Elsa received a letter from Pia Sundhagen the other day. Together with a friend from school she wrote to one of the worlds most deserving soccer player, the head of the US Women’s National Soccer Team and got a personal response.
Pia grew up in Marbäck, a small village outside Ulricehamn in the 1960s. In those days girls were not playing soccer and she was signed in as a boy under the name Pelle. Today she coaches one of the best female soccer teams in the world. Under her command the US Soccer Team won the Olympic games in 2008.
Elsa wrote the letter as an English assignment at school and did not really expect to get a personal response. Naturally she was thrilled to hear from Pia and to find out that she has a cat called Elsa.
We live in a world were famous people get a lot of attention and where we sometimes idealize people who have made it. Success is measured in newspaper articles or TV performance and I often think that we loose track of what’s real. It is no longer peoples achievements in focus but what they are wearing or who they are dating. I want my kids to keep a certain distance to this trend of “ 15 minutes of fame” but when it comes to Pia Sundhagen I think we have a real role model worth being proud of.
She started playing soccer at the age of 6 and thought she was the only girl in the world who liked the sport. She had talent and she had drive. At the age of 11 Ulricehamn had started teams for girls and she got to play in the highest local league with grown ups. She was always different, always went her own way and became one of the best Swedish soccer player all times and feels gratitude towards her family and the coach who let her play with the boys team in Marbäck.
Today she lives with the girlfriend Marie in the US with one of the toughest jobs in the world (her pre assessor go fired when the team lost a game after 55 victories) but she still takes the time to write a letter to a 9 year old girl. To a girl who is not very interested in soccer but very impressed by the fact that she has a cat called Elsa!
In an article about Pia Sundhagen said that she is a great dreamer.
- I always write my dreams down. Many of them have come true.
Elsa, my little dreamer – maybe you should do the same?
May 2013
in Ulricehamn
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A flooded summerhouse!
When Jochem opened the door to our newly renovated summerhouse this Friday a minor tsunami met him. More than 10 cm of water covered the first floor, the basement had even more and from the bathroom on the second floor water was dripping through the ceiling down to the bedrooms downstairs. No power was working. We just finished the renovation with new plumbing, new electricity, new walls, new ceilings, renovated floors, updated kitchens, and a new drainage. Somehow five pipes had detached themselves at the joint or coupling (not sure about the correct vocabulary here) despite us having 18 degrees in the house.
Last winter one of our radiators exploded due to the cold and to prevent this from happening we now had a constant high temperature on. Maybe we had a power cut the led the heating to stop and made our pipes freeze but why would they then detach at the joint? Anyway, Jochem swam his way though the house, closed off the main water supply and called me. Within 30 minutes we had our electrician, our plumber and a builder sent by the insurance company in the house but as they went though the damage Jochem realized that our renovation is more or less lost.
Jochem has had a really tough time lately and listening to a builder telling him that we have to brake off walls, ceilings, lay new floors, set up new wallpaper etc. was more than he could take so the first thing the builder said to me when he called we “you are going to get through this. It can all be solved”. And of course it can and of course it could have been a lot worse (well, maybe not in the house but worse thing could have happened) but it is still crap!
We had a Friday with many tears but now we focus on the future – no use crying over spilled milk (or was it water???). Maybe we can laugh about it all one day and when looking at the problem one has to keep things in perspective. We are so fortunate with many fantastic people around us and the things that really matter in life, the health and well-being of family and friends, is worth so much more than any house or any renovation project.
Today we are all off swimming!
Last winter one of our radiators exploded due to the cold and to prevent this from happening we now had a constant high temperature on. Maybe we had a power cut the led the heating to stop and made our pipes freeze but why would they then detach at the joint? Anyway, Jochem swam his way though the house, closed off the main water supply and called me. Within 30 minutes we had our electrician, our plumber and a builder sent by the insurance company in the house but as they went though the damage Jochem realized that our renovation is more or less lost.
Jochem has had a really tough time lately and listening to a builder telling him that we have to brake off walls, ceilings, lay new floors, set up new wallpaper etc. was more than he could take so the first thing the builder said to me when he called we “you are going to get through this. It can all be solved”. And of course it can and of course it could have been a lot worse (well, maybe not in the house but worse thing could have happened) but it is still crap!
We had a Friday with many tears but now we focus on the future – no use crying over spilled milk (or was it water???). Maybe we can laugh about it all one day and when looking at the problem one has to keep things in perspective. We are so fortunate with many fantastic people around us and the things that really matter in life, the health and well-being of family and friends, is worth so much more than any house or any renovation project.
Today we are all off swimming!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Millennial Generation
I have been working on a project proposal regarding employability for young people which has led me to read a lot about youth in exclusion, lifelong learning programs, employment laws and statistics etc. Youth unemployment is relatively high here, Ulricehamn has a low educated population (only 14 % of the population have higher education in comparison to 19% nationally) and we have more men and an older population than the average Swedish municipality. Creating the ideal climate for employment and business development is a challenge and sometimes local businesses have difficulty finding suitable staff.
Today I read about the millennial generation. Born between 1980 and 2001, the millennials were coddled by their parents and nurtured with a strong sense of entitlement. The typical millennial worker is a hard working job-hopper with little loyalty towards his or her employer. She demands a lot of freedom, flexibility and often bring an attitude of “what are you going to give me” to her employer.
Millennials are our future work force and according to American author Ron Alsop, a contributor to The Wall Street Journal, employers need to understand how to deal with this group in order to achieve the best results and to make transitions as smooth as possible.
Although members of other generations were considered somewhat spoiled in their youth, millennials have strong demands and feel entitled to high positions and want a lot of attention and guidance from employers. Older adults criticize the high-maintenance rookies for demanding too much too soon and for not believing in hierarchy. I can see this being true to a certain extent and at the same time I wonder if this is not typical for all generations. We who are now older, look at the coming generation as somewhat a threat, with low skills who will never be able to do the job as well as we did!
At the same time employers do not have a lot of choice as the baby –boomers are off to retire soon and this new group is getting in. Secondly, this new generation does contribute with new skills (teamwork, technology skills, social networking and multitasking) and maybe their view on work is a healthy one? For this generation, work is not a place you go; work is a thing you do and life is more than just work.
While reading this I could not help thinking about the fact that many people from the millennial generation are currently not at work at all. They grew up feeling entitled to a job, they went to good schools, expecting that someone would offer them a job and now when it’s not there it is a long step to create your own job or to lower your expectations. Many of the people taking part in our local youth project for the unemployed still show much entitlement and if there is no employer who can help them they just turn to the state. For many it is always someone else’s fault and its always someone else who should pay the bill.
I understand that being unemployed is crap and I really would like to help our young unemployed people into work or education so that they can create their future. But I think Alsop is on to something when he describes the millennials and their attitude. Somehow we need to combine the attitues of yesterday, today and tomorrow to create an inclusive society.
Interested in reading more; "The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation Is Shaking Up the Workplace" by Ron Alsop
Today I read about the millennial generation. Born between 1980 and 2001, the millennials were coddled by their parents and nurtured with a strong sense of entitlement. The typical millennial worker is a hard working job-hopper with little loyalty towards his or her employer. She demands a lot of freedom, flexibility and often bring an attitude of “what are you going to give me” to her employer.
Millennials are our future work force and according to American author Ron Alsop, a contributor to The Wall Street Journal, employers need to understand how to deal with this group in order to achieve the best results and to make transitions as smooth as possible.
Although members of other generations were considered somewhat spoiled in their youth, millennials have strong demands and feel entitled to high positions and want a lot of attention and guidance from employers. Older adults criticize the high-maintenance rookies for demanding too much too soon and for not believing in hierarchy. I can see this being true to a certain extent and at the same time I wonder if this is not typical for all generations. We who are now older, look at the coming generation as somewhat a threat, with low skills who will never be able to do the job as well as we did!
At the same time employers do not have a lot of choice as the baby –boomers are off to retire soon and this new group is getting in. Secondly, this new generation does contribute with new skills (teamwork, technology skills, social networking and multitasking) and maybe their view on work is a healthy one? For this generation, work is not a place you go; work is a thing you do and life is more than just work.
While reading this I could not help thinking about the fact that many people from the millennial generation are currently not at work at all. They grew up feeling entitled to a job, they went to good schools, expecting that someone would offer them a job and now when it’s not there it is a long step to create your own job or to lower your expectations. Many of the people taking part in our local youth project for the unemployed still show much entitlement and if there is no employer who can help them they just turn to the state. For many it is always someone else’s fault and its always someone else who should pay the bill.
I understand that being unemployed is crap and I really would like to help our young unemployed people into work or education so that they can create their future. But I think Alsop is on to something when he describes the millennials and their attitude. Somehow we need to combine the attitues of yesterday, today and tomorrow to create an inclusive society.
Interested in reading more; "The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation Is Shaking Up the Workplace" by Ron Alsop
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Creative ideas through pain!
It is almost six in the evening and the sky is still bright blue and no darkness in sight. If it wouldn’t be for the massive amount of snow (the kids can still glide off the garage roof) I would say that spring is here. The light, the birds who are on their return and a sun descending a lot later than just a week ago gives us all a hint of what’s to come. The changing of season is different around the world and when I lived in South Africa I missed the darkness around Christmas. It was difficult to get used to a fully dressed Christmas tree next to the pool and braai even if the company was great. Nowadays, waking up at six thirty and seeing the light finding its way in through the curtains make me realize that its time for more light, longer days and more outdoor living. I love spring and suddenly feel energized and fired up! Time to get some work done, prepare the business trip to the Netherlands for 15 companies in Ulricehamn, redecorate my home (to my husbands despair I always change the lampshades and curtains every season) and to get in shape.
Sport clubs usually see an increase of new members in January but within months most of these members have quit or disappeared. I have been a member for a year at one of our local sport clubs but rarely used my membership. Now things will change! For two years, since I moved here, I have been very bad at taking care of my physical health but I have been a good financial supporter of many sport clubs. I though that if I pay I will participate but somehow this incentive did not work on me. This is interesting as we often think that financial incentives can change human behaviour (look at the increase in birth-rates in Sweden and France after the governments introduced several financial benefits for families). At one of our EU projects in Ulricehamn, where we aim to get marginalized youth into activity and employment, we tried to force their participation to a certain extent. It is voluntary to be part of the project and if they decide to take part they have to sign an agreement of participation. If they do not show up at their work placement or at study visits etc. we reduce their social benefits. This has not had any impact on their participation what so ever. Most of the group is participating well but for those who don’t the money does not play a role in deciding on staying home or joining the activities (according to themselves). They don’t show up as they don’t see any use in it anyway. I am now working on another project idea for the European Social Funds and I keep on getting stuck right here. How do we create possibilities and challenges for people in a way, which gives them the tools to elevate themselves? I want to give them a chance to change their lives and to get on whatever path they might find interesting but I don’t believe in full support. They must show commitment and they must get into action. There are thousands of theories on how to change behaviour and attitudes and I don’t think we are looking at one solution but many.
Maybe I can find some suitable answers if I get moving as I do believe in the theory that we are more creative if we also make use of physical activity!
If you see some hyperventilating woman hanging over a bush in Ulricehamn don’t be afraid. It is only I, trying to find creative answers through torture.
Sport clubs usually see an increase of new members in January but within months most of these members have quit or disappeared. I have been a member for a year at one of our local sport clubs but rarely used my membership. Now things will change! For two years, since I moved here, I have been very bad at taking care of my physical health but I have been a good financial supporter of many sport clubs. I though that if I pay I will participate but somehow this incentive did not work on me. This is interesting as we often think that financial incentives can change human behaviour (look at the increase in birth-rates in Sweden and France after the governments introduced several financial benefits for families). At one of our EU projects in Ulricehamn, where we aim to get marginalized youth into activity and employment, we tried to force their participation to a certain extent. It is voluntary to be part of the project and if they decide to take part they have to sign an agreement of participation. If they do not show up at their work placement or at study visits etc. we reduce their social benefits. This has not had any impact on their participation what so ever. Most of the group is participating well but for those who don’t the money does not play a role in deciding on staying home or joining the activities (according to themselves). They don’t show up as they don’t see any use in it anyway. I am now working on another project idea for the European Social Funds and I keep on getting stuck right here. How do we create possibilities and challenges for people in a way, which gives them the tools to elevate themselves? I want to give them a chance to change their lives and to get on whatever path they might find interesting but I don’t believe in full support. They must show commitment and they must get into action. There are thousands of theories on how to change behaviour and attitudes and I don’t think we are looking at one solution but many.
Maybe I can find some suitable answers if I get moving as I do believe in the theory that we are more creative if we also make use of physical activity!
If you see some hyperventilating woman hanging over a bush in Ulricehamn don’t be afraid. It is only I, trying to find creative answers through torture.
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