Well, not completely true of course :) I just finished my last course here, handed in the research paper. I did a research about ‘doing nothing’. About the time people have in between tasks. About what they do with that and how that influences their work and their personal well-being. If you’re interested, leave a note or check my portfolio some time later.

But at the same time, I make sure that I get some fresh air :) I took a short ride on the bike to Hällberga and Skogstorp. A trip on a sand road along an old train track. I met the poisonous snake of Sweden, in a dead state though. And then, when you’re in the middle of the forest, suddenly this village of Hällberga turns up. Without even a name sign, too small for that.

And with MDH we went on a last trip with the international group, to the silver mines in Sala. We spent some time 155m underground (without that much fresh air, although there was enough via ventilation holes) we also had a good time playing dodgeball (spökboll, trefbal), eating fresh salad in the park next to the mine, and later enjoying the view of little ducks in a park in Västerås together with Frida.

One more week now. Then Frida is free from work also and we go away for a few weeks. Visiting her parents place again, to Gotland (the supposed beautiful island next to Sweden), canoeing maybe and we’ll see. Oh yeah, learn more about self sustaible living!

Do I still want to continue with HKU? I’m not thát sure anymore. Although it might not be bad for me and also give me a nice few projects again. (Something practical finally! I’m quite done with the theory here..)

I found the Interactive Institute here. Looks like a nice place for projects. I’ve been thinking about staying there for some time. If at all I get in here at some place. Without diploms, without the language (which is more important here than in the Netherlands).

And spiritually the Netherlands would be a very interesting place. A lot of things are happening there. So maybe we can life there for some time. Start new projects there, explore what I want on that green sphere.

I’ve started to work again, small things, but still. Yesterday I continued walking through the methods I use in projects I did. The step of yesterday was making a mindmap of everything. Quickly the paper (A4) became too small :) There is a lot that I know, a lot I’m experienced in, a bit too much maybe? At least I should structure it a bit more now. I want to describe the methods, for myself and for ‘clients’.

And when I was going through some past projects I saw Lones again.. Did anybody made those things for real? I could use them now.. Or, in two months would be ok as well ;)

“This our concept video of the Emotion Stone, that transfers warmth, emotions and gestures over long distances. This video gives an example how it could work.”

(…) it’s no secret that the most beautiful thing you can wear is an authentic smile, and that the most beautiful people among us would be just as beautiful barefoot or in burlap, rather than in Manolo Blahniks. We’re a weird species that will spend fortunes to have the latest things, only to throw them away a season later, or spend our time and money on things that cover our bodies rather than make our bodies as healthy, fit, and beautiful as they naturally could be.

There are these moments, mostly about education, creativity, understanding or being yourself like above, that give me goose bumps. It reminded me of a blogpost about a woman giving a presentation on goose bumps (Dutch only). In a way it shows me what the things are that really hit me, that go deep. Are those the things that I should actually spend my time on?

The past week I’ve been thinking a lot. Nice thoughts about life, the universe and everything (*). Sadly, I didn’t came out on 42.. I spent a lot of time on thinking a lot of things, but when I think back of it, it is still ‘a lot of things’. Not one nice conclusion. It will come once I guess. I’ve had this for longer that I got the/my point of a discussion a day later.

Oh yes, and that book about design and sustainability.. It isn’t about this I guess. But it does look good. The book begins with defining ‘design’ and ‘sustainability’ before it goes in the ‘real stuff’. The author, Nathan Shedroff, excuses himself for having to define things first. But I think that those definitions are exactlywhat makes this book stand out from all of the other books on design and sustainability. Here is an interview with the author and the excerpt of the book. Go and read “Design is the Problem: The Future of Design Must Be Sustainable”.

Thinking of the world out there, what to do in that world?

What I particularly liked was that it came clear that stereotypes are not always negative, in fact stereotypes are mostly positive when your talking about your own country, or, as I mentioned, about the country you’d like to be a part of..

And Jonas (the teacher) told about turn taking in conversations. When a French speaks with a Swede the French will be talking all the time as she waits for the Swede to interrupt, which they would never do. Ending up with a repeating French because she will think the Swede didn’t understood and a irritated Swede because he thinks the French won’t let him speak.

As the book I’m reading (Communicating with strangers) says:

In a familiar world, people life through the day by responding to daily routine without questioning or reflection. To strangers, however, every situation is new and is therefore experienced as a crisis.

Parrillo (1980) about Schuetz.

If it goes too fast, click pause and navigate it yourself.

It feels very good to create an own home like this. It gives a lot of rest too.. I slept well and woke up easily :)

I just need a few more things. A nightstand, a bed lamp and a table cloth. And a juicer and a kettle, which are very hard to find.

This has the same reason as the dark video I made of the apartment; I haven’t been home a lot during daytime.

I live in a very multicultural neighborhood as you can see, good for my study :)

Today I went to people from Sri Lanka. A mother and two (två) boys. The older boy translated a lot for us, he could speak English very well, he learned that in India. But he is better in Swedish he said, he’s following classes since they came here 8 months ago.

I got good noodles, chai tea and biscuits from them :) With the mother I spend some time looking at her Swedish lesson books. Very interesting to learn a few more words this way. Some basic things like jag, du, han, hon, det, de, vi, oss (I, you, he, she, it, they, we, us). And I always fall in love with the Tamil script :)

And I’ve been on the phone with friends from the Netherlands for over an hour, haha. It is hard to leave those friends in the Netherlands who I also only know for a few months or even weeks but who are so close. Homesickness? No, I don’t think it is in a sad way, but just thinking about them.

Eskilstuna is a nice small city, the same size as Alkmaar, but with two third of the people. Lots of parks.You see litter (the bedding material for cats) on the streets everywhere, to stop you from slipping away on the ice. Oh, and they love red neon lights here.

I’ve joined Nikki in his apartment as the appointment I had with the rental unit didn’t work out, so I’ll have to wait until Monday (måndag) untill I have access to my apartment (Jong MenS: I drew Lady Lobelie afterwards). The apartment looks pretty good – from the outside anyway. We’ve done some shopping, I still have to find a good place for ecological and vegetarian food.

Saturday (Lördag) we went to Västerås, somewhat larger than Eskilstuna. More something like Nijmegen, again, with about two third of its population. First to the IKEA of course :) Afterwards we went to the student reception at Mälardalen in Västerås. The school building is very nice, with a lot of wood and nice lanterns, also made of wood. A show of their image as a environmentally consciousness university?

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This Sunday (söndag) was an easy day, we’re planing to go to the university (with a card from another student) to do some internet work (Jong MenS: I drew Lazuli for this day).

I did some shopping and had another walk through the city. I tried to get a bike. But although almost every shop is open on Sunday, the bike shop wasn’t. We’ll try it next week.

Then we got a household from Nikki to get us inside the university. I did some online IKEA shopping, checked my school scheme, and got to blog my first posts from Sweden.