A Canadian's Smorgasblog

Archival research ho!

From February 9 – 12^th  my thesis group (Stephanie, Tuna and I) went to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, to meet with our collaborating organisations to collect re/sources and to further refine and align our vision and plans for the project. We met with Enviu and Open Source House project coordinators and others who have done research on housing issues in Ghana.

We met with Samson Nibi, a part-time Enviu researcher from the north of Ghana who was instrumental in compiling much of the data relating to our “target group” – the lower-middle- class in Cape Coast, Ghana. One step above slum dwelling, many of the teachers, civil servants, nurses etc. in this group struggle to meet their housing needs. They are excluded from the formal housing sector, since most new homes are built for the middle- to upper-classes.

 

Samson gave us valuable insight into the methods and cultural norms we will need to incorporate while performing our research there. We also met with Arie, a Dutch student architect, who went to some slums bordering Accra to research current building practices. He and his research partners stayed with families in the slums, despite dire warnings and living standards very different from what they were used to.

The city of Rotterdam, bombed out during the war, is full of unexpected modern architecture and public art installations. Very cool to visit a city with such interesting and innovative architecture, when that's precisely what our thesis is about!

The project is gaining a clearer structure all the time – we have been so fortunate as to build a Steering Committee of experts from relevant business and academic backgrounds. Göran Carstedt, Sustainability Consultant and Chairman of the Natural Step, Dr. Noah Karley, African housing and affordability Researcher and Lecturer at Heriot-Watt University, and Geoffrey Stack, Sustainability and Design Consultant, have all agreed to review our work once a month to offer feedback and suggestions for improvement. In addition, they have provided excellent comments during the visioning phase which have helped us to shape the direction of our project.

 

On the way home from Rotterdam, we spent a few hours wandering around Amsterdam. Architecturally it's a whole different universe - the buildings are older and the canals far more prevalent.

Next challenge: plan trip to Ghana!!!

What Have I Been Doing the Past Two Months? Glad You Asked!

Okay! It’s time for a fun game of catch-up! Thesis planning + busy schedule + increasing sunshine = no time for blogging. But I’ll do my best to let you know what I’ve been up to, in 12 pictures or less.

 So! Where to start? With the holidays of course! Before everyone took off on their various (mis)adventures, we cooked a fabulous Christmas meal at the favourite Cafe Nyfiket. The ladies who own that place are incredible – they host our class for parties, Green Drinks events, and Swedish cooking lessons. Notice the Abba brand pickled herring? What would a Swedish meal be without it?

 

A few days later it was off to jolly old London town to visit my family. I finally got to meet the newest little Barrow sunshine beam: my cousin Aron and his wife Suhir’s 1-year-old daughter Ghinwa. We heralded in Christmas Eve with poetry. I picked up the family reins and performed (I thought) a beautifully rousing rendition of Robert Service's Shooting of Dan McGrew. Holla back Mum!

 

During my week there, my gorgeous cousin Molly took me out to a Lindy Hop extravaganza. Here she is busting a move with a friend. There was some hip, hep live music by Mike Sanchez and an even-liver surprise (to us) burlesque show! I’m no longer a burlesque virgin J It felt great to experience some real city culture – Molly is the queen of London hotspots.

 

 

Two highlights were the White Chapel art gallery for a Sophie Calle exhibition and the Victoria & Albert avec mon père to view some incredible ceramics - everything from 1,300-year-old turquoise-and-gilt Syrian urns to hyper-modern “Object” – a boy’s body with an ass-head. Delight. That’s the thing about London – it’s a montage of historical glory and contemporary identity; culture and colour and capitalism at its best. And it has got edge. Edge like a knife.

  

From there it was a short but still carbon-heavy flight to Stockholm. I met my roommate Maureen and her Canadian friend for three days of exploration waaaaaaay up north. Actually Stockholm is only halfway up the country, but it’s the furthest you can go without reindeer breathing in your ear.  It would have been a fantastic time except for the narsty little Winter Flu I picked up. Let’s just say hostels are not well designed for propelling rapidly from bed to sink. Goodbye favourite red slippers L

But we did get to meet with the People People people. They were my people for the Strategic Management group project (running an ABCD analysis of sustainability impacts), and they were a blast to work with. We went to a VERY belated Hallowe’en party. Yes, I know. Swedes like to do things a little differently. But see the massive Christmas tree in the harbour? Stockholm may not be quite as diverse or as happening as London (and it’s definitely colder) – but it certainly has charm and character. And lots of Mickey Mouses in windows.

 

Following the holidays, there was a rash of parties with themes such as Honky Tonk and Witchy Woman (actually that last wasn’t a theme, more of a wardrobe choice). I think we were all going into group-withdrawal. Hmmm... what’s it going to be like when we actually say goodbye? Like, for real?

 

 

 

I have to say our class is TOUGH! Frozen buns? Never hurt anyone! Keep biking, kid! And a fantastic day of cross-country skiing was not to be outdone. Unfortunately my Nikon Elph camera has a goofy habit of turning negative whenever it gets cold (like some people I know, not mentioning any names), so my shots were limited to the rentals room. Just imagine tracks through crisp powder and red-robin faces.

 

 

So, as I get into the full swing of thesis period, looking back over a couple of weeks of fun and ease, I have to take a peaceful moment here and there to gaze at my wise Buddha and contemplate the joys of work and life. Whenever possible.

 

And yes, that was more than 12 pictures. Fooled you!

COP 15 Climate Change Conference

Ye, this is a shockingly belated post and I apologize! You still need to hear about it though...

December 8 – 19, a convoy from our class went to Copenhagen to check out the buzz during the COP 15 Conference.

The United Nations initiative, lasting for two weeks in December,  brought delegates together from all over the world to discuss how to address climate change (astoundingly, Stephen Harper very nearly sent a doppleganger in his stead, but did an about-face when Mr. Obama decided belatedly to attend).

While the resulting Copenhagen Accord didn’t live up to the hopes of many, the parallel events and initiatives happening throughout the city were amazing to be a part of. I was thrilled by the energy, passion, creativity and sheer jutzpah that went into organizing lectures, public art installations, concerts, booths, information centres, and much much more throughout the buzzing city.

 

 

Scientists believe 2 degrees is the limit for “safe” global warming – i.e. for life as we know it to continue (see Day of Climate Action post)

At one of the parallet events, I attended a teleconference with Otto Scharmer of Theory U and took some funky mindmap notes:

 

On the first Sunday morning of the conference, a 100,000-strong march washed through the city. I have never been part of such a huge gathering of activists! It was a beautiful, sunny day (albeit COLD); the costumes were fantastic, and there was music to march to. Eventually though there began to creep in a harder edge of anarchy so I headed home.

 

 

Greenpeace was in attendance, as was, I'm sure, every other environmentalist within a stone's hurl.

There were also the dwindling but still among us climate change deniers/Those Who Don’t Think Anything Needs to Change.

Yes - Copenhagen is beautiful.

 

The conference proceedings and the parallel events, juxtaposed, reveal some fascinating contrasts. One was closed-door and elitist; the other embraced participants from all backgrounds and nations. One was carrying the hopes of the world and couldn't live up to the expectations; the other was organized under the radar of most of the world but ended up engaging and motivating thousands.

A lot of people were disappointed and disillusioned by the political outcome of the conference, but the initiative and collaboration apparent in the non-conference actions were truly inspiring.

But let’s not forget – this could be the future if we don’t make some changes! Right now we have a great opportunity for innovation and restructuring of the aspects of our society that aren’t working. Let’s go Team Humans!

Thanks to ex-MSLSer Ben and his lovely girlfriend Mathilde for showing me around the city and giving me a couch to crash on!  This just may be my new favourite European city...

 

Arrival

Finally! A moment to sit and explain what I've been doing with myself since I arrived in Sweden.

Last Tuesday, August 25th, 10:30 pm local time - a tired and cranky Charlotte rolls into the Karlskrona train station after a four-hour trip from Copenhagen. Following a 2-hour flight from Dusseldorf, a 5-hour stopover, and an 8-hour flight from Vancouver. You get the picture. Exhausting.

But I was fortunate enough to have a travel companion on the slog - a girl who's in the same program and also lived in Vancouver before moving halfway across the world. Let's just say I am now deeply familiar with the ins and outs of backgammon. But overall, the trip was painless and EXCITING. I do love flying.

After finding my way to my new home thanks to an Engelska-fluent female taxi driver (blonde, of course) I was greeted with a grin by my landlord, Sune, and an equally genuine hug from my lovely roommate Maureen.

 

The house is fantastic! Decorated in a truly eclectic 70s Swedish hullabaloo. We have the top floor, which is practically a sky-scraper, the house is so big. It's got lots of windows and captivating views. We had to hide the fake plants but everything else is groovy.

We're on Langö, a.k.a. Long Island, connected by both a foot and a car bridge. The grocery store is a five-minute walk, and a further 10 minutes gets you to the Blekinge Teknisa Högskola, where I'll be starting classes tomorrow (more on that later).  The other bridge gets you donwtown in about the same amount of time. For you west-coasters, it feels like a quainter, more old-fashioned and smaller Victoria.

Our island home

Karlskrona docks and street scene

 

Hmmm... starting school in 12 hours. Maybe I'll catch you up on the past week another day. For now I'll just say: Välkommen till Sverige!