Sweden - Day 3 + 4

Due to the unavailability of internet, updating the blog was not possible yesterday! (apology to readers, if there are any!)

Yesterday and today proved to be some very adventurous and fun filled days. We had some presentations, after which we met the Head of the Social Science programme and discussed and spoke about various topics under the sun! We also ate a typical cake called Semla, which is eaten specifically yesterday, cause its called the FAT TUESDAY, as its the day prior to the lent fest.

thats Semla... with loads of cream and you need to find your own way to eat it!

In the afternoon, the amazing staff who takes care of us, arranged for us meetings with students and other people who could give us more information about our personal project. I was with the class constituting only of immigrants who were learnign swedish and the swedish societal sysem. It was amazing, and at the same time upsetting to here some of the stories which they had to share, but it was definately an experience worth remembering. I also met a girl, originally from Afganistan, and we found it easy to communicate in Urdu-Hindi. I got a banana as a gift from her :)

We left for the before hand planned camp and it began amazingl with all of us cooking! There was rice, chicken curry and vegetable curry (for information regarding that, contact our head vegetarian chef, Sara) The camp continued with some funny games to get the group together, musical chair, touch the chair in the middle and then 10@74 game invented by the Indians in the train from Östersund - Göterberg about the caste system. It worked well (lucky us!!!) After playing idli-vada-coffee, we decided to give us some sleep at around 00.00.

Today, after one presentation about India, we had discussion about the cultural differences between the two countries. It was amzing hearing what these students had to say about different issues. Some points which we talked about even made me and them think - Are there way too many oppurtunities in their country here? Does that make it more difficult to choose an occupation? How much do we value the power to say NO? Do they feel the need to have a strnger religion system? What do I think of the differences of the cultures here? Will arrange marriage be accepted by Swedish youth? Immigrants and their integration into the society... we went on for nearly and hour and everyone of us left thinking about something or the other! Then we left for ice skating. It turned out better than any of us expected. The falls were minimal, and it was not hard to stand on the ice, as we thought it would be. Our professional instructors - Mattias, Åsa and Sara were the best in helping us out.

After a quick dinner, we left to watch the Bollywood Exhibition which was very intersting and for a change, at that time, we (indians) acted as guides :) It was not just movies, but bollywood songs and dances, Hindu Gods and Goddess's statutes done beautiful and a brief detailing of the same given.

This picture is of one of the walls where many Bollywood films' posters were put up.

at the Bollywood exhibition...

It was great two days of thinking and loads of perspectives,interaction and definately loads of fun. In all, Lerum has been one great experience - be it interactions, be it talking about our country, be it meeting some amazing people, be it having some amazing discussions.

Tomorrow is our last morning in Lerum, and then we are off to Malmö.

Sweden - Day 2

The day couldn't have been more fun and amazing. After waking up and being a part of a swedish birthday celebration in the morning ( Sanna's younger brother) we left to the school and all of us met again. We were introduced in the teacher meeting to the whole school and to my surprise, I found this school bigger than i expected it to be - 150 teachers and around 1600 students - well, that was loads when I thought about the schools I saw and went to for my praksis in Norway. After a brief introduction, we were at work - preparing for presentations, doing the last minute works, etc. In all, I think we had 8-10 presentations which were divided amongst us. It was great, especially due to the response we got from the students. Inquisitive, questions, comments - all acted as a motivation for us to talk about our country, our host organisation and presenting different topics. We covered mainly India, CSA (our host organisation), religion in India, Indian politics ans economy, a brief importance of Mahatma Gandhi, gender roles in India and the concept of love and marriage. It was amazing standing their talking about your country, and it couldn't have felt better talking to groups who were interested in hearing you. We had different questions which made the sessions more interesting - about the caste system, what happens if you want to marry a person from a different religion, is pre-marital sex ok in India, culture shocks after being in a scandanavian country, etc., etc..

After a small discussion, conversation with Mattias about the differences in the cultures across the world, the level of tolerance, the economic development and also the economic segregation of countries on the basis of availability of resources, the education system in Sweden, India and Norway, we both decided to part ways meet at 7.30pm for a very Swedish concept of exercise, something called friske and svettis - and what is that - well, its one hour of vigorous training with music and some what like aerobics. It was funny and tiring and an experience which nearly all of us are bound to remember. It is a very swedish concept to get people together, and also at the same time concentrate on having a healthy body and life.
That was seriously fun.

And now I am waiting for tomorrow - overnight camp with students who plan to go to Bangalore this november..that should mean more fun, more discussions and more interesting perspectives.

sweden - Day 1

Its 5.45pm now, and the day is almost to an end, and I cant believe it. I think the name of this blog should be changed to 'quickly passing days...Hmmmm... Well, the four Indians right now are in Sweden and the two guatemalans in Fyresdal. Its probably the first time (except our vacations) that that 6 FKs are not together.

So, we are in Sweden after a very long train journey which began yesterday at 1.25 from röra, then to trondheim, then to Östersund, and then to Götterberg. We were recieved by the very sweet Mattias, äsa and Lina who are the staff of the swedish school which plans to send some of its students to India and to Christ University. It was amazing spending the day just walking and looking around in a very amazing weather with loads of sun :) Met Sara, who is planning to go to India and had very many small conversations about food, religion and differences in culture.
Then met my host family (in lärum) Sana, who is also planning to go to India and went to a bowling evening so that we could meet all the others as well.

After just one day (not even literally one day) Sweden seems different from Norway... but dont ask me how, but it just feels different. Its more old here.. as in the house and the look of it, though some places looks way too developed, people are more comfortable talking english (atleast the ones we met.. it may also be cause they know we dont know swedish).
But one thing remains the same - people here are also extra and super sweet :)

This was just the first day which has made most us excited about our further stay here. Lets see.

fredskorpset 2008-09

thats us in Trondheim :)

praksis and more...

Well, it was a special and long day, and for reasons way too many to mention here. Sitting in the hagestua, or the internet room, I realised again how time is flying. Well, its already 20th February (and in 2 and a half hours, it will be 21st). Time is flying, and no doubts that I've begin to realise it and feeling a little sad... Not sad about coming back (well, i'm waiting to see those familiar faces back home) but sad of leaving these people behind whom I've been close to in the past (soon) 6months..
lets leave that thought for now...

Today was the last day of my Praksis in Inderøy Ungdomskole and it ended with a smile on my face, and some sweet memories and thoughts. We had Action Day today, something which started last year, and we continued it this year and something which actually made us a little tensed as we wondered how it would be, but it went great. Made indian food (trust me.. it was loads of food making), watched Water, had a discussion about it, spoke about CSA and India, had culturals for the occasion, and said a bye to many people there.

It felt beautiful when Frida came up and told that she'll miss seeing me around, it was sweet when the teacher (whom I do not know the name of) came up and said, ''Its not your last day.. you're here till June, so you have to come visit us'', it felt nice when Nils gave me a hug and said that he'll miss talking to me...
What relation do I have with these people? I just had Praksis in this school for a little over a month, three days a week.. thats all. Its amazing when I see how people can be.. especially, to a stranger like me.

I first wondered why we have this Praksis and even remember enquiring with Ms. I about the same, but now realised that subtly, so many thoughts have came into my mind, and so many experiences, experienced. And it is true, you learn more when you have different things around you, especially a whole different society, a whole different system and some amazing people.

Thank you Inderøy Ungdomskole for that sweet welcome and that beautiful farewell.
I will come visit again :)

Now, I am off to Sweden.

one of the many beautiful sunsets in this part of the world...

                                 

DÁLLOJ GÅ MÅN LIDJIV

Dálloj gå mån lidjiv nav vuonnak ja mánná,
aktu mån vellahiv sun asken.
Dálla lav mån nav stuorre gå balvva,
iv gåjt de sjiehta das suv asskáj.

Karen Urheim

This is a Samme song which says a that when I was small I used to lie in my mother's lap. But now Iam big like a cloud and cannot any more lie in her lap.

my fellow fk

I felt a little ashamed when I asked about guatemalan history in details to C with whom I am literally living for the past 5months and who comes from Guatemala. 5 months and I just remained ignorant about it. Well, today I wake up. I'm sitting in hagestua (the Internet room) and she's on the next computer and we are talking about Guatemalan history, something which is disturbing for her, I can see that in the way she talks about and in her eyes.

Guatemala had a civil war from 1960 to 1996, but she says its not over yet. She says people still kill each other, more due to the usage of narcotics in her country. Its difficult to live there, even though its my home she says in norsk. It was a war between the government and the indigenous person from Guatemala, mainly the Maya people, and she is one of them. In 1996, they signed the peace agreement between the government and the guerrilla forces to maintain peace. So, why did they fight for 36 years and kill each other? It all agravated with a man called Rios Montt came into power after a coup. This man declared to kill all the indeginious people of Guatemala. he was accused of military massacres of civilians, but nothing happened against him He lives peacefully now in Guatemala, she says with anger in her voice.

The country was divided into two- the local civilian defence patrols of the government or the guerrillas and they fought with each other. One group faught to supress an unarmed group, while the other fought for its rights as a human beings. My grandmother was killed because of this due to this war, she said. Its not that great a situation now as well, she tries making me understand. The government still is in the hunt for the guerrillas, she says. The US presented as if there was no need for UN intervention during that time, but now UN is there, working and helping. They are working now, yes they do, but now... we needed them more many years ago, she says in norsk.

I dont know how she felt after talking about all this, cause she and her family being Maya indeginious themselves faced those injustices. Du trenger også å leser om revolution (you also need to read about the revolution)
Det skal jeg gjøre :)
(that I shall do...)

Gandhism, democracy, rwanda...

Its amazing when you can hear about something you live everyday from someone else’s point of view, gives you the opportunity to know where you stand and what does the ‘other’ think about it. It was somewhat a same experience sometime back when a Swedish was talking about India and concentrating on Mahatma Gandhi.

It was to my surprise that I entered the auditorium with these big banners of Mahatma Gandhi and his views, his philosophy, his experience in South Africa, Satyagraha, Non-violence, civil disobedience, all explained in brief. And what surprised me more was that it was in English. He was introduced as the Master of Gandhi in Norway and that he had just returned from India after teaching about Gandhi to Indians. That part of the introduction definitely caught my attention.

He started with the philosophy of democracy and different aspects and his perspectives about the very same. He even questioned the democratic functioning of the very same school he was standing and addressing us. Interesting, I thought. He spoke a lot about the different manners in which people still use the Gandhi way of doing things but in just a manipulated way, but the basic idea was Gandhi way. He said talked about different ideologies, which I think were his, many of them like, the greatest thing to democracy is civil obedience and the reasons why we obey rules and do not question anything. It was interesting when he spoke about that cause I realized how obedient I am (not boasting about myself, but thinking generally). And also, one point that struck me is that its not that easy to question certain unjust laws, it requires courage and guts, and common lets accept it, not many of us have it.

The most humorously interesting part of his talk was when he concentrated on a concept called as Global Democracy, where in democracy was established on a global level. He took an example and mentioned that if that was to happen and it came to representatives from each country, and say, I representative for every 10million people, China would have the highest representatives in a Global Parliament with 132, India following with 116, next will be USA with 30 and he reached Norway, which will have 0. He made most of the people sitting in that auditorium think about who controls all of us in this world, when it comes to business, arms, trade, etc.  Minorities suffer, whether regionally, nationally and even internationally. He made me think about a tag which my country proudly holds, ‘’The world’s largest democracy’’… Do we really have a democratic functioning or do we just talk about it and it’s there just at the outer level?

Something which I carried myself back from his talk was one specific sentence he emphasized on, its easier to critise something, presenting different alternatives is what is important and needs to be concentrated upon. Something I am thinking about.

I waited eagerly for the next speaker, cause he was someone who has with him memories he says were the most painful ever. He is from Rwanda and works with the International Tribunal for Rwanda situated in Arusha, Tanzania, which is dealing with the presecution of those convicted during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. He grabbed my attention more cause I had dome a project, 2 months back, about Rwanda and the genocide. He gave us the general idea of the tribunal and the way it functions and constituents and then moved ahead to his personal testimony of working in the Tribunal itself. He referred to himself as an international; citizen’ who withdrew himself from the tag of being a Rwandan during the trial. He was honest in confessing that it was not easy for him to see his countrymen being accused of some of the most horrifying crimes convicted to the mankind instigated by discrimination.

We explored more domains during that session with the help of a quick question answer round. When one of us asked him how it was after the killings which left 800000 million dead in just 100 days, he said that after that massacre, everyone was ‘hopeful’. He mentioned the fact that after the genocide and the atrocities, the country was completely empty, but the people had a hope. He mentioned how there was no money in the banks, people didn’t have cars to go to work, and they did not have salaries as the end of the months, but still, every Rwandan woke up and went to work with a hope. It was a story that made me think about how much a human kind is possible to do. The extremes it can go to – to destroy his own kind, and at the same time ,have the courage to build and start from the scratch, be it in Rwanda after the genocide against Hutus and Tutsis, or in Combodia after the Khmer Rouge.

It was an afternoon I shall remember.

For the very many interesting people I met.

For the very many thoughts that arose in my mind.

For the very many talks and conversations I shared with people today about the related topics.

And for the day when I realized again that it’s hard dude! Its hard to even just survive sometimes, so if you and me are surviving and living a life, lucky you and me! 

fengsel experience!

It was a little of a strange experience to visit the 'fengsel' or jails here. Well, I haven't been to one in my own country, and here i was 13 hours from there visiting the different types of fengsel. I was excited to go there, and wanted to see how it is there but never had any expectations.

The first one we visited was called Tunga and was the jail which was supposed to be more closed than the others. The inmates (as they refer to, as they avoid the usage of the term prisoners ) were supposed to be in their single rooms for 23 hours of the day, and they had only one hour outside that small room of hteirs which had a small tv, a bed, and a writing table and a window. During this one hour, they could play in the football field, go the gym hall or socialise with the others, but that 1 hour a day was all what they were allowed. It was a little strange for me to know that there were inmates in that jail who were actualyl waiting for sentence from the court and were not yet convicted. They are there cause the society considers them harmful for the functioning and wish that they are behind bars for the betterment of the entire society. Also, what was worth appreciation was different programems for these inmates. An inmate, after a certain period, could apply for a module, wherein he can go to the 'in-house' school which gave you a legal graduation, or learn some form of work like mechanics, carpentry, or other things. A way to make them equiped to go out and live when they get the chance to. Also, for different kinds of crimes, there were different ways of dealing. There were seperate counselling and other programmes for people who were convicted under murder charges, for those who were charged for sexual harrassmaent, etc.  

This was one. The next two which we visited were moreover similar, though had minor differences. The next two were the more open jails, that is, they could go out in the mornings for their jobs but have to come back to this jail, at a particular time which is decided by the authorities, and sleep there. So, one actually lives there. And in these jails, if its a child who is in jail, he can go to a regualar school, and dothe normal thigns but has to come back to the jail before 5 or 6pm. And also, not everyone gets to go to these open jails. For example, if Mr. A has been given 21 years sentence (by the way, thats the longest sentence anyone gets, they do not have capital punishment here), he might stay in the 'strict' jail for 15 years, and then apply for the 'open' jails. If his behavior and other things have been fine in these past 15years, then he is shifted to these open jails. Also, in these open jails, if one has the permission, he/she can go for overnight stays ans visits to their families and can also recieve overnight visits as these jails have specially made appartments for accomodating visitors.

There were many things which came up in my mind while and after visiting these jails.

Firstly, was the facilities provided to these criminals. I kept asking why was so much facilities being provided to people who probably killed someone. And I remember Ms. I telling me that they believe here that if you give bad facilities and no food and other related things, you are not helping in making or improving that person. They aim over here to help the person come out of what he did, and make him a better person for the society. Bad handling and facilities might just make him more rebellious to the society. The programmes and other counselling serivices was a part of this for helping him/her.

Secondly, was the concept of these open jails. I kept wondering why anyone will let out criminals in the morning and let them come back and sleep in the jail! What kind of punishement is this? Well, I got another answer for that from Ms. I. Well, she was of the view that if we ket these inmates inside isolation with no social contact for 21 years or any number of years, and then suddenly let them free after those years and expect them to fit back into the society, how practical are we thinking? Its going to be way too hard for a person to get back into the social setup after being completely cut off from it for a number of years! The open jails act as this process of helping them to get back to the society, as a process.

So, now probably I'm a little less surprised seeing pool tables, a big flat screen tv, washing machines to clean clothes and also the facility to iron it, and coke and juice machines in a jail. 

Also, it was intersting to know that people who work in these fengsel/ jails have to go through a special schooling in these for 3 years, only then you can be employed. And we met people who have been working in these jails for 30 years! And thats a long time.. and when we asked how he felt working in a place like that for 30 years, he just said that it was worth it. He said that he felt relived when he met people who were in these jails and now live a completely normal and happy life and often came visiting him to know how he was.

All was a process.
And thats what they believe and focus here,
its a process which needs time and attention, and it should be given that time and attention.

hjem kjære hjem!

Thats been our home for the past 5 months now... A place that gives you such beautiful memories, and some amazing people of your life.

Far away!!

'leaving leaving all the day
leaving leaving far away.


boring boring boring all the day
boring boring boring far way.


Waitng waiting all the day
waiting waiting far away.'



Finally all our friends are coming back and also the lively atmosphere. And all our boring days are gonna end.



Yeh!!!!:) :) :) :) :).......ohooo!!!

No Grades!!

'Its hard to imagine schools without exams atleast for us. But everything that is out of our imagination cannot be out of existance!!'



Yes, Norwegian schools till the 10th grade do not have exams, no grading system! It was surprising for me to know this and i wondered how does the education ensures that the children acquire of what they are suppose to. When I asked this to one of the teacher at the school, she told me that exams are not the only way to make this happen. There are other ways for example: making them realize, helping them in things they have problems with, having a good contact with them,building up their creativity,etc which are very important for the all round development of a child.


Now, when I say no grading system I mean that they are not marked on how much they have acquired. They have tests to see their progress. And for for subjects like social science and natural science, they check on whether the child has understood the concept and not just the 'definitions'.


This reminds me of my school days when i had to memorize the definitions sometimes without understanding it. Everytime we had tests, we used to be more interested in the marks the other person got.


Ofcourse, it has its own disadvantages. Of what i have observed: some of them take it very lightly thinking it wont make a difference, low competence level which is very necessary in the society, sometimes its hard for teachers to make sure everything is understood.


The point is not to debate about the education systems but to accept and adopt some of it into one anothers in trying to make it better.

. -Afreen

utdanning sytem | education system

Praksis is leading to many intersting viewpoints and thought, and also those sudden random conversations with Sharath and Carlos.

The education system is completely different here from what is back in India. There might be some similarities but due to the way it is executed here and the importance given to it, the education system in India seem to just have loop holes which seem right now very difficult to cover up.

Like Norway, even we have free education for all children till the age of 14 years in government schools, but how much of it is it implimented? How many parents back home prefer sending their children to government schools? I find a lot of differences here, and not everything is positive in light for me.

Education in free here. Completely free. The government gives one a school with nearly all the facilties one requires, books, pens, etc. You ask it and they give it.
To just get a better picture, some basic facts here...

Schools are divided into three levels:
1. Barneskole (Primary school from Grade I to VII)
2. Ungdomskole ( Secondary school from Grade VIII to X)
3. Videragånde (High School)

Its is compulsory here to go to school till the secondary school, and then you can decide whether you want to go to high school or not. Some even opt out as its also easy here to get a job without high school (some basic jobs). In high school, one can choose to either have the regular studies or have some vocational studies. Yes, vocational education starts here from the High school, so one can study to be a nurse, dancer, carpenter, mechanics,etc from the high school. Then , if you plan to fo ahead with studies and do your university, you need to take one extra yesr in the high school which prepares one for the university. So, high school can also be 3 years, depending on the interest of the student.

The most striking concept here i thought was the respect given to each and every form of work. It did not mind if you were a mechanic, or a carpenter and you studied that and ended up choosing that as your profession. Back home, I dont know how many parents will be encouraging to their children who want to take up carpentry, or something like car mechanics. The respect given to each person is same- its not divided and its not determined by your job. You are respected for whichever kind of work you do - no work or job or occupation is less than the other, it is equally important - thats what it is like here. And this principle is instilled from the school life itself.

There are no exams till the 10 grade, as here it is believed that social group of a child is more important for his development. All children pass every year, and stay in the same class, cause they belive children should always be with their same age group as they understand themselves better and also grow better with peer groups of the same age.

Also, something different here was the was children, who were specially abled, being intergrated to the normal scheme of things. There were many kids whom I saw during my praksis had some or the other form of challenges, but there they were with the same age group of children, with the same class, without having to be admitted in a special school. This helped that student understand people around him better, and also the other students, for knowing how to be sensitive and normal with people of special abilities.

But there were some points and phases which caught my attention and istill dont know whether its in positive light or negative.

1. There were times when we saw 3 to 4 teachers in a classroom. And sharath and me wondered why they were required. Yes, special teachers were present with the students who needed special attention, but sometimes, there were just too many teachers there.

2. I realised atleast one thing that the way education is imparted here is way too different than what it is back home. More importance is given to individual work here rather than a teacher telling or giving you the information and the usual way how it is back home.

3. The respect given to teachers. I have no comments about it, cause sometimes it just makes me feel weird when a student talks some way to his teacher. Its cause from where I come from, so its a little weird for me to see a student actualyl blasting his head of on a teacher and realyl yelling at her.

4. Education here is in Norwegian - mathematics, science, history, everything .They have only English language class (where also most of them speak 90% time in norwegian) and also an option in Secondary school when you choose foregin language. At that time you can choose something called here as 'Engelsk fordypning' which means getting deeper into english, and that can be a third language. This probably also has an affect to the level of english they know. Well, I have seen many norwegians here who speak perfect english and more fluently than me, but english is not their preferred language of conversation (which makes it a little difficult for people like us in the first few months when we know not a single word of norwegian!)

I realised that i wrote too much...
hmmm... that was all the thought (for now..)
Will come back with more.

laziness exemplified.

well well well...
looks like we were lazy for a little too long!!!
Well, after repeated laziness, and repeated laziness again, I thought we should come back here. And I hope its not just me here, but the others as well.

Its already february now, and time seems to run.. and I literally mean run! Sitting in Ungdomskole right now for Praksis, it was just a few minutes back that Sharath told, 'Its already Feb 6th, days are going... look at January, where did it go?''. Well, thats how it has been and if you tell us to trace back the 5 months which passed here, it might jsut turn out a little hard (also as we haven't had any updations here).

Its february now and we are in the middle of our Praksis. Vineet and Carmen in Inderoy High school, Afreen in Primaty school and Carlos, Sharath and I in Inderoy secondary school. And also simulataneouly is the work going around for our individual project and also the wait to have the other students back from the study trip.

Lot of stuff happened in these past 5 months - different experiences, different conversaitons, differrent perspectives and loads of snow, movies, coffee and bread :)

I hope that we will pen down atleast some of those moments here.

Bye for now.