The way it works in Sweden is you get paid once a month on the 25th for the previous month's work. So I got paid today for the work I did in September. It must be difficult to only be paid once a month. You have to make sure you can make it to the next pay day. Maybe Swedes are better at managing their money better because of it. Either way it feels good to be paid.
On Sunday we were supposed to play a league game at home but the team asked to reschedule. They didn't want to travel so far for one game. They want to sync it so that they play us and Motala on the same weekend. So instead we played a "friendly match" as they call it against a guys team. It is made of of guys from the ages of late twenties to early forties who still like to play hockey. Johan, our assistant coach, played goalie for them and Jens, our sports manager, played defense for us because we were down a lot of players. It was a really fun game. We won 4-3. I scored on my coach which is always fun. Bohm and I really connect on the ice. I assisted her goal and she assisted mine. We know where each other are and play very similar so we can read situations well together. I can see us being very dangerous together and producing a lot of points for the team. We have an away game this Sunday against Trollhattans which is 4 hours away. Our team has gotten very comfortable with each other now. A very nice atmosphere we got going. Lots of laughs along with working hard and encouraging each other. I broke my stick in the game on Sunday. I never break sticks so that was fun. Bohm had an extra stick that is too short for her so she gave it to me so I don't have to buy a new one.
My new course has started. It is all about population models. Lots of equations and computer exercises. Not quite sure how confident I am about it. The first four weeks are class based and the last four weeks we work on a paper and have no class. I am hoping to work a lot then.
I went to the Linkoping girls game on Saturday to see what Division 1 was like. It sure isn't D1 level. I'd say it is high D3. It is weird to think that that is the highest division in Sweden. I think a lot has to do with coaching.
Our guys team has a game tomorrow so I am going to that with a couple teammates. Should be fun. I am looking forward to the Halloween party that Deb (roommate) is throwing. It's going to be at Bjorn's (Deb's bf) place because it is bigger. I think I am going to dress up as a super hero. Yes, because I have a cape. Made specifically for me. By my amazing G-ma. SHOUT OUT TO MY HOME GIRL LOVE YOU GMA. I can wear all black and the cape and paint a sweet eye mask on my face. Vwallah (sp?). My team might throw a Halloween party on Friday which will be a good time. We haven't partied together yet so I am interested to see what they're with a little booze in them. They all say they want to see me dance after a couple drinks. Apparently they can already tell I am retarded. BLAH
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
1 quarter down, 7 to go!
Today my first quarter of graduate school ended. I was up until 4:00 this morning finishing my report and powerpoint. I rocked my presentation. My supervisor said it came together well and the introduction was really nice and another professor told me it was really good. Swedes don't go out of their way to compliment so I think they really liked it. Maybe Union actually taught me some things...maybe. It feels so good to be done with the project. Since I went to the States for the first week of the time set for projects I had to bust my ass to finish it. I survived.
Daniel and Lyndal (materials dude for the team and my goalie) live in Linkoping and they were going to a big grocery store about twenty minutes away today so I tagged along to do my shopping. The store had a foreign section. It was weird seeing products I was familiar with in the section let alone at all. They had chocolate chips, fluff, popcorn seasoning, beef jerky, Reese's, Hansen's soda which I was particularly pumped about, microwave popcorn, marshmallows, peanut butter (no good brands though), and mac and cheese (also not the real stuff).
I decided to cook a ton of meals this evening. I am actually not that bad of a cook. I made ratatouille to go with quinoa and a bean, sausage, veggie, pasta stew thing. They both taste really good. I made a ton of it so some I'm freezing and I won't have to cook for a while or go to the grocery store for at least a couple weeks. It is also a really cheap way. Go Jew in me!
I watched Family Guy with Daniel and it was really funny because I was understanding all of the American jokes and laughing while we was like..."I don't get it." It was a joke about M.C. Escher and M.C. Hammer and I giggled and he had no idea what was going on. Thank you Family Guy for making me feel like home...and making America seem like a ridiculous country.
I substituted at the International English School on Thursday. I was stepping in for two Social Studies lessons. 7th graders and 8th graders. They had homework to do, but I let the 7th graders play Hangman and taught them how to play Heads Up 7 Up. I had my lap top with me so I played music trivia with the 8th graders. They had a ball. When the 7th graders were leaving one of the girls was like "Can you be our substitute everyday?" Yeah, that's right. Look who's awesome. It's really fun. And the 8th graders didn't want to leave when their class was over because they wanted to keep playing music trivia. I think I am an awesome substitute. I don't make them do work and I let them play. That is what a substitute is for. I remember when I had substitutes and it really sucked when they followed the lesson plan. It's a day to enjoy. So I let them enjoy it. And they are very polite kids which makes it more enjoyable. The 7th graders were getting a little too rowdy so I said it had to be completely silent during the Heads Up 7 Up game and if someone talked they had to do 5 push-ups. So I made the class clown do like 20 push-ups because he wouldn't shut up. It's awesome having power.
In case you don't have facebook and would like to see my photos from Sweden I have created an online photo album. Here is the link: http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb369/ostrows/ Let me know if it doesn't work.
It's cold now. And I don't like it. I have to wear layers and a hat and gloves. It's too early for this.
Peace, love, and Heads Up 7 Up
Daniel and Lyndal (materials dude for the team and my goalie) live in Linkoping and they were going to a big grocery store about twenty minutes away today so I tagged along to do my shopping. The store had a foreign section. It was weird seeing products I was familiar with in the section let alone at all. They had chocolate chips, fluff, popcorn seasoning, beef jerky, Reese's, Hansen's soda which I was particularly pumped about, microwave popcorn, marshmallows, peanut butter (no good brands though), and mac and cheese (also not the real stuff).
I decided to cook a ton of meals this evening. I am actually not that bad of a cook. I made ratatouille to go with quinoa and a bean, sausage, veggie, pasta stew thing. They both taste really good. I made a ton of it so some I'm freezing and I won't have to cook for a while or go to the grocery store for at least a couple weeks. It is also a really cheap way. Go Jew in me!
I watched Family Guy with Daniel and it was really funny because I was understanding all of the American jokes and laughing while we was like..."I don't get it." It was a joke about M.C. Escher and M.C. Hammer and I giggled and he had no idea what was going on. Thank you Family Guy for making me feel like home...and making America seem like a ridiculous country.
I substituted at the International English School on Thursday. I was stepping in for two Social Studies lessons. 7th graders and 8th graders. They had homework to do, but I let the 7th graders play Hangman and taught them how to play Heads Up 7 Up. I had my lap top with me so I played music trivia with the 8th graders. They had a ball. When the 7th graders were leaving one of the girls was like "Can you be our substitute everyday?" Yeah, that's right. Look who's awesome. It's really fun. And the 8th graders didn't want to leave when their class was over because they wanted to keep playing music trivia. I think I am an awesome substitute. I don't make them do work and I let them play. That is what a substitute is for. I remember when I had substitutes and it really sucked when they followed the lesson plan. It's a day to enjoy. So I let them enjoy it. And they are very polite kids which makes it more enjoyable. The 7th graders were getting a little too rowdy so I said it had to be completely silent during the Heads Up 7 Up game and if someone talked they had to do 5 push-ups. So I made the class clown do like 20 push-ups because he wouldn't shut up. It's awesome having power.
In case you don't have facebook and would like to see my photos from Sweden I have created an online photo album. Here is the link: http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb369/ostrows/ Let me know if it doesn't work.
It's cold now. And I don't like it. I have to wear layers and a hat and gloves. It's too early for this.
Peace, love, and Heads Up 7 Up
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Jag spelar ishockey
So I was in the locker room on Sunday listening to the coaches explain some stuff before the game and I kept hearing "spelar." And it has been a word I've been hearing a lot while at hockey. I asked my teammate Cilla who I was sitting next to if that work meant "play" and I was right! It was such a cool feeling to have figured out what a word meant just by hearing it so much. I never looked it up or asked someone how to say "play." After hearing it so much I figured it out from context. I never believed people when they said you'll pick up the language just from being there long enough. But it has been proven true. 2 months in and I am now starting to get a hang of what the coaches are saying. I'm hearing things over and over again and words are starting to stick out. Like I kept hearing "bra tjejer" and figured out on my own that is meant "good girls." It is nice that I am playing hockey because I am getting directly spoken to in Swedish vs just being in Sweden and hearing people talk Swedish around me but not to me. I have signed up to take Swedish class in January offered through my university. I could have taken it this semester but I wanted to get a base before jumping into it. Come January I think the class will be easier because I have been picking up words and sounds.
I worked 7-4 Monday and today at the warehouse. My body is so tired/sore from standing/walking/bending/reaching. I enjoy it though. I like seeing all the cool stuff Stadium sells. I want most of it. And I get to hear songs I forgot I had on my Ipod because I'm listening to it on shuffle for 9 hours straight. It's going to be nice having the extra cash for traveling/fun things. The International English School called me asking if I could teach some classes today but I was at Stadium so I had to decline. The secretary said a lot of people were sick so maybe they will need me some other time this week. My coaches work construction during the winter when they can't work at the golf course so I am hoping to maybe get in on that a little bit and learn some handy skills.
I find enjoyment in how my coaches translate hockey terms into English. Referees=judges, bench=booth, net=goal, shot=score, backcheck=home (they scream "hem, hem, hem" when they want us to backcheck). It's amusing. Mandy and I chuckle to each other. It is nice having another American to get my jokes and slang.
I got to train the dogs with Karin again. It is so much fun. She rode the wagon while I rode a scooter/bike thing. Two wheels, handlebars, and I stand. Two dogs pulled me while 3 dogs pulled her. We went 14 km and were out while it got dark so we wore bright headlamps and it was awesome being pulled in the dark in the middle of the countryside. The dogs are amazing. They can pull me up hills. I kick a little to help them on very long/steep ones but for the most part they can do it all themselves. And they are so trained and behaved. They listen to Karin so well and know directions and speeds. I've tried to go more than the two times I've gone but our schedules haven't synced right. I can't wait to train them on the snow. Dog mushing...check.
I forgot to tell you about my team building weekend. We went to the golf course our coaches work at on Saturday and stayed the night in a summer house that wasn't being used. The golf course was so pretty. Up against a huge lake in the middle of the forest/countryside. We got golf lessons on the driving and putting range. I did ok. Not as good as I had hoped since I was starting to get the hang of it this summer but I did alright. We had dinner and they provided wine, cider, and beer. It was awesome. We got to hangout outside of hockey which was really good. Everyone bonded and it got our team closer.
I stayed at a hostel in Stockholm the night before my flight to Vt. It was my first hostel experience. I stayed in the large dorm because it was the cheapest. I don't know how I feel about them. It was stuffy and people we coming in all through the night. I didn't sleep well at all. But it could have just been that particular hostel. There was a kitchen that offered free pasta and a lounge with a tv and computers. A ton of young adults were staying there from all over. I was being anti-social that night though so I didn't branch out to meet anyone. Maybe if I was staying there for longer I would have tried harder but I was just using it as a place to sleep for the night. Hopefully my hostel experiences will improve on my trip with Court in January.
Time to watch the new episode of Dexter. Peace, love, and I know like 4 words in Swedish!
I worked 7-4 Monday and today at the warehouse. My body is so tired/sore from standing/walking/bending/reaching. I enjoy it though. I like seeing all the cool stuff Stadium sells. I want most of it. And I get to hear songs I forgot I had on my Ipod because I'm listening to it on shuffle for 9 hours straight. It's going to be nice having the extra cash for traveling/fun things. The International English School called me asking if I could teach some classes today but I was at Stadium so I had to decline. The secretary said a lot of people were sick so maybe they will need me some other time this week. My coaches work construction during the winter when they can't work at the golf course so I am hoping to maybe get in on that a little bit and learn some handy skills.
I find enjoyment in how my coaches translate hockey terms into English. Referees=judges, bench=booth, net=goal, shot=score, backcheck=home (they scream "hem, hem, hem" when they want us to backcheck). It's amusing. Mandy and I chuckle to each other. It is nice having another American to get my jokes and slang.
I got to train the dogs with Karin again. It is so much fun. She rode the wagon while I rode a scooter/bike thing. Two wheels, handlebars, and I stand. Two dogs pulled me while 3 dogs pulled her. We went 14 km and were out while it got dark so we wore bright headlamps and it was awesome being pulled in the dark in the middle of the countryside. The dogs are amazing. They can pull me up hills. I kick a little to help them on very long/steep ones but for the most part they can do it all themselves. And they are so trained and behaved. They listen to Karin so well and know directions and speeds. I've tried to go more than the two times I've gone but our schedules haven't synced right. I can't wait to train them on the snow. Dog mushing...check.
I forgot to tell you about my team building weekend. We went to the golf course our coaches work at on Saturday and stayed the night in a summer house that wasn't being used. The golf course was so pretty. Up against a huge lake in the middle of the forest/countryside. We got golf lessons on the driving and putting range. I did ok. Not as good as I had hoped since I was starting to get the hang of it this summer but I did alright. We had dinner and they provided wine, cider, and beer. It was awesome. We got to hangout outside of hockey which was really good. Everyone bonded and it got our team closer.
I stayed at a hostel in Stockholm the night before my flight to Vt. It was my first hostel experience. I stayed in the large dorm because it was the cheapest. I don't know how I feel about them. It was stuffy and people we coming in all through the night. I didn't sleep well at all. But it could have just been that particular hostel. There was a kitchen that offered free pasta and a lounge with a tv and computers. A ton of young adults were staying there from all over. I was being anti-social that night though so I didn't branch out to meet anyone. Maybe if I was staying there for longer I would have tried harder but I was just using it as a place to sleep for the night. Hopefully my hostel experiences will improve on my trip with Court in January.
Time to watch the new episode of Dexter. Peace, love, and I know like 4 words in Swedish!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Swedish hat trick!
Ok, so I apologize for going so long without blogging. It is the first time I’ve gone this long from writing and it won’t happen again and I have some good excuses for why it has taken me so long to write. 1) I flew back to the States (Burlington, VT) for a quick (4 days) mission trip to get Afton back. It was more like a 6 day trip if you include travel time. Mission accomplished. I’m not going to go into detail, but most of you who are reading this have already been explained to in more detail about the situation. Basically, I had to fix what I had messed up which meant taking a romantic gesture to get my girl back. It worked and I am now happily back with Afton. The trip back to America was amazing. It was so nice being able to ease drop on peoples’ conversations instead of just constantly hearing Swedish. You don’t realize how different home is until you go back and see it with having a different perspective in mind. After being in Sweden for about two months, you can see how different it is from home but it isn’t until you return to home that you really can see how the two differ. The biggest thing I noticed was how “friendly” strangers were. Everywhere I went I found myself having more than a “Hi, I would like blah blah blah thank you bye” conversation. Random things would be talked about with complete strangers. It is not like that in Sweden. There is no customer service. You get what you ask for and you go on your way. At Dunkin’ Donuts they asked me a billion questions when I ordered an iced latte. They made sure I was getting exactly what I wanted. In Sweden if I asked for an iced latte I’d get a plain iced latte with no sugar or milk unless I stated it in the beginning. That is just an example. I really enjoyed eating bagels while I was visiting. Sweden doesn’t do bagels. It’s a shame. And being the Jew that I am, its tough without bagels. Watching football on Sunday was a big thing I didn’t realize I’d miss but I did. It felt good to drive since I don’t have a car in Sweden and I love driving. I enjoyed being able to read everything and understand everyone. Overall it was a great trip back to America. I brought back to Sweden with me tampons (Sweden doesn’t understand the concept of applicators)(Sorry dudes that are reading this J), Halloween stuff for our Halloween party because it doesn’t exist in Sweden, clear hockey tape because Swedes use packaging tape for sock tape which I am not fond of because I need to use my skate to rip it, and peanut butter because it tastes like shit here. Care package ideas hint hint J.
Reason #2 why I have been blog non-existent: The end of my first quarter for school is this coming Friday so I have been really busy working on a final project and finishing rewrites that are due by the end of the quarter. I am doing a project on the effect of traffic on lichens. I had to go around Linkoping and sample 80 trees. I have to write a maximum 8 page (SINGLE SPACED L) report and have a 15 minute presentation on Friday so I need to bust out a ton of work this week. I am happy for this quarter to be over. I am ready for a new course. This last course was “Methods in Ecology” and focused on labs, reports, and scientific articles. Next course is “population ecology” which seems interesting. I think a lot is going to be on computer modeling which I am nervous about because I am not too into programming and modeling but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Bring it on.
Reason #3: Im lazy. I probably could have written before now but I decided to watch American tv shows on my lap top instead J deal with it.
Let’s see…Hockey. We had our first season game today agasint Karlskrona which is about 5 hours south from Norrkoping. We won 7-0 and I got a hat trick as well as an assist. Pretty baller. I got the game puck which is sweet. I am so happy I am playing here because I have gotten my passion back for hockey. I am having so much fun with my team and everything associated with the hockey. I enjoy the practices and the team is getting closer which is awesome. The intensity is high enough to where I cant mess around but it is not too high to where the fun is taken out of it and it is more of a job than an activity. We have our second season game next Sunday at home which I am excited about. My roommates said they might come to support which would be awesome. And my friend Ethan also wants to catch a game so hopefully I’ll have some fans.
When I got back from America the weather was significantly colder. I was not prepared for it. Its only going to get colder and darker. On a positive note I’ll get to where my kick ass winter hats that I love so much. I work tomorrow at the warehouse which I’m looking forward to because I haven’t worked in a couple weeks because of school. The last week and a half we haven’t had class because we are doing projects. It was a perfect time to take a trip because I wasn’t missing anything. This week is also projects so I am hoping to work because it is hard for me to work when I have class. I wouldn’t spend 8 hours working on my project anyway so I would be doing nothing so I’d rather work.
I promise I won’t make you wait this long for an entry ever again. I am currently sitting on the team bus watching Boondocks Saints with Swedish subtitles on our way home from our game. Bad ass. Peace, Love, and Swedish hat tricks J
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Busy, busy, busy
My day trip to Stockholm rocked. Hanne and I took a bus and it took about 2 hours from Norrkoping. We walked to the Armemuseum first which had Swedish war stuff from the time of the Vikings to present day. It was awesome learning about Vikings and seeing old war objects. We then walked around the busy city part of Stockholm that had shopping and businesses. Stockholm is so clean and elegant. You can really tell how new America is when you come to a European city. The buildings are all beautiful with such detail. Our cities have such modern architecture. I was expecting it to be more crowded and crazy but it was not overwhelming at all. The sidewalks were filled with people but not overcrowded and the streets weren't crazy with cars. We went to the Vasamuseet which has a 17th century war ship that was lifted from the bottom of the sea 300 years after it sank. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Like to the point that when I entered the room I got chills. Just this HUGE wooden battle ship with windows for cannons and intricate carvings all over. My mind started going into crazy imaginations of sea battles. It was weird. I never really put history into context before and after seeing something like that it made me realize that that stuff actually happened and wasn't just a fairytale. After that revelating experience we walked around Galma Stan "Old City." It had narrow cobble stoned streets with shops and the streets would all converge into a big square with cafes. We also checked out the Nordiska Museet which was about Swedish culture. The whole day was great. The weather was sunny and in the 60's and everything went smoothly.
Mandy's friend from Iran, Ehsan, had a birthday party and she brought me with her so she wouldn't feel awkward. I don't know how I feel about parties here. They are very, how should I put it, boring. And awkward. It was actually an interesting party. We counted the number of countries represented and it was 12. That's a lot of countries. I guess I am just used to college parties which don't involve dinner, dessert, coffee time. Sitting around talking about random things does not interest me. So I need to either A) find a crowd that fits my interests or B) somehow manage to enjoy this new type of social gathering. I am hoping for A. I have only been here a month and a half so it is still early. I will find them where ever they are.
I am now writing three blogs. I went from never writing to writing all the time. I have this blog and the blog for the school and now I have taken on writing a blog for a website about women's hockey called http://www.womenshockeylife.com/. I contacted the woman who invented the site because she helps find girls teams overseas and when I wasn't sure if my team was going to make it I started talking to her. Although she didn't have anything to do with my playing hockey internationally she asked if I'd write for her blog. So I said yes. I am able to take pieces from my other blogs so it is not that much extra work. I kind of like it. Potential hobby? I think yes.
I substituted again at the International English School. P.E. for the 5th grade class. We were outside and played soccer, ultimate frisbee, and badminton. The kids just do their own thing. It is fun to talk to them. I am starting to warm up to the idea of possibly liking kids. Baby steps though. The day care called me the other day asking me if I could work but I had class so I couldn't. I didn't want to turn it down because it was their first time contacting me but it was a class I couldn't miss. They said they will contact me in the future so hopefully that happens. It is better to say yes because then they find you reliable and are more likely to call you back in. I have also been working at the warehouse a little. So random work here and there. Not enough to overload my schedule which is good. I am hoping to hear from the concert hall soon. I'm sure they will need more cleaners once holiday events start happening.
School is going well. This week was on grasslands. Malin (classmate) and I teamed up for collecting samples from grazed and non-grazed grasslands and rode our bikes through a nature reserve to find them which was really cool. Sweden has such beautiful scenery. There is so much non touched land here. One more week of modules then we start our two week project and then the course is over. Our weekly reports and the final project are what we are getting graded on so there is no final exam. The work load is not too bad which is great. I've heard nightmare stories about grad school so I am happy Sweden knows what's up.
We found out we will be playing in Division 2 south this season for hockey. It is disappointing that we aren't playing in Division 1 south but the way it works is you have to win the division below in order to play the next division. Last year Vita Hasten played in Division 2 east but it is no longer a division. They didn't win by enough goals to join Division 1 east. So we will most likely be playing teams that are a lot worse than us which is not the most enjoyable. But it just means we gotta kick ass and make sure we make it to Division 1 for next season. After christmas the playoffs begin and we start to play the last 4 teams in Division 1 south. Those games will determine whether we move up next year. So I've set a goal for myself that we will make it to Division 1 south for next season. Wish me luck. We are having a team bonding weekend this weekend. Our sports manager works at a golf course so we are spending saturday there and playing golf and spending the night there. I am looking forward to it because over the summer I was really starting to get the hang of golf and left right when I was feeling I had my swing down and haven't played since I've been here. I am also looking forward to bonding more with my team. It has just been we show up, practice, and leave so we haven't had much hangout time to get to know eachother well and get comfortable. The language and culture barrier decreases the speed of having a team come together so this weekend is a good idea.
Everything is going great. I have a good routine going. School everyday, hockey 3 times a week, and work interspersed. The only thing that is lacking is my social life. I am friends with my classmates, roommates/their friends, and teammates but have yet to form a common group that hangs out and does stuff together. It has been ok because I am so busy that when I do have free time I either do homework, blog, skype, nap, or watch American tv shows on my computer and the down time is nice since some days I am busy from 8am to 10pm. I'll start to be more proactive once I get more comfortable with juggling everything and having enough time for the important things. Shout out to my teammate Maggie who's keeping real in America enjoying spaghetti o's while I am deprived.
Hej då!
Mandy's friend from Iran, Ehsan, had a birthday party and she brought me with her so she wouldn't feel awkward. I don't know how I feel about parties here. They are very, how should I put it, boring. And awkward. It was actually an interesting party. We counted the number of countries represented and it was 12. That's a lot of countries. I guess I am just used to college parties which don't involve dinner, dessert, coffee time. Sitting around talking about random things does not interest me. So I need to either A) find a crowd that fits my interests or B) somehow manage to enjoy this new type of social gathering. I am hoping for A. I have only been here a month and a half so it is still early. I will find them where ever they are.
I am now writing three blogs. I went from never writing to writing all the time. I have this blog and the blog for the school and now I have taken on writing a blog for a website about women's hockey called http://www.womenshockeylife.com/. I contacted the woman who invented the site because she helps find girls teams overseas and when I wasn't sure if my team was going to make it I started talking to her. Although she didn't have anything to do with my playing hockey internationally she asked if I'd write for her blog. So I said yes. I am able to take pieces from my other blogs so it is not that much extra work. I kind of like it. Potential hobby? I think yes.
I substituted again at the International English School. P.E. for the 5th grade class. We were outside and played soccer, ultimate frisbee, and badminton. The kids just do their own thing. It is fun to talk to them. I am starting to warm up to the idea of possibly liking kids. Baby steps though. The day care called me the other day asking me if I could work but I had class so I couldn't. I didn't want to turn it down because it was their first time contacting me but it was a class I couldn't miss. They said they will contact me in the future so hopefully that happens. It is better to say yes because then they find you reliable and are more likely to call you back in. I have also been working at the warehouse a little. So random work here and there. Not enough to overload my schedule which is good. I am hoping to hear from the concert hall soon. I'm sure they will need more cleaners once holiday events start happening.
School is going well. This week was on grasslands. Malin (classmate) and I teamed up for collecting samples from grazed and non-grazed grasslands and rode our bikes through a nature reserve to find them which was really cool. Sweden has such beautiful scenery. There is so much non touched land here. One more week of modules then we start our two week project and then the course is over. Our weekly reports and the final project are what we are getting graded on so there is no final exam. The work load is not too bad which is great. I've heard nightmare stories about grad school so I am happy Sweden knows what's up.
We found out we will be playing in Division 2 south this season for hockey. It is disappointing that we aren't playing in Division 1 south but the way it works is you have to win the division below in order to play the next division. Last year Vita Hasten played in Division 2 east but it is no longer a division. They didn't win by enough goals to join Division 1 east. So we will most likely be playing teams that are a lot worse than us which is not the most enjoyable. But it just means we gotta kick ass and make sure we make it to Division 1 for next season. After christmas the playoffs begin and we start to play the last 4 teams in Division 1 south. Those games will determine whether we move up next year. So I've set a goal for myself that we will make it to Division 1 south for next season. Wish me luck. We are having a team bonding weekend this weekend. Our sports manager works at a golf course so we are spending saturday there and playing golf and spending the night there. I am looking forward to it because over the summer I was really starting to get the hang of golf and left right when I was feeling I had my swing down and haven't played since I've been here. I am also looking forward to bonding more with my team. It has just been we show up, practice, and leave so we haven't had much hangout time to get to know eachother well and get comfortable. The language and culture barrier decreases the speed of having a team come together so this weekend is a good idea.
Everything is going great. I have a good routine going. School everyday, hockey 3 times a week, and work interspersed. The only thing that is lacking is my social life. I am friends with my classmates, roommates/their friends, and teammates but have yet to form a common group that hangs out and does stuff together. It has been ok because I am so busy that when I do have free time I either do homework, blog, skype, nap, or watch American tv shows on my computer and the down time is nice since some days I am busy from 8am to 10pm. I'll start to be more proactive once I get more comfortable with juggling everything and having enough time for the important things. Shout out to my teammate Maggie who's keeping real in America enjoying spaghetti o's while I am deprived.
Hej då!
Friday, September 23, 2011
STOCKHOLM
I'm going on a day trip to Stockholm tomorrow with my new British friend Hanne. We met during school orientation because we were 2 of 3 international students in the biology masters program. Everyone else is Swedish. She is in the ethology program and lives in Norrkoping. I ran into her on the campus from from Linkoping to Norrkoping the other day and I mentioned I want to start exploring but I want to do it with someone and she was like well I am down for that. So we are going to be travel buddies. She seems fun and outgoing. I'm not sure what we are going to do in Stockholm but I have my books from Alisha to read up on what cool things to check out.
Work. I work now. Sometimes. I started work at the Stadium (sporting goods store) warehouse on Monday. Since I have class everyday I can only work half days. It is a mindless job. There is a conveyer belt with boxes which have an invoice in them. I find the merchandise on the list and put them in the box and send it on its way. A lot of walking and carrying stuff. I listen to music and get into my own zone and the time flys. There is no work schedule. I find out the night before or the day of if they want me to come in. I worked Monday and Wednesday afternoon this week. Adding work into my schedule has definitely changed the speed of things. On days I have school, work, and hockey I never had a break. But it's not that bad. I still have time to do my homework and sleep.
Four weeks of school are down. This week's module was on shallow lakes and alternative stable states. We went to a lake about 45 minutes away and took samples of the invertebrates. It was a beautiful place. We have two more weeks of modules and then the last two weeks of the course we have a mini project.
Court and I are very close to planning our trip over winter break. I am very excited. Amsterdam, Germany, and Prague. We are going to be either in Prague or Amsterdam on New Years which will be awesome. If any of you have suggestions for the trip let me know.
Karin, my Swedish roommate, was in the kitchen cutting slices from this dark block that looked like fudge. Intrigued, I asked what it was. She said blood pudding. I laughed and said no really what is it? She said no really its blood pudding. Apparently that is something Swedes eat. She fried it in a pan and ate it with jam. I tried it soley to say I've eaten blood pudding. It did taste irony and crunchy kind of like burnt toast. So yeah, I've eaten blood pudding.
Deb (Boston roommate) planned a Halloween party in late October with costume contests. I need to think of a good costume. I normally suck at that. Suggestions are welcome.
Per, who I met when looking for places to stay and who helped me pick up some furniture, invited me over one Friday night to hangout. I had a game the next day so I wasn't drinking but I went anyway to be social. Swedes are SO awkward. It's like we sit and look around and its silent and no one says anything. I didn't know what to do. Like yeah we don't know each other well but I've never been in a situation in the states were there is silence at a party. And when I think of a party I think of cases of beer and drinking games. That's not how they roll in Sweden. He had popcorn on the table and we sat in the living room and everyone sipped on their drinks. Weirdos.
No hockey this weekend which is why I am taking advantage of the free weekend and checking out Stockholm. This is the first free weekend I've had besides the first weekend after I arrived. Now that I am all settled I am ready to explore.
During school orientation a woman came up to the table I was sitting at during lunch and asked if any of us were interested in blogging for the university. Since I was already writing a personal blog I said sure. I got an email recently to start it and they said there will be a 6 week trial period to see if they like the blog and we can potentially become a paid blogger for the university. Pretty sweet.
Have a good weekend!
Work. I work now. Sometimes. I started work at the Stadium (sporting goods store) warehouse on Monday. Since I have class everyday I can only work half days. It is a mindless job. There is a conveyer belt with boxes which have an invoice in them. I find the merchandise on the list and put them in the box and send it on its way. A lot of walking and carrying stuff. I listen to music and get into my own zone and the time flys. There is no work schedule. I find out the night before or the day of if they want me to come in. I worked Monday and Wednesday afternoon this week. Adding work into my schedule has definitely changed the speed of things. On days I have school, work, and hockey I never had a break. But it's not that bad. I still have time to do my homework and sleep.
Four weeks of school are down. This week's module was on shallow lakes and alternative stable states. We went to a lake about 45 minutes away and took samples of the invertebrates. It was a beautiful place. We have two more weeks of modules and then the last two weeks of the course we have a mini project.
Court and I are very close to planning our trip over winter break. I am very excited. Amsterdam, Germany, and Prague. We are going to be either in Prague or Amsterdam on New Years which will be awesome. If any of you have suggestions for the trip let me know.
Karin, my Swedish roommate, was in the kitchen cutting slices from this dark block that looked like fudge. Intrigued, I asked what it was. She said blood pudding. I laughed and said no really what is it? She said no really its blood pudding. Apparently that is something Swedes eat. She fried it in a pan and ate it with jam. I tried it soley to say I've eaten blood pudding. It did taste irony and crunchy kind of like burnt toast. So yeah, I've eaten blood pudding.
Deb (Boston roommate) planned a Halloween party in late October with costume contests. I need to think of a good costume. I normally suck at that. Suggestions are welcome.
Per, who I met when looking for places to stay and who helped me pick up some furniture, invited me over one Friday night to hangout. I had a game the next day so I wasn't drinking but I went anyway to be social. Swedes are SO awkward. It's like we sit and look around and its silent and no one says anything. I didn't know what to do. Like yeah we don't know each other well but I've never been in a situation in the states were there is silence at a party. And when I think of a party I think of cases of beer and drinking games. That's not how they roll in Sweden. He had popcorn on the table and we sat in the living room and everyone sipped on their drinks. Weirdos.
No hockey this weekend which is why I am taking advantage of the free weekend and checking out Stockholm. This is the first free weekend I've had besides the first weekend after I arrived. Now that I am all settled I am ready to explore.
During school orientation a woman came up to the table I was sitting at during lunch and asked if any of us were interested in blogging for the university. Since I was already writing a personal blog I said sure. I got an email recently to start it and they said there will be a 6 week trial period to see if they like the blog and we can potentially become a paid blogger for the university. Pretty sweet.
Have a good weekend!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
7-0 win against Nora in Orebro!
On Saturday we traveled to Orebro about two hours North to play a preseason game against Nora. We won 7-0. We should have won by more but we couldn't finish. It was still a good game we just played down to their level which sometimes happens when you are playing a team that isn't as good. I played well but couldn't put the puck in the net until the third period. I also had a sexy assist to my line-mate Bohm. I think we connect well on the ice. I enjoy playing with her. I played center the first game and right wing this game. They are moving lines around to see who plays best where and with who. I hope they keep Bohm and I together. I can see us doing some nice things. The rink was in a different building than the locker rooms which I found interesting. Thank god Mandy told me to buy a pair of skate guards before I came because I use them everyday. However, they have already broken. I must walk a little bow-legged because my skates cut through the plastic of the sides skate guards. I have manages to find random ones laying around the rink so I have a working combination at the moment. Our first season game is on October 15th against Sodertalje SK (the team we played last weekend). We can totally beat them so I am pumped we get a rematch. They are going down.
I'm done with 3 weeks of school already. I passed my first module (week) report which is nice. The course is 8 weeks long. We have 3 more weeks of modules and then the last two weeks are for our projects so we won't have any class. I am looking forward to that. I don't know anything about the projects but I am assuming we conduct an experiment of our choice and then at the end of the two weeks we present it. I haven't thought about what I am going to choose as my experiment yet. Maybe something to do with wetlands so I can wear waders again.
I am working at Stadium on Monday after class. It is the warehouse job set up by my hockey team. Apparently the protocol is that the first 4 hours you work for them are unpaid? It doesn't make any sense to me but that's how they work. So Monday I won't get paid but from there on out I will. My roommate Deb is also working at Stadium so hopefully we will work the same shift sometimes and can commute together from Linkoping (Stadium is in Norrkoping). I haven't heard back from the school for work. I think that they only expect that I can be a P.E. teacher because I play sports. When I go in to drop off my pay sheet I'm going to tell them I can also teach science because that was my major in college. Lyndal, my goalie that is a cleaner there, told me they get tunnel vision and only think you can work one area and to tell them I can do other subjects too. They are in need of substitutes a lot because of sickness so hopefully once I tell them I am comfortable teaching other subjects they will call me up. Who would of thought that I'd be a teacher. Weird. Following in my mother's footsteps :) As much as I don't find kids the more enjoyable things in the world, I surprisingly enjoyed being the P.E. teacher and telling them what to do. They all just listened to me and did what they were told. Maybe they were just exceptionally well-behaved kids. Who knows.
It is starting to get a little colder. I can tell in the mornings that I am not wearing enough and I used to not be cold. It is also getting darker earlier. Like around 7:30pm instead of 9pm. It is only going to get darker and darker and colder and colder. Bring it on Sweden. It gets so windy sometimes. Like to where I feel I am getting blown over. It really sucks riding my bike in the wind. I am hate it when bugs fly into my eyes when I'm biking. It has happened like three times. And then it stings and I can't get it out. Sucks to suck.
I have gotten comfortable with the bus system/route. I had to go downtown to pick up a package from my mom because they don't deliver them and so I took the bus because I didn't want to deal with riding back with it. I haven't purchased a back rack for my bike yet. Or baskets. But I haven't really needed it. Except for instances when I want to pick up a package. When I go grocery shopping I bring my travel backpack and everything fits in it. Anyway, I used the bus to go to the post office and I didn't get lost.
I have been here a little over a month now and it feels like I have been here way longer. I feel very comfortable here and my routine is nice. Since partying is not a hobby of mine here I need to figure out what my hobbies are. I should have brought my guitar here so I could teach myself and actually consider myself someone who can play it. Maybe I'll have my parents bring it out when they visit.
The path from my place to campus is CRAZY during school hours. People are idiots on their bikes. I have almost died a couple of times. No one understands walking on the right side. It pisses me off. There are so many bikes on campus and when it is in between class time there is like no room to walk it is so packed.
I have figured out how to use online banking. There is this number pad that I put my card in and there is a code from the internet that I have to put into it along with my pin number and then I can access my account online. Very secure. I can transfer money to people very easily. And I think I will get paid by having it be transfered into my account because they ask for my account information. Sweden has the banking thing down.
So I drink coffee now. Not everyday. But when I'm in class about to fall asleep and we get a break I get some. It works. It actually makes me jittery. I will go from almost passing out in class to not being able to stop moving. Does the job though. And it tastes good. F American coffee. The coffee at a gas station here is equivalent to the top coffee at home. I am totally pulling that out of my ass but I bet its true.
It's gloomy today. Looks like I'll be chilling inside and watching movies. Stay classy America!
I'm done with 3 weeks of school already. I passed my first module (week) report which is nice. The course is 8 weeks long. We have 3 more weeks of modules and then the last two weeks are for our projects so we won't have any class. I am looking forward to that. I don't know anything about the projects but I am assuming we conduct an experiment of our choice and then at the end of the two weeks we present it. I haven't thought about what I am going to choose as my experiment yet. Maybe something to do with wetlands so I can wear waders again.
I am working at Stadium on Monday after class. It is the warehouse job set up by my hockey team. Apparently the protocol is that the first 4 hours you work for them are unpaid? It doesn't make any sense to me but that's how they work. So Monday I won't get paid but from there on out I will. My roommate Deb is also working at Stadium so hopefully we will work the same shift sometimes and can commute together from Linkoping (Stadium is in Norrkoping). I haven't heard back from the school for work. I think that they only expect that I can be a P.E. teacher because I play sports. When I go in to drop off my pay sheet I'm going to tell them I can also teach science because that was my major in college. Lyndal, my goalie that is a cleaner there, told me they get tunnel vision and only think you can work one area and to tell them I can do other subjects too. They are in need of substitutes a lot because of sickness so hopefully once I tell them I am comfortable teaching other subjects they will call me up. Who would of thought that I'd be a teacher. Weird. Following in my mother's footsteps :) As much as I don't find kids the more enjoyable things in the world, I surprisingly enjoyed being the P.E. teacher and telling them what to do. They all just listened to me and did what they were told. Maybe they were just exceptionally well-behaved kids. Who knows.
It is starting to get a little colder. I can tell in the mornings that I am not wearing enough and I used to not be cold. It is also getting darker earlier. Like around 7:30pm instead of 9pm. It is only going to get darker and darker and colder and colder. Bring it on Sweden. It gets so windy sometimes. Like to where I feel I am getting blown over. It really sucks riding my bike in the wind. I am hate it when bugs fly into my eyes when I'm biking. It has happened like three times. And then it stings and I can't get it out. Sucks to suck.
I have gotten comfortable with the bus system/route. I had to go downtown to pick up a package from my mom because they don't deliver them and so I took the bus because I didn't want to deal with riding back with it. I haven't purchased a back rack for my bike yet. Or baskets. But I haven't really needed it. Except for instances when I want to pick up a package. When I go grocery shopping I bring my travel backpack and everything fits in it. Anyway, I used the bus to go to the post office and I didn't get lost.
I have been here a little over a month now and it feels like I have been here way longer. I feel very comfortable here and my routine is nice. Since partying is not a hobby of mine here I need to figure out what my hobbies are. I should have brought my guitar here so I could teach myself and actually consider myself someone who can play it. Maybe I'll have my parents bring it out when they visit.
The path from my place to campus is CRAZY during school hours. People are idiots on their bikes. I have almost died a couple of times. No one understands walking on the right side. It pisses me off. There are so many bikes on campus and when it is in between class time there is like no room to walk it is so packed.
I have figured out how to use online banking. There is this number pad that I put my card in and there is a code from the internet that I have to put into it along with my pin number and then I can access my account online. Very secure. I can transfer money to people very easily. And I think I will get paid by having it be transfered into my account because they ask for my account information. Sweden has the banking thing down.
So I drink coffee now. Not everyday. But when I'm in class about to fall asleep and we get a break I get some. It works. It actually makes me jittery. I will go from almost passing out in class to not being able to stop moving. Does the job though. And it tastes good. F American coffee. The coffee at a gas station here is equivalent to the top coffee at home. I am totally pulling that out of my ass but I bet its true.
It's gloomy today. Looks like I'll be chilling inside and watching movies. Stay classy America!
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