Playing cajón for the swedish dream

If the american dream was all about prosperity, the swedish dream is all about the humbleness that comes after prosperity. It is not about a big car, a fat flat, rock stardom or 15 minutes of fame on prime time commercial lameness. It is about having the possibility to have all that and yet going for a modest version. Taking only what you need, having a little ecological cottage in the country and a good earning in the city - the social status and security are almost guaranteed for all citizens in riches or in need.

How far would some go for the swedish dream, the bohemian pacifistic countryside life, versus a growing influence of the american dreams on young suburban tarzans - an identity in transition that fascinates only the most patient observers. Post-modern, ultra-liberal and yet barely ethnic.

Last weekend, I got to play with Diipak at Rosenhill - a big farm place where wwoffers, ecological aficionados and other odd nice folk like to hang out, pick veggies, make juice or eat together. Singing about love, life and the swedish dream, we were met with hopping hobbit-like hippies, humping black-tie fine types, and the odd yoga instructor, church goer, finance fiancé and other sorts of non-smoking yuppies.

In tribute to the swedish dream, I share with you two videos from our concert.. where I play cajón - fittingly enough for such a plot, cajón is a drum box made by african slaves brought to latin america to bypass a ban on traditional music, later becoming the essential instrument in spanish flamenco and tango argentine.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

There are 2 Rami Abdelrahman, I am not the Syrian one!

Recently there has been another Rami Abdelrahman whose being quoted a lot in the media regarding what is happening in Syria. Apparently, the other Rami Abdelrahman is a Syrian based in London and working for a Human Rights Observatory. I am not him, I have never been in touch with him and I am not an expert on Syria.

I am from Jordan and I am based in Stockholm, Sweden. I have been working as a journalist since 1999, both in Jordan and in Sweden, but never anything related to Syria. I did meet Syrian activists on many occasions where I met activists from the Middle East and North Africa, but it is very important to highlight that there are TWO Rami Abdel Rahman. I am the Jordanian one in Sweden. Not the Syrian one in the UK.

I am writing this after I received one call from a Croatian journalist who thought I was the Syrian one. The other reason is that infosyrie.fr also had some doubts about the two identities. Thankfully they cleared the issue here http://www.infosyrie.fr/decryptage/mais-enfin-qui-est-et-ou-est-rami-abdel-rahmane/. And I am in touch with them to make sure that they see that we are two different persons and that I am not the one dealing with Syria.