Well, here I am, in Marseille. I should probably change my blog header sometime, to a more French and less Swedish theme. I wanted to change it to a picture of our awesome Göteborg harbor view in the last flat but I've moved on to bigger, dirtier and poorer now as far as flats & harbor towns go.
Needless to say I didn't get the flight attendant job at Lufthansa, I had a phone interview and my Hoch Deutsch was NOT "sehr gut" as I had claimed, haha. Their loss!! I worked as a karaoke DJ for 2 nights and it was fun-ish, I didn't go to the interview for the casino because screw it, and I got a full-time job offer to work at a daycare which I then declined when it was already too late, or almost too late, depending on your sense of ethics. Anyway, while on an amazing, epic family cruise these people tried contacting me telling me I was accepted to a volunteer program (all expenses taken care of, and then some) in Marseille. They wanted me to come on Nov 1, 2 weeks from then and I was like hail naw, I'll come on November 8. Well it wasn't that simple. It was a horribly difficult and emotional situation in trying to decide if it's worth it to leave Christoffer. It's a definite amount of time, which makes it better. It's a long amount of time, which makes it harder. I'll be back for Christmas, which makes it easier. All in all I decided to take the opportunity. Long story short, I'm young now and can't do shit like this when I have kids!
Back to now. A nice German girl picked me up at the station and took me to my flat. I think my roommates will be 2 guys and then "2 Spanish guys."
"So all guys?" I ask
"No, you have the 2 Spanish guys too"
Well I already saw one of the Spanish guys (male) so far so I guess one of the "2 Spanish guys" is a girl.
My room was dirty, with no furniture besides a broken bed sans mattress. Luckily my new German neighbor (who lives across the hall) will be at her boyfriend's tonight. So I'll sleep in her bed in their much nicer apartment, hopefully just one night. Maybe the "productive" French will, against all odds, clean my room, buy me a new bed and the rest of the furniture, all in one day! Well I just found out that I clean it when I move in... So I hope there are ample cleaning supplies, like I like... I assume I'll be staying in this girl's room for a while, living from my very well-packed suitcase.
Not much else to update on now, except that I can't go on a walk around the neighborhood because we apparently live in the ghetto. Shit. And even here our closest grocery store closes at 7:30. I thought this was a big city!!!
Looking forward to more discoveries and new adventures...
tisdag 8 november 2011
onsdag 21 september 2011
What might happen
First of all I just made the most delicious soup--ever. It contained, among other things, a rutabaga. I didn't know it was a rutabaga until afterward when I google translated "kålrot." So that was cool, since I never really was sure what a rutabaga was before! The unattractive "root fruits" as they are called in Sweden are soo cheap and sooo healthy and should be eaten more!
Yeah I know, this blog would be boring as hell without photos.
Today was a good day. Christoffer got 2 calls for interviews and I applied to some fun jobs. I usually don't shout from the rooftops about the jobs I apply to since I so diligently apply to thousands every day and 99.9% of them end up in a "we have decided to go further with another applicant" but today was a bit interesting. I applied to be a "steel woman" for a steel company that needs a more gender-balanced workplace (office job, not miner), a "karaoke hostess" at a restaurant that happens to be 2 blocks away, and a dealer (no experience needed!) at the casinoo! Status? Took a tricky "service test" for the casino job, already got called for an interview with the karaoke job (the boss is also interested in some marketing services), and the steel job? Well they requested that application be sent by snail mail, so it's on its way... The casino sounds like the coolest but the karaoke/mktg job sounds quite promising and also potentially fun haha... Maybe I can succeed in making it THE place to go in Majorna!
Fine, I will jinx it and tell you about the flight attendant job I applied to. It has been a dream since childhood. Hope I get to fulfill it! I passed the English and personality tests so now I get a preliminary phone interview!
So, plans, plans, plans...
I really wanted to get a kitten for a while, always have, still do, especially after a friend that works for Lufthansa Cargo told me that a cat can be just another carry-on item, no problem, but I think I will have to refrain. I doubt it's allowed in this apartment and I decided to wait until I am stateside again to become a cat lady. Thought about that money I was so willing to spend on cat maintenance and decided I can either save it instead, or buy super healthy and delicious food (like rutabaga...).
I also bought something to make the winter fun and maybe even replace a gym membership (that I have also been considering). My new ice skates are HOCKEY skates so they 1)look cool and 2)will allow me to become a hockey star. Maybe Christoffer will practice with me. He worked as an ice skating teacher for kids in London, so he can teach me to skate backwards! The only problem is that they haven't come yet. I bought them on an auction on Sweden's eBay (was SO excited when I won the auction!!). Got them for around $30, barely used and hopefully my size. I sure hope the seller wasn't just a scammer. We'll see.
Speaking of buying things, I have realized that I have some materialistic tendencies. Walking down the street I find myself marveling at expensive kitchenware, bath towels, gourmet food, espresso machines, the Lush soap store, overpriced but still not pretentious cafés... and thinking yes, that's why I wanna be rich! haha what a lavish lifestyle I can imagine myself in. Not seriously but sort of seriously.
What more plans do I have that are relevant to you, my fanclub? I would so so love to visit home for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years/maybe my birthday, but I can't leave my potential awesome full-time job for that long. And without the awesome job it's sort of steep, might as well wait until 2012 when I potentially awesomely would move back to the US. I miss all my friends there and especially all the Wagles!!! Grandma just turned 85 yesterday!
Gonna go make some butter-flavored popcorn and continue watching "Burn After Reading" (weird). I'll write again when something interesting happens!
underrated
Yeah I know, this blog would be boring as hell without photos.
Today was a good day. Christoffer got 2 calls for interviews and I applied to some fun jobs. I usually don't shout from the rooftops about the jobs I apply to since I so diligently apply to thousands every day and 99.9% of them end up in a "we have decided to go further with another applicant" but today was a bit interesting. I applied to be a "steel woman" for a steel company that needs a more gender-balanced workplace (office job, not miner), a "karaoke hostess" at a restaurant that happens to be 2 blocks away, and a dealer (no experience needed!) at the casinoo! Status? Took a tricky "service test" for the casino job, already got called for an interview with the karaoke job (the boss is also interested in some marketing services), and the steel job? Well they requested that application be sent by snail mail, so it's on its way... The casino sounds like the coolest but the karaoke/mktg job sounds quite promising and also potentially fun haha... Maybe I can succeed in making it THE place to go in Majorna!
Fine, I will jinx it and tell you about the flight attendant job I applied to. It has been a dream since childhood. Hope I get to fulfill it! I passed the English and personality tests so now I get a preliminary phone interview!
So, plans, plans, plans...
I really wanted to get a kitten for a while, always have, still do, especially after a friend that works for Lufthansa Cargo told me that a cat can be just another carry-on item, no problem, but I think I will have to refrain. I doubt it's allowed in this apartment and I decided to wait until I am stateside again to become a cat lady. Thought about that money I was so willing to spend on cat maintenance and decided I can either save it instead, or buy super healthy and delicious food (like rutabaga...).
I also bought something to make the winter fun and maybe even replace a gym membership (that I have also been considering). My new ice skates are HOCKEY skates so they 1)look cool and 2)will allow me to become a hockey star. Maybe Christoffer will practice with me. He worked as an ice skating teacher for kids in London, so he can teach me to skate backwards! The only problem is that they haven't come yet. I bought them on an auction on Sweden's eBay (was SO excited when I won the auction!!). Got them for around $30, barely used and hopefully my size. I sure hope the seller wasn't just a scammer. We'll see.
Speaking of buying things, I have realized that I have some materialistic tendencies. Walking down the street I find myself marveling at expensive kitchenware, bath towels, gourmet food, espresso machines, the Lush soap store, overpriced but still not pretentious cafés... and thinking yes, that's why I wanna be rich! haha what a lavish lifestyle I can imagine myself in. Not seriously but sort of seriously.
What more plans do I have that are relevant to you, my fanclub? I would so so love to visit home for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years/maybe my birthday, but I can't leave my potential awesome full-time job for that long. And without the awesome job it's sort of steep, might as well wait until 2012 when I potentially awesomely would move back to the US. I miss all my friends there and especially all the Wagles!!! Grandma just turned 85 yesterday!
Gonna go make some butter-flavored popcorn and continue watching "Burn After Reading" (weird). I'll write again when something interesting happens!
söndag 11 september 2011
What has happened
Ok, so I guess it's fair to update my vast readership of what's up! I'm sure my lack of recent blogging has been the talk of the town, of the world. Well people, you can calm down now because I'm about to update you!
Do you want to hear what will happen or what has happened first?
Chronological order tends not to fail...
Part I: Bad Planning, aka We Suck At Life
So, there was some talk about Christoffer and I going to the US. As our apartment was shared with someone else, it was too complicated to be able to plan a potentially spontaneous trip/move to the New World while considering an outsider's life plans. So I told Christoffer to take action. When he failed to take action, I took action. I canceled our lease. (which wasn't a contract at all since it was BLACK aka cashunderthetable which is the only way to rent in this poorly planned city. Also, ONLY subleases unless you are rich and/or lucky.). We would move out in 2 weeks. Notice the housing shortage situation I mentioned... If you want to buy an apartment you may do so, but the value of apartments has TRIPLED in the past 10 years (lucky 35-40 year olds can make a killing on their first apartment they bought 10 years ago). OH, and I guess an income would be nice to buy an apartment as well (ask Christoffer about that). So it was less than a week from move-out day, and... nothing. Christoffer and I were at our wit's end. Within 1 week we had spent $50 posting and re-posting our "housing wanted" ad 3 times so it'd appear on page 1 or 2. We'd had chances to take really cheap places, but we are talking g-h-e-t-t-o. Some of us have standards (one of us, and it wasn't particularly me). We went to one showing in the borderline-ghetto but it was a really nice apartment, and the girl had met another candidate that evening and then us 20 minutes later. Two hours after we left she would call us with her decision (WHAT THE HELL, RIGHT??) She picked the other people because they had a BABY. Is THAT what it takes to get a friggin flat these days??? A BABY?? Couples with babies get all sorts of cash & other rewards from the government so I'm pretty sure those couples won't have as much trouble finding a decent flat. On the other hand it was noble of the girl to pick them because I guess no one wants to be responsible for turning a baby out onto the streets. In other words, no offense taken.
Long story short, as Christoffer and I were at our lowest desperation, preparing to sell everything for $5, quit our jobs or lack thereof and move to his parents', I got an e-mail. Our "we need to find a cheaper place or else we will be on the streets in 2 months" had left our memories, we didn't give a damn about the money anymore (a problem for a later date, like tomorrow). So we took this huge apartment on the 8th floor in the most sought-after neighborhood in the city, Majorna. So now we are bound to this apartment for 6 months and, oh yeah, with a roommate. She's really cool though. But let's look back and see, did I have to cancel our last apartment? No. Now, same rent, same situation, no options of spontaneously leaving, and no dishwasher this time. Plus the 1000sek move (like $150) and 2 weeks of homelessness before the new contract starts.
Part II: Big Brother- I MEAN, the Civil Register
And now since the new apartment is also dirty and black and probably profitable to the contract holder, we don't have an address to for the "civil register" (aka SOCIALISM TO THE MAX). This civil register address basically defines you. The civil address assumes that there ARE enough apartments for all the people living here, and that everyone actually lives where they are registered. This isn't your usual American writing mom's address for "permanent address" on a Direct Loans form. This is official, socialistic bullshit. So now I kiss goodbye to getting hired, getting mail, payroll, correct taxes, medical care, being allowed to do lots of other things.... Apparently you can't exist without registering yourself somewhere. My question, where do the homeless street people register themselves? And can you repeat and spell that address please?? Again, a problem for the future. But it should preferably be solved within the next minute. Stress.
I should also mention that the reason the moving to the US idea seemed to disappear so carelessly in this mess, it didn't. Thing is, on August 15, 2011 the US discontinued a visa program that would only have taken Christoffer 3 months to obtain a visa. He read me this news on August 17, 2011. Talk about frustration. Especially because we had planned for him to start the application process in early August but just didn't get around to it. So now it will take 7-9 months. (echo: FRUSTRATION).
Part III: Homelessness for the Privileged
Two weeks of homelessness. We stayed in our old place until September 4, even though the new tenants were paying for September's rent and they had to camp out with friends during those days, hahahaha but it's not really funny.... But hahaahahha anyway and a big thank you to them. Then a few nights with Christoffer's brother. He is 4 years younger and has just moved to town with his girlfriend and they got a cheap, central apartment with a legal contract immediately with their first ad posted. (fjkdls;fiew???)
Currently we are staying at Christoffer's good friend Patrik's place. It is what I think you would call a loft, with a spiral staircase and all. He is in Spain for the week, lucky us. (THANKS PATRIK!!!) All of our (read: CHRISTOFFER'S) stuff (read: useless junk collected over the past 25 years) is divided between our new apartment, my dear friend Anna's spacious attic, and a little bit at the little bro's and Patrik's. To move all this stuff we rented a moving truck, returned it not giving a damn about the rest of the stuff. The next day we rented a "rent a wreck" car, returned it even though we could have kept it for 24 hours, because we thought we could handle moving the rest of the shit out of the apartment. (HOW??) The day after that we had 4 people carrying 6 arm/backfulls of shit, planning to take 2 painful tram trips but awkwardly ran into our old landlord who helpfully and awkwardly took us in 2 car trips. Those car trips were my biggest "I want to disappear right now" moments thus far. Maybe you had to be there.
Part IV: Painful Hypochondria
During all of this and for the past 2 months I have been fighting an "överansträngad handled" or I guess you could call it painful hand/wrist/arm/andsometimeselbow&shoulder syndrome or maybe tendinitis. This is a bitch especially when lifting heavy things and moving, but also when caring for old people, doing dishes, applying to a better job, texting people, blogging, surfing the internet on my archaic smartphone while trying to remove my mind from being at work, sleeping with right hand under pillow under head, turning keys, opening doors, opening pop cans, opening beer cans, opening wine bottles, ETC. OD'ing on ibuprofen hasn't helped because I haven't been resting my hand. If I were Swedish, I would go to the doctor and get 5 weeks of partially paid sickleave. But I would rather work for more money (plus I don't think I'm eligible for the sickleave with my type of work contract).
I have learned to live with the pain and liver abuse because the next time I'll have 3 weeks to not use my right hand will be when I am dead.
Part V: What is my occupation anyway?
What is this job I keep complaining about anyway? Well to be fair I shouldn't complain about it, it's a good job with pretty decent pay. I work for the city going to old people's homes and do stuff for them like do their dishes or make them food, do their laundry or other personal tasks, depending on how able they are. I am feeling wary about continuing it now though as the weather gets colder. With cold weather comes sick employees which means 2 things: 1. Working double in the same amount of time because half of the workers are sick or "sick" (HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN YOU'D THINK). And 2. Possibly getting sick myself from switching from indoor to frigid outdoor so frequently throughout the day. Then I wouldn't get to call in sick whenever I damn well please (like the rest of the population in Sweden) because I would be a substitute and therefore not get sick pay. Another thing that sucks about the job is when old people go evil and verbally abuse you (not very often though).
What? You went to Sweden and now you're working in this type of service job?!??!?! Did you waste your education!?!??! What a waste of life?!?!?
Oh relax people!
1. Have a little respect for service jobs
2. Service jobs are extremely respectable & common long-term careers here and they pay nearly as much as any other career here (yay socialism)
3. Um, hellO, don't you realize that I'm getting some valuable first-hand experience with one of the fastest growing markets of our time, the elderly?!?? Don't you think that elderly care will be a huge industry for years to come? Don't you think they will want administrators or marketers who know the industry??
4. And even if 3 is wrong or irrelevant to me, it's called Life Experience. Dad said you don't go to college to be something, you go to learn something. I have learned so much at this job too, things I never would have been able to experience if I went straight to a (BORING) office. Maybe I will decide to be a doctor from all this anyway.
5. My Swedish has gotten so good, especially learning Old-timer words. Valuable lessons like Don't you know what a potholder is!!!??? ("no, I don't, but thanks for teaching me!" was my exact, cheerful response to the mean old lady) and a stressful made-me-wanna-cry yelling debacle taught me the word for "cardigan" as well as an alternative old-person word for blazer. Phew!! Plus, these days I've gotten really good at smalltalk too, seriously.
Those 5 points were not because I am insecure about the job I got here, but because I know for a fact that I have very critical family members who think I'm so awesome that I should be hired as a doctor-lawyer combo today on the spot. That was for them.
To calm those critical people, I DO have a Marketing-oriented job too! For the city as well. It is pretty part-time but it's lots of fun! I'm an ambassador for a youth project that I participated in. I present (and represent) the project to people in the target group (ages 16-24), spreading the word about it and showing my face at activities where I get to mingle and meet people and make sure they know about the opportunities awaiting them. The project is for young people to find out and work toward their goals in life regarding studies, work or entrepreneurship. I went there myself and got great tips for job searching, some free practical courses, among many other invaluable things!
As for other occupations, my CV (resumé for you Americans) is starting to be more unbalanced in that more of the jobs were in Sweden than in the US. I've worked in German-speaking customer service, tourism/hostess, VIP lounge hostess for international VIP guests at an annual worldwide youth soccer tournament, and even worked as a waitress for 2.5 hours (NO THANK YOU). I even got offered a job for $40/hr being a tour guide in German (scary) but was forced to say no because I had to volunteer for my free musical festival ticket. That was a bummer. But if I had skipped the volunteer work I would have had to pay tons of money...
The "What Will Happen" part will have to wait for another day. Sorry to cause so many people so much suspense.
Do you want to hear what will happen or what has happened first?
Chronological order tends not to fail...
Part I: Bad Planning, aka We Suck At Life
So, there was some talk about Christoffer and I going to the US. As our apartment was shared with someone else, it was too complicated to be able to plan a potentially spontaneous trip/move to the New World while considering an outsider's life plans. So I told Christoffer to take action. When he failed to take action, I took action. I canceled our lease. (which wasn't a contract at all since it was BLACK aka cashunderthetable which is the only way to rent in this poorly planned city. Also, ONLY subleases unless you are rich and/or lucky.). We would move out in 2 weeks. Notice the housing shortage situation I mentioned... If you want to buy an apartment you may do so, but the value of apartments has TRIPLED in the past 10 years (lucky 35-40 year olds can make a killing on their first apartment they bought 10 years ago). OH, and I guess an income would be nice to buy an apartment as well (ask Christoffer about that). So it was less than a week from move-out day, and... nothing. Christoffer and I were at our wit's end. Within 1 week we had spent $50 posting and re-posting our "housing wanted" ad 3 times so it'd appear on page 1 or 2. We'd had chances to take really cheap places, but we are talking g-h-e-t-t-o. Some of us have standards (one of us, and it wasn't particularly me). We went to one showing in the borderline-ghetto but it was a really nice apartment, and the girl had met another candidate that evening and then us 20 minutes later. Two hours after we left she would call us with her decision (WHAT THE HELL, RIGHT??) She picked the other people because they had a BABY. Is THAT what it takes to get a friggin flat these days??? A BABY?? Couples with babies get all sorts of cash & other rewards from the government so I'm pretty sure those couples won't have as much trouble finding a decent flat. On the other hand it was noble of the girl to pick them because I guess no one wants to be responsible for turning a baby out onto the streets. In other words, no offense taken.
Long story short, as Christoffer and I were at our lowest desperation, preparing to sell everything for $5, quit our jobs or lack thereof and move to his parents', I got an e-mail. Our "we need to find a cheaper place or else we will be on the streets in 2 months" had left our memories, we didn't give a damn about the money anymore (a problem for a later date, like tomorrow). So we took this huge apartment on the 8th floor in the most sought-after neighborhood in the city, Majorna. So now we are bound to this apartment for 6 months and, oh yeah, with a roommate. She's really cool though. But let's look back and see, did I have to cancel our last apartment? No. Now, same rent, same situation, no options of spontaneously leaving, and no dishwasher this time. Plus the 1000sek move (like $150) and 2 weeks of homelessness before the new contract starts.
Part II: Big Brother- I MEAN, the Civil Register
And now since the new apartment is also dirty and black and probably profitable to the contract holder, we don't have an address to for the "civil register" (aka SOCIALISM TO THE MAX). This civil register address basically defines you. The civil address assumes that there ARE enough apartments for all the people living here, and that everyone actually lives where they are registered. This isn't your usual American writing mom's address for "permanent address" on a Direct Loans form. This is official, socialistic bullshit. So now I kiss goodbye to getting hired, getting mail, payroll, correct taxes, medical care, being allowed to do lots of other things.... Apparently you can't exist without registering yourself somewhere. My question, where do the homeless street people register themselves? And can you repeat and spell that address please?? Again, a problem for the future. But it should preferably be solved within the next minute. Stress.
I should also mention that the reason the moving to the US idea seemed to disappear so carelessly in this mess, it didn't. Thing is, on August 15, 2011 the US discontinued a visa program that would only have taken Christoffer 3 months to obtain a visa. He read me this news on August 17, 2011. Talk about frustration. Especially because we had planned for him to start the application process in early August but just didn't get around to it. So now it will take 7-9 months. (echo: FRUSTRATION).
Part III: Homelessness for the Privileged
Two weeks of homelessness. We stayed in our old place until September 4, even though the new tenants were paying for September's rent and they had to camp out with friends during those days, hahahaha but it's not really funny.... But hahaahahha anyway and a big thank you to them. Then a few nights with Christoffer's brother. He is 4 years younger and has just moved to town with his girlfriend and they got a cheap, central apartment with a legal contract immediately with their first ad posted. (fjkdls;fiew???)
Currently we are staying at Christoffer's good friend Patrik's place. It is what I think you would call a loft, with a spiral staircase and all. He is in Spain for the week, lucky us. (THANKS PATRIK!!!) All of our (read: CHRISTOFFER'S) stuff (read: useless junk collected over the past 25 years) is divided between our new apartment, my dear friend Anna's spacious attic, and a little bit at the little bro's and Patrik's. To move all this stuff we rented a moving truck, returned it not giving a damn about the rest of the stuff. The next day we rented a "rent a wreck" car, returned it even though we could have kept it for 24 hours, because we thought we could handle moving the rest of the shit out of the apartment. (HOW??) The day after that we had 4 people carrying 6 arm/backfulls of shit, planning to take 2 painful tram trips but awkwardly ran into our old landlord who helpfully and awkwardly took us in 2 car trips. Those car trips were my biggest "I want to disappear right now" moments thus far. Maybe you had to be there.
Part IV: Painful Hypochondria
During all of this and for the past 2 months I have been fighting an "överansträngad handled" or I guess you could call it painful hand/wrist/arm/andsometimeselbow&shoulder syndrome or maybe tendinitis. This is a bitch especially when lifting heavy things and moving, but also when caring for old people, doing dishes, applying to a better job, texting people, blogging, surfing the internet on my archaic smartphone while trying to remove my mind from being at work, sleeping with right hand under pillow under head, turning keys, opening doors, opening pop cans, opening beer cans, opening wine bottles, ETC. OD'ing on ibuprofen hasn't helped because I haven't been resting my hand. If I were Swedish, I would go to the doctor and get 5 weeks of partially paid sickleave. But I would rather work for more money (plus I don't think I'm eligible for the sickleave with my type of work contract).
I have learned to live with the pain and liver abuse because the next time I'll have 3 weeks to not use my right hand will be when I am dead.
Part V: What is my occupation anyway?
What is this job I keep complaining about anyway? Well to be fair I shouldn't complain about it, it's a good job with pretty decent pay. I work for the city going to old people's homes and do stuff for them like do their dishes or make them food, do their laundry or other personal tasks, depending on how able they are. I am feeling wary about continuing it now though as the weather gets colder. With cold weather comes sick employees which means 2 things: 1. Working double in the same amount of time because half of the workers are sick or "sick" (HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN YOU'D THINK). And 2. Possibly getting sick myself from switching from indoor to frigid outdoor so frequently throughout the day. Then I wouldn't get to call in sick whenever I damn well please (like the rest of the population in Sweden) because I would be a substitute and therefore not get sick pay. Another thing that sucks about the job is when old people go evil and verbally abuse you (not very often though).
What? You went to Sweden and now you're working in this type of service job?!??!?! Did you waste your education!?!??! What a waste of life?!?!?
Oh relax people!
1. Have a little respect for service jobs
2. Service jobs are extremely respectable & common long-term careers here and they pay nearly as much as any other career here (yay socialism)
3. Um, hellO, don't you realize that I'm getting some valuable first-hand experience with one of the fastest growing markets of our time, the elderly?!?? Don't you think that elderly care will be a huge industry for years to come? Don't you think they will want administrators or marketers who know the industry??
4. And even if 3 is wrong or irrelevant to me, it's called Life Experience. Dad said you don't go to college to be something, you go to learn something. I have learned so much at this job too, things I never would have been able to experience if I went straight to a (BORING) office. Maybe I will decide to be a doctor from all this anyway.
5. My Swedish has gotten so good, especially learning Old-timer words. Valuable lessons like Don't you know what a potholder is!!!??? ("no, I don't, but thanks for teaching me!" was my exact, cheerful response to the mean old lady) and a stressful made-me-wanna-cry yelling debacle taught me the word for "cardigan" as well as an alternative old-person word for blazer. Phew!! Plus, these days I've gotten really good at smalltalk too, seriously.
Those 5 points were not because I am insecure about the job I got here, but because I know for a fact that I have very critical family members who think I'm so awesome that I should be hired as a doctor-lawyer combo today on the spot. That was for them.
To calm those critical people, I DO have a Marketing-oriented job too! For the city as well. It is pretty part-time but it's lots of fun! I'm an ambassador for a youth project that I participated in. I present (and represent) the project to people in the target group (ages 16-24), spreading the word about it and showing my face at activities where I get to mingle and meet people and make sure they know about the opportunities awaiting them. The project is for young people to find out and work toward their goals in life regarding studies, work or entrepreneurship. I went there myself and got great tips for job searching, some free practical courses, among many other invaluable things!
As for other occupations, my CV (resumé for you Americans) is starting to be more unbalanced in that more of the jobs were in Sweden than in the US. I've worked in German-speaking customer service, tourism/hostess, VIP lounge hostess for international VIP guests at an annual worldwide youth soccer tournament, and even worked as a waitress for 2.5 hours (NO THANK YOU). I even got offered a job for $40/hr being a tour guide in German (scary) but was forced to say no because I had to volunteer for my free musical festival ticket. That was a bummer. But if I had skipped the volunteer work I would have had to pay tons of money...
The "What Will Happen" part will have to wait for another day. Sorry to cause so many people so much suspense.
lördag 18 juni 2011
Holidays
I promised pictures of some certain events a long time ago. That is, thedayafterThanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's!
Thanksgiving
Believe it or not, I was working on Thanksgiving and therefore had no time or energy to prepare the meal. Sadly this was not the first time I'd worked Thanksgiving. In high school Meredith and I worked at the Bingo Casino. God holiday pay, woo hoo. We also stole some pies from our family and took them to work with us. Take that!!!
Back on track... On Friday I left work early (that's how I roll(ed)) and got to cooking! I had skyped with my dad and brother the day before and decided to make my turkey EXACTLY like they did theirs!!
(the only small difference is that my turkey was in fact a chicken)
Basting it...
The Turkey
Gracefully getting the turkey off the makeshift turkey roaster while trying to salvage the delicious drippings
Timed shot of the 3.5 Thanksgiving guests
(about the darkness outside: no, it's not late at night. It is just Sweden)
Not the most appetizing plating, but it was good!
Starting at 9:00 and clockwise we have the
Turkey (me)
Green bean casserole (me)
Mashed potatoes (Christoffer - I'm not telling if they're real or from a mix)
Gravy (me)
Roll (me but they were frozen)
Salad (me)
Salad dressing (me)
Olives - made me nostalgic for my usual Thanksgiving
Thanks for the help cooking everyone! :-P
Oh yes and we even enjoyed some American wine! Wooo hoooo!!!!
Christmas (in Switzerland)
Wrapping & forging mom's long-distance Christmas present to her mom with her mom's fun supply of wrapping materials.
How do you rotate pictures on here?
The Christmas tree! (pre-candles)
Omi (AKA Nonna to everyone else besides me and my older brother, talk about feeling singled out)
sitting with her beautiful and delicious Christmas Eve spread that she so lovingly cooked and put so much detail into the table decor. <3
The red balls are chocolates :)
This wasn't any special dinner. I repeat, just another normal dinner in my Grandma's house :)
The Wellington and some veggies. Exciting, I know.
Omi making Gnocchi!
While I colored a pretty picture! (and sort of helped her)
How do you rotate!??!?!
We went sledding down the (barely) Alps.
New Year's
Christoffer and I hung out with his childhood bestie and girlfriend in their awesome new house! They were the best hosts ever, keeping the drinks flowing and preparing a 3-course meal for us! Starter was something delicious with seafood in it (my memory is failing me). Main course steak with a special potato dish, cooked collards, uuhhh it was a long time ago... Dessert was if I remember correctly a raspberry mousse or something? Anyway it was delicious and really nice! We were greeted at the door with cocktails and fed plenty of beer and wine. Not to mention our midnight champagne and the after-midnight wine plus I almost died of happiness when I saw the cheese platter.
Mr. New Year's
Someone's champagne fell without making a sound. Can you spot the glass?
Our lovely hosts
The classy besties..
tisdag 14 juni 2011
Daycare
Some stories about a couple of the FIVE daycares above which I live... If this is too much text but you are slightly curious, then just read Daycare 3. It is the best and most "OMG!"-worthy. And I wanted to take photos to show you the scenes of crime to these stories but as there are kids playing right now I probably would have gotten accused of pedophilia.
Daycare 1:
Directly under the balcony. The kids are pretty cute for the most part. They were possessed for about a month and EVERY MORNING as a group, they (very cultlike) would yell "ey ya ey ya ey ya ey ya ey ya" over and over and over again. For the first couple weeks it was only one crazy kid. Pretty soon it spread to the whole preschool class. The leader child would start and then the rest of the kids would gradually follow and it would grow louder and louder.
Some hypotheses:
The kids seemed to yell this when one of them was on the bouncy horse. Maybe they were trying to say "yeehaw." But the rhythm wasn't quite right for that.
Maybe one of the kids IS troubled in some way and that is just "her thing." (We're pretty sure it was a girl). After a while the other kids thought it was awesome.
Maybe they are yelling "Heja!" to each other which is a way to cheer someone on when for example running a marathon, or riding a bouncy horse.
(We think it's the third one.)
Daycare 2:
I'm not really sure where this daycare is, probably far away... (under another apartment building). All I know is standing on my balcony I looked down and saw some kids running down the very long courtyard (like 4 blocks long). Just a couple tiny toddlers by themselves, wearing protective neon vests. Then a couple other kids. Then more. Then 5 more kids. Then some walking kids. "Where the hell is the teacher!!!?!??!" I wondered. I looked at the first kids and they were already a couple blocks up almost to the fountain at the end of the courtyard (nearing the street, mind you). Looked back a block the other way, THERE was one teacher, pushing a stroller and lovingly caring for a few of the toddlers. (keyword, FEW). I couldn't watch anymore. I know corporal punishment is illegal here, but is yelling so kids a mile away can hear also illegal? And why is unemployment such a problem here if these daycares have a 1:20 ratio? SORRY I promise I am not bashing Sweden. This is clearly not typical daycare protocol.
This is a dramatic shot I found online. Taken from where the front kids were, showing the peril they were headed for.
Daycare 3:
Another mysterious daycare was playing in a little sandbox mini-playground. And I was creepily creeping on them. One kid was throwing sand in another kid's face. The poor victim was powerlessly trying to cover his face and otherwise just sitting there and taking it. A daycare teacher was miraculously present (I know, right?) and started making her way toward the kids. Ooh! I thought I want to analyze how they discipline around here! How very interesting, you know? Would she avoid negative words like "no" or "don't"-? Would she opt for "we"-? Would she say please? What tone would she use? The suspense was killing me as the woman approached the children. You know what happened next?
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
The daycare lady continued walking past the sand-thrower, made her way to the swings, and started swinging.
I'm not saying this is how everyone here is. Surely not. But when living above a daycare you get to see what goes on when the parents are NOT there! Most of the shit that goes down down there would not have been tolerated at the daycare where I used to work!!
(Positive Plug:) But other than that Sweden is VERY child friendly. At least I think they are, because their second biggest city is more child friendly than my hometown in KS. And daycare only costs like $150 a month. That's pretty awesome. (Unless they let kids throw sand in each other's faces, unsupervised.)
----------------------------------
Oh yeah! You didn't care about any of that stuff I just wrote! Sorry, it'd be a waste to erase it all now. Anyway I'll have to share pics and stories of my actual life another time.
In recent news, I found a book in the elevator! Marley och Jag. :) I applied my 24-hour rule and then quickly went back to get it before another thief did (since the owner was obviously out of the picture by then). I'll put it back after I read it.
Just too cute to leave unwanted in the dirty elevator.
Daycare 1:
Directly under the balcony. The kids are pretty cute for the most part. They were possessed for about a month and EVERY MORNING as a group, they (very cultlike) would yell "ey ya ey ya ey ya ey ya ey ya" over and over and over again. For the first couple weeks it was only one crazy kid. Pretty soon it spread to the whole preschool class. The leader child would start and then the rest of the kids would gradually follow and it would grow louder and louder.
Some hypotheses:
The kids seemed to yell this when one of them was on the bouncy horse. Maybe they were trying to say "yeehaw." But the rhythm wasn't quite right for that.
Maybe one of the kids IS troubled in some way and that is just "her thing." (We're pretty sure it was a girl). After a while the other kids thought it was awesome.
Maybe they are yelling "Heja!" to each other which is a way to cheer someone on when for example running a marathon, or riding a bouncy horse.
(We think it's the third one.)
Daycare 2:
I'm not really sure where this daycare is, probably far away... (under another apartment building). All I know is standing on my balcony I looked down and saw some kids running down the very long courtyard (like 4 blocks long). Just a couple tiny toddlers by themselves, wearing protective neon vests. Then a couple other kids. Then more. Then 5 more kids. Then some walking kids. "Where the hell is the teacher!!!?!??!" I wondered. I looked at the first kids and they were already a couple blocks up almost to the fountain at the end of the courtyard (nearing the street, mind you). Looked back a block the other way, THERE was one teacher, pushing a stroller and lovingly caring for a few of the toddlers. (keyword, FEW). I couldn't watch anymore. I know corporal punishment is illegal here, but is yelling so kids a mile away can hear also illegal? And why is unemployment such a problem here if these daycares have a 1:20 ratio? SORRY I promise I am not bashing Sweden. This is clearly not typical daycare protocol.
This is a dramatic shot I found online. Taken from where the front kids were, showing the peril they were headed for.
Daycare 3:
Another mysterious daycare was playing in a little sandbox mini-playground. And I was creepily creeping on them. One kid was throwing sand in another kid's face. The poor victim was powerlessly trying to cover his face and otherwise just sitting there and taking it. A daycare teacher was miraculously present (I know, right?) and started making her way toward the kids. Ooh! I thought I want to analyze how they discipline around here! How very interesting, you know? Would she avoid negative words like "no" or "don't"-? Would she opt for "we"-? Would she say please? What tone would she use? The suspense was killing me as the woman approached the children. You know what happened next?
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
The daycare lady continued walking past the sand-thrower, made her way to the swings, and started swinging.
I'm not saying this is how everyone here is. Surely not. But when living above a daycare you get to see what goes on when the parents are NOT there! Most of the shit that goes down down there would not have been tolerated at the daycare where I used to work!!
(Positive Plug:) But other than that Sweden is VERY child friendly. At least I think they are, because their second biggest city is more child friendly than my hometown in KS. And daycare only costs like $150 a month. That's pretty awesome. (Unless they let kids throw sand in each other's faces, unsupervised.)
----------------------------------
Oh yeah! You didn't care about any of that stuff I just wrote! Sorry, it'd be a waste to erase it all now. Anyway I'll have to share pics and stories of my actual life another time.
In recent news, I found a book in the elevator! Marley och Jag. :) I applied my 24-hour rule and then quickly went back to get it before another thief did (since the owner was obviously out of the picture by then). I'll put it back after I read it.
Just too cute to leave unwanted in the dirty elevator.
lördag 9 april 2011
Discoveries
Lately I've learned a few things!
aaand,
no discovery was made when taking the third picture, just reaffirming what I already knew:
1. There IS a sport I am better than Christoffer at!!! (besides swimming):
2. What a bidet is ACTUALLY for:
3. I don't have a picture for this one, but I guess after a YEAR of immobility my running time is BETTER than (ok, just as good as) it was last year. Yes, today I proudly ran (jogged) 1.497 miles in 15:42, my average time per mile is 10:28 (credit to an iPhone app for me knowing all that). That sucks for most people's standards, but it's GOOD for me. 1) because when I started running last spring I ran a 12-minute mile the first time and 2) because 10:30 was my exact time running the mile Freshman year of high school PE class as our final exam. 10:30 also happened to be the slowest you could run to still get an A. YES!! Not bad beating my 15-year-old self by 2 seconds. and 3) because according to my Excel running log (don't make fun of me) my average time last year was around that so I'm already at my old average. Weird.
aaand,
no discovery was made when taking the third picture, just reaffirming what I already knew:
tisdag 8 mars 2011
Weather Widgets = Wishing for Wagles in Wichita
I knew I shouldn't have done it, it does more harm than good...
Yeah, I looked up Wichita's weather when it isn't blizzarding there. Something I really try to avoid doing unless I'm there to enjoy it. I just wanted to get excited for Spring; that's what you're supposed to do in March!!! I tried it first with my local weather but the 40's+rain+snowflakes(?) just didn't cut it, didn't get me excited. To get excited for the Spring I'm used to I will have to wait until April here. Or maybe it will come in June...
What's worse than looking the weather up, is putting the "widget" up on my computer so whenever I check Gothenburg's weather I can see how much more pleasant and warm my family in Wichita has it. Pleasant reminder every day that says, "Don't forget to be homesick!!"
The top row is C and the bottom is F. I have to keep that Fahrenheit around so that when I am back home I'm not a weirdo that can't judge whether I need a coat for 45ºF weather, for example. People would think something was wrong with me. It also helps me learn about C! I'm very rusty on the warm Celcius measurements since it's been SEVERAL months since I've experienced any.
Well right now the weather is about the same but it is 5am in Wichita and noon here. I want to be in Wichita on Friday, instead of here in the sleet. :( This is why I shouldn't have looked up this weather, because I will probably "want to be in Wichita" at least one day every week for the next..... 9 months. I hope to actually be there in the fall though, yay!
Yeah, I looked up Wichita's weather when it isn't blizzarding there. Something I really try to avoid doing unless I'm there to enjoy it. I just wanted to get excited for Spring; that's what you're supposed to do in March!!! I tried it first with my local weather but the 40's+rain+snowflakes(?) just didn't cut it, didn't get me excited. To get excited for the Spring I'm used to I will have to wait until April here. Or maybe it will come in June...
What's worse than looking the weather up, is putting the "widget" up on my computer so whenever I check Gothenburg's weather I can see how much more pleasant and warm my family in Wichita has it. Pleasant reminder every day that says, "Don't forget to be homesick!!"
The top row is C and the bottom is F. I have to keep that Fahrenheit around so that when I am back home I'm not a weirdo that can't judge whether I need a coat for 45ºF weather, for example. People would think something was wrong with me. It also helps me learn about C! I'm very rusty on the warm Celcius measurements since it's been SEVERAL months since I've experienced any.
Well right now the weather is about the same but it is 5am in Wichita and noon here. I want to be in Wichita on Friday, instead of here in the sleet. :( This is why I shouldn't have looked up this weather, because I will probably "want to be in Wichita" at least one day every week for the next..... 9 months. I hope to actually be there in the fall though, yay!
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