Deppert.se

Some weeks ago, I was in Åtvidaberg. This is a small small place, which used to be of importance during their mining phases and while they had a huge industry making calculators. Now, however, their is not much left.

But is it a real perfect place for a Sunday excursion. We took a small boat trip around the lake and ended up at the so called sun cannon. Such a remarkable thing – a cannon where the sun lights it. We were fortunate enough to have enough sunshine and witnessed this event.

I can only recommend this for all travelers passing through Åtvidaberg. If it is close to 1pm go to the tower (can be reached on foot as well, not only by boat) and watch the sun light the sun cannon.

Cheers,
Ulrike

Even though we are not really into football, we are Germans and therefore always enjoying a good game. Watching the games with all the family present is special and we often discuss interesting subjects, which in a way are related to football.

Such as the matter of nationalities. The entire team, 23 footballers, are of the same nationality. But the coach, however, does not have to have the same nationality. Is that not weird? Sure, Germany and other teams do have coaches with the same nationality, but the Ivory Coast and Nigeria both had Swedish coaches, for example. Switzerland and Greece had each a German.

I am no expert on these rules, and all you input is welcome. Because if it is a a matter of nationalities, the coach should be included in these rules. Or?

Schland, oh Schland! :)
Ulrike

Sometimes people ask me why I do some of the stuff/projects I do. There are, of course, many different reasons but when it comes to projects in Helsingborg and the sorroundings, I have a strong vision of what I want to achieve which guides me – I want a greater integration in the Øresund region.

The main reason for this is simple national selfishness – I believe the Swedish side has alot to win by just seeing Copenhagen as its closest capital. That is because a capital has alot of benefits – in most countries the capital is the place where the countries “best” people gather. The most creative artist, the best IT-companies, the most extravagant social media gurus, the best law firms etc. This I think is especially true in Denmark, where there are few other large cities that can compete with Copenhagen, compared with Hamburg/Stuttgard/Düsseldorf vs Berlin in Germany or Gothenburg vs Stockholm in Sweden.

So it’s my opinion that alot of people living on the Swedish Øresund side, like Malmö or Helsingborg, have alot of good people/networks nearby, that most simply don’t realize.

For example, social media (or any other field for that matter)
If you want to make a name for yourself, it would be alot better to surround yourself with Copenhagens greatest minds. Go to their gatherings, their workshops. Because being in a crowd of the best people in a countries is alot more powerful then just being with Malmös or Helsingborgs best people – because then you wouldn’t be able to be he best, without being frequent guest in Stockholm. I mean just look at Joakim Jarderberg.

That’s why better Øresund integration is something worth striving for (and in the similar way, it is good for the danish side too – a larger “brain pool” that is part of the network).

Of course there are many solutions to this problem, and my own personal favorit is: gossip

My opinion is that one thing that is really needed is a shared news-network. Just the fact that on the swedish side Sydsvenskan has more or less nothing on Helsingborg, just as Helsingborgs Dagblad has more or less nothing from the Malmö area, is really bad. And just as bad is that both have more or less nothing about Copenhagen, even thougt there is enough happening there to fill most of Denmarks biggest newspappers.

The reason it’s bad is because news are one of the few things that is present in most peoples everyday live. Most talk about what the read in the news (either in papper, TV or internet) during their coffeebreaks, or with their friends and family. This gives a regionwide “shared experience”, something that lets you easily talk to strangers or new people in your network, because they have also knowledge about the news.

One thing which I find intresting is that gossip is really powerful in this regard. I, personally, don’t have much left over for gossip, but I see it for what it is – giving people something to talk about, to feel good about themselves together with theyre surrounding.
I feel that it is ridicilous that people here in Helsingborg know alot about the nightlive and happenings of the Stockholm elite, but more or less nothing about that in Copenhagen – even though it more or less is the same, with the same kind of people and same kind of spectacles. And just imagine how much more fun would be if you knew that this or that person is famous, when you are out for a beer in Copenhagen.

So that would be one of my favorite steps towards better integration – more gossip ;)

Update: Saw that Joakim linked here in his 10th of june post. Thank you! So in order for this to look better I corrected some spelling errors. And also made a more selling headline.
If you, for some reason, want to contact me but not leave it as a comment, you can reach me at karsten@deppert.se

An idea has grown on me the last couple of days – I am currently investigating if it is possible to transform my coffeehouse to be the first fairtrade coffeehouse in Helsingborg. And still keep the costumer base it has today.

Maybe it will turn out to be Swedens cheapest fairtrade coffeehouse (for students atleast)?

Sorry, this one is in swedish!

Skrev för ett litet tag sedan ihop en reflektion av min erfarenhet med mina anställda på SHIP och Facebook. Den har blivit publicerad på bloggteamet Mindparks sida, men tänkte jag länkar lite snyggt till den.

En intressant tvist på en fråga jag ser lyftas fram rätt ofta. Läs hela på Mindpark.

Basically, when you talk about the southern parts of Sweden and winter you always say something like this:

“Yes, everybody expects us in Sweden to have a lot of snow. But the truth is, that is pnly valid for the northern parts of Sweden. Down here in Skåne we usually only have some snowflakes once in a while and we consider ourselves really lucky if any lakes freeze over. Snow here is mostly slush, dirty slush.”

Well, once again, I am proven wrong. The winter already came before Christmas and has stayed on. Yesterday I made an attempt to attend a kick-off in Tomelilla (small town in the eastern rural areas of Skåne) and did not make it. For the second time within 1,5 month I could not go there because the Swedish Road Service said that they could not clear the streets and that they due to the expected snowfall in the evening warned everyone from going out in these parts.

While we still had a good kick-off at my place instead I started to think about snow. And could not help myself in making comparisons with Vancouver last year – even though we had much much more snow in Vancouver they did not manage to clear the streets either. Still, Vancouver somehow made the snow feel ok and more or less gave it a romantic touch – who would not want to have a beautiful white cover in the morning on a day that you are off? Giving you lots of material to build figures with and an exceptional view of the mountains surrounding Vancouver. Even if you would need to go to work, you would not complain about the bus being late.

In Lund, snow just becomes an obstacle. You cannot bike, everything takes for ever, people are reluctant to go out and some unlucky ones even had problems with the power supply and the telephone lines. I just somehow get more comfortable here and refuse to change just for the snow.

Still, I am admiring the wonderful that I have from my window, all small the small houses with white roofs and the quietness that comes with people not moving around as much. I think I might as well enjoy it while I can!

Cheers,
Ulrike

Often I write about the culture clash that takes place when I go to another country. This time I will turn it the other way around. I was fortunate to have visitors from Uganda last week and they certainly questioned some very usual things here in Sweden.

For example: Why do people ride their bike around here so much? In Uganda, riding a bike is a sign that you are not rich enough to by a motorcycle. Well, sure, the students in Lund are poor, but not that poor. The argument that biking is good for your health and an easier means of transport did not really convince my visitors. And once we saw a bike with a cart for kids behind it, which really triggered some discussions.

The other astonishing fact was that we have tarmac roads to basically every little house on the countryside. In Uganda, building a road to the house is the owner’s responsibility and he will then be thanked by some hefty road taxes. And tarmac is mostly non-existent in Uganda, only the main traffic roads in the country have tarmac.

While giving lectures at different school, my visitors also experience some shocks. Not only was the lunch heated in the microwave but also was a class made up of about 15-20 students and a variety of teachers. In Uganda the equivalent is 70-90 and very few teachers in general.

In all, it is very useful to get some provoking thoughts about your own situation and lifestyle. And it has not made my urge to visit the African continent go away.

Cheers,
Ulrike

Yesterday, I did one of the most courageous things I ever have done. I donated blood. Not for the first time in my life, in fact it was visit number 11, but it is always the same fear that strikes me. I get nervous about a day before and the 15 Minutes (tops!) in the chair are the most horrifying in my life. Even though nurses guard me the whole time and I always bring a friend/family member to keep me company. I just can’t do it without being afraid.

But yesterday, I had the big revelation. While going through the procedures, I wound myself saying that “but I am at least not afraid of raiding trains anymore”. And realised, that yes, that was true! After almost 27 years of riding a train, well lets say that I have been feeling that fear for maybe 24 years (I can’t really count the earliest years in my life), I am no longer afraid of entering a trains. Yes, I am still nervous, but no longer afraid of being left alone on the train or anything else.

And with that hindsight I can make some calculations: I have been donating blood for 8 years. Overcoming a huge fear for something takes approx. 24 years. That leaves me with a meagre 16 years before I will happily walk to the blood donations centre! Not bad, I must say. And I will hopefully catch malaria before that and be relieved in less than 16 years! ;)

Cheers,
Ulrike

Lange war der Familienausflug geplant, lange sollte er zum Meereskundemuseum in Stralsund gehen. Aber als der Tag endlich da war und sämtliche Mitglieder der Familie endlich im Auto saßen, gab es neue Pläne. Güstrow und Fischland. Gut, die Sonne schien, die Jüngeren schliefen sich erstmal im Auto aus.

Bei der Fähre in Gedser gab es dann Debakel. Die Pläne wurden noch mal geändert. Wismar stand nun auf dem Programm, au, fein, Kultur und Geschichte auf hohem Niveau. Aber der Hunger machte sich in Puttgarden breit und es wurde kurzerhand beschlossen, in Lübeck Mittag zu essen. Wismar war dann die nächste Anhaltestelle.

In Lübeck wurde das Kartoffelfest gefeiert, alles nach dem Motto: Schick in Schale. Kultur gab es auch, Kirchen und Thomas Mann, Erich Mühsam und die große Einkaufsstrasse. Dann war es auch schon Zeit für Eis und Kaffe und es war schon später als wir im wieder im Auto saßen.

Irgendwie gelang es uns, die hinten saßen, wieder alles vollständig zu verschlafen. So auch die Abfahrt nach Wismar, mit der Begründung, dass es schon dunkel wurde und wir Wismar noch bequem morgen schaffen würden. Wäre man doch bloß wach geblieben.

Der Abend verlief spielend, erst haben wir Bä bä vita lamm gespielt, der Lachfaktor war hoch und Spaß hat es auch gemacht. Dann war Trivial Pursuit an der Reihe, mit seinen Wissensspeichern und Wissensecken. Geteilter Platz für Bruder und Mutter, Tochter wurde letzte hatte aber dafür wahrscheinlich die meiste Schokolade gegessen.

Nach einem sehr ruhigen Morgen mit frischen Brötchen ging es los in Richtung Güstrow. Ernst Barlach, Holzschnitzer, hatte dort sein Atelier und viele seiner Stücke sind hier ausgestellt. Wir besuchten auch den Dom, mit ”dem Schwebendem”, und das Schloss.

Ein spontaner Abbruch war das kurze Baden im See; kalt und nass aber doch sehr erfrischend, vor allem weil wir vor dem Regen wieder raus waren.

Dann weiter Richtung Wismar. Endlich! Was uns da wohl erwarten wird? Aber wie verzaubert, es passierte schon wieder und wir gestehen: die hinteren Sitze im Auto formen eine Schlafbank. Plötzlich war Wismar schon wieder außer Reichweite. Und der Zweifel wurde groß, gab es diese Stadt wirklich? Ja, sie ist auf der Landkarte vermerkt. Ja, der Reporter im Radio brachte gerade eine Liveübertragung von einem Sonntagskonzert in Wismar. Und die Straße hat vorbeigeführt.

Aber gesehen habe ich nichts!!

One lesson I really have learned is that you have to dare to ask others. For example if you are looking for a job, you should ask anyone around you that might be able to help you. Family, former co-workers or, above all, former teachers. The importance of asking is because if you do not ask, people will not think about you when they see an opportunity. But if you tell them that you seek something, they will come to remember it when they see something relevant.

I have heard this has to do with the way the brain works. It works by remembering things people have done or said, and things we have experienced. If you do not say it, another person cannot remember it.

So if you seek something – tell it to the world, and your chances of finding it will increase.