19 November, 201319 November, 2013 Caroline BachLeave a comment

We can’t wait – Start giving a shit.

Kolkata, India 2013

Today is World Toilet Day, a UN recognized event observed annually with the aim to break the taboo around toilets and instead draw attention to the importance of adequate sanitation. It’s not the sexiest of subjects – but it’s doubtlessly one of the most important one’s.

Until today, 2.5 billion people still lack access to a clean toilet. This is a huge challenge that poses not only health risks, but also direct threats to the security of women and girls, and is an abuse on people’s dignity. Girls drop out of school. Children die from diarrhea. Going far away to find a dark spot during the night equals risk of harassment and even rape for many women. Just imagine a scenario of not having privacy when you need to relieve yourself.. this is a reality for a third of the world’s people.

Click the image below for the 2013 report by Water Aid, WSSCC and Domestos on “Why we can’t wait”, and start giving a shit about this.

19 November, 2013 Caroline BachLeave a comment

Redrum

Babel – Malmö, Sweden

An old church transformed into a nightclub, concert and event venue.

17 November, 201317 November, 2013 Caroline BachLeave a comment

30 is the new 20 – Grattis Bumbi!

“Oh my god – I’m so old!” she gasped, clutching harder on to the string holding a pink helium-filled balloon with 30 written on it. “It’s crazy!”

The apartment was full of people I hadn’t seen for years and it was great fun to have a talk with them again. Big O kept demonstrating how he was tall enough to touch the ceiling, as usual. Also, according to tradition, the whole group kept chanting for M to finally ask M to marry him. H was there, or was he really? We took a bunch of photos which I was tasked to stitch together. And there was a slideshow with old embarrassing photos on the TV, including a couple of shots from when I lived in Warsaw seven years ago – and met Bumbi for the first time.

At some point during the evening I found the coco-chocolate-pink-cream thingies. *pause for drooling* (Daj mi ten przepis!)

We went to Privé, the place where we all used to dance as 16-year olds and which reopened a couple of months ago. For old time’s sake. The music was mostly perfect, the atmosphere became ours and the balloons joined us all the way. I checked out at 4am to drive a friend home, but as far as I know, the party ended as much as two hours later – which I find very impressive for being in Malmö – and a very clear and indisputable argument for the fact that Bumbi really isn’t old at all.

Your age is in your head, kochana – thank you for a great party!

17 November, 201317 November, 2013 Caroline BachLeave a comment

Dance like nobody’s watching

dance

This weekend the Berlin club Ritter Butzke is having a three day release festival for You and Alex (Im Rausch mit Freunden). Dance like nobody’s watching.

14 November, 201314 November, 2013 Caroline BachLeave a comment

I just wanna vibe with you

Syd the Kyd from The Internet sings along to Chad Hugo (The Neptunes) produced beats, creating a casually perfect, minimalistic and incredibly groovy masterpiece, rocking it in her socks only. This is a production where the actual music really is given its proper space – Syd the Kyd’s soft voice and funky attitude along with the beautiful and unconventional takes and close-ups, soft contrasts and gray tones in the Lacey Duke directed video let you truly focus on how it all sounds – connect with the bassline – and take in all the soul. And there’s so much of it!

The Internet – Dontcha
Feel Good (2013)

I had to pick up the entire album – released two months ago – after hearing this, and I love how The Internet manage to sound so much like those timeless neo soul masters – I’m talking Lucy Pearl, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Raheem DeVaughn kind of quality.
You know, when mesmerizing and rich vocals are accompanied by live instruments that in any moment can break into sounding like a live jam session. Soul, funk, lounge, jazz.. Love!

Actually, this is The Internet’s sophomore album, which apparently sounds far better than the first one so I’m not going to risk this enchantment by digging into their past. So to break it down, The Internet is actually a duo consisting of Syd the Kyd and Matt Martian, both part of the LA based 14 member hip hop collective OFWGKTA – which stands for “Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All” – and has another five sub-bands – confused? Most people just refer to the collective as “Odd Future”. And if that name at least rings a bell, like it did for me – it’s a record label – and Frank Ocean is part of the whole deal. Aaahh.. can you hear the sound of planets and talent aligning?

Anyway, in its full splendour, I give you Feel Good, by The Internet. Odd Future Records. September 2014. So much soul. Please vibe along.

Feel Good
(September 2013)

12 November, 201312 November, 2013 Caroline Bach1 Comment

UNA Workshop

Spent the day in Gothenburg at a workshop with a group of students from UN Association certified schools around Sweden. My role was to tell my own story and share advice, tips and inspiration. The group was very eager and involved in the conversation which is my favourite kind of audience – dialogues are so much more fun than monologues. Thank you all, I hope to see you again – and good luck with everything!

11 November, 201317 August, 2014 Caroline BachLeave a comment

Yay, Monday!

I’m trying out different gyms in Malmö. None of them will let me sign up short-term anyway, and I’m still not planning to hang around here for much longer. One month for 10€ here, one week trial for free there, and so it goes. Maybe I’ll write a gym guide when I’m done. Haha

Back to work now – I’m going to Gothenburg tomorrow to do a lecture. It’s for youth and they named it “Inspiration and guidance by Caroline Bach” which made me giggle. It sounds like I’m some kind of New Age dreadlock lady who will come on stage dressed in a long white dress carrying a stereo playing dolphin sounds. Haha! No, it’s just human rights, engagement, ideas, UN, and career stuff for young people who want to get engaged. I promise. No “fall back and Iet me catch you” workshops on my account. I like dolphins but I’m far more into proactivity. Get going! Yay!

10 November, 201315 April, 2015 Caroline BachLeave a comment

Henna and Kali

I know I haven’t posted many photos from the trip to India I did with my mother in September. Things have actually very hectic since and the most sad part about it is that I have lost many of the names and details that went along with the photos. Anyhow, I will share them little by little.

The permission for this photo was given with an elegant little Indian head-wobble by this girl, very sweet and proud, and eager to ask us questions. She didn’t speak a word of English though, so a friend we had met earlier was translating. Unfortunately I don’t remember her name.

We had been looking at a little private temple depicting the Indian goddess Kali when the girl came out of the front door of her house to see who was there – the temple belonged to her family – many households in India tend to have small temples. This one was the favourite of the friend who had brought us here, because it was peaceful and secluded – and anybody was welcome to pray by it.