Experience et cætera

2013-09-17T11:11:00.000+02:00

Half through what the Swedes call sensommar, the period between summer and autumn, I thought it's about time to write a transition-post. Let me talk about the past 3 summer months and close this blog with my plans for the future...

SUMMERTIME

StudentLund Nations.

Since midsummer, I have been working at BrandProx, in Lund, Southern Sweden. BrandProx is a very young start-up created by two graduates from the Master Program in Entrepreneurship of Lund University. They developed a platform, BrandProx.com allowing Facebook users to merge their profile pictures with a brand's logo and get rewarded from the corresponding brand in exchange. I was in charge of business development and marketing operations.

Ideon Gateway, Lund.

Daily-life in a start-up is fun! There is always something happening and stuff to be taken care of: whether it is a meeting with business angels, potential partners or future customers; a fika or a ping-pong game with colleagues at BlackPearl; the design of a logo, poster, presentation or website; applying for funds and grants; writing web content, getting involved in other projects, etc.

This 3 months experience was really beneficial for me. I learned a lot about entrepreneurship and I extended my professional network.

Eventually, it granted me access to the European conference Innovation in Mind which, for the 5th time in Lund, hosts diverse keynotes and workshops (Sept. 18th-20th).

Post by Innovation in Mind.

Living in Lund was quite enjoyable too during the summer. There were less students than usual, the weather was particularly nice and warm, and there were a handful of great events in the region. My weeks were punctuated with good week-ends among friends in the city, but also in Copenhagen, Malmö or even Lomma Beach! I thought that a few pictures are worth more than words here...

Christiania, Copenhagen.

Usual evening in Lund...

Nyhavn, Copenhagen.

Smørrebrød, Copenhagen.

Best Restaurant in Lund.

Malmö Festivalen

#emptiness
Moving-in, Moving-out.

Way Out West, Göteborg.

HOLIDAYS

I managed to get away one week-end to Berlin, Germany and two weeks back to France. It's been 6 months since I didn't go back home. Thus, I was pulled apart in between family dinners, friends' reunions, events and so on. I had a great time :)

Paris.

Berlin.

Home...

Sunset, Île-Tudy, France.

Ph.D STUDIES

My thirst for learning new things seems unquenchable and I am constantly looking for opportunities to develop my thinking skills. I wanted to continue doing research and that is why I applied for doctoral studies at the Department of Management and Engineering of Linköping University. I enjoyed writing my Master Thesis but one semester was too short to conduct an in-depth study. I want to be able to holistically investigate a phenomena, profoundly analyze practices and use more insightful methods, which require more time.

I got accepted as a Ph.D. student in marketing at FEK — the division of Business Administration. I will start on October 1, 2013 and my supervisor is Lars Witell.

I am really happy about it. I will be moving back to Linköping, where I have a few good friends. I will have my office in the same corridor as my former-professors-slash-my-new-colleagues. I will be able to continue learning Swedish. A new chapter of my life is about to begin and I am looking forward to it!!

IN A NUTSHELL

During the last 2 years, I was writing about my daily-life experiences as a French expat in Scandinavia, as an Erasmus student in Belgium or as a student of a MSc. program. Half of it in French, the rest in English.

50.000 views is quite rewarding for such a blog and I thank you all for reading my blogposts. This audience allowed me to put my ideas together, share information and practice my thinking and synthesizing skills.

Now it's time for me to move on something different. See you next time!

This is the end

2013-06-25T14:48:00.000+02:00

A lot happened during the last 2-3 weeks. Long story short: I graduated, I visited Stockholm and its archipelago and I celebrated Midsummer. That's how this long article is divided :)

Graduation Ceremonies

Happy graduate!

That is it. I graduated with a Master of Science in Business Administration from the SMIO program of Linköping University.

June 12th was The Day. My parents and Caro came for the graduation ceremonies.
Yes! There were two celebrations.

In the afternoon, LiU's rector Helen Dannetun offered a congratulations letter to more than 200 International Master graduates, during the official Farewell Ceremony at Kårallen. It was fun to get up on stage with the whole SMIO program. As we are the biggest master program, there wasn't actually enough space for everyone!

Before and after the 2h-long ceremony, we had the chance to mingle with friends, graduates-colleagues and their relatives. The sun was shinning hard! The alcohol-free champagne saved us from dehydration...

Around 17.30 we moved from Kårallen to Vallfarten for the more intimate Diploma Ceremony of the SMIO program. There, more relatives, friends and professors join me and my classmates for a joyful evening.

The new "senior SMIO" generation.
SMIO 2011-2013

First, we mingled around non-alcoholic ciders and snacks outside, as the weather was really appropriate. Then, we gathered in a large amphitheater-style classroom for another 2h-long ceremony.

Jörgen Ljung and Marie Bengtsson (SMIO Program Directors, respectively for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013) gave a speech about their experience with us and what happened during these 2 years.

Marie nominated some of us for the "Outstanding Student" and "Best Thesis" awards. Eventually, Andy got both of them for his dedicated work in classes and the thesis-work with Anne!

Then we received a SMIO Diploma stating that we successfully completed the Master Program (yet, the official diploma will be delivered after the summer). I could see smiles all over the place. Pride in my colleagues' eyes, holding their piece of paper... and maybe even more in their friends and relatives sitting in front of them. Again, C.O.N.G.R.A.T.U.L.A.T.I.O.N.S !!
Eventually, Nicole and me had the privilege to hold the student speech this year.

The evening continued with a buffet-dinner with all families and professors. It was a nice moment together! We also all got the SMIO sweaters—which I designed—as a gift!

When night falls, a few of us young graduates, celebrated at my place for one last drink before departure. Some had to get up early the next day, to start their journey back home.
Sad feelings.

Stockholm
Once I got the diploma, holidays could begin. I spent a few days in Stockholm with my family and Caro. We walked around a lot. I showed them some nice places, we discovered others. We also rented bikes and we cycled in-and-out the center for some hours. We also took a boat for 3h until Grinda and Vaxholm in Stockholms Skärgåd for 3 days. It felt good to get out of Linköping and not think about the university for once!

Some photos are worth more than words...

ABBA museet, Stockholm

Grinda, Stockholm's Archipelago

Paradise — Niki de St Phalle
Moderna Museet, Stockholm

Thai Restaurant 'Koh Phangan', Stockholm

Fotografiska

Trosa, Swedish Countryside

Vigårda Barbeque, Stockholm

Grinda, Stockholm's Archipelago

Vaxholm, Stockholm's Archipelago

Grinda, Stockholm's Archipelago

Johannes Kyrkogård, Stockholm

Grinda, Stockholm's Archipelago

"Midsommar"
Barely back home in Linköping and it was already time for Midsummer celebration. Midsommar 2013 was my first time! A Swedish friend booked a stuga in Nyköping's Archipelago for the week end. With international friends from my time in Växjö, Sweden, we celebrated midsummer following the tradition. We built a Maypole and dance around it (see video below), we made flower-crowns for girls, we ate köttbullar, herrings, potato-salad and lots of strawberries. We played outdoor-games, swam in the Baltic, and we drunk akvavit. It was perfect. Full of love and friendliness!

Future plans?

I am currently in Lund for the summer. I start an internship in social-media marketing in an entrepreneurial start-up.

Yet, I will try to go back to Brittany, France for a few days. I have to see my friends back there!

Cheers.

PS: Today, June 29th and 3 weeks after the public defense, I got my Master Thesis grade: A.
Which makes me a graduate with an average grade of... A :)

Master Thesis (6)

2013-06-04T17:07:00.002+02:00

Thesis Defense

After several months of hard work on the Master Thesis, the final seminar represents the last step of the semester, and thus, of these 2 years within the SMIO program. As discussants, the aim of the final seminar is to critically scrutinize a thesis and bring out both strengths and weaknesses through dialogue a dialogue with its authors. The authors should have the opportunity to shine and show off their great knowledge by answering both intelligent and tricky questions.

A usual thesis is 70 to 100 page-long, which gives enough room for questions and comments from the opponents to the authors.

The final seminar was structured as the following:

The authors have 2 min. to point out critical mistakes they have discovered after printing the thesis (as forgetting a 'not' in a sentence which completely changes the message).
The opponents hold a 10 min. presentation of the authors' thesis. As the audience is supposed to have read the thesis as well, it is basically a concise summary to show how it has been understood. It is customary to ask the authors if the presentation did their work justice or if they would like to add something (approx. 2 min.).
Then, the discussion/defense begins and lasts 45 min. The discussants lead the seminar, ask questions (big and important issues, first; small details come if there is time left), initiate discussions, point-out strengths and weaknesses in the thesis, and invite comments from the audience. The authors should answer the questions, explain their reasoning, and show extensive understanding. The discussants normally end their section by giving some sort of judgment of the qualities of the author's thesis.
The advisor and co-examiner have the word for 15 min. to give an overall judgment of the thesis as well as the defense and they can ask some final questions if needed.
The opponents give to the authors a 5 pages-long hand-out with all their comments and questions. Additionally, the opponents can also provide the authors with the annotated manuscript if desired.
Once all the defenses are held (over two and a half days), all advisors will convene and discuss the quality of the theses and decide upon the final grades.

This 1h15 final seminar is the place to shine for the authors. It is a final test of explanation. Discussions can even go beyond the thesis' borders. Although some of the groups exchanged their questions beforehand, including the audience in the discussion bring criticism and make the discussions more alive.

I personally enjoyed defending my thesis. Mario and I had the chance to show our understanding of the concepts we used, the reasons behind it and to open-up for further research as well as implications for the existing theories. We received really good feedback from the supervisor Marie Bengtsson and co-examiner Jonas Söderlund, thus we are expecting a decent grade reflecting their opinions :)

Mario

IT'S OVER.

Overall, this Master Thesis was a good experience. Quite stressful when nothing work out as planned, of course, but it helped us to understand the situation that expert engineers encounter in their daily project work! I very much enjoyed the process of research and discovery. I learned a lot during these four months, included myself. I am also very grateful to Mario, he is a dedicated hard worker with the ability to combine different abstract concepts and think them through. It was definitely a good partnership and I sincerely hope that we have more opportunities to work together in the future.

Next on the agenda is June 12th: Linköping University's Farewell Ceremony AND the SMIO Diploma Ceremony. A busy day, which I am really looking forward to!

Knowledge Integration under Uncertainty: A Sensemaking Perspective on Experts' Verbal Communication is available for download on DiVA.

Master Thesis (5)

2013-06-02T12:17:00.002+02:00

Week end? What's that!?

The last 3 weeks have been insane. Every damn day was spent in a library room (think: cold and without window) to significantly boost our thesis from the feedback received during the Pre-Final seminar. Now, we submitted our final version a few days ago and we are satisfied with it! You cannot imagine the mix feelings of proudness and relieve when we eventually have the printed version in hands.

Giving birth after 4 months of hard labor, it's called: Knowledge Integration under Uncertainty.

Our study takes a sensemaking perspective on how do expert engineers communicate within a New Product Development (NPD) project team when they integrate their individual knowledge and overcome the environmental uncertainty—which should paralyze the team instead.

Through the belief-driven process of Karl Weick's sensemaking concept, we analyze the verbal communication during a meeting of experts from a NPD project aiming to design a new steam turbine.

The meeting's structure was the following: informing each other, discussing and planning. Taking a deeper look at how do the experts discuss, we identify punctuated forms of expectations and frequent arguments.

Eventually, arguing itself is characterized by elements of questioning, rewording and summarizing. Hence, we see arguing as a facilitator of knowledge integration under uncertainty.

What's next?

The next step is the thesis defense, publicly taking place on June 3rd-5th at Linköping University (1h15 for each thesis). Next to their own defense, each pair of authors is required to make an opposition on one other thesis and actively participate in four other thesis defenses.

Afterwards (and only then), we all will be able to enjoy the great spring weather in Linköping!

Villa Bråviken

2013-05-29T13:14:00.000+02:00

Last year, for an assignment from the course Advanced Customer Marketing, my group and I visited a renovated villa near Norrköping, on the Baltic Sea, in an area called Bråviken. It is an example of a fjard, a drowned shallow glacial valley. The current owners of the Villa Bråviken bought it 5 years ago, renovated it and now can welcome 30 guests in their bedrooms as well as host business conferences.

Villa Bråviken

Winter pictures

One of our marketing recommendation for them was to be more present online, using pictures to attract more customers to their cosy villa. That's why I took a few images to serve as an example. It turned out they have been using them since then. However, these pictures were taken during the winter and thus, reflecting neither Spring nor Summer atmospheres. That's why I went back there to take a new set of pictures, suiting better the current season.

My parents will actually stay there for 3 nights in June so I will probably go back to this great area :)

Master Thesis (4)

2013-05-11T13:10:00.003+02:00

As I said previously, the previous weeks have been really dedicated to the master thesis. For a 'Pre-Final seminar', our supervisor, Marie Bengtsson, asked to provide her with a complete version of our thesis by April 30th. To describe what she expects, she uses the metaphor of a Swiss cheese: our thesis can have holes and parts missing but it has a form and be held together.

Indeed, we managed to write the missing parts, namely the analysis and the conclusion, before the deadline. Although it was a bit sloppy and we knew it was not perfect, we felt pretty good once we uploaded our thesis draft. This version was supposed to serve as the basis for a first evaluation regarding whether we would be able to present our final master thesis in June. If we are too far behind or the quality is not sufficient, we would have to present in August.

Hopefully, Mario and I managed to hand in a complete thesis, even if it was of a lower quality. Indeed, most of the other groups did not manage to finish in time and are wondering if they'd ever manage to finish before May 27th, the final deadline!

The 'Pie-throwing' seminar was held a few days later, leaving time for each group to read at least 2 theses and give a detailed feedback on one of them. That's how I could combine working / hosting friends for a few days, playing with Swedish red days (Valborg/King's Birthday and Första Maj) and the week-ends.
Anyway, Mario and I really appreciated the comments from our colleagues. It gave us guidelines to go forward and make our draft better! However, since the seminar, we feel really frustrated as we basically spent half a week trying to go deeper in our analysis. The preliminary step was to reformulate our research question, which made us reconsider various theories and rewrite our methodology and empirical chapters. In short, we lost confidence in our work for a moment.

Receiving feedback is helpful and devastating. Of course, there is no point in receiving only positive feedback as we have 3 weeks left before the final hand-in. Yet, there are some comments that we would have preferred to receive earlier as we could have tackled our issues directly!

In other words, we are going through a really stressful period. I find it really hard to lock ourselves in study rooms on a 8.00-18.00 shift everyday, when the sun is shining hard outside and the thermometer exceeds the 20°C!!! But I rather remind myself: why give-up now? After 4 months, there are only 3 weeks left :)

A Scandinavian Journey!

2013-05-08T12:59:00.000+02:00

In France, there are the Spring Holidays, beginning at the end of april, which allowed my friends to pay me a visit. It was a great deal of organization to combine sightseeing and thesis-working, but it was definitely worth it! We managed to spend a week-end in Stockholm, visit Linköping, travel to Lund and have a day in Copenhagen :)

Gröna Lund, Stockholm

Moderna Museet, Stockholm

We began with 2 days in Stockholm where we walked around a lot between Södermalm, Djurgården, Gamla Stan, Skeppsholmen and Norrmalm. Even though it was pretty sunny, the blowing wind was exhausting us!

I brought my friends to some nice places as Vigårda Barbeque for the greatest burgers in Stockholm, Kelly's for cheap beers (a challenge in the city), Café String for a big brunch, Koh Phangan for an exotic dinner, etc.

Kanelbullar

Then we came back to Linköping for a short while but I had to go to the university and let my friends alone. Anyway, they visited Gamla Linköping, the Valla forest and the city center until the Stångån river.

Also, they were asking me what was the typical dish/food in Sweden... I couldn't answer anything else than the köttbullar (meatballs) :/ We tried to find some kinda moose-meat but didn't succeed. Yet, they got to try the kanelbullar :)

Caro in Lund

Then we went to Lund where my friends discovered Valborg! It was quite something... Hopefully, we had time to walk around the city in between the Stadspark, the old university (dating from 1666), the botaniska trädgården, and in the colorful cobbled streets.

View from the 'Church of Our Saviour', Copenhagen

Christianian demonstration

Unfortunately, two of my friends were flying back to France from Copenhagen on the next day. I thought it was a good opportunity to spend the morning there. We went around Tivoli, in the touristic streets towards the Church of the Holy Spirit, and we continued until Christiania, passing by Slotsholmen.

I believed my friends enjoyed their trip to Sweden, even though it was only a few days, these days were quite busy!!

Bike-ride throughout Linköping: Trädgårdsföreningen, Gamla Linköping and Tannefors lock.

Me and my friend who stayed for five more days, went back to Linköping once again. The weather got way warmer and we could enjoy bike-rides, forest walks, play kubb, and chill-out in the evenings around BBQs with friends!

I'm really glad my friends paid me a visit! That was a really appreciated "break" in the thesis schedule. Much appreciated!

"Doing international business?" / SMIO presentation at Mjärdevi Science Park

2013-05-07T21:25:00.001+02:00

At Linköping University (LiU), the SMIO master program being followed by 95% of international students represents the diversity of the world cultures. Our differences can be interesting and we learn everyday how to build stronger relationships.

"We didn't all come over on the same ship, but we're all in the same boat." — Bernard M. Baruch.

Last Friday (May 3rd), Shideh, Andy and Sunny gave a breakfast presentation on the hidden aspects of cross-cultural communication between Sweden and Canada (Shideh), the U.S. (Andy) and China (Sunny). It took place in the Mjärdevi Science Park (nearby the campus) in front of 70 participants: mostly entrepreneurs or experienced businessmen or women engaged in international business, as well as supporting classmates interested in their multicultural experience.

Shideh Tabe, Andrew Wind and Yangzi Sunny Wangsun

Hofstede's cultural dimensions comparison
between Sweden and Canada

Originally from Iran, Shideh kicked-off the presentation based on her 11 years of experience in the banking sector in Canada: this large country where people hate to be mistaken for Americans! She emphasized that the Canadian culture largely influences their communications in terms of tone of voice, body language, personal space, greetings and most importantly: small talks! Taking into consideration Hofstede's cultural dimensions, she noted that the main differences reside in the masculinity (MAS) and uncertainty avoidance (UAI) of Canada. However, when she arrived in Sweden, she noticed that Canadians focus more on attracting new customers, their satisfaction & loyalty and they give sugar-coat negative answers.

Shideh's key take-aways to do business in Canada were:

Motivation is in individual success
Incentives to stand out
Customer is always right
Be ready to have 'small talk' in streets, banks, stores, bus stops, etc.

Hofstede's cultural dimensions comparison
between Sweden and China

Sunny—most Chinese have an English name, she says—started her speech using Hofstede's power distance (PDI) dimension to show that hierarchy is really important in China: employees do not publicly challenge their manager's directives, which makes it easier for the latter to implement changes. Making business in China mainly means building a relationship. Karaoke is an option, a dinner invitation seems easier but Sunny warned the audience on the Chinese dinner etiquette: "Prepare to get drunk and don't finish all the dishes, otherwise more food will be ordered!"

Moreover, Chinese dislike being negative: they never say no, but 'maybe' and have difficulties to give negative feedback.

Hofstede's cultural dimensions comparison
between Sweden and the U.S.

Sweden likes the American culture. Yet, Andy started his part on communication in the U.S. by reminding that most of Americans never traveled out of their country. Thus, having a business relationship with a Swede is seen as exotic and highly valued in their culture. Showing Hofstede's individual (IDV) dimension of the U.S. and Jack Welch's quote "Control your own destiny or someone else will."; Andy shows the dynamic and competitive environment of the American business culture and the motivation of the American workers. As a result, managers focus on the short-term implications of decisions and that's why Andy recommends the audience to focus on 'quick wins' when making business in the U.S.

Moreover, Americans love debates and they'll show it by talking clearly about their issues. Yet, at work, the manager decides: as Steve Jobs said "My job is to say when something sucks rather than sugarcoat it." Andy added that small talks are also common for Americans, it is part of the language protocol. You should answer politely but it doesn't mean that a long-term relationship is being set-up! Eventually, with Hollywood or Broadway, Americans are historically embedded in storytelling. Using metaphors to illustrate a concept and making a scenario to connect them all is the key to understanding in the U.S.

Andy's key take-aways to do business in the U.S. were:

Americans value straight talking and 'getting to the point'
Sell your pluses
Humor or ‘small talk’ can be an important relationship builder
Create storylines.

Doing international business?

The audience enjoyed a buffet-breakfast while Andy wisely concluded a successful presentation, showing the SMIO programme engagement towards the business world and its main actors:

"As our world flattens and we come closer together we find new connections and also expose new individualities. You are the mapmakers of the 21st century, your intercultural business partnerships will expose new ideas and ways of communicating yet to be uncovered that will bring us all forward in the future to come." — Andy.

Master Thesis (3)

2013-04-14T14:39:00.000+02:00

I know, I know: time flies. It's been a month since my last thesis update and again, a lot has changed. For better or worse? I believe that it will turn out better!

Free time? Playing around with the SMIO program's logo...

Initially, we intended to study the automotive industry. More precisely, they hybrid bus: it is a really complex and innovative product, targeting a niche market and making use of very new technologies...it sounded like the perfect product to focus on regarding our project:

KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

After promising contacts in Germany, we had to give up our intentions. Indeed, we have a deadline by the end of April, so we had to collect data as early as possible...and this organization was taking its time and it did not seem like we were going to interview them before 2014!

Right...

As a matter of fact, we are now most likely to use secondary data (a raw transcript of a meeting) from another industry: electrical powerplants. More specifically, an organization is developing a new steam turbine. So we stay into complicated engineering stuff :) Obviously, our chapter I (intro) and chapter II (methodology) had to be changed for the most of it...and we go on with chapter IV (empirics) and chapter V (analysis)! Quite challenging!

Since a few weeks, we know the official deadlines

- to hand-in the final version of the thesis: May 27th;

- the seminars will take place for 3 days from: June 3rd;

- the Farewell Ceremony (graduation day) will be on: June 12th.

...and then I'll sleep for a month!

More seriously, I look forward another break into our schedule (8.00 - 17.30 daily). Easter was too short! Hopefully, I have some friends coming soon and then my parents will come for a week in june before mid-summer. I guess it will be weird to not 'have to work' after these intense weeks...I gotta find something else to do by then!

LKPG HA HA! @ Arenabolaget

2013-04-05T18:08:00.000+02:00

Backstage

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.” ― Audrey Hepburn

Laugh brings happiness and relieves stress. That's what LKPG HA HA! intends to do. Linköping's comedy club, created in 2008, introduces comedians on the Backstage of the Konsert och Kongress. Three Thursday nights in Fall (with Messiah Hallberg, Soran Ismail and Ann Westin in 2012) and three Thursday nights in Spring. With some friends, we went to the show last night (April 4th), which was partly in English, with Al Pitcher from New Zealand.

Al Pitcher

This Kiwi revolutionized the comedy scene in Sweden since he moved here a few years ago. His life as a foreigner led him to joke about all surprising Swedish customs, such as the fika, fy fan, "tackar tackar", etc. Have a look for yourself.

His Fika Tour all over Sweden was a great success. Yesterday, felt like the show I saw was unique: very spontaneous and playing around with the audience a lot.

“Heckle is the funniest thing ever. I was talking about this before the show tonight, that it’s important to have that moment, that one-off event, that feeling that this is only happening tonight,” he explains.

The atmosphere was really chill-ax, nice music during the break and people having drinks at the bar... Good times!

Linköping is sold out tonight. But if you don't make tonight , come to Norrköping in October. Shurping , shurping. alpitcherpatartour.se
— Al Pitcher (@TheAlPitcher) April 4, 2013

Pontus Ströbaek

James McKay, Adeel Faqih,
Pontus Ströbaek & Ben Kearsley

Prior to his show, Ben Kearsley, the usual LKPG HA HA!'s host, invited other comedians on stage. Adeel Faqih, Swedish with Indian origins, made fun of his own day-to-day life in Sweden. He made fun of the "chai tea", explaining that it literrally means tea-tea as chai is the word for tea in many countries... Even though it was in Swedish, I could understand most of it! Then, James McKay, an Englishman, came on stage for a short while, joked about his life in Stockholm and wondered why there was always a picture of the farmer on egg boxes in Sweden. Eventually, Pontus Ströbaek, another Swede, came on stage and... got naked! He said that people laugh when they're surprised. He might have ended chocking a few of them though!

Al Pitcher

As part of his new tour, Påtår (meaning a coffee refill), Al Pitcher was warmly welcome on stage by the audience. Of course, he told jokes about the culture clash he lives everyday in Sweden. He also made fun of Swedish hockey; Ryanair; his two-years old son about whom he sometimes feels like he's a hobbit on crack; and the two Australian girls in the front row. Using the audience to such extent proves how last night was unique. He ended his hour-long show by desperately inviting people to be friends with him on Facebook! Lots of laugh which put a smile on our faces for the next hours :)

The next show of LKPG HA HA! is on May 2nd, with Jesper Rönndahl. Winner of the Stand-up Championships of Norra Brunn in 2007, he his famous in Sweden for being in the Comedy Fight Club in 2009 and presenting Extra Extra since 2012 on SVT (tv) and on the radio. Some of his sketches can be seen in funny videos on Youtube. There will be other comedians (Henrik Blomqvist, Christina Nordhager and Thomas Eriksson) which Ben Kearsley will introduce before the big show. Check him out!

The Swedish job market

2013-03-25T17:49:00.001+01:00

The other day, I went to Arbetsförmedlingen (national job agency) with other students to gather some information about jobs in Sweden. Even though I am currently writing my Master Thesis, I am also looking for Swedish job opportunities. Let's see what people in my situations face today...

Sweden at a glance:

Unemployment rate: 8.9% (18.4% among people under 25)

In needs for: doctors, engineers, IT developers, etc.
Too much: administration workers, cleaning people, receptionists, etc.

Working 40h / week
25 vacation days / year (allowed to take 4 weeks in the summer)
No national minimum wage but average (2012):

♂ 30600 SEK / month
♀ 26200 SEK / month

Municipal taxes ≈ 31%

> 372100 SEK / year +20%
> 532700 SEK / year +25%

Typical workplace: flat organizations, team-working, initiatives-driven, informal, gender equality and strong trade unions.

On top of that, one better speaks Swedish as English-speaking jobs are quite rare. Then, actually getting in a company takes some time, sending a CV and a cover letter is just the beginning of a long process. Most of the time, the firm follows-up with a phone/skype interview, (online) cognitive tests, a group-interview, asking to solve a case study, speed-dating interviews with executives, a trial period and so on. In short: finding a job is extremely time consuming and requires a full investment of oneself (in terms of energy and showing off motivation).

Basically, Swedes look for jobs on different other websites such as thelocal.se/jobs, xpats.nu, iagora.com, onlinenewspaper.com/sweden, lokus.se, eures.europa.eu, etc. (you're welcome!) Of course, foreigners also apply for Swedish jobs when they feel like they meet the requirements. Even though they speak the language already, some of them feel discriminated, simply because of their name which does not sound Swedish. This is a national growing trend, yet forbidden by the law.

See for yourself:

- CV name-change leaves foreign student reeling (The Local)
- Bearers of foreign names less likely to find work in Sweden (Zuzeeko's Blog)
- What’s in a name? A field experiment test for the existence of ethnic discrimination in the hiring process (The Stockholm University Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies)
- Ethnic discrimination in Swedish labour market (European Working Conditions Observatory)

[edit April 5th] - Swedish study confirms foreign name CV bias (The Local)

Master Thesis (2)

2013-03-17T13:51:00.004+01:00

I thought it was about time to give an update on thesis work. Hopefully, 6 weeks later, we made a bunch of changes. Indeed, we invested a lot of time and energy in the reading-thinking-writing process. Intense days followed each other. Damn, mid-March already! Time flies.

Basically, I like working on the thesis. It feels like we're achieving something. When we printed a draft of our first chapters, it was satisfied to hold the light 20-pages document with MASTER THESIS on the cover. In a way, I'm looking forward to be done :)

Work in progress.

Whatever we read, books, articles, dissertations or thesis; it somehow influences us in our further work. We build upon existing concepts. Although, we shouldn't forget that it is just a master thesis: no need to establish a new theory, concept or model and compete to be the 21st century's Einstein! Yet, it's more motivating to pursue something that hasn't been established already. Taken from another perspective, what we're doing now should be useful for future research or inspire other students. However, that won't be possible if our work is confidential and forbidden to be published by a firm. Indeed, that's one of our current problem.

Contribution-wise, we intend to add-up to the concept of Knowledge Integration in uncertain environments. Innovative firms developing new complex products have to deal with new technologies which are not even existing yet or not ready to commercialize and their potential customers have specific requirements due to the niche market which is targeted. Hence, we will study how knowledge is integrated from different individuals working together in a team in this context of uncertainty.

Library worm.

We have been reading a lot of materials. For me it's quite frustrating, because when it comes to writing down my thoughts, I want to talk about everything I learned. The difficulty is to be precise when we use established concepts, without forgetting opposite perspectives. In the pursuit of the perfect text, we spend a considerable amount of time playing around with words and rewriting complete paragraphs every second day!

On the bottom line, it is kinda the same with the methodology chapter. What you intended to do is different from what you're doing or what you'll be able to do! As a result, it is rather challenging to get it done... Anyway, I'm confident. All this hard work gotta pay off at some point :)

P-Floyd @ Arenabolaget (2)

2013-02-17T16:15:00.001+01:00

What a show!

'Wish you were here'

More than 2 hours of great music and spectacular lightshow with video backgrounds... I didn't expect them to be that good! Each of the musician was really talented. As far as I know the original Pink Floyd's songs, they quite stuck to them. Although they have their own interpretations.

'Money'

For instance, they created a fun intro of Money, using different kinda tools and instruments. I thought it was very original. It kinda broke the ice between the public and the band. Later on, they also played their own opera version of The Wall. It showed me that they really have good voices ;)

'The Wall'

Actually, I have to point out that the public was sitting for the whole concert. It's sort of a Swedish thing. But the seats of the Konsert & Kongress were really sweet... Can't complain! I felt like being in a movie theater, with louder music. I guess that for more rock concerts, the seats are taken away, leaving space for the crowd to dance and jump around more easily.

Hans Lundin

Jan Stumsner

Of course, we heard all the other famous songs (Comfortably numb, Wish you were here, Another brick in the wall, Hey you, etc.) but they also played more forgotten ones (at least for me) as Pink Floyd's first single 'Arnold Layne'.

The acoustic was really good. The lead guitar was very distinctive. The fact they P-Floyd have more members than the original band, allow them to be more rich. That's why they have 2 keyboards and 2 choirs. It gives a new version (interpretation) of the originals, that were very much appreciated by the public!

Håkan Norlin

Peter Holmstedt

Thomas Alm

Hans Lundin

Thomas Alm, Håkan Norlin, Jan Stumsner, Marica Linde, Hans Lundin,
Eleonor Ågeryd, Peter Holmstedt, Klas Anderhell and Mats Nilsson.

All in all, it was a really good concert!

I definitely recommend you to check their website for upcoming gigs, even though you're not a big Pink Floyd fan, it's worth it!

P-Floyd concert @ Arenabolaget

2013-02-16T14:20:00.001+01:00

A weird thing about Sweden is that there are many good bands, but not so much concerts! At least in Linköping. But there are still some events to go to...

Arenabolaget, the biggest event planner in Linköping area (50 people work there), organizes about 180 public events in Konsert & Kongress and Cloetta Center. They have conferences, fairs, lunches, business meetings and concerts, which 500.000 people attend to.

The Konsert & Kongress concert hall has more than 1.500 seats and even a bar-restaurant. The Cloetta Center is even bigger with 11.500 seats. That's why it hosts ice-hockey games!

Among the 6 tribute bands to Pink Floyd in Sweden, P-Floyd is the most successful one. I'm going to their concert tonight in the Konsert & Kongress! Formed in 1993 in Falun (3h North of Stockholm), they gave lots of concerts there. The last four years, the band was touring in Sweden with their own version of 'The Wall'. The 7 musicians recorded 2 live albums.

The band's founder Jan Stumsner got the idea for the name when he saw a parking sign. Later, they ordered their own sign with a white "P" on a blue background, and below this the yellow additional plate "FLOYD" in font "floydian" (same font as on the cover of The Wall). Wikipedia

I read a lot of positive reviews for their shows so I'm really looking forward tonight. I'm finally going to see some live music!

Master Thesis (1)

2013-02-04T22:11:00.001+01:00

Still unpacking the car, the master thesis reality caught me back. It's about time to speed up!

My thesis partner is Mario K., my German study mate since the beginning of the program. We know well each other, as well as our thesis supervisor, Marie Bengtsson, as she taught us Leadership & Organization and Strategic Human Resource Management. Precisely, we intend to study knowledge integration in innovative firms from the city bus industry, developing diesel-electric hybrid powertrain solutions.

Today, we had a poster presentation with all SMIO generations. The 19 thesis groups of SMIO'12 presenting their projects (the more detailed and extended presentation, the more feedback/recommendations received to improve) and the SMIO'13 poped by to ask us questions, as we did last year with the SMIO'11.

It was nice to finally see what everybody has been working on over the last month, and how far it actually got them. Mario and me received constructive feedback that'll help us narrow down our project from the two possible topics we had in mind:

"Knowledge integration in the light of the exploration/exploitation dilemma in innovative firms".
"Knowledge integration to build sustained competitive advantage in innovative firms".

We aim to design a case study with triangulation methods: semi-structured interviews with managers and engineers from an innovative organization, a semi-structured interview with an industry expert and secondary-data analysis of corporate materials and press releases from inside/outside the organization.

That's it for now!

Back in Sweden!

2013-02-04T21:53:00.002+01:00

For New Year's Eve, when I drove back to Belgium from my Xmas holidays in France with friends, I already had the idea of this road trip to Sweden a month later... We left Brussels Wednesday night, driving towards Travemünde, Germany, where we shove off on the ferry to Trelleborg, Sweden. One day in Lund later, I continued until Linköping (with a pit stop in Växjö, bringing back nice memories!). Hopefully the weather sweetened in time to leave me out of troubles (yet -5°C at dawn, no winter tires).

7h drive — 8h ferry — 6h drive

I moved in my old apartment but with two new flatmates: an master student from Germany and an erasmus student from Spain. Being back in Sweden feels great! It made me realized a few stuff I missed when I was away:

the nature and landscapes — forest and lakes all around, red wooden houses and moose-crossing signs...
the silence!
the darkness at night — even more in the current winter season.
the white snow — not the typical dirty-grey snow from city centers.
not understanding all the Swedish —I'm glad I skip the gossips from my bus-neighbors.
the burger buns from MAX.
Spotify.
the campus — big libraries, study rooms, cafés, the Internet broadband, etc.
the usual hint of cinnamon smell (and the kanelbullar).
the fresh and pure outdoor air.
köttbullar — although once in a while is enough!
the colorful sky at sunset in winter.
cycling on special paths.
Linköping, a human-sized town with all the advantages of a big city :)

Hitting the road...

ERASMUS - the bitter end

2013-01-30T19:44:00.000+01:00

Atomium, Brussels.

BLOCUS

The Belgian exam period, so-called blocus, is now over (at least for me). It's been difficult to study all my courses together. I felt my head was a big pot where I threw in all different kinda theoretical concepts. The thing is, I ended up with a big mixed soup!

Most of my exams were multiple-choice-questions, based on books, often written by the class professors themselves. Of course, it was highly specific. But they made it even harder! For instance, I was asked to choose the right statement among four propositions and to justify my choice for each statement. Quite confusing!

All in all, it's been a quite stressful period. I'm glad it's over! Obviously, I "enjoy" more the Swedish examination system: one course at a time. The exams themselves are harder (open questions and discussions) but there is less confusion. At least my schedule was clearer! Anyway, my exchange semester as an Erasmus student ended with my last exam.

UGENT

Among the six Belgian universities ranked in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking, I spent my semester at Universiteit Gent (World rank: 93rd).

Course code - Course name - ECTS credits

I was following 6 courses: Marketing Communication, Managing Service Organizations, Innovation & Technology Management, Financing High-Tech Entrepreneurial companies and Business-to-Business Marketing at the UGent and Strategic Human Resource Management at HogeSchool Gent.

If everything goes smoothly, I'll collect 32 ects credits which will be integrated in my master program at Linköping University (thanks to my Learning Agreement). Additionally, I had a Dutch class (4 ects credits) at UCT, but that was just "for fun"!

But all these data don't say much about my proper experience. Overall, I liked my exchange! Even though I've already studied some concepts before, the courses' content was interesting and for some, stimulating. However, I had trouble with Dutch. Meaning, a lack of English translation. Finding information on their online platform (Minerva) or from their emails was rather messy! During an exam, the teacher even gave the instructions in Dutch. No English!

More critics? I found the professors inaccessible (I had two appointments with a teacher who didn't show up! On the third one, he was busy on the phone for 20mn. I gave up.); I missed feedback from them: 3 months after an assignment, still no grades (counting for 40% of the final grade); and I found bizarre that most of them ask the students to buy their own published books (e.g. I'd have to pay 70€ for a book!).

Nevertheless, I had the chance to meet great people outside the classrooms. That's what matters!

MASTER THESIS

Game on! While I was studying for my exams at UGent, my SMIO classmates at Linköping University were attending the introductory seminars on the Master Thesis, since January 21st. The thesis kick-off is based on a book: Tricks of the Trade - how to think about your research while you're doing it (H.S. Becker, 1998) which gives us lots of examples about what to (not) write and most importantly, through the author's experience in social sciences.

The fourth and last semester of my SMIO program is fully dedicated to the master thesis. In pair of two students, we have to hand in our pre-final version by the end of April, and the final version by the end of May. Each group has a supervisor to provide some guidelines along the process. Our 50-70 pages document will then be evaluated on its problem consideration, structure and logic, theoretical support, frame of reference, research method, empirical data report, analysis, and conclusions. We'll also have to defend our final thesis in public seminars upon the final version.

Waffle bus, Brussels.

The last month has been quite overwhelming with exams and thesis work. Although I loved Belgium with the beers, the chocolate, the fries and the waffles. But, to live in Brussels, you gotta like grey. Then it's perfect for you. So many different nuances of grey that you'll never be bored. But I was!

I'm looking forward being back in Linköping, Sweden. I missed mother Nature, the coziness of the city center and the university facilities. I'll enjoy my final semester at LiU! I'll keep you updated under the thesis writing process ;)

Now, it's time to pack. It's a few hours drive to get to the ferry bringing us back to Sweden...

Tot ziens België!

Last Days of the Arctic - CINÉ ONU

2013-01-20T18:35:00.000+01:00

Photographer for the Iceland's biggest newspaper since 1976 and published in the National Geographic, LIFE, the Times, Le Figaro, etc. Ragnar Axelsson (RAX) has traveled the Arctic long enough to contribute with his best shots to an award-winning documentary: Last Days of the Arctic.

Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend an event organized by CINÉ-ONU, an initiative from the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) which offers free screenings of engaging films to raise awareness and involve us, European citizens in debates with UN or government officials and concerned personalities. The only thing to comply with, is sending an email to book a seat at the Goethe Institute in Brussels.

« The hunters of the North are a dying breed. »

Last Days of the Arctic

More than 200 photographs over the last three decades are combined in the documentary. Mainly composed with black and white images, the film tells a story: the everyday life of the local people living in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Most importantly, the aim is to focus on climate change and its impacts for the inhabitants.

The film is embedded in passion and respect for the hunter communities and their culture. Portraits and landscapes brought together intend to give the viewer an insight perspective on the life up-there.

To say the least: I loved it. Stunningly beautiful, yet sorrowful when I think of the forgotten population of the far North. No wonders why RAX won so many awards (for his photographs and more recently with the movie itself).

- How long are they going to survive? .

- What are the respective governments' positions?.
- What is RAX involvement with the locals? .

The screening was followed by a Q&A with RAX, Damien Degeorges (Arctic policy expert) and Lida Skifte Lennert (Director of Greenland Representation in Brussels).

Guess what!? You can watch the movie and make up your mind. Then, why not buy the related photography book (if available)?

Xmas 2012 - NYE 2013

2013-01-08T12:16:00.002+01:00

Xmas3

Unless you've been strictly living inside your flat for two and half months, without access to the radio, TV, or the Internet (which I doubt so) you probably noticed that Christmas was in town. This year in Brussels, there was no traditional christmas tree. With respect to the Muslim community (25,5% of the local population in 2008), they decided to try something new: a 24 meter-high electronic christmas tree made of steel, covered with wood and a screen. Its French designers (1024Architecture.net) called it the "Xmas3". During the day, visitors could climb up and enjoy a 360° view of the Grand Place for 4€. A music and light show sponsored by Electrabel (energy corporation) was taking place every-night in december, as part of the Winter Wonders (ending on January 6th).

- What about the 25.655 people who signed the online petition saying that forgoing the traditional tree is another example of the city making too many religious accommodations? (source)

- What about the Nativity scene with the Baby Jesus in a manger that remains at the bottom of the structure, is it still allowed? (source)

- What about the 8.130 € (benefits) donated to the Samusocial? (source)

- What about the 4% more hotel-rooms booked by tourists in Brussels, with a Xmas3 costing two-third less than a real tree? (source)

>> WHAT'S IT GONNA BE IN 2013?

That's how I left Brussels, before going home in Brittany, France to spend Christmas holidays in family. No luck with the weather. Clouds and rain almost everyday for 10 days. Lovely. At least I was used to it!

Sunrise in Île-Tudy (hometown).

Everyday was split between seeing friends and spending time with family. With lots of great food (oysters, foie-gras, chocolate, etc.), champagne and old red wines! It was rather intense. Finally I drove back to Brussels with friends, where we spent a few (crazy) days sightseeing around (Ghent & Brugge) and celebrating New Year's Eve 2013 (partly there).

However, everything has an end. Since before Christmas, the blocus (Belgium revision break) makes everything studious! All class-rooms, libraries, computer-rooms and others have been requisitioned as exam-rooms. No lectures/seminars anymore in January. It's time to pass my 6 exams (one per class) — plus orals. Quite some work to do then!

PS: I already passed my Dutch-for-exchange-students class at UCT (with 13/20), awarding me 4 ECTS credits!

Sorry we're closed

2012-12-14T19:58:00.000+01:00

Sandwiched between Brussels' Sablon area, the Great Synagogue and the Beaux-Arts Museum complex, “Sorry We’re Closed”, isn't a traditional art gallery. Opened in April 2005 by Sébastien & Rodolphe Janssen, it’s a project room, a white cube (350 x 350 x 350 cm), an ideal blank canvas set up to welcome all kinds of installations and permutations, inviting passers-by to take a peak, even at the darkest hours of night when the neighborhood seems empty.

Sean Landers.

Various artists exhibit their work for about a month and represent a good mix of local and international talent, all with unusual, contemporary voices. From November 8th to December 21th, it's Sean Landers turn. Coming from New York, he is best known for using his personal experience in his diverse work, so that each painting is sort of a self-portrait:

"Through the use of painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, writing, video and audio, regardless of the medium he chooses, he reveals the process of artistic creation through humor and confession, gravity and pathos. He blurs the lines between fact and fiction, reality and fantasy, sincerity and insincerity, while presenting a portrait of the artist’s consciousness. The twin strategies of personal material and formal multiplicity allow him to infiltrate his viewers’ consciousness with raw truths about contemporary society, and the art world in particular, frankly and fearlessly. A collateral effect is the viewers’ identification with the artist, which allows for a deeper understanding of themselves and their humanity."

His painting of a moose with a Scottish tartan instead of his fur is rather funny! Is the choice of this lonely animal supposed to reflect the author's feelings?

Since 2008, they opened the Gallery Rodolphe Janssen. This an exhibition space that allows the artist who invests the white cube to extend his/her exhibition. As Sean Landers does it until December 21th, so it's very good opportunity to discover worldwide artists, here in Brussels!

Rue de la Régence 65A

Inside fancy Brussels: Finger-food and violin concert

2012-12-05T13:42:00.003+01:00

Every year, the German state North Rhine-Westphalia organizes the Förderpreis (prize for young artists — under 35) since 1957. The laureate in the Music category (among painting, film, architecture, poetry, media art, and theater) for 2012, is Christina Brabetz, an 18 year old violinist. Not surprising for the winner of the TONALi 2010 Grand Prix of Hamburg. The Landesvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalen (in German: representative office of North Rhine-Westphalia) at the European Union cordially invited some important people — read parliamentarians, representatives, NGOs or... their lucky interns — to a festive violin concert. It took place yesterday in the Theater de Vaudeville (downtown Brussels).

I was among the few non-German (speaking) persons there.

This kind of events is perfect for interns (regardless your interests: social, law, politics, etc.) to meet key persons and possibly make contact with organizations. You better come equipped and ready: suit-up (tie mandatory), bring your cartes de visite, and don't come with an empty stomach or you'll savagely jump on the ladies with the food tray. And that's rude!

Seriously, interns usually only stay between 3 to 6 months in an organization in Brussels. But what's next? Most NGOs don't have the fundings to hire them. That's why it's critical to mingle with important people dressed-up with ties. To keep you up at your highest level of social skills, there are these bottles of Champagne rosée and plenty of delicious finger-foods everywhere. I must have had like 20 of them (snacks)!

The concert itself was great! Christina felt like inspired when she was playing the violin. The marvelous theater created a cozy atmosphere in which the public intimately listened to the artist (joined by the pianist Christian Köln on the Steinway & Sons instrument) interpreting Tartini, Beethoven, Brahms & Saint-Saëns for 90mn. I'm sure my senior neighbor didn't mean to be offensive when he fell asleep. As someone said that night:

"In Brussels, you become fat, lazzy, and unthanksful because of getting use to be served everything on a silver plate".

Anyway, really good music! The party continued with wines of the two last colors. Yet, invitees appeared rather hungry as they threw themselves towards the food. These cheese-balls were worth a fight though. A chilled atmosphere reigned until the end of this evening of leisure. Contacts have been made, lunchs have been booked, invitations sent over e-mail, interns got free food/drink; everybody got their own objectives reached.

Complain about it!

2012-12-04T11:55:00.001+01:00

How many times have you ever heard someone complain about an advertising campaign, whether it is in the metro, in the newspaper, on TV, or whereverelse? Me, a lot. When advertisers don't respect Consumer Sovereignty (in terms of vulnerability, information and choice), the advert could be shocking for ethical reasons (stereotype, vulnerable target group, controversial image, offensive ad, playing with people's fear, misleading, manipulation, false promises, wrong information, etc.). Let me tell you what Belgians can do:

Complain about it

to the Jury of advertising ethics (in French: the Jury d'Ethique Publicitaire - JEP) in Brussels, Belgium. This self-regulating organ (advertising and marketing self-regulation is a system by which the advertising, marketing, agency and media industry set voluntary rules and standards of practice that go beyond their legal obligations) of the Belgian advertising sector was created in 1974 by the Advertising council (Conseil de la Publicité) whose members are advertisers, communication agencies and media.

"To get the customers' trust, the ad must be healthy and responsible". JEP

The JEP is actually responsible for reviewing advertising messages in the medias, so that they comply with the rules of advertising ethics, which are based on laws and self-regulatory codes. It has a twofold mission:

It investigates complaints from the customers themselves (us) filled on their website or by postal mail, and not from companies or organizations with commercial purposes.
It deals with requests for advice which are freely submitted by advertisers, communication agencies and media.

The Commission on Marketing and Advertising from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which meets twice a year and examines major marketing and advertising related policy issues introduced a Code of Advertising and Marketing Communication Practice in 1937. This self-regulation has served as the foundation and cornerstone for the codes of most self-regulatory systems around the world. It also promotes high standards of ethics in marketing, which something I think is important to regulate. Unfortunately, it seems quite hard to keep up with new practices.

In countries with self-regulatory systems, e.g. the JEP in Belgium, the public can complain about an offensive ad. It is the only thing one can do to have it banned of the streets for good ;)

However, some companies use shocking ads to make people react. And it works! I'd say that advertising and marketing communications can be used to something else than making profits with false arguments.

TOTEM - Franky Verdickt @ A&Gallery

2012-11-20T10:05:00.002+01:00

Since I discovered Angels & Ghosts Gallery in Ghent, I follow their diverse activities. Aside from photo exhibitions, the gallery owners Wouter Van Vaerenbergh and Ben Van Alboom publish the newspapers Not Another Graphic Designer and The A&Gazette (already 4 editions). A month ago, Elisabeth Ouni was exhibiting 'A Polaroid Story', which I really liked. Now, A&Gallery hosts Franky Verdickt.

Franky Verdickt is a photographer based in Brussels, who graduated in 2007 with a Master in Photography (with honors) from the school of visual arts Sint Lukas Brussels. The same year, he traveled to Amsterdam to receive the prestigious Photo Academy Award. In July 2007, he joined Photolimits — a Belgian based platform for documentary photography. Five years of exhibitions in Beijing, Paris, Madrid and Copenhagen: Franky Verdickt is now exhibiting 'Totem' in A&Gallery, a project way more engaged than documentary photography!

‘True, but I really can’t be bothered with labels. I like taking photographs – and that includes experimenting with different styles and techniques. I guess it’s like being able to speak more than one language. I’m sure some people are perfectly fine only speaking Dutch for the rest of their lives but I also like to communicate in French or English. I look at photography in the same way: one minute I’m shooting construction workers for a documentary project, the next I point my camera in a different direction to take a photograph for Totem. I feel it’s okay for a photographer to do that. In fact, I wish more photographers did. A lot of them are just tak- ing the same pictures over and over again – not even slightly embracing the possibilities photography has to offer but calling themselves artists nonetheless. Seriously, for photography to be art, you’re required to do something with it.’

Franky Verdickt
source: A&Gazette Vol. II, n.2

For his project, the photographer went to China, Egypt and Brazil over 3 years, pursuing his obsession with how people build homes:

‘I find it fascinating how our lives are so gravely effected by the place where we live yet a lot of people rely on big developers to build them a house or an apartment. Oh, but don’t worry: the brochure said the new place will be so you and I guess a lot of those houses and apartments actually do have everything a person requires. So how come they feel so cold and empty?
Take the hutongs in Beijing per example: one day you’re living in a community where everybody knows your name, then the government forces you out of your home to build an enormous apartment building where you get to spend the rest of your life not knowing anybody. True, you got a new house — nice and clean; and let’s not forget there’s air-conditioning — but often there’s a huge difference between a house and a home.’

Franky Verdickt

source: A&Gazette Vol. II, n.2

Don't be mistaken then: a home is not a house.

Totem emphasizes a global reality today. Real estate businesses (both public and private) are throwing people our of their own homes, to put them in a new house. On the long-term, these new residential buildings are more expensive than their former homes because of multiple reasons (augmented services which the new residents never asked for). Eventually, they have to move out of their new house, leaving their spot for richer people.

Homeless in their house.

Who is responsible then: the governments? the real estate agencies?

All exhibited prints are for sale; signed and numbered by Franky Verdickt.
- See A&Gallery staff for more information or send an email to email(at)angels-ghosts.com.

From November 8th until 24th, 2012 (11am - 6pm) at Schepenhuisstraat 17, 9000 Ghent.

Photo exhibition: MONTAGUE & CAPULET - The triumph of feelings by Ava Llorente

2012-11-15T12:33:00.000+01:00

The gay and lesbian rights in France is an ongoing debate. It seriously became official last week with the Same-Sex Marriage Draft-Bill, supposedly put to Parliament in January 2013 (this 3 months period might be extended if the public debate is still strong in early 2013). However, in Belgium the same-sex marriage is legal since 2003 (becoming the second country in the world to legalize it at the time)! Two countries geographically close but culturally separated by a ten-year gap?

Belgian LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) associations organize a bunch of various activities throughout the country. In Brussels, the Rainbow House provides information and a café open to all to meet in a warm atmosphere for the French and Flemish speaking communities in the capital. One of their initiatives is a photo exhibition called Montague & Capulet - The The triumph of feelings.

Title obviously inspired from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet tragedy, the exhibition takes place in the FNAC Brussels, Avenue de la Toison d'Or, from November 9th to 30th, 2012:

I flew over these walls with the light wings of love. Stone walls can’t keep love out. Whatever a man in love can possibly do, his love will make him try to do it. - William Shakespeare.

I got interested in this exhibition because it aimed to capture the daily life of homosexual couples in Brussels. On the second floor of the FNAC (Toison d'Or), there was 20 pictures on the walls. There weren't much people but I really liked the work the artist Ava Llorente has made.

More than 400 years have passed since Shakespeare wrote these lines, but contrary to what one might think, the walls he evoked remain intact for many people around the world.According to their country, they risk imprisonment or even the death penalty. They are discriminated against, humiliated, persecuted, beaten, raped and murdered. Their only crime in the eyes of society and eyes of the state: to love someone of the same sex.
In Europe today, being gay is not a crime. The Netherlands and Belgium were the leaders in the fight against homophobia. However, do not think that one can live with his love without having to hide: homosexuality remains among the old taboos having a hard life. This is not because the law prohibits discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation that people minds are changing at the same pace.
Even today, two men or two women holding hands in public are sufficient to hear comments fusing. Stupid sex remarks in the best case, physical attacks or insults in more severe cases. And sometimes the irreparable.

However, these people want nothing more than to live their lives peacefully and live their love. Two soulmates who have found each other and want to share their daily lives. Nothing more simple, nothing more than natural.

This exhibition aims to share with you, moments of the daily life of these lovers. Daily life impregnated with concerns and aspirations that we all share: to live with a loved one, to build its nest, a lifelong commitment. In short, nothing could be more normal for two people who love each other. Except that this morality is - for now - inaccessible for millions of people around the world.

The wings of their love unfold as it will pass through the walls, until the day when these limits are no longer stone.

Ava Llorente

Bruno and Thierry have
taken
the plunge and
moved in together.

It only needed a few finishing touches like flowers for their new home.

It's been 6 years Patrick and Jacques live together.
Some habits are installed in their daily lives.
This is in turn, for example they choose the music they listen to at home.
Patrick has a degree in Japanese energy healing,
which is very nice for Jacques who can enjoy professional massages at home.

Raped by boys of her village in Senegal and then beaten by the man to whom she was married by force, Aminata took refuge in Belgium. She met Thiony who is expecting papers. Taking from their love the force needed to move on, they hope to begin a new life in Europe. To prepare Aminata has resumed her studies. By fear, the two women asked not to mention their real names.

Both Fatou and Diagne have fled their home country, Senegal, and met in Belgium. Still waiting for papers, they are forced to live in poverty. If their asylum application because of homosexuality is rejected by the judge, they will be forced to return to their country. A country which punishes homosexuality with sentences of five years in prison and where homosexuals are subject to rejection and violence on a daily basis.

Would that mean that some Belgian minds didn't change yet even though the law prohibits sexual-orientation discrimination since 10 years? Apparently yes. But you can't force people to think. Hum, this 10-years gap again! We're all human after all. This exhibition puts the light on a fight that's far from over: LGBT rights in Europe. France, you're next. Thanks to Rainbow House and Ava Llorente.

Check out the exhibition yourself within 2 more weeks!

Belgian cuisine: Fritkot Festival in Brussels

2012-11-15T10:29:00.000+01:00

I told you already, the fries business is serious in Belgium. No wonders why there are so much 'Fritkots' (of 'Friteries') in Brussels. Cravers can even get an app to find the best 49 Fritkots in Brussels! But there is more to it...

Brussels' year-long food festival is as ambitious and wacky as the name – Brusselicious – suggests, with events taking place everywhere from a gourmet tram to a restaurant suspended above the city, not to mention a tour of the best frites in town.

- John Brunton, The Guardian.

Why the Belgian chips, miscalled French fries, are better than anywhere else? Probably because it's a passion. And also because they're prepared in a very specific way:

- Use Bintje potatoes;
- hand-peeled & -cut them into sticks (size? about the girth of a lady's finger);
- use 100% beef fat;
- fry them at 160°C until they're pale but cooked through;
- leave them to drain and cool down;
- re-fry at 175 °C until golden and crispy.

(Source: CamberraTimes.com)

With Brusselicious 2012, the Brussels-Capital Region has decided to showcase every step of the gourmet journey — from product ingredients to the finished delight on our plate. That's why they organize different events as the Fritkot Festival from November 1st until December 4th 2012.

This is a celebration of the Belgian product that the Frenchies love so much that they even try to make it their own. Anyway, by picking up an empty cone in one of the VisitBrussels tourist offices or getting one through street-marketing in airports, train stations or traffic lights; the consumers can then go to one of the 20 participating fritkots (see map below) and get the cone filled with fries for 1€.

People often queue up there, mouths watering in anticipation, before finally getting hold of their paper cones overflowing with golden, salted and crispy fries. Of course, they often add a large dollop of sauce. The first bite is followed by a blissful silence, which speaks volumes for the quality of the occasion.

The point is also to vote for the best fritkot in Brussels, which will then be awarded a weird cone full of people legs. Kinda conceptual. But it might serve as a eye-catching attraction for the lucky fritkot. Each voting consumer has a chance to win a party for him/her and 20 friends at the winning fritkot ;)

FRITERIE MARTIN

For me (and the Lonely Planet), one of the best fritkot in Belgium was Fritland. But it isn't participating in the festival. So, I wanted to try out the Friterie Martin, supposed to be nearby my flat, at Place Saint-Josse. It is a very famous institution created in 1931, which Martin Aspers took over in 1970...until he closed down in 2009 (the poor man was 70 years old), which created a shock for the locals. The thing is that he was pealing his bintje potatoes himself, giving his fries a golden color and a crispy and podgy taste, but never too salty! Eventually in 2011, Zoila Palma Altamirano, a 37 years old Ecuadorian woman (moved in Belgium in 2003) fulfilled all the specific requirements (appropriate training, type of oil and potatoes used, the accompaniments, etc.) of the paper posted on the fritkot by the Saint-Josse Municipality which wanted to keep the Friterie Martin open, as it is considered a Saint-Josse tradition (source: Lalibre.be).

Palma and the other participants for the launch of the Fritkot Festival.
Oct. 23rd, 2012 - Place Royale. Photo © EDanhier

However, if you look for Friterie Martin on the Place St-Josseplein as stated on Brusselicious website, you won't find anything but Friterie St-Josse - Chez Palma. Here she is! Palma, serves her fries with other accompaniments (as the traditional frikandel) to the people used to the old Martin. One night, I finally went there with a big hunger! I was delighted.

Fries from "Chez Palma".

Although it was cheap, it tasted really good. And Palma was really nice! She made the waiting time a bit shorter than usual. Of course, she uses sauces from the famous quality brand "La William", as lots of other fritkots. As a good neighbor but mostly because it deserves it, I voted for Friterie Martin, alias Chez Palma (it's becoming harder and harder to follow, right?) for the best fritkot ;) I wanna go back there with 20 friends!

Obama should pay a visit to one of the 5,000 Fritkots in Belgium?