous for its minimalism – black, white, grey, monochrome colours, simple cuts, and no frills. Think ACNE, Tiger of Sweden, COS (the high scale of H&M), &Other Stories. So the fashion mirrors the land of ”lagom”.”Lagom” is a Swedish word that means ”just right”. Not too hot and not too cold – lagom. Not too much and too little – lagom. Just good and pleasant enough, no extremes.

So Stockholm Fashion Week does have the Swedish minimalism, the androgynous and “lagom” style in it. The shows of WHYRED, CARIN WESTER, Filippa K, and Minimarket – they all had that. And see, this type of fashion does not impress me. I do like it somewhat and buy it occasionally – I have lived in Sweden for the past 11 years. But for fashion week I want to see much more imagination. So here it all starts – with high expectations, some front row seating and some nice presents.

And after living and breathing fashion week for three intensive days here is my Top 12 things of Stockholm Fashion Week S/S 16.

1. J.Lindeberg’s designer Jessy Heuvelink showed a female collection, which reminded me of Balmain – tight jeans and pants, waist jackets with epaulettes and fringes, models with a Brigitte Bardot look but just sassier. Even though the collection has the Swedish minimalism element it also has an edge, which I liked.

  

2. Ida Sjöstedt also showed plenty of imagination in her new collection – I love her romantic princess style with lace, tulle, flowers, sequins – all combined in a very tasteful way. I do not understand people who labeled her design as “kitschy” five years ago. Went backstage afterwards and made some detail pictures of the clothes.  Then sat for a one-hour interview with Ida. She is all for second hand clothes and the sharing economy which won my heart!

3. BY MALINA presented quite a lovely romantic collection – feminine, with pastel colours and humour. The bride at the end of the show threw her bouquet and yours truly almost caught it since I was sitting on front row! None other but the Crown Princess of Sweden – Victoria, wears Malin Andren’s clothes, which is quite a stamp of approval.

4. I was a bit disappointed with CARIN WESTER’s collection – described as a sailor’s theme adapted to a 60s female silhouette and having seen her previous work, I expected more. Loved the shoes however – square mules with a metallic pearl detail in the front.

5. House of Dagmar had some interesting pieces –  different textile folds, knitted upper part of a dress combined with a pleated deconstructed lower part skirt. Low cut boots are still on in the spring ladies!

6. STAND is a new comer that produces colourful clothes exclusively from leather. Their show presented models on pedestals in the art gallery Bukowskis and I had the urging feeling to go talk to them and make them laugh. Of course I did not do that but did catch them smile now and then.

      

7. IDA KLAMBORN made a splash at Stockholm Fashion Week last year. A feminist, she stands for graphically strong impressions. At SS16  Ida K. showed beautiful sporty yet colourful & feminine clothes.

8. The Swedish School of Textile show was the cherry on top of the cake  – such an unrestrained flight of fantasy! We witnessed a walking shower curtain, sparkly burkas with smileys on the headpiece, deconstruction, trompe l’oeil – it was really A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

 

9. DIANA ORVING’s show was on a rooftop and had the perfect backdrop of blue, clouds and Stockholm’s skyline. The silky dresses were fluttering in the wind, the whole experience was very dramatic! Way to go Diane, and only 25 years old at that!

 

10. I missed the show of my favorite duo Randa and Natalia from ALTEWAISAOME but had a pleasant chat  with them for a whole hour on a different day. It came out that they produce their clothes in Bulgaria and love shopska sallad! I wanted to adopt them right then and there.

11. Hats from Minimarket

and jewelry from Holpp

12. Celebrities

Apart from Swedish celebrities such as Martina Bonnier (Editor-in-chief for the biggest lady’s magazine Damerna’s Värld), TV profile Kakan Hermansson, the international celebrities spotted were Bea Åkerlund – stylist for Lady Gaga, Giovanna Battaglia – stylist for Vogue Japan, Daniel Bruno Gandle aka The Urban Spotter– a well renowned international photographer of street style, lately published in Vogue UK, and here on the picture sitting close to me.

Next to me on the same picture is the young NY designer Daniel Jonas (notice his signature New Fuckin’ York leather baseboll hat). On front row at BY MALINA I sat next to the Editor-in-Chief for ELLE Finland, and on another occasion next to a performance artists named Grabnellaw who had the most colourful outfit!

13. Drinks

Absolute vodka, Campari and Peroni beer sponsored some of the events. Thank God for that – going to all the fashion shows does leave one quite parched!

So did I enjoy Stockholm Fashion Week? Yes, I did. And hopefully Swedish designers will keep surprising me year after year.

Self-reflection: Proximity

The third pillar is closeness/ proximity. Everything is connected – in the ying yang picture the light is in the potentially dark and the dark is in the light.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.

William Blake

As a person being connected gives closeness and proximity. Being close and connected gives meaning to one’s life, which in turn gives the feeling of completion.

So what is important in life?

 A few things:

Touching, both physically and mentally, makes us feel good.

Winnie the Pooh says to Piglet: “I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.” 

Presence – in the moment, in everything we do.

Participation – in our own lives, the lives of friends and family, in all things happening around us.

Sympathy – feeling sympathy for other human beings and all living creatures.

We live in a small world. Not a leaf falls that doesn’t affect a myriad of things. When we reach out to someone in love and the effect is made – everyone, everything, which comes in contact with the person we’ve affected, is better for it. Of course, the converse is true, too.

Self-confirmation – all the above elements are interconnected. Touching and feeling touched, being present, participating, feeling sympathy, all these help your own being – your core – to live fully and feel fulfilled.

Love – to love and to feel loved is what is important in life. But it is a journey to feel whole, to love yourself the way you are. Only then you are ready to give love and receive love.

Leo Buscaglia, the author of the book Living, Loving, Learning gave an interview before he died talking about love. He said that a life of love is one of continual growth, where the doors and windows of experience are always open to the wonder and magic that life offers. To love is to risk living fully.

He also says that the essence of love is getting out of oneself and into others. When we care less about our feelings, our rights, our happiness, our security, etc., and begin to concern ourselves with the feelings, rights, happiness, and security of others, we will have found the true power of love.

So there you go my friends, I have shared with you what I have learned. And I know that I have just barely scratched the surface. But hopefully it has given you a good starting point and you have enjoyed reading the series.:) Good luck on your journey of self-exploration!

Self-reflection: Completeness

The second pillar of life is Wholeness, Completeness, Totality. (Look at the yin yang picture). “Whole” is a word very close to the words “holy” and “healing”, which is not by chance.

The psyche is the totality of the human mind – both conscious and unconscious. The conscious is the “I”, the ego, the persona, what we project to the world. The “self” is the unconscious, the things we know intuitively, the values, the power of life sitting at the very core.

We should keep the “I” connected to the “self” at all times and the “I“ should rely on the “self” that everything would be fine.

When the Little Prince met the fox, she told him: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Truth can be understood only intuitively. We can search for it and analyze it, but in the end we know the truth, the right decisions intuitively.

Mizuta Masahide, a 17^th century Japanese poet and samurai wrote:

Since my house burned down

I now own a better view

of the rising moon

What is he talking about? Is it about taking down all the walls that the ego has built around itself, forced by societal norms and what “face” we try to have for the outside world? Is it that when these walls fall down, we are reunited with the “self” and can be that person, which we really are, and be happy with that union and completeness?

Often a change is needed to achieve that completeness, a breaking down of the walls. One has to be ready to lose everything in order to win. And there are preconditions that need to be fulfilled before that happens – three steps to climb:

The first one is to see, to have an insight. When you see, when you have an insight about the right direction, then half the journey is done.

The second step is to will, to want to take that step. Once you are there, at the second step, you obey that impetus.

And the third step is to dare, to have the courage to do that change in your life.

Soren Kierkegaard says that to dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.

In India they have a story that a person goes through three transformations in life – the camel, the lion and the child. The camel first goes with the caravan and follows every step the other camels make. Then it goes away as a lion and hunts down a dragon, fights, and in the last transformation the person is a re-born child with open senses.

Do not be afraid to be that reborn child and be complete.