Charlotte Giver - fashion events, articles, spontaneous trips, days at my internship

Globalisation, internationalism, americanisation, the ideology of western-style or whatever you want to call it. Either way, we can't deny the fact that our world is becoming more and more international. People travel abroad as soon as they finish high-school with big city dreams of becoming a lawyer driving that Range Rover along the east coast and we have been raised up watching Legally Blond, the OC and Sex and the City ever since we turned fifteeen. Of course we are being influenced! Just think about how many times you say the word "like", "totally" or "whatsup?". Traditional food and drinks are being kicked out of the market by coffee shops and numerous chains of fast food. The film industry is being dominated by big american media giants such as Warner Bros, Walt Disney, Universal, FOX, Sony and Paramouth Pictures and we do not only love the movies and shows, we want to be just like the main characters, dress just like them and live on Park Avenue in New York or by the beach in OC - just like them. Take a look at Hollywood for example and how the american government put an enormous amount of money in its filmindusty with the intention of selling the movies to the rest of the world, making the rest of the world want to live that perfect movie life, have that career and nice car; Just like they do in the movies, just what they sing about in the songs, how they fall in love and how they eat chocolate and ben and jerry's ice-cream in front of the TV after getting their hearts broken. What we see is a global media promote relations of dependency. You can discuss whether this is a good or a bad thing. The question is: How would our lives look like without those girlymovies, shows about relationships and news from the other side of the ocean? I think the 'occidents' (us in the west) would be quite isolated while the 'Rest of the world' (non-western countries) would struggle to afford creating their own movies, shows and other media. American media is cheaper to make and cheaper to buy in. Local producers of media texts simply cannot compete with american texts. And remember "Hollywood is not America". Even thought there is some rubbish in the movies and media, we can find a lot of happiness and motivation, visions and drive. After all, I should not be the one writing this article due to the fact that it turns out that I am not "totally" critical to globalisation. I am international and love America (the none-hollywood-kind-of-America). Obviously I still remain Swedish and I always will. Believe me when I say: I will never loose my accent! Neither will I loose my values, beliefs, childhood memories, the happiness of the summer in Sweden and opinions. Although I like listening to the Goo goo dolls, Steve Wonder and Augustana, having OC marathons while believing New York can be just as wonderful and happy as one of those 20th Century Fox movies during that sunny day in Apri, having drinks in Soho together with your friends.

Student life. Say that again! It is not a dance on roses. And let me just say; it freaked my friends out when visiting me. "I could never be a student" they said, showing me all their new clothes from London. While they wanted to order more wine and dessert I had to say; "I'm fine with the entre and I can drink water from now." From going out eating on restaurants, taking a cab instead of the subway, buying a new dress every second weekend with the only consern; filling up the car with gas - this is a giant change and a huge step. My make-up is running out, I walk in my uggs-look-a-like boots and sneakers every day, buying the cheapest food when grocery shopping and I have no problem putting sweatpants and a sweatshirt on. Instead of going out for a coffee, I'm going out for a run. When my friends ask me; can I borrow your parfyme, I have to start saying: don't have any left can I borrow yours? Even though this might hurt that Saturday afternoon when you really want to be able to take a drink or two together with your friends, I shake away any kind of worries over how to afford my favorite Ben and Jerry's ice-cream or how to be able to top up my phone after attending seminars and lectures. After all, I love to learn and we do live in a competative world, in which employers ask for more and more when hiring. And the one with a university education is more likely to get a job in their mid twenties. Knowledge is worth every single pound even though that big loan might be really painful when graduating.

A few days ago a talked to a person about routines. He told me how he always had a busy schedule and how he liked to be in a routine while I had different views; how I like every day to bring something unexpected and different from the day before, how I like to believe that one thing leads to another. I believe my way of thinking is uncommon in todays society, in which "I don't have enough time" is the most common phrase. Many of my closest friends back home in Sweden follow a daily routine which none of them would like to change. All of this made me think about  the importance of moving outside your comfort zone. Doing so is vitally important. The ability to stretch and grow can only begin when we actually move in new directions, whether you are living after a routined schedule or not. In life, we go through different stages. There is the  early stage of childhood and happiness, in which everything is bright and colorful, nothing seem to be impossible and we'll get excited just by hearing the word birthdayparty or candy. Then, there is the teenage stage in which we are trying to find ourselves along with the insecurity and questioned direction of friendship, taste in music, fashion and education. However, we still live at home with the food on the table, safeness, money and a warm bed. Somewhere along the road each one of these stages comes to an end. We'll know when it is time to change our clothes from that favourite purple princess dress to something more "cool" and "hip", which will fit in with what everyone else is wearing. But when our life as a high-school teenager comes to the end of an era, when it is time to start thinking about moving away from home, changing school, friends, life, city, country? and culture, the new stage waiting infront of us might suddenly seem pretty hard and quite scary to enter. When graduating high-school I looked at this new stage as something excited, wonderful and adventures. I could not wait to cross the Atlantic ocean, moving my suitcases from Sweden to New York. With a six hour time difference and a schedule filled with everything from working as an au-pair, taking Beauty and Editing writing classes in New York, media and communication courses at Fairfield University, showdance, hockeygames and shopping days along Mulberry Street in Soho, I never had the time nor chance to be scared or feel home-sick. Along with my confidence I raised the bar even higher and started working as a waitress and hostess in the city while trying to manage my future university plans in England. Somewhere along the road I started to get confused. I just could not stop challenging myself and one day it hit me - where am I heading? and why do I keep looking for new challenges? I realized the fact that not only had I moved out of my comfort zone, I was starting to move my "career" in different directions. After giving it some thoughts, I realized following: when it comes to career, it is about knowing your boundaries and stepping beyond them. Therefore, I knew that as long as I followed that one goal of mine I am not to be afraid of following it in new and different directions. Do not be afraid of new challenges because in the spirit of attempting something new, whether it is moving from one country to another, adding new responsibilities, teaming with new people or just doing something different you will, sooner or later, be comfortable wherever you are landing.

What steps are you taking into the unfamiliar?

I know a girl who has a great talent: she is an amazing guitar player and song writer. Whenever I go over to hers for playing the guitar I get inspired and want to learn more. Music is her passion and her confident does not only reflect the songs she is writing but also her style of clothes and taste in music. Whenever I say "I want to be able to play this song as good as you" she replies "it takes practice, I have practiced since I was 15." And it shows! In the beginning she could be shy when playing some of her songs. However, after knowing her for over half a year, her insecurity is now gone. In my eyes, she grew and became strong together with her passion and her beliefs transfered the passion into a great talent. 

What are you doing right now? Or should I ask what were you doing just before you started to read this column? Were you planning something, did you think about what happened yesterday or the day before? Many times I do believe we can find ourselves planning or looking back at things way too much. Whether it comes to school, job, practice etc. we tend to look ahead. We look ahead to that paycheck, final grades or that big game next week. How often do we actually just live in the present? I believe the best time of the whole day is "me time". The time of the day you do what you love to do the most. Turning up your favorite music for example, singing in front of the mirror. For me its writing or go out running. I also love to light candles, put on a dress, turn on my favorite music and cook. Sounds wierd maybe, but that is something I love to do. Otherwise, I live in the present way to little. I envy people who can. Don't get me wrong. I believe it is beautiful to look back at memories. I have always been a dreamer. Looking back at good memories has been one of my top skills. However, one of the consequences of this is that you compare and many times expect your birthday, for example, to be at least as good as the last one. Remember that you live now, right this moment, this second. The day you're standing there knowing exactly who you are and what you are doing in life. The day you can not longer say "when I grow up I want to become...", the day you actually are "up" it could be nice to know that you actually lived your life before that as well. Never stop dreaming, or hoping and wishing just try to sometimes live in this very special moment you are given right now.

Speaking from my own thoughts.....