So I finally met my fadder...

A lot has been going on since my last post. On måndag I had my first class. There are about 20 students in my course and all of us are international students. There is a mix of students from Japan, Korea, China, Turkey, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, and a few others I can't recall. Our teacher is very informal and prefers that we call her by her first name, Kaisa. She is an excellent teacher and our lectures are exciting yet informative. We also have 1 hour of swedish each class period so when I return to the US I hope to be able to speak lite, lite svenska.

On Monday evening I had choir rehearsal with Brygghuskoren. So far I'm only able to read the music notes but I'm lost when it comes to the words and lyrics. I asked one of the choir members what we were singing about and she told me gas and aftershave...but I think she probably meant foam instead of gas. Lol! Should be an interesting semester with the choir but this will also help me to improve my Swedish accent. For starters, here is a little pronunciation lesson:

ö = ur (make your lips like you're going to kiss someone)
ä = air
å = or

Today (onsdag) was a particularly busy day for me as well. I have class 3 days a week for about 4 hours per day including my Swedish lesson for 1 hour each day. After class today I signed up for a trip to Stockholm. Apparently, there are only a limited number of slots available for this trip but I was one of the lucky ones. I already have made a few good friends here in Sweden and they saved me a spot in line while I was in class.

This afternoon I met my fadder, Lotta. She is a Swedish student but spent around 10 years in the US and she is training to become a Swedish police officer. Its great having a fadder that has spent substantial time in the US because she is able to understand me at my normal pace of speaking with no problem. She is really nice and we're already planning on having an international potluck sometime in the future with other fadders and international students.

This evening I took part in my first sittning with theEHVS on campus. They served a traditional Swedish meal complete with pickled herring and meatballs. We also formed small teams and had a quiz on Scandinavian culture...of course we all know who won...none other than yours truly. My two teammates and I won a bag full of Swedish goodies.

Lastly, after a week of being in Sweden we FINALLY got some snow today! All the international students from warmer climates spent the afternoon making snow angels and having a snowball fight. It was tons of fun until all our hands begin to freeze and we sought cover indoors. Hopefully the snow will still be there tomorrow...they say its particularly warm for this time of year...but i don't know about that...it was -3 degree celsius this evening on my way home from sittning...guess I'll still have to get used to the weather.

On My Own

Today was my first day venturing out in the city sans tour guide. I'm pretty proud of myself. I found the Clas Ohlson in the centrum because I needed an AC adapter for my laptop so now I don't have to go to the computer lab anymore to get online...yay! I also did a little window shopping but I really do need to go to IKEA. I don't have any bed linens yet So I've been sleeping with jackets for blankets. Its actually not that bad but I can't wait until the international office takes us all to IKEA. Its about an hour away and they make it a school-sponsored event.

I also meet my fädder this week for fikä. We've emailed a few times since December but we have yet to meet face to face. She'll act as a guide to my studies here in Sweden and will help me get adjusted to Scandinavian life.

Tomorrow is the first day of classes and its after midnight here so I gotta hit the sack...thanks for keeping in touch. Night night!

In Sverige and Lovin' It!

Hello everybody! I've officially been here on campus for 4 days now and I am sooooo lovin' it here! The international office staff are extremely helpful and the other international students are quite nice as well. So far there are a lot of Swedish students here but most of them are arriving this weekend as classes start on Monday.

On a sidenote...for those of you familiar with recent pop culture...there is this Mexican exchange student who always sings "Umbrella" when he sees me...we'll see how long this lasts before it gets extremely old but so far its been 4 days straight!

Initially I thought that I was going to have a room to myself, but I ended up having a roommate...just like 98% of students on campus. At first I was a little bummed when I found this out but we get along, her name is Rachel and she's from Pennsylvania.

From what I can tell SWEDES LOVE TO PARTY! I've only been here 4 days but there has been a social every single night. In Sweden it is socially acceptable to drink...A LOT...one person from the US even asked about where a local AA was located and they sorta laughed...I guess its not a talked about problem here since drinking is so popular for their culture. There are even 3 pubs/clubs on campus. Don't worry though...I will probably be spending most of my time in the library studying...lol!

So yeah, feel free to ask me questions, send care packages...etc.

Gud är god! Jag gjord den! (click here for translation)

Well, well, well...after 28 hours...5 airports...4 flights...2 bags repacked...and 1 delay I FINALLY made it to Växjö, Sweden!!! Yes folks, it was long and tiring but God saw me through the whole thing...even through having to repack 2 bags due to an airport scale that needed recalibrating...lol! (for more information on that whole ordeal in Stockholm email me). I have to admit, I was a little nervous when it looked like I was the only person left in the airport terminal with no ride in sight but soon after, a group of 3 other exchange students emerged and we all huddled together as we waited for the school bus. The staff from the internaional office arrived soon after and gave us snacks and a brief orientation to the school.

So far, I've met students from South Korea, Mexico, and Spain. Everyone has been extremely friendly and the weather is not as cold as I expected it to be. Last night it was 4 degrees Celsius when I finally made it to my room. Speaking of my room...

I LIVE IN AN IKEA SHOWROOM! For those of you who don't know, Ikea is a Swedish-founded company so it looks as if Växjö University has super discounts because my WHOLE ROOM is Ikea...seriously, even down to the wardrobe, tables, chairs, lamps, mattress, light fixtures, curtains, etc...if it came furnished in my room...I can pretty much gurantee its from Ikea. I have to admit however, my room is very nice. Its in a brand new building and it feels rather luxurious. There's even a towel warmer in the bathroom! Luckily though, there's not a bidet...at least not that I've figured out how to work yet...lol!

We have an exchange student orientation all-day tomorrow and classes begin on Monday. I'll keep you posted as to what goes down. Oh yeah, I already found a church! Its only about a 20-30 minute walk but I'm hoping I'll find a student on campus who can give me a ride. Anything is possible, right?

Thanks for keeping in touch!

Sleepless in San Francisco

Hey everybody! So I've officially started my blog. I said I would so I'm actually pretty excited that I'm actually following through...so excited in fact that its 4:15am and I'm still awake...but really, I should be packing...my flight leaves in 26 hours so I'll make this brief. I have no idea what to expect in Sweden but that's what I love...I like the excitement of exploring new places and having new experiences. Most people have asked me "Why Sweden?"...to which I reply, "Why not?" I mean seriously, most Americans are known worldwide for being ignorant when it comes maps so I want to get out and educate myself as much as possible while I have the time, energy, and the means to do so. Plus, I'm sure its going to be lots of fun...I can't wait to have my first authentic Swedish massage! Yeah, it sounds corny...so what!

So, as I prepare to leave for Sweden please pray for my traveling mercies and pray that I won't get homesick. Thank you to all my church family who came to the "surprise" going away party last week. I had a great time and I can't wait to have a "surprise" welcome back party. Thanks to my family, especially mom and dad for helping me with all this last minute packing. It's been cRaZy but you guys always come through and I really appreciate it. Thank you to the Sall's...my 2nd family. You have all been so supportive to me over these past few years and I'm really truly going to miss you all. Thanks Nitiya for bugging me...I mean...talking to me and keeping me company all those nights at the computer lab. As hard as it is for me to say it you'll know I'm really going to miss your cRaZy self. And last, but certainly not least, thank you Randy for encouraging me to explore the world. I'm going to miss all of you dearly but you'll always be in my thoughts and prayers! Adjö/Hej då.