– A blend of visual arts and Nordic adventures –
Reading and writing are key skills to survive in the modern world. Sadly, illiteracy, poverty, and exclusion are intertwined, with a significant gender gap. In this post, we explore how Livstycket, a nonprofit in Sweden, used functional pedagogy combining language lessons with crafts to help illiterate women learn Swedish. Their approach empowered immigrant women, boosting self-esteem and fostering integration.
Public libraries in Sweden are a dream, with corners that invite you to grab a book and spend hours reading.
Each public library is different, with its style and decoration. What remains the same, though, is the warmth of the librarians. To my typical question: do you like working here? They always respond with a smile: Yes, and a lot!
Let’s explore all the the things they offer.
.. That’s s what he said and I replied “Oh, yeah”! If I could describe how I feel with one song, the song would be “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. Sunshine is a holy thing for Swedes, not to be taken for granted. After almost five years of living in Sweden, the sun has become sacred also to me.
I am originally from Argentina, so I am Latin and my mother tongue is Spanish. The official language in Sweden is Swedish, a North Germanic language spoken predominantly here and in some parts of Finland.
So, I live between languages, and English is the bridge that allows me to communicate on a daily basis. It is also the language that I hope will help me reach the readers I want to connect with: Swedes and expats.
I love to learn and Sweden feels like a paradise for lifelong learners. Sweden has a strong history of non-formal adult education that has existed for more than a hundred years. It is called non-formal because, in general, it doesn’t lead to any formal degree and it is based on the participants’ interests and needs to learn. This kind of education is available to everyone, it is free from government intervention and receives public support. This sounds good… Let’s dig a bit deeper.