Well here’s the eponymous entry of the blog
and in case you hadn’t yet googled its meaning, or gathered that my blog
description line is the definition, I will start by telling you I’m not
entirely sure how to say it, but I’m entirely sure that since arriving
here, I can feel and understand its meaning. Allemansrätten, or freedom
to roam, is a Swedish (also applicable in other Nordic and Baltic
countries) rule of the land. It means that someone, anyone, is welcome
to use and access all land, public or private, for exercise and
recreation as long as they respect what’s there and leave the land as
they found it. This concept is comforting to me as I find new trails and
picturesque spots because if I want to go down someone’s little dock by
the lake, for example, I know that I won’t be scared shitless by
someone coming down and shooing me off their land. It’s a great feeling
to walk around and feel that everything is mutually respected, I have
noticed that grounds are kept nicer, there is notably less graffiti and
shared trails are truly that, shared. My new favorite spot is the Lake I
described earlier, which feels like a place that people flock to at all
times of day in all kinds of weather.
This word also encompasses a sort of gift I have stumbled upon for the semester- it’s a sense of boundless freedom (aside from a heavy course load and my master’s paper), a chance to step outside of my US geolocation for a bit, gain some perspective through travel, embrace a global academic exchange and new friendships. Travel can change everything you’ve thought and everything you’ve perceived and sometimes we forget that when we are in intense situations (such as graduate school and work) for long periods of time. To have been selected for this opportunity to grow individually through rigorous academics and exploration of new corners of the world is something truly special. It feels like I’ve been granted my own kind of allemansrätten, a freedom to roam.
A closing comparison I would like to share share is my conclusion that Sweden is a supersized state of Maine. For those who have talked to me for more than… ten minutes, you probably know that I LOVE MAINE. So here, I am also finding a deep sense of rejuvenation and admiration for this heavily wooded, pristine, clear-air country. For those who have been to Maine and not Sweden, just imagine a place where the trees are 10x thicker, 2x taller and noticeably more diverse. Imagine pops of color in their limbs where a variety of berries, apples and flowers grow. Imagine highways and side streets where you don’t feel endangered because of excessive speed and you don’t read radical political signs at every turn. Needless to say, it’s very peaceful and when it’s not raining, it’s a place where you almost never feel like being indoors (despite that it’s approximately 10-15 degrees colder than Boston).
Lake Ekoln
Anywho, that’s all for now.
Xoxo
Swedish Jamie
This word also encompasses a sort of gift I have stumbled upon for the semester- it’s a sense of boundless freedom (aside from a heavy course load and my master’s paper), a chance to step outside of my US geolocation for a bit, gain some perspective through travel, embrace a global academic exchange and new friendships. Travel can change everything you’ve thought and everything you’ve perceived and sometimes we forget that when we are in intense situations (such as graduate school and work) for long periods of time. To have been selected for this opportunity to grow individually through rigorous academics and exploration of new corners of the world is something truly special. It feels like I’ve been granted my own kind of allemansrätten, a freedom to roam.
A closing comparison I would like to share share is my conclusion that Sweden is a supersized state of Maine. For those who have talked to me for more than… ten minutes, you probably know that I LOVE MAINE. So here, I am also finding a deep sense of rejuvenation and admiration for this heavily wooded, pristine, clear-air country. For those who have been to Maine and not Sweden, just imagine a place where the trees are 10x thicker, 2x taller and noticeably more diverse. Imagine pops of color in their limbs where a variety of berries, apples and flowers grow. Imagine highways and side streets where you don’t feel endangered because of excessive speed and you don’t read radical political signs at every turn. Needless to say, it’s very peaceful and when it’s not raining, it’s a place where you almost never feel like being indoors (despite that it’s approximately 10-15 degrees colder than Boston).
Lake Ekoln Anywho, that’s all for now.
Xoxo
Swedish Jamie
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