SHE goes MAD

SHE goes MAD is a proposed conference to take place in Berlin towards the end of November 2009. The aim of the conference is to connect people whose intention is to set up a network of nomadic spaces, spaces where nomads feel at home. It is essentially also a conference on our shared nomadic culture.

SHE
She stands for Sustainable Hospitality Exchange. SHE was also a conference that took place in Amsterdam, june 2008. SHE goes MAD is the proposed title for the conference in Berlin. MAD stands for nomadic but MAD in itself is just too cool to not use.

Schedule

 * 20.11.2009 - 27.11.2009 Work meetings
 * 27.11.2009 - 30.11.2009 Main conference
 * Opening Session on the 27th late afternoon.

Open Space
The format of the conference will be an open space format. There is no fixed agenda and participants themselves will set up topics once the conference starts. We will share our intentions of why we come together, and feed our common agenda based on the main questions we have. We will group these questions around specific categories of type of meetings we want to have. This is an ongoing process.

This also means that separate topics could be discussed in different spaces at the same time. At the same time, people could be discussing technical stuff, while other people meet to discuss the culture of a nomadbase. Participants vote with their feet: you go where you feel at place - where you feel/ think you can learn or contribute.

Basically, whenever two people are together discussing a related topic, a meeting has started. Topics can also change during the conference, depending on how things move along.

Spaces would for example include:
 * Meeting space A, B and C (need naming)
 * Social space (for 'off-topic')
 * Skill-share space A and B

Online Presence
We also intend to have interaction with people who are unable to attend the conference. During the conference, notes will be taken and put online on a wiki. We also will invite the non-attending participants to start discussions. We will try to stream specific meetings, and set up a tele/videoconference.

Topics
A common way of starting a gathering like this is to first do an introduction rounds in a big group or even smaller groups, to share our intentions and questions.

It is important for people to feel comfortable with each other, so they feel free to exchange their knowledge and their thoughts without reservations. It is sometimes better to have multiple smaller meetings, than one big meeting for this. What also works well is to have a box where people can write down their main questions for what they want to learn/ get out of the meeting, before making some form of (dynamic) agenda. Or to have a huge board/ white sheet where people can add their topics and/or proposed meetings.

As a reference, we can already start sharing our ideas for topics or questions here below. Please add yours, or simply edit the existing ones.

Topics/ Questions
 * Nomadbases
 * -Current nomadbases, origins and culture
 * -Cultures of living together
 * -How to set up more nomad-bases
 * -Build/ draw your favorite house
 * -Workshop with tools in nomad bases


 * Real social networks, nomadbase.org
 * -How to connect the nomads and bases online
 * -Existing proposals and platforms we can use
 * -Relation with existing hospitality exchange networks


 * Personal Social relations
 * -Sustaining a family as a nomad
 * -How to collaborate on long term projects as a nomad
 * -How to build social recognition as a nomad
 * -How to build up recognition of our role towards society
 * -How to communicate with others who do not experience multiple shifting realities
 * -Keeping presence when faced to other peoples fears
 * -Experience of Representation Vs Experience of being
 * -How to have stable intimate relationships as a nomad
 * -How to create ( our own ) reference points as a nomad


 * Different funding models
 * -Legal issues
 * -Parallel currency systems Ripple


 * Traveling school of life/ Skillsharing
 * -Permanent workshops in nomad bases
 * -Bike repair shops
 * -Urban gardening
 * -Fabrication labs in nomad bases with reprap and/or other production tools
 * -Teach, Learn, Share
 * -Nomad University
 * -Use personal skills where they are needed (ie. fix a bike for the one that can't, fix a meal for the one that can't, fix a computer, fix a roof, fix fears, fix television... wait... don't fix televisions!)


 * Economics of a nomad
 * -Actual economic needs for a nomad
 * -Different ways for a nomad to sustain himself
 * -Best countries to officially register your residence
 * -Nomad base type economic projects
 * -Hacking artificial scarcity
 * -Building up peer production infrastructures
 * -How to collaborate and receive support from mainstream institutions as a nomad


 * High/Low tech Nomadism
 * -DIY Primitivists Vs Minimalist DIY Technologists ?
 * -Hackable Nomad Gear ?


 * Nomadic Projects
 * -Lightfoot Sustainable Post
 * -Wiki: hitchwiki, trashwiki, couchwiki, sharewiki, nomadwiki, healthywiki, etc.
 * - Pastamadre: http://www.pastamadre.org/


 * add yours


 * Need to be categorized:
 * -Beyond Collectivism ? Beyond Individualism ? Beyond Self-Actualization
 * -Stigmergic Tools
 * -Festivalism
 * -Metaphysics of the Hitch Hiker
 * -Usership of Private Spaces ?
 * -Sustainable Non-Reciprocal Exchange and Units of Measurment ?
 * -Hyperlocal Nomadism

Skillsharing-sessions that are likely to start whenever it starts
 * Poi/ play with fire
 * Bread-making
 * Meditation
 * Intuitive Traveling
 * Free Software
 * Drupal Basics
 * Go (Bring a game board)
 * add yours
 * Someone bring a chess board

Further ideas
 * add yours

Work and learn
The intention of the conference is not only to share ideas, but also to get things done, build networks and extend our community. A proposal is to come together in the weeks before and after the conference to implement and work on things such as coding, website and communication.

Participants
Please sign up through grabgrass.

Invitation
An invitation is made and can be send through the familiar networks. Please send to the right people:
 * Nomadic travelers and nomadic workers
 * Full-time Hospitality Hosts
 * People interested in long term hospitality
 * People interested in nomad culture
 * People interested in Open Space
 * People interested setting up Real Social Networks
 * People who live in larger shared houses

Location
There are several options for a location for the main conference. Discussion goes through grabgrass

In the week before the conference we would like to use different spaces for specific meetings. Spaces include:
 * Tsolife office
 * Project volunteering (It would be good to contact them before using their space)
 * The Tea house, 105 Rigaer Str.

Food

 * Trashwiki

Berlin Berlin

Accommodation
We need a list of places where people can stay who are not able to sort out themselves.

Stay connected
To stay connected, please watch this wiki-space, check nomadbase.org or please sign up through grabgrass