A day in Lund
I went to Lund (a city in southern Sweden) to offer a talk about degrowth transformations, degrowth business and degrowth consumption to my fellow humans and to connect with my fellow academics. Lund as a place means a lot to me. It's the city where my partner and I met for the first time after writing together for around a year and a half. It was in April 2022. Since September 2021 I had been based in a beautiful city in northern Sweden. Coming to Lund felt magical. It was warm and even green. I think that those fellow humans who have lived in the Arctic region can relate to this feeling.
Every time I go somewhere for a day, it feels like I'm taking most of my personal possessions with me. I brought my laptop, phone, bank card, water bottle, cotton tote bag and a notebook. The bag that I took is the only one I live with. I share it with my partner. What was left at home in Copenhagen (apart from shared objects such as kitchen items, basic medicine, and furniture) are just my personal care items, a few items of clothing, and documents.
I wore my everyday uniform. This time only shorts and a basic top with a men's top to keep me warm. I decided to forego the only linen shirt that I have to feel cosy in the train and warm in the morning and evening. Somehow, it also feels wonderful to wear very casual items when being with fellow humans.
The department that I visited felt so welcoming and generous. After the seminar, we were talking about research and academia. The state of academia is on my mind very often. I want it to be a kind, safe, welcoming, caring, loving, down-to-earth space where fellow humans think together. Where ideas are thought-provoking and emotion-provoking. And action-provoking.
As I was walking home from Copenhagen central station, I was reflecting on the beautiful day at Lund with my fellow humans. I was thinking about fellow humans outside academia. I want to write more guided entries in my autoethnography, that is to say, deeply and openly reflect, in writing, on the questions my fellow humans (in and outside academia) have about my practice of extreme minimalism, slow and simple living.