that was the sound of time flying by. I apologize for being absolutely MIA on all fronts the past couple of days (has it already been almost a week?!) but I have barely had the time to buy a brush ( ..or brush my hair) much less get on the internet for long enough to type anything up.
Here is an Official ‘Hej’ from the land of Basshunter, ABBA, Ikea, and H&M!!
GAH I have a to do list the size of the Rio Grande, SHOTOUT NM, but it seems that the more I attempt to cross things off it the more things just keep appearing. I LOVE bottom-less lists of chores!
After somehow surviving (BARELY) my 6am departure from the 505, a three hour flight to DC for a five hour layover, followed by a 8 and a half hour flight to Copenhagen, a 1 hour flight to Stockholm, a two hour train ride to Linkoping, and a two hour or so checking in process I finally tumbled into bed on Monday evening.
Tuesday was spent waiting around for my bag, which had not made it to Stockholm and would not make it to me until Wednesday morning. Trips to the store occurred on this day however where I loaded up with Swedish food like black licorice, Wasa crackers, lingonberry jam, a block of cheese, fruit, meatballs(!!), etc.
PSST…
I Also I set up up my Swedish phone so if you need to call me it is 0764093814–-I do not know that the country code is but I do receive text messages but I cannot text back to America I do not think. My skype account is kalliemarie69 (of course) and I am always logged on so give me a call and if im in my room we can talk! :)
On Tuesday night the student housing bar HG (that’s right a dorm bar, suck it American students) hosts an international night–but to get in you have to get there at like 8 or be prepared to wait in line for 2 hours. So at 10 one of my housemates and I headed over to a corridor (dorm) party that we heard about through the line grapevine. There I met a jumble of people from Germany, France, Canada, Spain..not so much Swedes though. sidenote: At orientation the next day we heard that there are only ever supposed to be 20 people in the corridor areas…let’s just say that rules was broken several times over.
Anyways, Wednesday I was finally able to shower when I got my bag and was no longer looked upon as dirty American scum (actually that is debatable. At least I was CLEAN dirty American scum). I had my orientation in the town center, but did not take pictures in attempt to fit it as a local..and failing hahah because I was wearing flip flops.
A trip to Ikea followed–in which I got COMPLETELY and utterly lost because I went upstairs where they have all the pretend rooms set up for people buying huge furniture and they wouldn’t let you go back down the stairs and I was all of a sudden in the kitchen of the cafe…you get the picture.
alright Ikea, you may have won this round but I took many things from you so we can call it even.
Don’t fret–I eventually figured it out as I always manage to do. I maneuvered my way through the store for about two hours due to my indecision about purchases and then made my way home on the bus with the goods. The room is a work in progress but it is coming along.
Speaking of the room, I share a kitchen and living room with 8 other students. Two from Turkey, one from Iran, two from Spain, one from Sweden, and two from somewhere in Asia. Those of you who can add may be puzzled why including me that is nine people, but technically there is supposed to be 8 and obviously there is some sharing going on. I really have no idea who all is living here to be honest because I have only been in my room to cry (it’s my party..you know) to my parents over skype and to sleep.
Alright where were we? I have no idea. I seriously had to scroll back up a moment because my brain honestly has no idea where I have been in the past 48 hours unless followed chronologically. Moving to another country can do that to you–it’s like drugs, but way more stressful and expensive so those of you who enjoy this feeling…keep doing what you are already doing hahah its cheaper. (adults feel free to erase this paragraph from your memory)
Thursday! My flip flop wearing, umbrella-less, bike-less, sleep-deprived, CAFFEINE deprived, hopped-up-on-black-licorice self walked over to campus for a tour. There I met a lot of people who are now friends. It is crazy for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I have only known them for two days because it seems like so much longer.
We grabbed some coffee after the tour and made a gameplan list of things to do–which we immediately disregared and instead bought tickets to some upcoming parties (you have to buy tickets, it is very odd), attempted to pay our rent and failed so instead made lunch, changed, and then went to get in line for a giant Oktoberfest style welcoming celebration (mind you this was about 5:30pm, we got in at 7)
A new friend saved me from my flipflopping state by lending me some spare kicks
And this was just the line to get in.
The festival was so crazy. There were thousands of students with giant german beer steins filled with cider and beer, there was a stage, there were tents to house people during the periodic periods of rain with giant long tables. There were all the Swedes!
Let me just say that they are serious about their drinking out here. As the night progressed tables were danced on, turned over, glasses were broken all over, my finger got cut at some point.., the live band moved inside, there was a disco outside, it was ridiculous.
We ended up leaving early at the peak of the party (1 or so) to walk home so we could wake up and try to do things on the to do list on…
FRIDAY! Today. For you New Mexicans out there it is only about 3pm, some of you might just be starting your day and here I am about to write this, read a bit with tea and PASS OUT FINALLY at 12 or so (then it will be 4).
First things first–breakfast:
Then I registered online, found my courses, and stood in line with people for their overalls (ill explain at a later time. it is very odd), before taking a bus into town to get money for errands.
An H&M visit got me some shoes, an umbrella, and a clutch to replace my GINORMOUS purse…
…A secondhand shop stop got me some decorative knick knacks :) Later a group of us decided to take it easy tonight–made dinner together and watched tv.
I was surprised that all the tv shows here are in english. There are only a few channels I guess, but they show almost all recognizable shows. Leave it to the Simpsons to bring all cultures together. It was on in my living room the other night and every body who walked by was like AH THE SIMPSONS. Doesn’t matter if you are from Germany or Iran, you know it. I even had a Real Housewives of New York spotting on channel 6, you know that even though I pretended that I didn’t know what it was and promptly changed the channel I was BEYOND PUMPED on the inside.
I think I’m out for now kids. I’m beat. I will try to update more in the future. There are just SO MANY PARTIES and events right now, endorsed by the University. It;s ridiculous and awesome: UNM I’m talking to you.
kalliemarie 