The Show Goes On

See I'm keeping the blog alive!

Lately things have just been rolling along. There's been a bit of school work inclding a chemistry lab report and also a chemistry test and a psycology test. But we made it through so now it's easy rolling. 

Saturday was the beginig of spring here in Helsingborg. I woke up and pulled up the shades and was greeted by blue skies and warm temperatures and it was amazing. Helsingborg typcally recieves 48 sun hours in February, but this year there were only 8. 8 hours of sun in a whole month. So spring was warmly welcomed. 

On Sunday we went to Sofiero. Sofiero is an old royal summer vacation place that a few generations ago was donated to the community. Now Sofiero is known for the extrvgent gardens and outdoor concerts in the summer. Not much has bloomed yet but it was nice to walk around and take a fika in the sun. 

Yesterday we played badminton in gym class. And after school Elna and I went to go buy salads to bring with us as lunch today. 

Why did we need lunches might you ask? Well today was a very excitig day! We went to Lunds University. The University has these days where high school classes can come and book themselves to different lectures and activiites. We met at school this mornig and took a chartered bus down. It was only our class so I have no idea why we didn't just take the train. Anyway our first stop was a hall where there were a bunch on mini experiments and demonstrations that studentss had made.

Elna!

Our next stop was a lecture on BioTerrorism and Food Poisoning. Very interesting stuff..

Next we had lunch. My friends and I had all brought our lunch so we sat outside and enjoyed the sun. 

After lunch I went to a physics and laser show that was super duper cool. First there were some cool experiments with liquid nitrogen, air pressure, fire, etc. But the best part was the end laser show that they put together. I have to admit that it was scary when the room was absolutely pitch black and whatever but the effects were so cool and magical. Very impressive. 

Our last lecture I'm sure was very intersting and about chaperone proteins. But I think I can speak for myself and the rest of my class when I say that we found it hard to stay awake. On the bus home majority of us fell asleep.

We got home at 4:20. It was a really fun day, Some interesting information but also just a beautiful day off of school with friends. 

I keep thinking that the nice weather is a joke. Because after so many days without sun, it's been sunny for 5 days straight. There is frost on the ground in the morning, but by mid day the temperatue is just right.

Happy Birthday Mom! Love you  

Hit Refresh

I know many of you have noticed my lack of blog updates since New Years and I apologize for that. Going from 9 posts in November to 2 in February never really was my plan but I've heard of several previous exchange students who experienced the same thing. Eventually things just don't seem new enough or exciting enough to share, dare I say that things feel normal? 

Knowing that many are eager to hear about even my day to day life I will eagerly try not to disappoint and I will keep writing with hopefully more frequency. 

This year has given me a lot of time to think. These aren't groundbreaking realizations but I think that just being outside of your comfort zone makes you think of other things. Though Sweden is a model country in the world, being here has made me more aware of the world around me and the problems that need to be solved. Maybe it's because I've watched the new more often or that Sweden seems more connected to the world. 
Also you think a lot about yourself when you're on exchange. Everyone you meet is a stranger at first. So it really makes you notice how you come off and how you act and how you react. Coming into this knowing nobody seems like the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself. But it's amazing how hard that is and how you notice yourself resorting to old habits, good or bad. And maybe something you never noticed before about yourself becomes something everyone else notices in this new environment. It's interesting to think about. 
Many people ask if I think I've changed this year. Of course I have, coming back as the same person that left would almost be selfish and unjust. I think I've changed in ways that I myself can't notice. That is why I'm looking forward to what people notice is different when I come home. It'll be interesting. 

I'm also not going to pretend that this year has been a walk in the park. There are many moments of self doubt and questioning. I've never been the most graceful at taking criticism and that, if anything, is my downfall. You come in with this picture of what you're going to do. And then realize that half way through that's not happening. You wonder when you come home what you'll look back on and want to change. I often look back on things and wish things would have turned out differently but I'm too passive in the moment to act on it. 

What's the definition of a good year? What's the difference between pushing yourself and not staying true to yourself?

I've learned how essential it is to get along with people who are different than you. Not different that you in obvious way. But just people who value different things and simply think differently.

So this post is pretty much a hodge podge of thought's I've had. It may be hard to make sense of it all. I'm not sure I follow what I've written. But I thought it was refreshing instead of writing that I slept in, did a lab in physics, ate lunch at a coffeehouse while writing a lab report, then did a chem lab, went to the gym, came home, ate dinner, did homework. That's boring. 

June 25th everyone. Zionsville watch out, I'm coming home.


Jesper, this picture is for you:

Long Time Comin'

På On Wednesday the 5th my class went skiing. We skied a small place nearby called Hestra. Elna and I tried out snowboarding but gave up after half an hour. It was a really fun day.

On Sunday the 9th we had a YFU meeting. My family wasn't going so I got a ride with Franziska (from Ängelholm) and her mom and sister. We got there right in time for lunch and we all brought food from our home countries, it was an international buffet! We spent the afternoon doing necessary YFU stuff. The highlight was getting the letters that we wrote to ourselves several months ago at the arrival orientation. Afterwards we took a detour through a place called Skumparp. There was a statue of Franziskas host moms grandfathers grandfather who was influential in making educational universal in Sweden.

As soon as the Olympics started I watched that as much as possible. They are by far my favorite sports phenomenon. The best part was when a Swede who was originally dead last in a race ended up getting third because the three guys in the middle crashed.

On Friday the 15th we left for vacation! After school we gathered in Domsten and rolled out around 17.00. We drove all night and arrived in St. Martin, Austria around noon on Saturday. The day we got there was sunny and beautiful. Every morning after that was pretty much the same. Woke up around 6.45, breakfast, then the bus would leave for the slopes at 8. We skied at various places all week. There were about 70 of us on the trip. So there were lots of people to ski and spend time with. The bus left at 4.30 every afternoon. At the hotel there was apres ski for the adults followed by dinner. Us kids played cards, watched movies, and other stuff.
One day there was a lot of heavy powder and me and three other girls got stuck off piste and had to walk in waist deep snow for an hour to get out.
Every day for lunch I ate Gulashsuppe and Skiwasser.
On Tuesday, instead of going home, we just changed shoes by the bus before renting toboggans and heading back to the top of the mountain. We ate dinner at a lodge up there and after, the race began. It was madness. We all lined up along the start line and then we were off! There some crashes in the beginning and it was so crowded that there was no chance of steering. The whole run down the mountain took about 13 minutes. There were lots of mechanics to how to lean and pull to maneuver the tight corners.

At end of each ski day all the people who had crashed went to the front of the bus to tell everyone about it. And then we voted on the best one for each day. The winner got to wear this crazy hat that we all knitted for the day.
Some days were really awesome and sunny others were blizzardy and foggy. The temperature was right around freezing, plus/minus a few.
Most people took a day here or there off but I skied 7 days straight.
It was a fulfilling and yet exhausting week. We left Saturday after skiing all day. We wanted to leave earlier than usual in order to make it  home for the Olympic hockey final with Sweden vs. Canada. The bus made really good time and we were back in Helsingborg by 11 Sunday morning.

Since then we've been back to school.

Sliver: It's like Liver but with an S

Thursday last week was like the best day ever.

After a chill day at school Yvonne picked me up to drive me to the Ängelholm airport. By 5:45 that evening I was in Stockholm. I took the train to Stockholm city from the airport. Only snag was that I almost forgot to pick up my luggage! I was on the platform waiting on the train when I realized that I had forgotten to get my checked suitcase. I was a bit disorienting trying to find it since I had only been at the international portion of the airport before. But anyway I found it and arrived in Stockholm around 6:40 to meet my mom! I was sooo much fun to get to see her after almost 6 months.

Next I handed my luggage over to my aunt. And my mom, one of her friends, and I took a taxi to Kina Teatern (the China theater) to see the musical Flashdance. We didn't realize it until we got there but that night was the premier. So the place was packed with celebrities it was pretty crazy. The show was absolutely amazing and I really want to see the movie now!

On Friday we slept in. After a slow start we went to go see a movie in the craziest movie theater I had ever seen. It was like the size of the PAC, it was massive! After the movie and some dinner my mom and I took a train to Västerås. We were greated by heavy snowfall and took a taxi to my grandparents house. My grandpa didn't know my mom was coming, it was a surprise, so that was fun.

On Saturday there was enough snow that my mom and I could go out cross country skiing. We only made it a few laps until the snow got too soft and sticky but it was fun while it lasted. Then we met the whole gang for lunch followed by coffee and cake at home.

 

And then finally Sunday rolled around. We started the day off with a nice long walk. After lunch it was time for me to head back. Mom and I took took the bus into Västerås and from there I took another bus to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye to my mom all over again but it's encourgaing that we will see each other again pretty soon!

Once I got to Ängelholm I took another bus to Helsingborg. I assumed that the bus would stop at all of the stops, I didn't ralize that you had to push a button like a city bus. And since I was in my own world with my headphones on I completely missed my stop. But luckily I realized it and got off at Knutpunkten so Jan came and picked me up there instead .

It was a packed weekend but so much fun!

Should Have a Cold Day

You people in Indiana are whimps. Let me guess, you're wearing Sperry's, leggings, and a North Face or Patagonia fleece, as you run from your house to you car, to Starbucks, and to school. No wonder it's a cold day, you aren't dressed for it!

Haha. Anyway here it's been snowing allll day! And it's crazy cold. It doesn't show on the thermometer but the wind is crazy. I think Helsingborg should be the new windy city. (Every time I think of the windy city I always think of the need to share the fact that Chicago is not called the Windy City based on weather, but rather because of the stormy politics.) It was so cold this morning that I even asked for a ride up to the bus stop which is a rare thing. And in Sweden you are forced to wear boots, a hat, gloves, and a scarf because not matter what, you have to be outside. Thanks to the lovely fact that people don't drive to school (I'm not being sarcastic, it's actually nice) you have to walk to the bus and people are smart and don't want to freeze so we dress for the weather.

In Sweden lot's of things are free. As a student you get a monthly allowance from the state. You get money for going to school! School bus cards are provided for. School lunches are free. You get student discount cards.  The only costs for studying at university are living expenses. Not to mention, if you have a legit reason for having braces, that's paid for too (within a certain age range).
It may seem nice, and it is, but don't forget that you have to compensate for sky high taxes. But let's just forget that part.

Winter Has Come

On January 12th I made an apple pie for dessert that used up the last of the homegrown apples we had collected from the fall.

On Monday January 13th I saw a beautiful sunrise on the way to school.

On Tuesday the 14th we had the most fun gym class ever. I knew we were going to be dancing so I was dreading it. But once I got there it was so much fun! We do-si-doe'd, foxtrotted, and waltzed. It was the highlight of the day.

On Friday January 17th we started our Swedish class by meditating and sharing our plans for the weekend. And then we were dismissed!

On Saturday the 18th we took out the Christmas tree.

On Sunday the 19th I saw the movie Philomena with Ellie. We definitely brought down the average age at the theater but it was a really good movie.

On Monday last week we had the monthly grilling which is always nice. It was difficult to keep track of everything while wearing thick gloves. There was ketchup and hot chocolate everywhere. Ellie brought marshmallows so we roasted those too.

Wednesday the 22nd was a fun day. Ellie and I had plans to fika at the Zoegas Cafe. (Zoegas is a coffee company based in Helsingborg and my dad loves it). Ellie's mom is an optometrist so I met Ellie there because she was getting her eyes checked before she starts practice driving. Anyway she found out she needed glasses which shocked her mom more than anyone else and it was fun to try on glasses with her. We finally got to the cafe and sat there until they closed.

On Friday we were watching tv and one talk show had Bill Gates and the real Philomena (who the movie is based on) as guests and it was really interesting.

On Saturday we went to see a play together. It was Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. It was in a small theater, and we knew one of the actors. It was a good production but it was a bit hard for me to keep up.

Sunday was a good day. I met my YFU junior representative for the first time ans also Franziska who's a student from Germany in Ängelholm. We talked with Oliver (our rep) for an hour and then Franziska and I just hung out and talked for a long time.

I can confirm that winter has arrived in Skåne. It started with weeks to wind and cold. Then the nasty ice and finally snow!

"How do we balance what other people tell us, to be better people, and staying true to ourselves?"

Oh the places you'll go

On December 28th we left for a family ski vacation in Norway. We left at 6am and were in Trysil (ski resort) by 4 pm. It was our whole family, plus mormor Anita, plus the Härdmark family.

Every day was pretty much the same. We were always out on the slopes right around 9 when they opened. We had an apartment on the mountain so we could literally ski out the back door. Since we lived so close we came home for lunch everyday. The slopes closed at 3:30 and in the afternoon we chilled. Read, played games, watched tv.
We had foggy conditions everyday with low visibility. The temperature was right around freezing all week and we did get some snow.

 

We celebrated new years while we were away. We ate a nice dinner together and at midnight we had an awesome view of all the fireworks from the valley.

One night we ate fondue at a restaurant on the mountain. We met with a bunch of other people at the base and then took a snow cat type vehicle up to the lodge where we ate yummy fondue. On the way home we sat in a little sleigh thing pulled by a snowmobile. It was so cool!

We came home on January 4th. We came home in the late afternoon and were invited to dinner with a family in Domsten. It was a nice evening but I was pretty tired after a day of travel.

On Sunday night a couple girls from my class got together and spent the night at Elna's. We saw Sweden lose the Junior World Cup in hockey to Finland, played games, and watched Gladiator. The next morning I saw that Elna had grape jelly in her refrigerator. I was so excited because I couldn't find it anywhere in Sweden, but she had bought it in Germany. She also had peanut butter so I made a PB&J. It was heavenly.

On Monday night we ate dinner in front of the tv to watch the New Years concert that we had recorded. It's a family tradition. They always eat crepes too and they were amazing.

On Tuesday the second semester started. Tuesday was a rough day with school starting and such.

The exciting event on Wednesday was that I left my phone on the bus! I knew it was on the bus because I had been texting someone right before I got off and when I had crossed the street it wasn't in my pocket anymore. We called the bus company and we drove in to town to a bus stop in hopes of catching the bus I had been on. I got on one bus and asked but the bus driver knew it wasn't there but he was pretty sure it was on another line going in the other direction. It seemed like a long shot since it wasn't even the same bus line I had been on. But lo and behold, the bus driver on the exact bus the previous bus driver had described had my phone. It was amazing that he knew that. So I got it back, phew!

Yesterday after school I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because I recently finished the book. And today Yvonne, Gustav, Anton, Elinore, two of Antons friends, the family's hairdresser, and I went to silversmide in Viken. Yvonne goes to a class once a week with her friends and I got a necklace she made for my birthday and a bracelet for Christmas. Also for Christmas all 3 of the kids got the silversmide class payed for as a gift. We were there from 10-3:30 and I made 2 rings and a pendant to put on a keychain or something.

I know that was brief but that pretty much summarizes the past few weeks.

Happy New Year everyone!!