Kajsa Hallberg Adu, Ph.D, Personal Blog
Spent some time in the Malmö library (site in English courtesy of Google Translate) and was quite impressed.
The space is light, beautiful and functional. You can borrow books in all languages, DVD:s and music CDs. You can read newspapers and magazines from the whole world. You can learn about the Swedish and EU political systems and even have a cup of coffee.
Clockwise from top: Exterior, Newspaper room, reading chairs and books. Collage made with Picnik.
Good morning!
I have now woken up in Sweden for the first time in over a year.
I just had a true Swedish breakfast, inclusive of A-fil, leverpastejsmörgås med inlagd gurka and coffee of course.
It is the weirdest feeling, I feel excited about everything…from the blossoming surroundings to how a down cover feels on my body. From speaking Swedish, playing with words to drinking a glass of water – from the tap! At the same time, everything is so familiar. I am in my element. Well taken care of by my family.
Now I will take a Swedish shower and then take a walk at the sunny streets of Malmö.
See you tomorrow!
UPDATE: Some blossoming pics from today’s city walk.
Now the world is spinning too fast.
Grading, art project, did you see my email? contract, research, graduation, lunches, Google conference, malaria. Twice. (hope its gone).
And tomorrow evening I am supposed to fly out of Ghana for a long vacation. Seven weeks. Lazy days. Newspapers and coffee. Dinner with long lost friends. Hugging my parents. Surfing on fast, fast broadband. Speaking Swedish. Being one in the crowd.
My plan is to keep posting here on my summer. Hope you are ready for vacation!
But before the lazy days – am I ready? What shoes should I wear? Do I have a gift for my sister? Did I read your email? Where’s my phone charger?
My speech at the Astrient Foundation Women’s Forum (with as many men in the audience) on Monday went well.
As the other scheduled speaker could not come I on short notice found myself with plenty of time with the Ashesi students, alumni and other young professionals. I chose to expand on my favorite topic – blogging.
I also shared some stories from my own brief career focusing on confidence, communication and character. An interactive discussion followed.
I was impressed when the participants wrapped up by taking turns with letting their peers know what they had taken from the session. So many insights, some work related stories, central messages and fine details.
It was a reminder that even if we sit in the same room, experience the same discussion, we’ll hear different things.
Photo: Phoebe Selassie Acolatse
After having sweated though the weekend, I am now assuming my malaria parasites are all gone and I will start my week with something interesting. Monday evening, I will be speaking at an Astrient Foundation Women’s Forum event.
Initially, I was hesitant. For the event with the slightly puzzling title “Enhancing your Work Image in the Corporate World” I felt I was not the right speaker as I wasn’t even too sure about what ‘work image’ was…but after some explanation from the director Phoebe Acolatse, I have prepared to talk about my blog and how I have enhanced my own career.
The Astrient Foundation provides, among other things, scholarships, community educational programs and these women’s networking seminars.
If you are interested, this is the time and place:
Astrient Foundation Women’s Forum
Ashesi University College, Labone
Building 3, Lecturehall 4
6-8pm, Monday 31st May, 2010.
And I am no more hesitant, but looking forward to this experience!
While the main program is going on at Alliance Francaise, this Official Blogger is unfortunately not there enjoying it, but instead home with malaria.
Hopefully back here soon though.
The Bless the Mic Arts & Music Festival comes to a slow start this evening with a corporate mixer for invitees only. I’ll be there and snap some photos to post in this space.
So if you are going, make sure to comb your hair…
Pic from Twist & Locs Saloon here in Accra.
Most events in Ghana happen in Ghana’s capital Accra. However, Bless the Mic every now and then takes their show to Tema.
On Friday, 28th May 2010, starting at 8pm, they do it again! The place is Barcadi Nite Club, Community 4, Tema.
It will be a night of freestyle battles between some of the most exciting MCs from Tema and Accra including Macho Rapper, Yaa Pono, El, Ronny O, Pope Skinny, Scizo and the All Star cast from Tema. In attendance will be international guest DJ Floro (Spain) and DJ Champagne (Y Fm). Apart from music, there will also be graffiti art.
I called up the man behind BTM, Papa Yaw to find out why he is taking his show on the road:
– Because Tema is very vibrant in the music business right now and we want to promote the Tema music community, thats the reason…
As I am a proper “Tema girl”, I must say I appreciate BTM coming to Tema.
Come around 8pm on Friday and pose for pics to be posted in this space!
Battle illustration by Ghanaian artist Godfried Donkor.
So here’s the promised report from my 5 minutes of fame.
I came into the E-TV studio in Asylum Down at 7.30am on the dot. I was whisked into the make-up booth, although I had already used an aging powder at home thinking they might not have my shade available…
In minutes, I was sitting next to the glamorous presenter of the “Awake” show, Ester, and without much ado she introduced me as “a very interesting lady living in Ghana”. We chit-chatted about how come I ended up in Ghana (“love”), what my favorite Ghanaian food is (“omo tuo and groundnut soup”) as well as on differences between Ghana and Sweden (“basically everything!”). I was allowed to talk about my blog and about Ghanablogging. I felt relaxed and Ester cheered me on through chuckles and follow-up questions.
Maybe best of all was that afterwards, I had the chance to speak to the producers of the show and promote Ghanablogging and my fellow bloggers. They sounded very interested and likely this will not be the last time a Ghanablogger goes on air with E-TV.
Reviews?
My Ghanaian family was very proud and called me after the show to congratulate me. A friend texted me saying “you are so sweet on TV – another career to discover!”
All in all, a good experience even though I had to leave home at dawn.
I have been invited to E-TV, Ghana’s newest(?) free-to-show tv-channel, and their morning show!
I’ll be speaking to George, who found me through this blog. Heasked me to prepare for the following topics:
how you first heard about Ghana, a bit about your PHD project, your teaching, why you married a Ghanaian, and your future plans.
Tune in tomorrow Friday around 7.30 am. Tune in or I’ll tell you in this space how it went!
Well, maybe it is a stretch to say that Circles by Boakyewaa Glover (click to go to her blog) is a blog book, it is maybe rather a book by a blogger.
On Friday, May 21st there is a book launch for Circles, a book I have already seen for sale at the Silverbird Bookstore in the Accra Mall. It looks good!
Another recent book by a Ghanablogging blogger was Pretending to be President by Ato Kwamina Dadzie. I have it here at home, but haven’t been able to snatch it from my husband who reads it and chuckles.
Yesterday, I met up with two students coming to do their minor field study (MFS) in Ghana.
MFS is almost an institution in Swedish academic circles. Since 1968, MFS is a stipend financed from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), administered by the International Programme Office for Education and Training (in Swedish: Internationalla Programkontoret) in collaboration with higher educational institutions in Sweden. The goal with the program is to expose young university students to life in developing countries and give them an experience of doing research there. The student has to propose a research plan and spend at least 8 weeks in the chosen field destination. The stipend covers travel expenses and a little more. Over the years more than 10 000 students have gone through the program. Recent theses coming out of the program since can be found in this MFS Thesis Database. Usually, the program is very popular and highly competitive.
Back to yesterday afternoon. I first took Emma and Ebba to eat some fufu and drink some bissap at Buka. We talked about everything from clinics to corruption, from surveys to soup, from PhD to perfect beaches. After washing our hands, we went around to do some errands, see some Ghanaian art and crafts and finished the day with a drink by the beach. I could see myself in them – the personal involvement in student activities, the interest in the foreign and exotic, the wonderful curiosity. I was impressed with their confidence and their future goals.
Emma and Ebba are not the first MFS students I take around Accra. They follow Emilie, Asa, Jessica and Ulrik – all MFS students who I have met in Ghana. To some I have been a contact person, an address to put on the VISA application, to others “Field Supervisor” and a discussion partner. I must say I enjoy spending time with them and gladly share what ever small knowledge on research I possess as well as my own experiences in this green country.
Ironically, my own MFS application was not approved when I was studying for my Bachelor’s Degree. But that is another story.
