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August 31, 2004

Day Two of Classes

Day Two of Classes is over and I'm mentally exhausted. We spent the majority of time working in small groups and received our first assignment—to write a report detailing "Making SLS, Inc. [the pretend name for the Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability group] the Best Learning Organization It Can Be". This report has no required length, format, or direction beyond the title. We are supposed to use our "Open Space Dialogue" process to break into small groups to form the chapters of the report, which is due tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Now, the entire class has to discuss, write, and reach consensus on the report in less than 24 hours, using a process that is inefficient at best. Trying to get 50 "leaders" to agree on anything, particularly something as complex as how to structure our program for success, is a disaster waiting to happen. Consider for a moment: it took us 1.5 hours yesterday to decide not to make a decision about our common room.

I nearly went out of my mind during the final small group session—we are largely a group that likes to expound on ideas rather than commit to a plan. So I took the afternoon off (some other small groups continued to meet informally—but one of our rules for small group is "whoever shows up is the right people" so I don't feel bad) and went shopping for groceries and a rug.

I'm now the proud owner of a bamboo rug, which I'm admiring while the newly-purchased potatoes roast in the oven. My plans for the evening include reading my book, killing errant bugs that wandered in last night when the window was open, and going to bed early. I've been getting up at 7 a.m. for classes, which makes it hard to get to bed early enough to get my 8 (or 9, to be honest) of necessary sleep.

It was gray and drizzly all day, after brief rays of sunshine in the morning. It has effectively killed any chance for a cheery mood, making it even more difficult to be a good "team player" during these stupid exercises. I am REALLY looking forward to the lectures that begin on Friday. Even breaking into permanent small groups would be a step forward, rather than the revolving small group sessions that require larger group consensus at regular intervals. Its strange that I really enjoy people on an individual basis, but get so impatient when we're structured into a classroom setting. I suppose that says more about me than them (I'm self-centered, impatient, arrogant, etc.), but my response is bah humbug! When I'm running the world, things will be different!

But fear not: there is GOOD NEWS! Our real beds arrive tomorrow, thus completing the furnishing of our student housing. I will be ecstatic to sleep on a mattress that conceals the shapes of the slats underneath (in the morning I have a crease on my back from the middle slat).

Roommate Update: We just found out that adding a third roommate is going to be more difficult than we anticipated. Rather than having the housing company add a third person on the lease, Roya and I will have to informally rent it out ourselves. The new person would have to pay us rent (creating all sorts of reliability issues), and we would have to furnish the room ourselves (an added expense we thought Student Services would take care of). So, we'll talk to Jessica (our latest possibility) about the change in circumstance tomorrow and see what she says.

Posted by madchen at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)

August 30, 2004

School and a Surprise

Today was the first day of classes, and boy was it a learning experience.

All told, there are about 40 of us in the Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability program, ranging from people in their twenties to mid-fifties. There are at least a dozen nationalities represented, but half the program consists of North Americans (11 Canadians and 10 American) so there is a definite cultural skew. We have diversity beyond mere skin color, too—there is a confirmed lesbian (Lisa has a wife named Liz—must get confusing at home!), a hearing-impaired man, and a physically-disabled man. There are slightly more women than men, but that's standard for the field of corporate social responsibility (and sustainability to a lesser extent). There are several married folk, and even some who have left their spouses in charge of multiple children for the duration of the program. Some have families that will join them later in the fall, others are planning on spending the entire year alone—even counting holiday breaks. Thankfully, there are only a few truly annoying people, which I will describe in detail:

* Person "A" (I'll refrain from using names, just in case it comes back to haunt me) participates in class to an absurd excess. For "A", every rhetorical question has an answer, for which everyone else in the class is breathlessly waiting to hear how it will be solved. "A" even sometimes spontaneously proposes his own rhetorical questions, or more likely, his own "metaphor"—a metaphor which no one understands. "A" has a personal anecdote to share for every topic of conversation in small group exercises. He deems himself leader (even using a podium while everyone else sits around a small table), but is "uneasy with the authoritarian nature of leader/group, and would like to see the group dynamic evolve into a co-leadership mentality as a metaphor for sustainable development." I kid you not. It's farcical.
* Person "B" is…

Well, truth be told, next to "A", all others pale in comparison. Suffice it to say that we have:

* a solitary drinker (I know this from previous events, not class)
* a person who wants to wait until everyone in the group has arrived before making ANY decisions, as if newcomers might not want chairs in the common room
* a person who prefaces everything with, "I don't know if this is a good idea…". EVERY TIME SHE SPEAKS.

Actually, I really like the group, even if there are some annoying tendencies (none of which *I* possess, of course!).

And now, a description of the class itself. We met at 8:30 a.m. in our standard classroom (not to be confused with our common room), which resembles a typical high school biology classroom—lab tables everywhere, each on a successively higher step, creating a small amphitheater effect. There were the ubiquitous technology problems (which they later lamely used as a metaphor for the relationship between technology and sustainability—I secretly rolled my eyes at that), so we didn't actually get started until 8:45 a.m. Once we did get started, there was about an hour of introduction and program history. Then we did a brief series of self-introductions (it was then that I first realized what a liability "A" was going to be) and broke up into a bunch of small groups.

The groups were based on sustainability topics suggested by individual students, and were designed to get us talking in an open and frank manner (as if most of us needed any help). I went to the "Green Metrics and Indicators" small group discussion (others topics included Energy, Agriculture and Industry, Sustainable Community Development, Culture, and Transforming Society/Paradigm Shifts), where we talked about the need for sustainability leaders to be adept at using economic, social and environmental indicators, and especially comfortable with translating one type of metric into another (kilowatts of energy saved = $$ saved). It was pretty interesting, but I didn't feel like I was learning anything—but I think the point of the exercise was just to build some energy and excitement around topics we would be covering later.

By then it was almost noon, so we quickly went over the logistics and timeline of the program (winter break is December 22-January 9). Among the more interesting events is this Friday, when the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria will be joining our class as a guest student. Ooh-la-la royalty! All the guys are pretty enthusiastic, as she's reported to be a "bit of a hottie" (and I quote directly from one of my classmates).

At that point, people were ravenous, so we broke for lunch with plans to meet back in the common room at 3 p.m. I ate lunch in Villa Oscar with some classmates, where I had a strange potato scramble thing with a huge plate of tomatoes and cucumbers. Yum, yum, yum.

After lunch, I went to the library, where I uploaded some previous journal entries and replied to some emails. I'm thinking that I won't get internet at my place, since there will be a lot of forced downtime as part of my class schedule (which is turning out to be FREAKISHLY hectic—4-6 hours of class EVERY day, plus all associated reading, "independent learning", and the odd Swedish mystery situation). Since I'll be spending the majority of down time at the library or in the common room, I can do all my internet stuff there—which will, in turn, force me to do schoolwork at home. At least, I hope so.

At 3 p.m., we met back in the common room to discuss how we wanted to design it. As with most large group discussions, especially with "sustainability types", it was pointless and too long. We were told that the tables and chairs given to us last week were actually given in error—and we had to put them all back where we found them. This un-move left the room barren of any good taste, and once again left us with a blank slate for design. The building supervisor is going to check the school storage to see if there is any spare furniture for us to use (for real this time), but in the meantime, we're basically left to our own devices. There is a segment of the group that wants to buy couches and make the room into a comfortable study/debate area, but others are gung-ho on waiting for a few weeks to see how the program develops. And above all, there is a feeling that we need to be "sustainable" about how we develop the room, so initial plans to purchase a printer specifically for the program was delayed indefinitely, as was all purchases.

I gleaned all of this information in between running back and forth to the International Office to check on the status of my package. I was super-excited to see a whole stack of huge boxes in the reception area, but none of them were mine. I was on the verge of tears when one of the International Office representatives told me that the "Shipping Office" address given to me (and other Sustainability students) was wrong and had resulted in packages being returned without delivery. But luck was on my side when I met Jessica, the best-ever International Office employee. Unlike some of the others, she speaks fluent Swedish and English and was able to handle my case. After scrutinizing my customs order, she located a tracking number (that I thought was the customs form number—silly me), made multiple calls to the Swedish Postal System, and located my box at a private post office in Karlskrona. The ironic thing was that the box had been delivered on AUGUST 16—two full days before I even left! It had just been sitting there for two weeks, as a result of the "Shipping Office" address problem mentioned earlier. It seems that this problem has been partially resolved (maybe the post office figured it out once a plethora of boxes started arriving), because my letters and other peoples' boxes, bearing that same address, have made it to the school. Perplexing.

Anyway, I hopped on the bus to the Centrum and triangulated the location of the post office by asking random shop owners. I ended up at the train station, where there is a little convenience store across the hall. I asked the lady behind the counter if she knew where the post office was—she looked at my address and the number the International Office had given me and walked back to her pantry and pulled out my long-lost box!! The back story is that all airmail in Sweden is handled by a private company with little stations all over the place—when they couldn't figure out where my box was supposed to go, they dropped it off with this lady. Who knows how long she would have kept it, at some point she would have needed that space for her groceries or something.

The moral of the story, Dear Readers, is to send all future packages to my Kungsmarksvägen address (which I am thrilled to give you!), rather than my initial International Office address.

Blissfully happy to have my bed items back, I traipsed back to the bus station and caught a ride home. I had just made it inside when the drizzle (it has been gray and wet all day) turned to a downpour. I made a lovely dinner of steamed broccoli, pasta (with tomatoes, cheese, and basil), and the remainder of my chocolate bar.

It's just after 7 p.m. now and I've done the dishes, cleaned my room, and am now ready to put my bed together (well, I'll still have the crappy cot, but at least I'll have excellent pillows!) and read my book.

Tomorrow our classes are in Annebo, which is a complex between my apartment and the school campus. So it will take me a little less time to get to class, assuming I can figure out where I'm going. I just hope it stops raining before the morning—I don't want to be stuck in class all morning with wet clothes. They keep the windows open for fresh air, and a little breeze can make it quite chilly. We're doing more small group activities (which I am growing to dislike a little more each time I have to do one), and won't really start lectures until Friday (which is starting to look like Christmas).

And with that, I bid you adieu. To you and you and you.

Posted by madchen at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2004

Dragso

I skipped the kayaking and opted for a lazy morning. I was up at 8:30 a.m., but took my leisurely time eating breakfast (granola and yogurt—yum), taking a bath/shower, reading my book, etc. It was just after 11:30 a.m. when I hopped on the #7 bus to Saltö. The bus ride took my past campus, past the town center, and around to one of the other islands (Saltö). From there I walked for about 15 minutes to the island of Drasgö, the most northeastern of the big islands in the Karlskrona archipelago.

It was a gorgeous day, and I didn't have a clue where I was going—just that there was a campsite on Drasgö where you could rent canoes and kayaks, and where we would meet for lunch. Fortunately, once I got there I almost immediately met Mandy, another girl from our program (from Virginia—her husband is a professor at Virginia Tech!). We wandered around for a bit, before calling Roya (who was out canoeing with the group). They were still out on the water, but thought they would be pulling into the campsite within the next ½ hour.

In the meantime, several others joined the "picnic-only" group, including Amity, Ron, Paulo, and Karl. We had a lovely meal, all sharing our various provisions. We sat at several of the picnic tables set up along the mini-beach and watched the crazy Swedish people frolicking in the water. The children are prone to swim nude, and think nothing of changing into warm clothes right on the beach. Karl, who scoped out the area yesterday, said that people of all ages participated in the nude swimming, and that the elderly made up a disproportionate number of them. For today, though, the adults mostly stuck with playing croquet in their speedos and other ill-fitting bathing suits. It's really funny how differently people view their bodies here. Clothing is often ill-fitting—usually tending towards the clingy and too-tight—and people who are modestly overweight think nothing of showing a lot of skin. Perhaps I have found a new home?

We kept a lookout for the kayaking group, and saw them circle our side of the water about an hour and half into our lunch, with still the other half of the island to paddles across. By 3 p.m. it was getting cold, and with no sign of the kayakers (they must have landed at some point, but we never met up with them), the picnic people walked back to the city center, picking and eating wild blackberries and blueberries along the way.

Having had more than my share of walking for the day, I caught the bus back to my apartment. Rather famished, I munched on chips and chocolate while my pizza cooked (my first baking experiment!). The pizza turned out okay (I will not be a repeat customer), but I can speak highly of the chips and chocolate (per usual).

Halfway through dinner the doorbell rang. I was expecting Roya at any moment, but couldn't figure out why she wouldn't use her key. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to find Babar (the Pakistani guy from the International Office) with a girl in tow! Apparently, she had just arrived from Kyrgyzstan and needed a place to sleep for the night. I, of course, refused.

KIDDING!

I immediately welcomed her into the apartment, noting our lack of furniture but giving her the living room for the night. (At this point, you are probably wondering her name. Despite asking her a dozen times, I have forgotten it once again—I think my brain is too full of new names to be accepting others. It's something like Arlita…) She had come via Moscow, and was really tired. We chatted for a bit, and I found out she's in the "Special Planning" department. She was offered an apartment here in Kungsmarksvägen, but refused to sign the contract tonight (making her effectively homeless). Apparently, she thinks this complex is a sty, a sentiment many of us share. I would like to again emphasize that if a person from Kyrgyzstan (a place not known for its excessive standard of living) thinks that Kungsmarksvägen is a sty, it probably is. It's not just me and my elitist ways. On the other hand, it grows on me every day. I like to think of myself as "one of the people"—a real Mench, you know?

This mystery girl has now left on a little pre-collapse adventure (presumably to find food) and I'm in the apartment alone. I've packed up the remaining half of the pizza, put the chocolate out of eyesight, and am contemplating continuing reading my book. It's really interesting, but very engineering-intensive. It has, however, made me want to build my own super-energy-efficient home when I'm done with this program. I'm on a chapter that talks about how super-efficient insulation and ventilation design can eliminate the need for a furnace and air conditioner, even with temperature variations of 160 degrees Fahrenheit—without costing more than traditional design. Pretty cool!

Other interesting observations:

* I saw a man today who obviously had cut his hair with a Flobee. He looked like a young and Swedish Rod Stewart. It makes me happy to see so many content and successful people who look terrible. It continuously reinforces how we Americans are too concerned with how we look.
* Yesterday, a small Swedish child (about Janie's age) yelled at me on the bus. She was accompanied by her father and younger brother. While her father was busy attaching the stroller to the bus rail, she hopped up on the seat next to me and started loudly saying something. And by "loudly", I mean that other people turned around to see the commotion. I have no idea what she wanted, but she was obviously disgruntled. Her father came and sat down with the little boy in the seat across the row from us—but this did not placate the little girl. A few seconds later, she shrieked and slapped her hand down on the book I was trying to read. Thankfully, her father grabbed her and pulled her over to sit on his lap. It was an interesting exchange to say the least. With adults, I feel that I can adequately apologize for not speaking the language with hand motions, shrugged shoulders, and a smile. Not so with small children.
* I have further designed a plan to woo my gentleman of choice. More details to follow…
* When I transferred all of my music over from my PC to my laptop, I seem to have overlooked the CD with the "E" music. I am sorely missing my Etta James, and who knows what other jewels have been left in Bethesda? I will definitely be on the lookout for that missing CD when I'm back in November.

So it's 7:16 p.m. and Roya isn't back yet. At what point do I find the police and ask them to start searching the water for floating bodies? Unfortunately, my mobile phone has run out of minutes on its pre-paid calling card, so I can't call her. Tomorrow, I'll go buy another phone card and run by the ATM again, so that I can take out enough money to pay my rent. I've decided to skip out on the local bank account and just pay rent in cash—everything else can be done by Internet and Visa (oh Visa, I bow before thee). At least, that's my plan for now. Once I've had a chance to sit down and look over my bank account and exchange rates, I may decide that I'm being ripped off during the dollar/kronar conversion. Not that there's much choice—all the money will have to be converted at some point, I suppose.

Classes start tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. and run until noon. I'm a little miffed that classes begin so early (starting Wednesday they will begin at 8:15 a.m.!!) I didn't sign up for graduate school to be getting up at 7 a.m., I can tell you that. In fact, I believe a general principle in life should be that your alarm clock should never be set for classes any earlier than they would be set for work.

On that note, I should get back to reading my book. I'm feeling a little behind my classmates on The Natural Step philosophy, on which this program is based. Guess I'll be getting up to speed in the next few weeks, because I heard a rumor the first exam is on September 19th!

Update: Altina is her name. And Roya's alive and back, and also carrying a mattress.

Posted by madchen at 11:15 PM | Comments (0)

August 28, 2004

Bedtime

I'm back in my room, ready to call it a night. I rendezvoused with some of the other Sustainability students and had drinks and dinner at O'Learys—the local sports bar. We watched bits and pieces of multiple football games (soccer to the "yanks"), as well as the USA/Lithuania basketball game (USA won the bronze, despite heavy cheering for Lithuania at the bar). I had the "BJ Magic Chicken Sandwich", and I can tell you that the "magic" did not add to the overall quality of the food. By 9 p.m. there were over a dozen of us in attendance, and talk ranged from whether professionals should be allowed to play in the Olympics, to American politics, to foods we might prepare that represent our countries of origin. We talked to some of the locals, a few of whom we keep running into at various places.

By 10 p.m. I was ready to go. Roya and Tomomi rode their bikes back home, while Paulo and Renard rode the bus partway back with me. I met a guy named Adam on the last leg of the bus ride. Adam is from Iraq and has been in Sweden for 3 years. He used to be a lawyer, but now works 3 jobs (his main job is in a retail shop). He said he speaks 7 languages, and from his prolific Swedish and English, I believe him. We exchanged phone numbers and will maybe get together for kaffe sometime. I love that you can meet people from all over the world right here in tiny Karlskrona.

Well, tomorrow's plans now include potential kayaking in the morning, but definitely a picnic on one of the islands for lunch. I've roughly figured out where I'm going, but I'll need to get an early start in order to make it to campus early enough to get specific directions, then catch the right bus to the island, and then walk another kilometer or so to the campgrounds. It will definitely be an adventure!

Posted by madchen at 11:19 PM | Comments (0)

Farmers Market

What began as a beautiful day has turned into a blustery, might-pour-at-any-second afternoon. On the other hand, the clouds might pass as quickly as they came—Karlskrona has crazy weather patterns that defy prediction.

I realized I had dawdled too long (taking a bath/shower, eating a yogurt-and-granola breakfast), so instead of walking to town, I took the bus. The farmers market was amazing, it was much more than just produce. People were selling books, clothes, fun food items (candy apples, hot dogs—oh how the Swedes love their hot dogs), flowers, etc. I perused the goods and bought a basket of fresh blueberries and a basket of fresh raspberries—which I am definitely going to enjoy. They were remarkable affordable, only 45 kronar for the bunch (about $6).

With my little bag of berries, I wandered down to Spär, a kind of mini-Wal-Mart, where I purchased sunglasses and a little mirror. (Guys may want to skip to the next paragraph.) But most excitingly of all, I found tampons!! Apparently, Swedish women prefer sanitary napkins for all their menstruating needs—you can find a whole wall of them at the grocery store, with only a few boxes of O.B. in the corner. Now, I have brand loyalty to very few items, but tampons are one of them, so I was delighted to find Tampax at Spär. I was beginning to wonder if I would need to send out an all-points bulletin to my girlfriends requesting airmail packages of the much-desired product. But back to discussion for everyone…

I also found shower curtains and bedroom curtains, but I just couldn’t figure out the hardware. (Dad, where are you when I need you most?) It seems like I either have an extra part (in the bedroom, there are what appears to be ½ of the curtain rods) or a missing part (the shower curtain rod seems to only go around ½ the bath tub). So I gave up and came home, stopping at Willy:s to get some milk and chocolate (Roya made some excellent Argentinian-style hot cocoa) and at Blomster Landet for two more plants (a hibiscus bush and a fern) for my bedroom. Still no bed, but a plethora of plants!

I got a call from my parents this afternoon—and it was so good to hear their voices! I realized after we hung up that talking to them is a lot like talking to my grandparents—the ladies do most of the talking, and the guys put in a word now and then. It sounds like everyone back there is doing well, even without the daughters. Jess and Janie stayed at school this weekend, leaving my parents as empty-nesters for another week.

In a couple minutes I'll head down to campus and check email and upload the latest journal entries from the Sustainability group's common room (which is another adventure I'll have to relate some other time). I'll also upload my pictures from Ofoto, including a picture of the new desk and bookshelf, and a picture of Roya (on her makeshift bed). After that, I'll trot on down to Centrum to meet up with some other Sustainability students for a night on the town.

Posted by madchen at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

A Lamp!

After stopping by the school on Thursday afternoon (where I happily received my lamp from the International Office!), I hopped back on the bus to go home. I made a quick detour to Willy:s, where I picked up a light bulb for the lamp, as well as some other goodies (a chocolate bar, for instance). I was also drawn into Blomster Landet, a giant greenhouse that sells all sorts of plants and flowers. Since I am still lacking a fully complement of furniture, I decided that a few plants would help spice things up in the meantime. I wandered around in amazement for almost a half hour, marveling at the selection of plants. There were hibiscus, gardenias, a whole slew of indoor plants, bamboo, etc. I walked away with an African Violet pot, a Gerbera pot (at least, that's what Roya calls them—I think we have a different name that I can't remember), and a plant that looks like tall grass. I am quite pleased with myself, and am determined to keep them alive past my standard 3 weeks.

After getting home, I cooked a lovely meal of couscous, tomato, and broccoli, and even had enough left over to make leftovers (on the agenda for lunch today). Then Laura, Tomomi, and Kerily came over for birthday cake, which Roya had made for Laura earlier in the week, but never got a chance to eat. It was a lovely experience to have a group of people sitting around our kitchen table with cake and rosehip tea (which Laura made from rosehips she collected from one of the paths in Karlskrona). Our little get-together really made the apartment start to feel like home. After the dishes were done (all by hand, and made more difficult because there is no garbage disposal), I helped Roya assemble some of her furniture, and got to look through pictures of her 5-week trip to Argentina this past spring. It was amazing.

We called an early night, in anticipation of our "very important compulsory" meeting in the morning. It turned out to be largely repeated information for me, although I believe it was helpful to some of the students who had arrived later in the week. Unfortunately, I was in a very grumpy mood, and didn't enjoy any of the "group time" our program organized afterwards. I think a large part of it was that it was one of the first completely cloudy days since I've been here and it just sapped my will to live. In fact, I had several (at least 4-5) people come up to me and ask me if I was feeling ok—I guess I looked pretty crappy on the outside, as well as feeling crappy on the inside.

I've come to appreciate just how much control the weather has over my moods—and yesterday was an example of how a cloudy day makes me anti-social. Realizing how close I was to snapping at someone (Speak English faster! I've already seen the library! For goodness sake, who cares where that table goes!!), I decided to skip out on the evenings festivities, consisting of a dinner for all new students and dancing afterwards. Instead, I went home and enjoyed a little alone time. I considered writing a long rant of all my complaints (which could have potentially run for 10 pages), but I decided to wait until the morning. I ate the rest of my chocolate bar (for its mood-lifting properties, you understand), drank a huge glass of water (in case I was grouchy from dehydration), and jumped in bed.

This morning, the sun is shining and I have a new lease on life. Interestingly enough, last night I had another very graphic (but nice) dream about one of my fellow students. It's going to make it very difficult to act normally in his presence from now on, since I’m liable to start giggling at any moment.

So it's 9:30 a.m. right now, and my plans for today include a stop by the local farmers market in the town square, a trip to the ATM to withdraw money for rent (which I will pay on Monday in person at the apartment company), and general walking around the Centrum in search of more apartment necessities (a rug, curtains, pictures for the walls?). At six, a group of Sustainability students are planning on meeting at the Tourist Bureau to welcome any late-arriving students, then going out for drinks somewhere nearby. I'm hoping my good mood will last that long.

Posted by madchen at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)

August 26, 2004

Blech

Whew—nothing will make you homesick like a little illness. Nothing big—I think I just ate something that disagreed, but I was up for a couple hours last night feeling quite sorry for myself. And it was a shame because I had such a lovely day!

Furniture arrived in drips and drabs, and along with it came the news that all the beds were "wrong" and were being sent back. So it will be a few more nights on the temporary cot for me—poor Roya and Tomomi are stuck on the floor.

After a major assembling effort (the desk and chair are now together!!) I quickly changed clothes and went to Centrum with Roya and Tomomi, where we met about a dozen international students for drinks at one of the pseudo-English pubs. I met two really nice Swedish guys, who helped me set up the voicemail on my mobile phone (we'll see if it works!). I also realized that what I thought was a voicemail was really a text message from Red! Very exciting.

The group split up, with some people going to play pool and others staying to watch the Olympics. By 10:30 p.m. everyone had enough, so there was a mass exodus back to our apartments. I quickly fell asleep (after admiring my desk!), only to wake up in the middle of the night. It was icky, let me tell you. But I digress…

Once I got back to sleep, everything went back to normal. I slept in until 10 a.m., and now I'm at my new desk, writing a few things before I go take a bath/shower. After that, I don't really have any plans, other than going to campus, checking email, and picking up a desk lamp they are holding for us at the Student Services desk. Oh, and I'm also going to assemble my bookcase, one of the last pieces to arrive yesterday.

After talking to a bunch of the international students, I've come to appreciate how lucky I am to be in Sweden for this year with no major money problems. People in my program are really scraping by—counting every kronar. While I'm not splurging on extravagances, I can certainly afford most things. Hurrah for the D.C. real estate market, which made this all possible!

Related to the money issue, Roya and I have agreed to turn our living room (which was not going to be furnished by the University) into a third bedroom. Right now, we're waiting on a couple students to see if they are interesting in moving in. A third roommate would certainly reduce our rent significantly, but would also be a much smarter use of the space, since we weren't going to buy any furniture to fill the room.

**Also, I realized that I forgot to upload an entry from August 24, 8:30 p.m. I've backdated the entry, and you can view it now by scrolling down.

Posted by madchen at 11:19 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2004

Drat

Well, it was too good to be true. IKEA furniture doesn’t include basic tools like screwdrivers, so I am unable to complete the assembly of my kitchen table and chairs (the only actual furniture to have made it up to my apartment. And the kitchen "starter set" (which is really quite impressive—a full set of dishes and silverware) had two broken bowls. So, all in all, there is lots of work still to be done.

I'm at the school right now, checking email and compiling a "how to" guide for the Sustainability students. I'll write down what I know, then send it out for revisions and additions to the group. I finally seem to be on the correct email list, and it's SUCH a relief to be getting group emails.

Posted by madchen at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)

Furniture

I'm sitting on my temporary bed, watching a bee throw itself mercilessly against the glass in a futile attempt to escape. Our new furniture has been deposited on the front lawn, and Student Services are just beginning to bring items up to the apartments. It's very exciting!

This morning I finished Into Africa, and have now begun Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution. It's one of the books for my program (and one that I've ordered from Amazon.com), and Roya has graciously allowed me to borrow it for a bit. She's gone down to town on an errand, so I've been left to guard the fort and oversee the furniture arrival.

I found this poem at the beginning of Natural Capitalism, and I thought it was really cool.

Loaves and Fishes

This is not the age of information.

This is not

The age of information.

Forget the news,

And the radio,

And the blurred screen.

This is the time

Of loaves

And fishes.

People are hungry,

And one good word is bread

For a thousand.

--David Whyte

Well, the dining room table has arrived, so I better go assemble it.

Posted by madchen at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2004

Long Lost Post

Today was a rollercoaster of activity. I got a great night's sleep, and woke up feeling totally refreshed. I took a long bath/shower and was just getting dressed when my roommate arrived!! Her name is Roya and she's from Toronto, Canada. She's actually been here a couple days, but has been staying at the youth hostel while she looked around for apartments. She brought Tomomi with her, who is another Sustainability student staying at the hostel until she could check into her apartment. We had a run-in with one of our Swedish neighbors, who was extremely rude when Tomomi mistakenly tried to enter her apartment (thinking it was her own). We high-tailed it out of Kungsmarksvägen after depositing Roya's and Tomomi's luggage in our living room, and caught the bus downtown. I was unaware that we had a Sustainability meeting at 11:30 on campus, but happily Roya and Tomomi were better informed. I swear, the lack of communication is driving me crazy!!

At any rate, we made it to campus only a few minutes late and met David Waldron, who coordinates the Sustainability program. He gave us a list of tasks to complete before class on Monday, all designed to get us acquainted with the school, the town, and each other. We also saw our classroom, which will be solely reserved for Sustainability students. Right now it’s a mess, but we hope to make it a comfortable place to hang out and work.

After the meeting, a bunch of us walked down to the park and discussed plans for the rest of the week. Tomorrow morning, people will meet at the Karlskrona Marine Museum and then proceed to Aspö to try and answer some of the questions on our task list. I will probably not be joining them, as I will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the long-delayed furniture. But I will join up with people tomorrow evening for a night of pool (billiards, not swimming) to celebrate Laura's (from Canada) birthday. With any luck, I will come home to a permanent bed and desk.

The group disbanded and went their separate ways, with several of us going to Wokie Dokie for lunch—a fun Asian-inspired take-away place. The six of us took up the whole seating area, but we got cheap ($6—about the cheapest you'll find anywhere) meals of rice, vegetables, and meat. I had the Tandori Chicken Curry, and I recommend it to anyone desperate for some vegetables.

After lunch, I met up with Susan (from New Mexico), another Sustainability student. We visited a couple secondhand shops (I was not impressed) and walked back to campus together. She checked into the International Office while I checked email (realizing that once again I had been left off of several crucial group emails from school). Afterwards, we hopped the bus to Amiralen and went shopping for cleaning supplies and some additional groceries (more tomatoes!!). We parted ways at the bus stop, and I came back to the apartment to find Roya and Laura (from Canada) there eating dinner. I unpacked the groceries and started to eat dinner (crackers with cheese and ham) when I got my first telephone call! It was my mom, of course, and while the connection was terrible (and the delay was awful), it was great to hear her voice and get caught up on the news. Or lack of news, seeing as how my parents' world has stopped now that Jess and I (and Janie, of course) are out of the house.

Roya and I chatted for a bit, figuring out how we are going to approach the furniture situation tomorrow, and getting to know each other. Right now the sun has gone down, so there's not a lot we can do other than go to sleep.

So, I've been struggling with writing about my feelings so far. Part of me is really self-conscious about sharing my emotions with the world at large (and more importantly, my friends and family!), and part of me wants a record of how I felt these first few days in Sweden. But when I sit down to write about my feelings thus far, I come up short. Part of this problem comes from the fact that I am just not an emotional person. For most of the day, I just do what needs to be done and don't really experience "moods" like those listed at the bottom of each journal entry. I'm excited to be here in Sweden, I'm happy to have met some fellow international students, I'm frustrated by the lack of organization and initiative shown by the school, and I'm worried about fitting in. But beyond those very basic feelings, I don't have much to say. Except, perhaps, that as time goes on, I'm getting less excited and happy, and more frustrated about the organizational problem. I've been just about as flexible and patient as I can possibly be—now it's time for things to start falling into place. For instance, I need to get on the Sustainability email list IMMEDIATELY—it drives me crazy to be missing out on what little organization there is because of an oversight by the school which prevented me from being on the list in the first place!

Posted by madchen at 11:22 PM | Comments (0)

August 23, 2004

Dinner

For the first time since I got here, the urge to write everything down has left me. I wonder if it's a result of being able to access the Internet at the library today—now that I am connected to the outside world, capturing all the detail in my own little world doesn't seem so crucial. But I know that I'll look back on this time in Sweden and want to have everything recorded when the memories were fresh. So…

After finishing up with email, I finally got around to doing what I should have done weeks ago: buying my school books. Unfortunately, most of the books I'll need can only be purchased through Amazon (rather than the local bookstore). So I spent a whopping $350 buying the 17-ish books on the list, and am now just hoping that they will arrive before too much time has elapsed. I've once again placed my hope in BTH's Shipping Office, even though it has so far disappointed me with regard to my bed linens.

I finished up around 3 p.m., then decided on the spur of the moment to go to Amiralen, another little nook of Karlskrona. And oh! I am so glad that I did! After wandering around for a bit, I found a little mini-mall and discovered two things:

* You have to pay to use the bathrooms—5 kronar ($0.60) gets you access to the toilet. Of course, I had waited until the last possible moment to go, so it was a race between my bladder and my wallet. Fortunately, the wallet won.
* You have to deposit money to get a shopping cart. This is an ingenious idea that ensures people return the carts to the stand after each use. It works like this (and I relate this story after spending a good 10 minutes trying to decipher the directions in Swedish): the carts fit together like regular American ones. But there is a little lock mechanism on the front handle, which attaches to the next cart, which attaches to the next cart, and so on (when they are all stacked up together). In order to free a cart, you have to deposit either 5 or 10 kronar. Once you slip the coin into the lock, it releases the mechanism and you are free to take the cart into the store. Upon finishing shopping, you take the cart back to the stand, slide it into place with all the other carts, and attach the chain from the previous cart into the lock of your cart—thus releasing the coin. Brilliant—Safeway and Giant should seriously consider implementing this system.

Anyway, the highlight of the mall was the Maxi ICA Stormarknad—kind of like a Wal-mart with groceries. It was like a Mecca of international student goodness. I got the following:

* Kitchen items (I just couldn't wait until the furniture came to see if they had decided to grace me with a starter kit), including a pot, baking pan w/ spatula, mug, bowl, knife, spoon, and fork.
* A basil plant (I plan to eat all the leaves before it dies of sun-deprivation)
* Food items, including a frozen pizza (prosciutto and broccoli—they have weird combinations here), olive oil, salt, two tomatoes (they are surprisingly inexpensive, only about $1.25/kilo for the really good Holland imports), a chunk of mozzarella (you should have seen me trying to differentiate between 25 kinds of cheese based solely on their appearance), a box of green tea with lemon, two kinds of pasta, a box of couscous, couple of mini-potatoes (also very inexpensive—only $0.30/kilo), and a set of 10 mini-Snickers bars (I've been craving chocolate)

I think that's it—I wanted to get a bunch of other things, but I could only buy as much as I could carry with me back to the apartment. I hopped the bus back to Marieberg, then transferred to the Kungsmarksvägen bus.

I have rarely been so excited as when I actually got to cook tonight! I made pasta with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. And also an apple for good measure. Ok, and two mini-Snickers, too. It was fantastic.

As long as I'm discussing food, I forgot to mention that I had chocolate ice cream for lunch. I was in Centrum when I noticed I was ravenous. I remembered that one of the other international students had mentioned that a certain ice cream parlor sold really cheap cones, so I stopped in. For a mere 10 kronar (about $1.25) I got a "kids" cone—which was larger than a Baskin-Robbins single scoop. I will definitely be returning for more.

But back to this afternoon: I watched the final 2 episodes of Alias, Season Two from my DVD collection. Season Three comes out September 6th, and I'm debating the best way to acquire it while here in Karlskrona. It's not as easy as going to the store, since DVDs for Europe aren't compatible with U.S. DVD players. I may have to resort to Amazon.com again.

So now dinner is over and I was quite satisfied until it came time to wash the dishes. Of course, I had forgotten all about dish soap and dish rags. I'll have to make a specific trip to Willy:s tomorrow for cleaning supplies—if I do it all in one trip, the pain of spending more money may be deflected. For now, the pot, bowl, and silverware are soaking in the sink.

And I'm spending the rest of the night reading Into Africa, before going to bed early. All the activity over the past few days has wiped me out!

Posted by madchen at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)

Hurrah!

When I woke up this morning at 8:30 a.m. (not too bad), I decided that enough was enough. I took a bath/shower (noticing that I definitely need to get some cleaning supplies for the tub), did a little yoga to loosen up my sore legs, and headed off to campus. I took the bus, after deciding that I had walked enough yesterday, and I was soon at the International Office, where I got my new computer log-in information (the first version having blown out my window several days ago). This will allow me to connect to the university's internet system, and also provides me with the new email address (which I will only use for school stuff--I'll still be using my Hotmail account for everything personal).

After that, I stopped by the Shipping Office to check on the status of my package, but was sadly disappointed to find out it has not yet arrived. Grr to the US Postal System.

Next on the agenda was a trip to Centrum, where I wandered around a bit until I located an electronics store. I purchased a mobile phone (you can now call me anytime at 011 46 768-77-78-67--well, wait for a couple hours until I get it charged, voicemail set up, etc.) and an internet cable, so I could hook my computer up from school and home.

I took the bus back to campus, and I'm now sitting in one of the "quiet rooms" at the library, hooked up to the Internet and finally catching up on all the emails I've read, but didn't have time to respond to.

Most of the international students decided to skip on the orientation events today (me included), so I don't have many plans for the rest of the day. My main priority was to get this computer working properly, and now that I can actually use the internet, I'm tempted to stay here for a couple hours and surf my favorite sites. Whoo-hoo for technology!!

Posted by madchen at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)

August 22, 2004

Orientation, Part 2

To tell the truth the most pressing thing on my mind is irritation that I couldn't get my last journal entry formatted properly. In the Word document I used to write it all, there were bullet points, italics, underlines, links to web pages, etc.—and it was all lost in the copy/paste into livejournal.com. I think the problem lay in the use of my friend's computer, which runs Safari as its internet software. I didn't have a lot of time to try and fix it, so that will just have to wait until I can get hooked up on my own computer. But let me recap my day.

I took the "shortcut" to campus, which in actuality added a good 14 minutes onto my walk. Once I got there, I wandered around campus for a bit, using my new Access Card to gain entry into the normally-locked buildings. Unfortunately, the library was still locked down, so I was unable to check email.

I gathered with all the international students at the campus quad, where we were publicly humiliated along with all the other new students. Apparently, this hazing-like orientation is common to all European universities, and can even get quite violent in places like Brazil and Belgium. We were made to stand in straight, single-file lines and drink green-dyed liquid (consisting of foul wine, pear juice, and something that tasted like paint thinner). Then we were off for a "tour of Karlskrona" that mainly entailed walking around the city center and participating in strange competitions (designed, I believe, to foster team spirit). The best part of the whole day, I should mention, was that when walking from place to place, we were made to hold hands with a partner (while walking in a straight line—they are VERY big on straight lines here). As a result, I got to hold hands with a number of charming male students (one of whom I have decided to woo).

Anyway, after a couple hours of Olympic-related quizzes, human pyramids, balloon-popping hugging, and singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" (for which I was the team leader—oh, it was quite the sight), we tromped to the dock and took a boat tour of the surrounding archipelago. It was really windy and chilly, but the scenery was beautiful—and no seasickness in sight!

While all the students were marched back to campus, a large contingent of the international students (me included) broke away from the festivities. Although delightful in its own way, we were tired of being yelled at in Swedish by kids 10 years our junior. I walked back with Scotty to his apartment (where he graciously allowed me to upload my last journal entry—even with the bad formatting problems, I am grateful) and check email. I didn't have any time to write replies, but it was SO GOOD to hear from my mom and Jess, and friends from back home.

Scotty and I walked back to Centrum and met up with some other students for drinks and dinner. I should mention that I met several new students today, including:

* Beatte from Germany (in my program)
* Paulo from Brazil (in my program)
* Lisa from Boston (in my program)
* Carolina (or something similar) from Canada (in my program)

I think that covers it—although I'm sure there are a few people I'm missing. We had a great talk at the pub, and shared all the bits and pieces of information we'd gathered so far. I've found out more about starting a bank account, getting hooked up to the internet (I realized that I neglected to bring my Ethernet cord, so I'll have to buy another one—although I can't seem to locate a computer store), and buying a bicycle (or not, I haven't decided).

After that, we walked back to the bus stop, hopped a ride home, and that brings me to this point. I'm exhausted from all the walking today (easily 10 miles), and am looking forward to collapsing onto my crappy bed and sleeping in. But before I go, please allow me to relate my physical maladies:

* I have a raw spot on my heel, where all the walking wore away part of my skin. It might have been a blister at one point today, but now it's more of a bloody pulp.
* I have a rash on my left knee—very mysterious. It's basically covered in tiny, red bumps.
* I have a massive bruise on my left shin—courtesy of my suitcase on the trip over from Copenhagen. It's gotten progressively worse each day, and now looks like I got beat with a bat.
* And, of course, the overall body aches common to people starting up Power Yoga after a hiatus. I'm still only doing the first 20 minutes of the DVD, but that's more than enough for now.

And that's it. Off to bed with me.

Posted by madchen at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)

Orientation

Last night was my first opportunity to meet fellow incoming international students at the BBQ held on the campus quad. I skipped the bus and walked the 5k to see how long it would take. Just as was suggested by Babar, I was able to make the trip in about 45 minutes. I probably won't be doing it in formal clothes and heels, but for the next couple months I'm going to try and walk at least one-way of each trip.

The BBQ was for all incoming students, but they had placed us into teams for competitions, and all the International Students were on the Blue Team. There were about 20 of us, and several were also in the Sustainability Program. Everyone spoke excellent English, and everyone was really outgoing. It was nice to compare notes about the disorganization of the school (no one yet knows about class schedules), places to go in town, and outstanding problems with our housing. Most people had only been here for a few days, so we're all basically on the same page as far as fitting in. Among the people I met last night:

* Scotty from Australia (in my program)
* Tomomi from Japan (in my program)
* Sabrina from Germany
* Suzanne from Germany
* Olaf from Germany
* Siti from Malaysia (in my program)
* Timon from Germany
* Ola from Sweden
* Tony from Sweden (he was our group leader)
* Maria from Sweden

I'm sure I'm missing others, but these were the people I played the "name game" with, so they are the easiest to remember.

I managed to stay up until 10:30 p.m., my latest night yet. As a result, I think the days of waking up with the sunrise are over. This morning I was up at 9:30 a.m., which is still impressive for me, but nothing compared to the last few days. I took a bath/shower, did some yoga (I'm actually sore from yesterday's yoga—a sure sign I need to do it more often), and performed a search-and-rescue for my room key attachment, which fell off the key ring last night as I was coming inside. Now, having eaten my last energy bar (send more!!) in preparation for today's vigorous events, I am now ready to walk down to the campus. At 2 p.m. there will be a guided tour of the town for all new students, followed by a boat tour of the surrounding archipelago at 5 p.m. I'm not sure about the bout tour, given my tendency towards seasickness, but I thought I would give it a shot. After all, who doesn't love a vomiting international student?

Posted by madchen at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)

August 21, 2004

Pigeons

In all my twenty-six years, few experiences have seriously tested my mental and emotional fortitude. Climbing Mt. Fuji while suffering from altitude sickness and asthma was at the top of the list—until today, where a new incident now threatens to displace it. But first, let me recap my day so far.

After leaving the café, I strolled back to Höglands Park and found a seat on a bench. I found my place in Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone and was quickly engrossed. I spent the next couple hours reading and enjoying the sunshine, and also observing the people in the park. There was a stand set up for Svengis Hunndag, which I take to mean Swedish Dogs (and to prove my point, there were dogs aplenty). They appeared to be providing information on how to adopt dogs, and how to keep them healthy. There was one wooly sheepdog-like animal that was particularly cute, but also extremely loud—choosing to bark every other second and riling up all the other dogs as they passed by.

I was also struck by all the children running around on the playground equipment. They were mostly accompanied by their fathers (many of whom belonged to the attractive Viking strain), who seemed to delight in watching them go down the slide and around the merry-go-round. Sigh. It was very charming.

About noon it got cloudy so I packed up and hopped the bus home. Now, I would like to retract my earlier criticisms about the apartment. On further reflection, it isn't so bad—and it even feels like it might be "home"—once the furniture arrives. I had a sandwich (ham and cheese again), chips and salsa, and a nectarine for lunch—quite yummy if I do say so myself. While making the sandwich I discovered that a thawed tomato and orange are not fit for human consumption, but are instead reduced to pulpy masses. And so the $3 tomato and $1.50 orange went in the trash.

After lunch I continued reading my book. All was quiet for a couple minutes when I heard it: the sound of cooing pigeons.

Now, many of you know that my greatest fear is birds. I may have mentioned something about this phobia in an earlier post. But I would like to again emphasize how much I loathe and despise birds—for their filth, their ability to peck your eyes out, and their overall evil nature. I seriously would rather touch an electric eel than touch a bird. So keeping that in mind, please imagine my horror to hear cooing.

I had shut the windows before going out this morning, so I was pretty sure they weren't in the house. I walked through the kitchen out to the balcony, where I found two pigeons sitting on the ledge and making their atrocious noises. I clapped my hands sharply, and they flew away—but not before casting malevolent looks my way. I breathed a sigh of relief and started to walk back to the safety of my room when I happened to look down. And then I saw it:

A dead pigeon.

Now—this was no ordinary dead pigeon. Oh no. This was an abnormally large pigeon that was lying on my balcony in a pool of its own blood with its eyes pecked out. My best guess is that it flew into the kitchen window and broke its neck, and then other birds came to feast on its corpse (see how evil they are?).

I almost threw up my lunch upon seeing this gruesome sight. It was several of my worst fears together:

* There was a bird on my balcony.
* It was dead.
* It had no eyes.
* It was in a pool of blood.
* There were other scavenger birds just waiting to peck my eyes out.
* I could call no one for help.

I briefly considered all the options.

* Could I push the bird over the balcony, thus making it someone else's problem? No— the space between the balcony and the walls was too narrow to fit the carcass between. Moreover, the walls of the balcony would require that I pick up the bird to throw it over.
* Could I wait until Monday, when I could potentially contact my landlord for help? No—the other birds were hovering nearby, eager to get another chance at the corpse. I couldn't live for another two days knowing it was being scavenged just feet from where I was sleeping. Additionally, this would prevent me from opening any windows on that side of the apartment.
* Could I solicit help from a neighbor? Perhaps—although I haven't met any neighbors on my floor, there are always men hanging out in the backyard, or lounging in their bird-free balconies (lucky bastards). I perused the selection of available men. The only ones outside were a couple of Middle Eastern gentlemen who I "met" the day before, when they said what I assume to be inappropriate things as I walked to the grocery store. I wasn't about to invite them up to my apartment, no matter how bad the bird situation got.
* Could I take the bird to the trash myself? Are you kidding me? Seriously, are you kidding? It's a dead, bloody, eye-less bird! And I have no implements to help me get this mutilated enemy off the balcony, down 5 flights of stairs, and into the garbage bin a half block away.

I began to reconsider inviting strangers into my apartment. But then—inspiration! I decided to grit my teeth, clench my gag reflex, and do it myself.

I took some of the heavy-duty plastic wrap from the packaging of my temporary bed and the box from my hair dryer. I went out to the balcony, spread the plastic wrap on the floor, and used the box to prod the bird onto the wrap. I should point out that the bird's head had somewhat dried to the floor, so it was no mean feat to get it onto the plastic. Again, the urge to vomit.

Once the bird was in the plastic wrap (and keeping a sharp eye out for other birds who might be watching), I wrapped it up and stuffed it into the plastic bag from the hairdryer-buying experience. Pinching the bag closed with the tiniest part of two fingers, I quickly trotted down the stairs, out the door, and over to the garbage bin. The dirty deed accomplished, I went back to the apartment and dumped several cups of water on the balcony to dilute the pool of blood (which, I assume, would attract even more birds—shudder). Unfortunately, I was only able to rinse away some of the blood, since part of it had dried to a crust. (Are you disgusted with this detail? Imagine how I felt!) And with no cleaning implements in the empty apartment, that's where the story ends. I thoroughly washed my hands and went back to my room. Somehow, I think that I won't be using that balcony much…

So while I'm revolted by this afternoon's proceedings, I'm also feeling quite confident in my ability to handle any of life's future problems. With that, I present this quotation that captures my current feelings.

Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need. Sarah Ban Breathnach American Author

Posted by madchen at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

I'm a Morning Person!

I've always wanted to be a morning person—the kind who wakes up at sunrise and is excited about getting up. Well, it seems that I will only be that person when I'm suffering from jet lag. It's 8:45 a.m. and I'm sitting in Karlskrona's Central Park (or Höglands Park, if you prefer) waiting for the coffee shop across the street to open. I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning, and have taken another bath/shower, done some yoga (with yoga god Rodney Yee), and gone through Unit , Lesson 2 of my Arabic CD. It looks like its going to be another beautiful day here, so I thought I should get outside while there's still daylight to enjoy. And what better way to be outside than with a cup of coffee and a good book? I hopped the bus to Centrum and wandered around a bit, but the earliest time anything opens appears to be 9 a.m. (and several other cafés don't open until 10 a.m.). So I've parked myself in front of the amphitheatre, and here I sit.

I forgot to mention that yesterday I ran into the rebellious youth contingent of Karlskrona. They consisted of a group of 5-6 boys, right around 15 years old. They had the posture and attitude of any group of boys that age, but they were dressed as a young Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. You know, the hair tousled just so, the sweater casually draped over the shoulders, etc. It was a little surreal, but once again reinforced that many of the Swedes (at least the one in Karlskrona) use an unnecessary amount of hair product.

Ahh, coffee. I'm now in Tre G's café, where I'm sipping on a hazelnut latte (no soy milk, alas). There is a fountain in the background, providing ambient noise and making me have to pee. Luckily, there is a toaletter within easy reach. I've snuggled into one of the back tables, where I'm sitting at one of the few couches. Forgoing a pastry (they look delicious, rather reminiscent of Bread and Chocolate) based on my earlier gorging on:

* A piece of bread with Nutella (or its Swedish equivalent) at 5 a.m.
* A Granny Smith apple (from South Africa) at 7 a.m.
* A sandwich of ham (I think) and cheese at 8 a.m.

It's amazing how ravenous you can be after not eating for 18 hours—my body clearly hasn't adjusted to normal meal times in Sweden, leaving me hungry at odd hours. At least now I have some food in my refrigerator (which now seems to be at the right temperature) for any late-night cravings.

And now, some thoughts that don't really fit within the narrative:

· I got an email from someone I used to have feelings for. Without noticing it, I was suddenly re-reading the email, looking for hidden meaning and wondering if there was more behind the simple lines. Once I realized I wasn't taking the note at face value, but was probing it for deeper emotional value, I flipped out. (Well, as much as someone can flip out while standing at a public computer terminal.) I really don't want to be one of those people who overanalyze things, especially when no good can come of it. So I stopped, but I'm definitely aware that it's lurking just beyond the surface. How irritating to be here in Sweden starting a new life, and to have this figure from my past inserting himself at inopportune moments. Bah!

· Now onto happier things: the men of Karlskrona. Ah yes, I have found the much-touted Viking strain, right here in town. Now, I must admit they aren't on every street corner (although a shorter, stockier, middle-aged version seems to be), but they are definitely around—particularly on the #7 bus at 3 p.m. At least, that's the most concentrated spotting so far. Again, too much hair gel, but a loving woman (me, me, me!) could easily remedy that problem. There is also a group of extremely attractive men of Middle Eastern descent (Iranian?) who seem to frequent the same places I do. Although when you consider how small the town is, there aren't that many places to frequent, I suppose. So maybe they aren't following me in secret admiration…

· I'd heard that Swedes were reserved (some say rude), and that it was difficult to communicate with them. I have found quite the opposite. While it's true they rarely initiate conversation, everyone I've spoken with has been extremely helpful (especially with my embarrassing habit of trying to pay 1/10 of the total price) and willing to try out their English. Coming from Washington, D.C., I think the overall friendliness/reserved quotient is just about right. I've discovered the trick is to start with a big "hello!" to let people know I will be using English. That way, they have a minute to mentally adjust. Things go swimmingly from there.

· I'd also been told (by a professor at the university) that Swedes dress more formally than their American counterparts. As a result, I skipped on the t-shirts and shorts in favor of more snappy attire. Well, either I dress better than the Average American (which I think we can all agree isn't true) or the image of sloppy Americans is a bit overstated. In the time I've spent in town, the vast majority of people have been wearing jeans (or cargo pants) and sneakers. Yes, they look "put together", but "formal" is not a word I would readily use.

· I've discovered that a good part of my exhaustion so far is mental. Swedish is close enough to German that I'm constantly trying to speak/think/translate into German, only to realize that no one will understand me. On the bright side, I'm remembering a lot of the German I thought had faded from my memory forever. The school will offer an introductory Swedish class (2-weeks) at the beginning of September, which I will definitely take, but I think I need to sign up for something more long-term—or perhaps pursue learning Swedish via CD. I seem to pick up Arabic pretty quickly using my CD, and I think Swedish would be even easier with the Latin alphabet. But between the Swedish, German, and Arabic coursing though my mind, I'm finding it harder and harder to quickly come up with English vocabulary. Fortunately, I found out that a girl from Boston checked in yesterday (also in my Sustainability program), so I'm hoping we can be friends. It will be great to talk with a fluent English speaker on a regular basis—even the students at the International Office and I have a hard time communicating more complex ideas (like "window screens").

And that, I think, is it for now. I've finished my kaffe latte (look how I pick up Swedish with ease!) and I think it might be time to move back outside to read my book. It's alternating between beautiful sun and clouds, effectively shifting the temperature between short-sleeves and sweater, but I'm willing to brave it. The real problem so far is the wind. It's always breezy, and by breezy I mean downright windy. At times I look like I've been through a hurricane. I'm chalking it up to part of the great Swedish adventure.

Posted by madchen at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2004

Day Two, Part Two

Whew—only 3 p.m. and I'm exhausted.

Immediately after finishing my morning journal entry, I walked down to Willy:s (weird spelling, I know) and found a much-better equipped grocery store—hurrah! It's only about a 1/3 the size of an American supermarket, but I could at least recognize main staple items I might use in the future. I didn't buy anything, but instead hopped on the bus to campus, buying a monthly pass along the way. (For the low, low price of 330 kr (about $37) I can ride the bus an unlimited number of times per month—otherwise its 14 kr per ride).

At campus, I met several of the people who helped me yesterday. They called about my package, which you may recall I mailed on August 6th. As it contains all my bedding, I am rather anxious to get it. Unfortunately, it hasn't arrived yet, or else its lost (I'm voting for the former). I guess I'll have to make due with the temporary IKEA blanket and pillow for now. I'm a little irritated, because the USPS promised it would arrive in 4-10 business days, which has clearly expired. But I just have to remind myself that this whole trip is a great adventure, for which flexibility and patience are pre-requisites to keeping my sanity.

I also found out that furniture won't be arriving until Wednesday (another test of my patience), but they will be providing a starter kit for the kitchen. So if I can hold out on finger food until then, I'll be in much better shape.

In addition, I found out that my bath tub does need a shower curtain, but I'm on my own for that. I'm hoping that the furniture people will at least be able to provide the hardware, since right now there is no way to hang a curtain from the ceiling.

I briefly checked email, but didn't really have a chance to write anything, since the Swedish keyboard is frustratingly different from American ones, and I couldn't upload anything I had written on this computer. Figuring that one out will be a project for next week.

I jumped back on the bus and headed to the town center (henceforth referred to as Centrum), where I was bowled over by how freakishly adorable it all is. Seriously, it is almost too charming. There are cobblestone streets flanked by tiny shoppes (to call them shops isn't doing them justice). One side of the town rests against the Baltic Sea, and quaint bridges have been built to access other parts of the archipelago. The houses are all painted bright cheery colors (yellow and oranges seem to be most popular) and there are flowers blooming everywhere. There is a central park with pebble walkways, ice cream stands, and a tiny amphitheatre. Along the walk are tall hedges with seating cut into them, providing shade for pedestrians who want to sit for a bit.

I walked around the Centrum for a couple hours, managing to find an H&M, a drug store (where I bought a bath puff, making up for the one I bought on Tuesday, but accidentally left behind), and an amazing grocery/clothing/music/drug store (where I bought a much-needed hairdryer). I noticed I was starving around one, but couldn't make up my mind where to go. After another 20 minutes, I was ready to faint (still dehydrated, I think) so I ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant. I had a slightly strange lunch buffet, but was so glad to sit down and drink some water that it was totally worthwhile. Afterwards, I made my way back to the bus station and caught the #7 back to Willy:s, where I picked up some additional groceries (yay for sandwiches!).

I walked the giant hill back to my apartment (seriously, it's like a mountain) after deciding not to wait for the bus. Once home, I started to put away the groceries—realizing that there IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO REFRIGERATORS!! The one I had set to really cold was, in fact, the refrigerator—and thus, the frozen pizza was frozen no more. The one I had set to kind of cold was the freezer—and my water, the tomato, and the orange were frozen solid. Have you ever knocked a frozen tomato and orange together? It's kind of amusing. I had to make myself stop after my fingers froze to the tomato and I had to run warm water over them.

I fixed the temperature settings and put away the groceries. Now I'm back in my empty, empty room, deciding whether to take a little nap or watch a movie. Maybe both? There's nothing really to do until tomorrow's BBQ. Between now and then, I have the town to myself.

Posted by madchen at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)

Day Two

It's 9:06 a.m. on Friday morning and I'm home. Let me briefly recap my experiences yesterday.

I arrived at the train station in Karlskrona at approximately 1 p.m. (having switched trains in Kristianstad) to find that I was completely lost. I hauled my luggage back and forth a couple times (to the taxi stand—with no taxis, to the map of Karlskrona—with no "you are here" sign, back to the taxi stand—"Call 14880 for taxi", but no phone) before asking someone how to find a taxi. They had no idea (I think there was a language disconnect), but fortunately, a taxi pulled up at that moment and took me to Campus Grasvik, where I easily found the International Office.

The people at the International Office had no record of my name, no record of the apartment I was supposed to stay in, and no knowledge of the package I mailed to them 2 weeks ago—but they were VERY polite and friendly about it. After a few phone calls, everything was straightened out, I was given water and an apple (almost dying from exhaustion at this point), and a cheerful Indian guy (whose name I cannot recall) took me to the housing agency and got me checked into my new place. Unfortunately, there is no furniture yet (it's coming Monday) except for a temporary IKEA bed (basically a cot). While waiting for this bed to arrive (someone from the International Office had gone to pick it up), I was given a lovely tour of the campus (four buildings and a main courtyard) and got some additional information. I received an access card which will allow me access (duh!) to all the buildings after hours. I also got a new school email address and log-in account.

I found out that I will need to register for a "personal number"—similar to our Social Security Number, before I can get a local phone or open a local bank account (which I will need to pay my rent). I can get this number at the local "tax office"—but so far that's all I know. I will also receive a student ID card in about a month, but until then, I can just tell people I'm a student to get all the special perks.

At this point, I was ready to cry with exhaustion. I kept asking questions and then forgetting the answers. At some point, the people at the International Office noticed my dazed expression and decided that all the rest of the introduction stuff could wait until another day. In fact, I think they weren't quite prepared, as most of the students are arriving next week (hence the empty apartments).

When the temporary bed arrived, another nice young man from the International Office (from Pakistan, this time) drove me to my apartment, saving me the trouble of getting all my stuff on the bus. After a bit of confusion we found the place on the 4th floor of building 65 in Kungsmarksvägen, on the outskirts of town. It was empty—no closets, no shower curtain, no anything). In fact, my first thought was that it looked like a leftover of the Soviet empire. To be perfectly honest, my first real thought was "this is such a shitty place, I want to go back home", but I realized it was probably the sleep deprivation talking. I'm in a two-person apartment, and I had hoped that my roommate would already be there (and have made some preliminary decorating adjustments), but so far, I'm it.

I was exhausted, but decided to walk down to the local grocery store for some food before I collapsed. I emptied my backpack and set off, only to discover that the grocery store ("with everything you will need") was more like a convenience store—and not just any convenience store. Rather than a 7-11, the ICA was more like a gas station quickie-mart. And since I don't have a microwave, cup/glass, silverware, cookie tray, or bowl, my selection (once I could identify the item at hand) was somewhat limited. I managed to pick up the following objects:

* a tiny apple, a tiny tomato (I'm going to eat it like an apple), and a tiny orange
* a tiny frozen pizza (I was going to ignore the picture directions and cook it directly on the oven rack, but then I realized I had no way to take it out of the hot oven once it was done, so it's still in the refrigerator)
* a can of Pringles
* a bottle of water (thinking I could use it as a makeshift cup in the future—I discovered it was seltzer water when I got home—yuck)
* Two rolls of toilet paper (which later turned out to be paper towels—oh well, they function just the same)
* A set of paper napkins (which I will use as napkins, plates, dish towels, etc.)

I walked back to the apartment, noticing that the apartment complex is designed into two rows of curving buildings, effectively creating a private garden/play area in the middle. There is a whole slew of children's play equipment set up in this area, along with a soccer field, basketball hoops, and walking trails. There are wildflowers and trees everywhere—it's really beautiful. The buildings themselves are not—think of movies in the 1980s depicting the Soviet Union. The architecture is kind of industrial, kind of run down, kind of, well, shitty.

At any rate, I managed to find my apartment again, when I realized there is no freezer—just a refrigerator. Or at least, I think there isn't. But there are two refrigerators (exactly the same), so I turned one REALLY cold and one just sort of cold. The pizza went in the first one, the fruit in the second. Seems to work ok, so far.

I ate a couple Pringles, drank the seltzer water (which I despise, but didn't want to stick my head under the faucet), and tried to open the windows (it was very stuffy). I noticed two things that made me want to walk out of the apartment and go straight to the train station—the windows have no screens, and birds are EVERYWHERE. Actually, they aren't everywhere, just on one side of the apartment, where the kitchen, patio, and living room are (the two bedrooms are on the other side). But that means that they can get inside if I open the windows—or they can get on ME if I go onto the porch.

Lest you think I am overreacting, I would like to point out these are fat, dirty, AGGRESSIVE pigeons—not some wild variety of thrush. They are constantly perched all over everyone's patios, and along all the window ledges. Needless to say, I could not bear to open the windows on that side. Settling for opening the windows in my room, I fell asleep in my crummy cot, wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Day 2 began much better.

I was up at 6:30 a.m. to find that I had (at some point during the night—I have only vague recollections), taken all my stuff out of the suitcases, thrown everything on the floor, and used the empty suitcases to prop open the giant window in my room (it kept slamming shut).

I was also surrounded by stinging insects. In fact, as I write this, there is a giant wasp, two medium-sized bees, and a tiny bee (maybe a baby, maybe a hitherto unknown species of deadly yellow jacket) all buzzing cheerfully around. I've decided to ignore them and be grateful that the pigeons haven't figured out how to get in yet.

Anyway, I ate some more Pringles and the apple and decided to take a shower. What followed was a bizarre experience. Because there is no shower curtain (nor am I sure that there should be, as the tub is free standing with a drain in the corner of the bathroom to catch any spilled water), I decided to start with a bath. I quickly realized that this bathtub might be the best part of the apartment. It's huge, with a slanted end that is perfect for reclining. I quickly got over my uneasiness about the murkiness of the water, and jumped right in (at which point the water got much dirtier). I laid there for a few minutes and then decided to try washing. There is a detachable showerhead at waist level (when standing outside the tub), which I used to wash off soap and shampoo, while sitting in the bathtub. Not too bad, overall. The tricky part came when trying to stand up and do a final rinse—there is just NO WAY to keep the water inside the tub. Whatever—I felt so much better clean that I didn't even care that the floor was liberally sprinkled with water. I'll have to ask if this is the correct way to go about showering, of if I'm missing a crucial step (like using a shower curtain, I suppose!).

Once clean, I chose clothes out of the pile on the floor and got to work. There is a large walk-in closet to be shared between the two bedrooms (well, I assume it's a closet—they call it "storage"), where I stacked clothes on the top shelf and hung up a few things (using the 4 hangers I brought with me). I put my socks, shoes, and underwear in the front hall closet, using several of the drawers. Once my wardrobe arrives on Monday, I'll transfer the socks and underwear back to my room, but I just couldn't bear to have stuff all over the floor for the weekend. Hope my roommate doesn't get freaked out when she tried to hang up her coat and finds 40 pairs of panties in the entryway!

So now things are picked up and put away—to the best of my ability. It's just before 10 a.m. now, and I've made a little list of things to do:

* Walk down to grocery store #2 (Willies) to see if the selection is better
* Take the bus to Centrum (the town center) and walk around
* Take the bus to school, where I can ask about where to buy silverware, a cup, a bowl, etc.
* Figure out how to update my journal—getting information from this computer to a school computer may be tricky, I won't be set up for internet access at home for another week or so
* Walk around and get a feel for where things are—the town is very pedestrian/bike friendly

Tomorrow, orientation begins with a BBQ in the school courtyard at dinnertime. With any luck, I'll be able to meet some other students. It would be a big relief to figure the remaining mysteries (where are the window screens?) together.

That's all for now.

Posted by madchen at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2004

Copenhagen

Its 9:36 a.m. local time (or 3:36 a.m. EST), and I've made it into Sweden. The rest of the flight to Copenhagen was uneventful—I didn't get to see The Station Agent because I fell asleep, and dozed on and off for the rest of the flight. We were slightly delayed, arriving a few minutes before 8 a.m. I sailed through customs (which was basically a man in a glass cubicle stamping my passport), and made my way to baggage claim.

While waiting for my baggage, I exchanged a large wad of cash for Danish and Swedish kronar. I tried to exchange it into Euro, but got a scathing lecture from the currency exchange employee about how none of the Scandinavian countries accept Euros. I wasn't sure if I would need any money in Denmark, so I got $40 in Danish kronar just to be sure, and got the rest in Swedish kronar.

I picked up my baggage, attached the two suitcases and piled my carry-on on top (I'm pretty sure I could now easily capture gold in Olympic weight-lifting), and exited the arrivals area through the "nothing to declare" lane. It was easy…too easy. I'm beginning to wonder if I missed a crucial step in the arrivals procedure.

At any rate, I followed a bunch of people to the train station, which was directly attached to the airport (how nice!). I bought a ticket for Karlskrona, and found myself on the next train, only having to wait 5 minutes at the platform (very, very nice!). I managed to haul my bags onto the train, only realizing that I was mistakenly in business class after it was too late. Fortunately, the train stopped 20 minutes later in Malmo, where I had to move all my stuff to the back of the train, which was the only part continuing on to Kristianstad (which will connect me with the train to Karlskrona). So now I'm on the 2nd train of the day, in with the peasants.

My initial thoughts on Sweden: it looks a lot like Pennsylvania. All except for a brief stretch where I would have sworn I was on the Metro Red Line between Rhode Island Avenue and Union Station (industrial buildings, homeless people next to the train tracks, etc.). The only main difference so far has been the plethora of windmills in Copenhagen. And, of course, the ocean.

It's cooler here, only about 70 degrees, but REALLY humid. And after hauling everything I own back and forth and back again, I'm looking none too fresh. I suppose I should appreciate that my toes have finally thawed after the plane ride.

Posted by madchen at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2004

Day of Departure

After a nice meal of Hamburger Hamlet with Mom, Dad, and Janie, we drove down to Dulles, unloaded 160 pounds of luggage (60 pounds of carry-ons alone!), and checked in for the 5:30 flight to Copenhagen. I somehow managed to attach the two main suitcases so that they will roll along together—it should work fine, unless I need to climb any stairs. If that happens, I will just have to sit down on the bottom step and call it quits.

A few notes on the airport: it seems unreasonable to have to take TWO shuttles to get to the airport, doesn't it? On the other hand, this is by far the nicest airplane I've ever been on. Kudos to Scandinavian Airlines. The seats are comfortable, there is a bottle of water at each seat, delicious food (and a guy who walks by every ten minutes with warm bread), and a kick-ass entertainment system. There is a television screen at each seat that works on a touch pad system. There are games, music, movies, and a nifty travel update function that lets you track the progress of the flight on a map, or by cameras at the front or underbelly of the plane.

But back to the airport: I fully expected to be surrounded by beautiful Danish men, having been told that they are the true draw of Scandinavia. Well, to be brief, the boarding area was a big disappointment in that regard. I'm not sure if there is a serious population collapse in Denmark or is there was an AARP special on international flight, but at least 85% of the passengers were well past their prime. And at least another 10% of the passengers were Asian families, leaving only two semi-godlike men at the gate. One was clearly still in his teens (I felt like a dirty old woman appraising him from afar) and the other was with his wife and new baby, so I decided to delay my man-scoping adventures until I arrived in the morning.

The funniest thing at the gate was the boarding announcers. Since I was in the international area, there were flights going to many different countries. For each flight, the information was announced first in English, then in the alternate language of the airline—except for the French flights. For all flights going to France, the announcement was made FIRST in French, then in English. The kicker was that the announcer had an almost incomprehensible cockney British accent for the English portion, as in "'Allo, ladies and gents, g'day to you oll."

After a lot of waiting, I finally got on the above-mentioned plane, at which time I fell immediately asleep. The flight was only half full, so I got two seats to myself, two pillows, and two blankets—and thank goodness because it was freezing.

A note on the safety film: Janie and I spent a good 20 minutes pretending to take off on an airplane in the pre-security area of Dulles, so I felt like I was intimately knowledgeable on the routine safety information common to pre-flight departure. Well, the safety film they played before we took off was almost exactly like the other films I've seen, but something just didn't seem right. Then I realized that all the passengers and flight crew depicted in the film were blond, svelte, and definitely Scandinavian. The only minority in the film was a Southeastern Asian man (who at the end of the film departed the plane and went along solo, whereas all the other passengers met loving family members at the gate area). This film was in stark contrast to the US-based safety films, which try to outdo one another in terms of minority representation. I guess it's just not an issue here…

So now I'm three hours into the flight, with a yummy dinner under my belt (literally), and A Bug's Life on the screen in front of me. Next, I plan on watching The Station Agent, which comes highly recommended from AA. Ta-ta for now.

Posted by madchen at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)

Last Entry from Bethesda

Holy moly, there is a lot to do in the next 12 hours! I've managed to do all my last-minute errands, with the gracious help of my mother. I even managed to spend some quality time with Janie (who is finally in bed at midnight, after a few renditions of the popular children's book Angelina Ballerina). Now I'm back downstairs in my room, delaying the final packing. The buzzer on the clothes dryer just announced that the last of the laundry is ready to go, so there are few excuses left.

Who-hoo! Here's what's left:

* Take all remaining clothes out of my closet and Jessica's closet and transfer them to the attic closet.
* Bring remaining boxes up to the attic.
* Locate the missing umbrella--put it in carry-on #1.
* Swing by the ATM and get cash.
* Finish packing up computer and associated equipment.
* Locate and pack my coffee mug.
* Make sure I haven't forgotten anything.

It's the last bullet point I'm going to have trouble with, I can already tell. Fortunately, a bunch of details came together today, including:

* A check from Comcast, finally settling my account.
* A final status check on all outstanding utilities from my condo--now I'm completely in the clear.
* Verification that a new credit card is on its way to Sweden, since they mistakenly canceled my old one. (Still bitter about that one.)

I'm also waiting on a hefty check from my mortgage company, closing out my account for escrowed property taxes. Guess I'll have to wait on that for another couple days--glad my mom is a joint signatory to my bank account!

So that's it, I guess. I'm putting my computer away now, so that it will be ready to roll tomorrow. I should be back in a couple days, at which time I'll post a detailed account of the trip.

And here's a picture of me and Jess at the party Saturday night:

Posted by madchen at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)

August 17, 2004

Game On

Sometimes miracles do happen...I got a call this morning from the Swedish Embassy announcing that my residence permit had been approved and was ready for me to pick it up. Bless that woman who asked for expedited review!

I spent the morning with Mom and Janie getting pedicures at L.A. Nails. Then down to Thaiphoon in Dupont for lunch with KT and a quick stop at the Embassy to pick up the residence permit. HURRAH!

So now its real. Unbelievably real. And, of course, I didn't really think I would be leaving on Wednesday, so I'm not exactly prepared. I did manage to have Janie record a message on my new travel alarm clock, so now the first thing I'll hear in the morning is "Good morning, Jen, time to wake up for school!"

Other than that, there are several loads of laundry to do, carry-ons to pack, and final boxes to move into the attic. And Wednesday afternoon, I'll be off to Dulles to begin my fantastic adventures abroad!

Posted by madchen at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)

August 16, 2004

Finally

Just as Red suggested, international travel always comes down to the wire. After a mere 29 minutes on hold, I was able to speak with someone at the Migration Board who, after hearing my pathetic case, sent an email to someone there asking for priority for my case. And, the best news of all, once a decision has been rendered, the Embassy here should be able to see the results on their computer (as opposed to waiting for something to be mailed, as I was previously told). She was very clear that this was no guarantee, because "there are hundreds and hundreds of applications still in front of you", but at least there is a glimmer of hope. I'll call back tomorrow to see if my application was reviewed. Hurrah!

Of course, this means that if the application is approved, I will be making a trip to the Swedish Embassy on Wednesday morning in order to catch my afternoon plane. Nothing like cutting it close, right?

Posted by madchen at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)

Up for the Sunrise

So here it is, 4:30 a.m. and I'm waiting for my turn with the Swedish Migration Board. On a whim, I also sent them the following email:

Thank you for your prompt response. Could you please tell me if my application has been processed yet? My flight to Sweden is scheduled for Wednesday (August 18), and I'm not sure if my residence permit will be approved by then.

If I don't receive my residence permit by Wednesday afternoon, is there any way I can still go to Sweden (perhaps traveling on a tourist visa until the residence permit is approved)? I am worried about missing orientation--or even the first classes.

To which I received the following response:

Your e-mail has been received by the Information Service of the Swedish Migration Board. This inbox is checked at least once every weekday. The time needed to reply depends on the subject of your question. At the moment our response time is 6-8 weeks.

Somehow, I think that waiting 6-8 weeks for a response does not bode well for my Wednesday departure. Sigh.

So now I'm in the automated phone queue. I hope my phone card holds out that long...

Posted by madchen at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

Panic Has Set In

I went to my last military ball last night, at least for a while. It was not one of the more entertaining galas I've been to, but there were a few highlights. At the top of the list was Jessica's realization she had neglected to apply deodorant that evening. While I'm happy to report that there was no overwhelming odor, it was fun to wonder if that moment might happen.

Today was spent watching the Olympics (I could watch the mens swimming all day--yum, yum, yum), finishing The Lovely Bones (very, very good), and taking a long nap in preparation for tonight's new Migration Board adventure. At precisely 3 a.m., I will be calling again to find out if my residence permit has been approved. If it hasn't been mailed out yet, I'm going to have to change my flight to a later date. Fingers crossed, people!

Jessica left for school tonight, so I won't see her again until November--assuming I leave on Wednesday, of course. My family has basically given up on my Wednesday departure date, even going so far as to schedule me for babysitting on Thursday and Friday. Where's the faith?

That's all for now--back to the Olympics.

Posted by madchen at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

August 14, 2004

Oops

I forgot, there was a Sweden development:

You may recall that I had to re-send my housing application into the school. Well, I did, requesting any of the 3 closest buildings--all within 1000 meters of the school. Here's the reply I got:

Hi!

Since there are many students coming to Karlskrona this year all our usual student housing is occupied and we can only offer a special housing for you. This is the only offer we have to give, if you refuse it you will have to find housing on your own.

The housing we can offer is an apartment shared by two students, at a rent of approximately SEK 2700 per month per student including electricity. The rooms are furnished. If you want access to internet you must pay for this your self and the cost is approximately SEK 300 per month. The apartment is located 5 km from the university and 7 km from the city center. Buses to the university and the city center are available several times per hour.

I have booked one of this rooms for you and it will be available when you arrive, your address will

Kungsmarksvägen 65

371 44 Karlskrona

So I get housing, but it's FREAKISHLY far away. I will be walking over 3 miles to get back and forth from the school. Or taking the bus, I suppose, when the weather gets really cold. Guess I should pick up some additional walking boots when I get there.

Posted by madchen at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)

Fun in PA

I never thought I'd say it (being the D.C. snob that I am), but I had a lovely day in Pennsylvania!  I drove out to Lancaster to see my friend LG, and to meet her husband and baby-to-be.  We figured out that we hadn't really seen each other since freshman year of high school--ten years just slipped by.  She had lots of good stories about living in Rwanda, and living with the various parasites of Rwanda--made me want to visit!  We made strombolis and got all caught up--she is such a good friend, I'm sad to be leaving the country and missing her yet again.

No Sweden-related adventures to report.

Posted by madchen at 01:17 AM | Comments (0)

August 12, 2004

Sigh

Remember how the Migration Board employee recommended that I send a formal request for priority?  Well, I got this message in reply:

The Migration Board has during July and the beginning of August received about 1500 new applications regarding residence permit for studies. All of them are handled with the highest priority and with the ambition to be able to give an answer before the start of the semester. Priority in personal cases is therefore only granted in very exceptional cases. The applications are handled in order from date of application at the Swedish foreign mission.

Now why on earth would they recommend that I sent a request if they are only going to feed me this standard story?  I am not pleased, not pleased at all.

Anyway, not much to report since I stayed up ALL NIGHT doing a puzzle and was quite unproductive today.  I feel quite foolish (doing a puzzle, all night, by myself) and yet also quite proud--it was a 750 piece "Impossibles" puzzle, which means there were no borders and 5 extra pieces. 

I did manage to return LD's golf club, get some coffee (I try to savor every Starbucks as if it's my last), and do some laundry.  Not very impressive, I know.

Book update: I managed to finish The Shipping News (just barely) and have now come back to The Lovely Bones, which I started listening to on audiobook, but got distracted during the move.  I highly recommend it.  And for those following my Bible-reading adventures, I am now up to Judges.  Oh the smiting. 

Lo and behold, I will be going to bed at a reasonable hour (10 p.m.!!), so that I can be up early to visit my friend LG in Pennsylvania.  I'm hoping that the tropical storm that caused today's downpour has moved on by tomorrow.  I'm not too keen on driving 2 hours in hurricane weather.  Besides, all my long-sleeved clothing is packed--I'm liable to freeze in a tank top, skirt, and sandals.

Message to The Alliance: h-h-h-h.

 

Posted by madchen at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

August 11, 2004

And the hits just keep on comin'

Just when I was about to close the computer and hop into bed (it was 3:30 a.m. after all), I got a message from the school housing coordinator:

I am afraid I have not received your application, will you please send it to me again?

Holy moly, this is getting ridiculous. So I spent the last hour and a half downloading the housing application (which I originally sent in June), matching the locations up to the poorly depicted map of Karlskrona, and copying the appropriate information into an email respone (since I couldn't write on the pdf application form). Sigh. I better get an awesome apartment or I'm coming back home.

Assuming I can get there in the first place.

Posted by madchen at 05:24 AM | Comments (0)

OK, now I'm worried

Amazingly enough, I got through to a Migration Board employee on the second attempt. And here's the update:

• My application has been received.
• My application has not yet been processed.


• The Migration Board is currently reviewing my type of application (for school).


• There are MANY applications waiting for review (mine among them).

So far, so good.  I reiterated that my flight leaves in SEVEN DAYS.  The Migration Board representative suggested that I send a fax to the Board, requesting that my application be given priority based on my estimated arrival date.  Still ok, because I can send an email in two quick seconds, which is even better than a fax.  But here's the problem:

Once my application is approved, the Migration Board will mail the residence permit to the Embassy, which will then contact me.

WTF?

That means that, even if the Migration Board approves my residence permit this week (which is doubtful), I will still have to wait until the mail makes its freakishly slow journey from Sweden to the Embassy.  And since the Embassy only has visa hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, it is going to be a major stroke of luck to get that permit in my hand before 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.  Sigh.

Fingers crossed for a quick reply from the Migration Board, assuring me that they have placed my application on the top of the pile.

Posted by madchen at 03:30 AM | Comments (0)

End of the Season

Tonight was probably my last softball game of the season--and we won!  I must say that I was a splendid catcher, dutifully dodging all tipped balls (no dental coverage, you know).  There is a small possibility that I will play next week, depending on when the rain-out is rescheduled.  If our team wins that one, we're in the playoffs!

Hmm, what else?

In a sneaky move, USPS delivered the missing package on Tuesday.  No acknowledgment that the parcel was missing or delayed, just a "here you go".  Hmph.  But at least I now have a Sweden-compatible Palm Pilot.

Still no word from the Embassy or the Migration Board--I will start calling Sweden in an hour (3 a.m.) for another follow up.  If they haven't made significant progress, I'm going to start panicking.  But for the next 50 minutes, I'm going to suspend my disbelief and trust that everything is going to work without a hitch.

I didn't make it to Carmax--but its on the list for tomorrow, along with lunch in the park with LD.  Fingers are crossed for good weather.  I know I should be savoring these hot, humid days while they last (it's 70 degrees in Karlskrona right now, and will only get colder), but I just can't do it.  To be truthful, it's not the heat or the humidity--it's the mosquitoes.  There is something about my parents' house, too, that just breeds mega-mosquitoes.  Janie and I are both covered in ugly, red welts from our brief stints in the yard.  With my luck, airport security will stop me in Copenhagen as a suspected bio-terror weapon.

My big accomplishment of the day was packing my second suitcase.  Now that I'm back in the basement guest room I decided that it was time.  Fortunately, everything looks like it's going to fit--and be under the weight limit.  Hurray!  Of course, now I have only a very limited wardrobe from which to choose for the next week.  The real problem I forsee is that the remaining clothes are completely at odds with the remaining shoes.  I'll be taking a page from Janie's book and wearing a t-shirt, skirt, and rainboots for all my farewell outings.

I think that about sums it up--I think I'll take 30 minutes and muster my emotional capacity for frustration in preparation for the Swedish Migration Board debacle that is sure to follow.

Posted by madchen at 02:05 AM | Comments (0)

August 09, 2004

High and Low

Highs:

• Hurray for Linksys, which helped me sort out my wireless router problem this morning, with excellent results.  In fact, I am typing this entry from my laptop computer, while simultaneously synchronizing my iTunes.  It's SO nice to have the computer up and running!
• I picked up my stunning coffee mug from "Made by You" and had coffee with AA (or "Kathy" to her less astute colleagues).  This mug is the sole piece of dishware I'm planning on bringing to Sweden, so it's lucky it turned out so well...
• I made plans to see my long-lost friend LG on Friday.  We haven't seen each other in 10 years--she's all grown up with a husband and a baby on the way.  It will be nice to have a little catch-up session before I head off to the Abyss of Eternal Night.

Lows:

• My grand plans to have my car inspected fell through when I discovered the inspection person at my mechanic's place is on vacation through the end of this week.  I have NO desire to go to a strange, new place to get the car inspected, especially when the only offer on the table is woefully under my asking price.  New task: go to Carmax and see what they will offer.  Kelley Blue Book is not particularly encouraging on this subject...
• Stupid USPS: all my previous rage has been redirected at the US Postal System.  I realized that my behavior (and those targets of my spite) are blemish-free in comparison to the incompetent tomfoolery of the USPS Support Staff.  I called nearly a dozen times today to the number they recommended, but was unable to get through to anyone. 


• I still haven't heard anything from the Migration Board or the Embassy.  I tried calling both today, but was unable to get through--clearly they were on a conference call all day with the postal system.


• I realized that Comcast has still not reimbursed me for an extra month's worth of internet service.  They promised it would be in the mail, but so far I haven't received anything.  I tried calling today, but I couldn't get through.  Perhaps they were also on the conference call with Sweden.

So right now I am incredibly frustrated with all telephone-related customer service message, who insist that "all operators are busy helping other customers"--but never seem to get to me.  On the other hand, how angry can I be when there is lovely, delightful wireless internet service on my laptop?

Pretty angry, I conclude, after thinking about it for a minute.

Posted by madchen at 09:35 PM | Comments (0)

August 08, 2004

The countdown begins

In 10 days, I will be boarding my flight to Copenhagen, and beginning my year abroad. Hmm, that's weird.

I saw Garden State tonight with my friend KT, who graciously postponed our 7 p.m. showtime to 9:30 so I could meet with a potential buyer for the Miata.  The movie was beautifully filmed, with a fantastic soundtrack.  I recommend it to anyone who has been on psychiatric medication--and who hasn't these days?

Not much to report.  Tomorrow's tasks include:

1. Getting my car inspected.


2. Calling the embassy (again, sigh).


3. Picking up my "paint your own pottery" coffee mug from last week.
4. Meeting my friend AA for coffee in the afternoon.

All of which means I will need to get up before noon--a rather unique situation this summer.

Question of the day: what is a person's obligation when in possession of a friend or ex's things?  In the past few weeks, I've come up with a pile of stuff that belongs to people I'm not in immediate contact with.  My guess is that they've forgotten I have the item, and certainly are in no dire need of it.  Before I go to Sweden, do I:

1. Need to make sure these things are returned?


2. Notify people that I have these items, and let them know how to pick them up?


3. Save/toss as I see fit?

Opinions welcome.

Posted by madchen at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)

August 07, 2004

Excerpt

I won't be dying after all, not now, but will keep on living dizzily
hereafter in reality, half-deaf to reality, in the room
perfumed by the fire that our inextinguishable will begins.

Timothy Donnelly
CROWD
Volume 4, Issue 2
2004

Posted by madchen at 02:32 AM | Comments (0)

Home on Friday Night

Since time has lost all meaning, it really shouldn't matter to me that I'm home on a Friday night--but it does.  Here I have less than 2 weeks to get all the hard-core drinking/drugs/sex out of my system and yet I'm sitting on my parents' living room couch watching old Alias re-runs.  (Of course, I would never engage in any of that lewd and lascivious behavior, mom.  That last sentence was solely for dramatic effect!)  Now that I've wasted Friday night, I'm determined to make up for it tomorrow.  Hmm...Saturday night with the world at my fingertips.  Anyone want to take bets on if I make it out of the house?

I was quite productive today, so I suppose it wasn't a total loss.  My computer arrived and it's GLORIOUS!  I succumbed and bought a flash drive and a wireless router, thinking that I could experiment a little with it here, even if I can't use it in Sweden.  Well, the flash drive works like a dream, but the router is driving me up the wall.  I can't get my mom's computer to recognize the new router, but I can't get my new computer to recognize her old one.  So I'm stuck with a fantastic laptop that can't connect to the internet, regardless of its wireless potential.  Tomorrow I'll try the local Starbucks, which has a T-Mobile Hotspot.

Ok, I just realized that I've become one of those bloggers that rant endlessly on and on about their computer problems.  I HATE those people (mostly because I never understand what they are talking about), so I'll stop.  But if you know how to set up a wireless internet network, I will give you my firstborn for some help.

Moving right along to the daily Sweden update.  I mailed a box of pillows, a duvet, and bed linens to Sweden this afternoon.  Holy moly, it is FREAKISHLY expensive to mail things to Karlskrona.*  But now I'll have a set of sheets waiting for me when I arrive (rather than my plan B, which was to use my sleeping bag).

And that, dear readers, was how I spent my day.  That, and catching up on emails that I should have written weeks ago.  You know when you should have replied to an email, but it seems awkward so you delay, and then you find you've waited so long that there's nothing really relevant to write?  That's me, baby.

Still no word on my missing USPS package, or from the embassy.  I might have to do some ass-kicking come Monday.

*This should in NO WAY affect your proclivity to mail me care packages.  Just keep it under 10 pounds and you'll be fine.

 

Posted by madchen at 01:54 AM | Comments (0)

August 06, 2004

Weird News

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- A German prisoner in Madrid and his girlfriend glued their hands together during a jail visit in an attempt to fight the man's possible extradition to Germany, judicial sources said on Thursday.

I complain a lot about my relationships, but I am happy to report I have never had this sort of problem--with either extradition or adhesives.

Yay!  This morning has shown promise:

1. The computer has arrived!


2. The Embassy wrote me back, confirming that my permit application was mailed AND faxed, but said they would call the Migration Board to sort it out.


3. Janie's dad has arrived, and has whisked her out of the house for the foreseeable future.

On a more puzzling note, last week I ordered a travel kit for my Palm Pilot--allowing me to recharge on 220V current.  Well, I got confirmaton that it had been mailed, but when I checked my USPS tracking number, it said it had been delivered yesterday.  Umm, I was here the whole day and nothing remotely resembling a Palm travel kit arrived.  Weird, right?  I've asked for additional information from USPS--hopefully they will be able to clear it up.

Posted by madchen at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)

Wow--I need to travel more

Or at least hit some of the big countries...

create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Posted by madchen at 04:10 AM | Comments (0)

The Wonders of Technology

I hope that the person who created the "UPS tracking number" technology is a millionaire right now.  It's pure genius!  Ever since I discovered this marvel of technology during an Amazon.com order last year, I have become addicted.  I love logging in every couple hours (now that I think about it, this probably contributed to my low productivity at work) and seeing if my package had made any progress.  Genius, I say, genius!  For example, right now my new laptop computer is "in transit" with an estimated delivery date of tomorrow.  Or today, I suppose, seeing as how it is 3 a.m. and well into Friday. 

I just sent out a mass email to everyone in my hotmail address book with my new contact information in Sweden.  It's kind of weird sharing that information with a large