ABOUT – LEGACY
A family legacy of explorers.
Looking back at my family endeavors has grown to be important to me. Finding out the magnitude of my predecessors’ journeys and their eagerness to explore the world with good intentions, has marked my own ambition.
It feels like an obvious path to go – traveling and exploring, listening and learning, while trying hard to make changes for the better.
The letters from Nansen, exploring the arctic.
My mother's grandmother and family had a close relationship with Fridtjof Nansen back in the days. Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. We still have the box with the letters they wrote to each other when he was away on his voyages.
Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1861-1930).
On one of his arctic expeditions, Nansen found two unknown islands north of Russia. He named them "Eva-Liv Islands" after his wife Eva and daughter Liv. My mother Eva and her sister Liv were given these names by their mother... inspired by her mother's relationship with Nansen and his family. We will never know all the details, but the letters are there in the box, and the story has grown to be an important piece of inspiration in my life.
The Eva-Liv Islands, north of most places on planet earth.
Grand parents crossing oceans, saving lives.
Another part of the legacy also originates from my Norwegian grandparents. Johannes and Gordia traveled the oceans while curing people and saving lives. My grandfather served as a medical ship doctor and my grandmother traveled with him and helped out as a nurse. They ended up in several far away corners of the world and inspired us grandkids with a long line of fascinating stories.
Perhaps it felt good to know that your surgeon and doctor was good with details...grandpa loved building models and gave us some of his fabulous
bottle ship.
Parents nomading to Baghdad, Iraq.
Then there was this early life nomading experience when my very own parents suddenly decided to drive down to Iraq in a Volkswagen Beetle. They searched for a change and went there to work at the University of Baghdad, teaching odontology. That was at the beginning of the 1960-ies. My older brother was four years old and I had just experienced my 6th month...
This is what it might have looked like. No GPS and not a lot of Swedish or English speaking people around.
Keeping the legacy alive...
I have visited Bäretofta Farm and one day I hope to visit the Eva-Liv Islands and perhaps the University of Baghdad as well.
Why? Well, for some obvious family-related reasons to start with. But I am also determined to earn my part of the story that has skied, sailed, and traveled around the world in so many unpredictable ways. For ten years I have been based in Stockholm and Beijing, I am fortunate to have reasons to travel the world and my mission is to continue on that path.
I simply want to contribute and carry the family legacy further. I hope that my children and grandchildren will be inspired by the same stories... and perhaps continue with the same ambition and keep making global sense.