Clarissa arend: this wonderful experience

Exactly one year ago, I began my MSLS experience in Karlskrona. Today I sit here to write this post, also unpacking, and think about all the memories from this wonderful experience. I am certainly different, and yet, I’m the same - more assured of my values and feeling more empowered to fulfil my role in society. It is very difficult to put in words all that happened, and what this year represented to me, but as I think of all the memories, the most important ones are of the people I met, and all they taught me - showing me their world, their perspective, their compassion and understanding.

MSLS has a very different methodology than I was used to, and has taught me, in this fast-paced world that we’re living, the value of taking time to look at things from different perspectives, breathing deeply, and focusing on the process. I have also learnt the value of cooperation, co-creation; working together to create a better world that we all want.

Understanding the dynamics and structure for these collaborations to happen, and the importance of collaborative leadership, are the some of key lessons that I brought from Karlskrona, for my work, and my life. I feel confident and empowered, and grateful, for being part of the MSLS family, this community of sharing and understanding. I know that, wherever I go, I can count on them to support me, and inspire me.

Writing the thesis, in groups, was the best way to practice everything we had been learning - and still are. Together with my thesis mates, Johanne Gallagher and Peter Orell, we have researched about communication and planning tools for ecovillages from a strategic sustainable development perspective. We were really fortunate to count on the help of prominent experts on the field and ecovillages from around the world.

Next for me: I will work with the social and environmental programs for a mining industry in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, almost 2000 km from my home in southern Brazil.

I want to once more express my gratitude for the MSLS staff, my wonderful classmates, my thesis mates and our advisors, and my landlord in Karksrona. Most importantly, I thank StratLeade and everyone that supports it, for making this wonderful experience possible.

And now, as this new life begins for me, once again, far from home, I know that my home is within me, in my heart, in all these teachings, memories, and my wonderful friends from around the world.