Tenno Teidearu

Tenno finds Lund very cosy, and he got the chance to meet many nice and interesting people during his short research stay at Lund University. The Department of Cultural Studies organises common writing days for their PhD students, and this is something that Tenno brings back home.
 

Hello, who are you, and where are you from?
I am Tenno Teidearu, Ethnology PhD student from the University of Tartu, Estonia. I am also a researcher at the Estonian National Museum.

How come you decided to come to Lund University?
I met Ethnology professor Thomas O´dell at Nordic Ethnology and Folklore Conference “RE:22” in Reykjavik in June 2022. He invited me to visit Lund University, which was an opportunity difficult to refuse. I managed to plan my visit in April 2023.

What is the purpose of your visit? How long are you staying? Is it an Erasmus+ mobility or how do you fund it?
My stay was short, only two weeks, but full of positive experiences. The purpose of my visit was to give a presentation at the Ethnology seminar. The title of my presentation was “DIY Repair and the Repair Movement in Estonia: Material Decay and Sustainable Future”. Besides my presentation, I was working on my thesis. My visit was funded by professor Ülo Valk research grant at the University of Tartu.

What were your first impressions of Lund and of Lund University?
I was impressed by the cosy atmosphere of Lund. It is small, quiet and really nice university city. The Lund University was very vibrant, it’s the heart of the city. The Department of Arts and Cultural Sciences where I stayed had really welcoming atmosphere and it felt like being part of a community. I was especially surprised that when I arrived, all the people in my division were aware of my visit. The working conditions were impressive, I had my own table in a shared cabinet and access to all university facilities. Also, I enjoyed the PhD writing days, which were inspiring environment for working, but also great opportunities to meet new people. I am happy to have met so many inspiring PhD students and scholars at Lund University.

What has been the most positive thing(s) about your mobility period in Lund?
I was especially impressed by the kind community of scholars and PhD students at the department. I felt welcomed and I was able to meet many nice people to whom I am thankful for this great experience at Lund.

What has been the most negative thing(s)?
The only negative thing was that my stay was too short. Another thing to consider when staying in Lund University a longer period is that Lund is a calm and small city, therefore most of the PhD students live in Malmo, and this option is worth consideration.

Would you have enjoyed a mentor during your stay here (and/or already before coming)?
I personally didn’t miss having a mentor during my stay because professor Thomas O’dell introduced me to many PhD students and academic staff, and I was impressed that everybody was already aware of my stay. It was easy to meet people at the common lunch area at the department, and at the writing days.

What do you think you will bring with you into the future, from your period in Lund?
I got a really nice and inspiring experience of a vibrant community life at the department. I would like to organise PhD writing days at my home university as well. Also, I met many very inspiring scholars with whom I hope to keep contact with.

Would you engage in such a mobility period again, if given the chance?
I would definitely like to visit Lund University again and stay for a longer period.