Category Archives: Sweden

Frozen

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I had a very nice evening tonight with my mom and three of her friends. First we went to Max to have real Swedish hamburger. I just love those burgers! At 6:30pm the movie started at Bergakungen movie theatre. We saw it in 3D and English. And for once I didn’t have to focus on the Swedish subtitle. Felt really nice to just watch the movie!

The movie was so good! I think it is one of the better Disney movies. And it was beautiful. I don’t like cold, but I have to admit that ice and snow is pretty! I also totally understand why the song “Let It Go” is nominated for a Oscar for Best Original Song.

After the movies we all went to Bishops Arms, my first time ever being there. Mom was so kind and bought me a Somersby cider. It was very nice and we didn’t stay too long which was good. I was tired.

But I’m not going to bed just quite yet. Tomorrow I’m going to dad’s girlfriend’s son’s birthday party and I’ve been asked to put my best photos from last year on a USB stick and have them roll on the TV. So I have to pick them out. I’m about halfway done. So many pictures. So many pictures…

Party @ Chalmers

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I’ve attended my first Chalmers party in more than a year and it was so much fun. But before the party could start there was a student held department meeting. Normally those are kinda fun, but this time they didn’t allow alcohol at the meeting so I got really really bored. And when they talked about the year’s budget for about an hour it didn’t make it better. So I went down to “Buren” (translated into The Cage), our room in the basement. In the pause my grand-grandchild came down and gave me some pasta salad. Very nice of him to think of his elder!

At like 9:30 pm (the meeting started at 5) we were dragged up to the meeting again to vote for the new person to join the group. One quit…

The meeting didn’t end until I think 12:30am but as soon as it was over we all went down to welcome the new girl. We drank champagne and after some talking they brought forth the tray, caps, glasses and beer. It was time for keps! I’ve been missing that game so much in the US. I couldn’t play too long though. Sober for almost a year and keps is not a good combination so I stopped after four ciders. I was lagom drunk. And no hangover today, win!

But I slept the whole day. I came home around 5am, slept until 11am, watched some sitcoms and then fell asleep again and got up at 3pm to take a shower.

I should read through some documents for my thesis and for once I actually think I will do it instead of being a lazy-ass.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!! ❤

 

SNOW This is my view yesterday morning. SNOW! But it only lasted a few hours…No SNOWWhen I walked to school it was actually a bit pretty. My camera isn’t very good with lights, but the sky was a peach color and it almost felt like California/Hawaii. Except that it was very cold…

Project Management Course

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Wow, what an eventful day! I don’t even remember what I did this morning. I guess I started on that library information online course thingy, ate breakfast, talked to friends abroad on FB and showered.

At 1pm I had to be at Lindholmen for something. To be honest I didn’t know what. So I was surprised to learn that I was gonna participate in a Project Management Course. I managed to keep myself awake the whole four hours, but my mind wandered so I had a hard time focusing. But I didn’t expect anything else, I’ve been having a hang-loose-lifestyle for the past 13 months. It’s gonna take some time getting used to this type of life again. Halfway through we had fika and I’ve really missed that. I think it’s time to get to downtown and have a fika pretty soon!

When I was going back home I thought I was gonna go to Försäkrsingskassan and ask about the financial aid I can get for my rent. It’s so complicated online so I wanted to ask someone. And they were very helpful, they gave me a form and told me exactly what numbers to put where. The hard part at home was to estimate how much I will earn this summer. It’s pretty hard when you don’t have a job yet. It felt better anyway when mom told me that I can always change those numbers as soon as I get them if they are wrong. According to the preliminary calculation I did online with those numbers I will get 500kr a month! That would be so awesome!! 1300 would be better, but I’m not complaining, my life is pretty good right now anyway. Like when I woke up this morning I had a notification from my Internet Bank. I got my study financial aid!! And in two weeks I will get it again and I will be rich!!

On my way to that office Cultural Care called me and gave me specific information about what it means to be an ex-au pair at the information meetings for future au pairs. So on Feb 25th I will be attending my first meeting, mostly observing and maybe have one interview of my own. So the deal is that I will hold a presentation about my year like every third meeting (which is held once or twice per month), and afterward, interview the future au pairs. That sounds like so much fun!

Back home I had the rest of the papers I needed for the last scholarship I wanted to apply for. But then we noticed that one paper was missing anyway. So I will be able to send it in on Monday.

 

And the last big thing I did this busy day was to fill in my application to CalPoly. It’s weird that we have to send in another application when Chalmers already accepted us into the exchange program. A lot of unnecessary work. But it was fun. I added the two other people going from Chalmers and I have been talking to one of them the whole night. He apparently had talked to his counselor and had a lot of information about all the documents we need to send In and so on. So he helped me a lot. The part that took the longest time was to find courses so I had 12 credits per quarter. Some of the courses I chose in my application to Chalmers were in wrong quarters so I had to find new ones. And then that guy tells me that we can choose 4 credits per quarter (tree quarters) that has nothing to do with our area of study. So I chose German step 2 and 3 in the second and third quarter and in the first quarter I didn’t take anything special. It is so much fun to choose my own courses. And it was a bit of work choosing the right ones so they fit. But now I have a set of courses that I really will enjoy taking next year! It’s a lot of environmental and infrastructure courses which is relevant to building and civil engineering. I look forward to next year so much!! And I am glad that I’m sharing it with two other students.

I am done with my application now, except that I have to ask to my counselor if those courses are okay, but I’m sure they are.

 

Now it’s super late and I’ve been seeing double since 8pm… Tomorrow I will sleep in and then visit my old work place, the city library! And I should finish that stupid library information search course thingy. And in the evening there is a student meeting at my department at Chalmers and after a big party! I’ve missed Chalmers’ parties so much, I’m really excited. Today I went to the attic and unpacked my overall (and all my books for the course I will redo in March, so many heavy books… anyway, I will start studying before it starts so I will be prepared, I don’t have too much to do nowadays)!

Job interviews and thesis meetings

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Yesterday morning I was heading to my first job interview in almost two years. I was a bit nervous, but not too much to be honest. For some reason (maybe the American in me) I was calm and I had a good feeling in my gut.

I thought the interview was fun. I’ve never been to a group interview before so it was definitely a new experience. It was also something new, walking around in the park when it was closed. There were machines everywhere and people in yellow vests running around.

After the interview I took the bus back home, had a little lunch and then went to Chalmers for my first meeting about my thesis. I was confused, because I don’t know anything about it to be honest. I have read the description of the project, but I don’t know how we a thesis is supposed to be done, what to do when and so on. And I was still very confused when I left our examinator’s office. We got some questions for the meeting we had this afternoon with the company we are gonna work with, Veidekke.

 

This morning I got a very happy email from Liseberg. They told me that they want me for a second interview next week already! So the first interview was for Liseberg in general and the second one is with different departments they saw fit for us. And I will have an interview with the café department inside the park. I’ve always wanted to work in a café, so I am really excited right now.

Later this afternoon I had my second meeting about my thesis, but this time with the company. I went there confused but left with a clearer view on what to do. Now we now pretty much what we are gonna do. We just have to make a time schedule and write a description of the project. It’s still a bit confused, but we have our next meeting with our examinator and mentor at Chalmers next Wednesday and a week with Veidekke the week after. I think we will make this work :). Once again I have a good feeling about it.

I just have to do that stupid library/information search online class sometime soon. If I don’t I’m not allowed to do my thesis. But I blame my jetlag. I actually have been feeling rather crappy this last week…

 

On my way home from that meeting I got a call from Cultural Care. They wanted to know what type of job I was expecting and what they had available right now. They have a spot as a helper and interviewer at information meetings with future au pairs. They also said something about school visits and fairs I think. But the meetings are the main thing and that’s once or twice per month. That would be so much fun! So the girl doing the meetings are gonna call me with more information. Awesome!

Everything is so working out and I feel that my life is really awesome right now :).

IKEA

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This morning I woke up at 8am. It’s Sunday and it sucks big time. I also woke up twice during the night at 3 and 5 but could go back to sleep after like ten minutes. It’s like the jetlag had a few days delay.

Today I went to IKEA with mom. I got a new pillow, the one I have had the last six days has been so extremely flat. Mom also bought a new frying pan and diod lamps for her closet. We had lunch and I think I have to say that the meatballs and mashed potatoes were better in San Diego. More flavor. But it is way better that you can choose how much food you want here. 8 meatballs is still a lot, but better than 15. We bought some jam and then drove back home.

The rest of the day we didn’t do anything. Well, mom installed the lamps but I’ve been so extremely tired so I’ve just been in my bed watching How I Met Your Mother. Stupid jetlag. I so wanted to go to bed at 6pm, but if I did I probably would have woken up at 4am tomorrow. And tomorrow is an important day, I have to be at my best for the job interview at Liseberg! I have a good feeling about it, but of course I’m still nervous, it is a job interview.

Wish me luck!

The dentist

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I’ve been waiting for this day since October. I didn’t have my wisdom teeth pulled today, but I will be sent to the odontology specialist within a few weeks. Without any questions about it. I guess they understood how badly I needed this after my mom called in October and asked for this appointment. It is a bit scary though. What if that nerve gets in the way and I will have a lazy jaw for the rest of my life? Is it gonna hurt? Will I look stupid as a chipmunk?

I was inside the rest of the day because of the famous Gothenburg weather. Rain. Not much most of the day, but enough to not want to be outside. I didn’t start with that online course I have to take, but I will do it this weekend. Instead I applied for two scholarships and will apply for a third tomorrow and in the next few months two more will be applyable. I need every penny I can get.

The level of this blog sank a lot since I came back to Sweden, it’s not as interesting anymore because Sweden is simply put a boring country most of the times. But I will start with the preparations for my next big adventure pretty soon. It will be so much fun going back to Cali to study :).

Leaving the apartment

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I dared go outside today. And it wasn’t bad at all. I had my new A&F Weather Warrior Parka and my boots and went for a walk for a little more than an hour. It must have been around freezing, but with the right clothes it was actually nice, feeling that icy cold on my face again after so many months in the sun (but I’m already counting down to the summer and my next trip to California in September). My original plan was to go to the grocery store to pick up a package for mom, but when I came there I wanted to keep walking so I took a little walk down to Chalmers and up again. It was nice! And it is fun when people are staring at me for being so tan, hehe :). The package was two pillows for the cats.

I woke up at 7am today and have, except for my walk, been by the computer organizing my external hard drives.  It is needed.

I felt like crap later this afternoon. Around like 6pm I became super tired out of nowhere and so drunk at the same time. I guess that is the jetlag… I’m glad I can sleep at least! But right now I’m not tired at all and it’s almost 2am… I hope I will be able to sleep until 9.

I have a lot of plans tomorrow. First I have my dentist appointment at 10:45am. I hope I don’t have to wait more than a couple of weeks to remove my wisdom teeth, well, one at a time. And then I will apply for three scholarships from Chalmers, do an online course that I have to do before starting with my thesis and then there is the Olympics opening ceremony. Looks like I will have a day full of fun events!

No jetlag

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I slept through last night like normal. I woke up a few times but could fall asleep again. I was a bit worried when I woke up at 3am, but there was no problem falling asleep again. I woke up at 8am and was well rested, 10 hours of sleep tends to do that.

Chip, one of my cats, slept with me through almost the whole night. I fell asleep petting him. When I woke up at 3am and had to use the restroom he wasn’t in my bed, but he was sleeping in the bathtub. Crazy cat. And then he followed me back to bed. I’ve missed having those to fluffy hairballs around!

My day after that was weird. I was so bored and restless and at the same time kind of tired so I didn’t want to do anything. I guess I suffer from some jetlag. But I did some good. I emailed my university and asked them to add me to the program again. I emailed Cultural Care telling them I am back in Sweden and that they can call me whenever about that part time job. I uploaded all my pictures from Hawaii on Facebook and then eventually unpacked my suitcases. It will be nice not living in them for a while. But I so look forward to moving into my own apartment in like three weeks. Unpack everything, have my own stuff and more clothes to chose from. Even if it’s not worth unpacking it all since I’m moving in six months again.

I cooked korv stroganoff tonight and it was heavenly!  It is a traditional Swedish dish, sausage tomato puree and soy stew.

Now I will try the new Sims 3 Into the Future.

Ready to go

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Yesterday I finally packed all my stuff. It was more than I expected, but 5kg less than maximum weight allowed. The only thing left to pack is my dressing-case, computer and phone. I hope I haven’t forgotten anything…

So, now I am completely ready to go on my biggest adventure yet. It feels kind of unreal, but at the same time I’m realizing I’m leaving Sweden for a year. It’s a strange feeling. But I am so excited and right now I’m just sitting here, waiting for time to pass, haha! I don’t think I will be able to sleep tonight either.

Tomorrow looks like this: I will get up pretty early, pack the last of my things, and go to Landvetter airport where I’m going to meet the other three au pairs who are leaving from Gothenburg. Say goodbye to my mum and then get on the plane. Take off is at 11:55, stopover in London and landing in New York 11hours and 45 minutes later. It’s going to be a long day, local time in New York will be 17:40, but I probably will be too excited to be tired!

I can’t wait till I met my host family in Carlsbad Friday evening.