Travel

If you look closely, you can see Kiruna in the northernmost part of Sweden. 

I will be there from February 25 to March 1.

Throughout the past few weeks I have been planning the various trips that I intend on taking throughout the semester. One thing I have come to realize is that I want to go EVERYWHERE, and unfortunately, I know I am going to have to do some elimination. Although I want to travel travel travel, there is something to be said for being part of the community here in Karlstad as well...so I am working on trying to find a balance. 

Every once in a while I feel stressed about whether or not I should go somewhere, and then I realize, "Lauren, get a grip!" Here I am worrying about where I am going to travel...when I know there are so many people who would switch their headache-inducing circumstances with me any day....and for good reason. It is easy to forget how fortunate I am to be in this position where I have endless possibilities at my fingertips. 

All that said, I am so incredibly excited for my travels. I kid you not, last night I felt like a 7 year old on Christmas Eve. I was so giddy :) I have listed the trips--mostly long weekend trips--that I am going on for sure (aka I have dates planned and reservations made). I hope to add to the list as I continue to figure out my schedule and come across other opportunities.

1. Branäs, Sweden -- A ski resort

2. Stockholm, Sweden

3. Kiruna, Lappland, Sweden -- A town North of the Arctic circle!

4. Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland -- I am meeting a friend from home!

5. Göteborg, Sweden

6. Vättern Runt -- A trip around Lake Vättern, where we will visit the towns on the way.

The others that I really, really want to do are Dublin and Oslo. Belgium, Italy, and Russia would be nice too....haha.

So, there is an update on my travel plans. Hopefully you will get to see a bit of my experiences from each when I post about them! Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated!

Lauren

Pea Soup, Swedish Pancakes, and SUN!

Drip drop...Spring? Maybe? :)

Shadows! There are shadows!

The highest point I could get to with the time given...

Blue skies! And the moon!

I had to borrow this pic from a friend...tasty tasty.

OK, I know I just posted 2 days ago, but today was a great day. So I thought I would share...

Today was the first day I had class for the majority of the day. I went to Swedish class at 8:30 as usual, but then went on to my Intercultural Communications class from 10:15-12:00, and again from 13:15-15:00. 

I would not usually expect myself to say this, but it was really nice. I enjoy learning--especially when it is something I have an interest in--and both of my classes fit into that category :) Plus, the Swedes really do believe in breaks. During each of our 2 hour sessions, we have a 15 minute FIKA, where we have time to go to the cafe for a cup of coffee, or can just stretch our legs. I am being spoiled. Big time. 

For lunch, a group of students in the Intercultural Communications class went to the restaurant in the University for lunch. In Sweden, there is a tradition where on Thursdays, they eat pea and ham soup for lunch and Swedish pancakes with whipped cream and lingon berries for dessert. It sounded like a strange combination, but we all decided to try it out, and it was delicious! Plus, it was only 45 Kr, which is a good deal for that size of meal in Sweden. I think we might make it a weekly tradition...

On the walk back to my room, the sun came out! And it wasn't just a peek either. It was shining bright and proud, as if it was trying to make up for all of its dormant days. The sky was even clear and blue. I walked as briskly as possible on the ice covered pathway back to my room, grabbed my camera, and headed out to capture whatever I could of this rare happening. I only had about 20 minutes before the gray clouds seeped back over the sky, but I did get a few shots. 

I figured I had no choice but to share with you all...so enjoy! I hope everyone is well! Thanks so much for continuing to read...I can't tell you how encouraging it is to know how many people are supporting me throughout my adventure :) 

Walking

Anja, Antje, and Me

Relaxing with our new friend :o)

The Lake!

This abnormally large black lab decided to escort us from this point in our walk to the lake and back. He stayed with us the entire time until we got back to his house, where he went home without complaining. What a nice gentleman. 

Antje and Anja, both from Germany.

During the last three and a half weeks, I have discovered how much I enjoy walking. While I have had the opportunity to go on several good runs, there is often a healthy layer of ice on the pathways and roads, making walking a much safer alternative. In addition, I have begun to realize how many trails and paths there are in this area of Sweden. They are everywhere, and go in every direction. 

One of my friends, Antje, seems to discover a new walking trail every day. Yesterday, she took me and another friend, Anja (also from Germany), on a walk to a small lake about 6km away. It was so peaceful and relaxing, and I know that as the weather continues to get better, I will be finding my way to that lake very often.

kauIF

This is the spinning room. You can see the Library in the background. It actually looks really cool at night when all of the lights are off during the class, and the library's lights are brightly lit. It makes the University look very modern and nice. Maybe I will bring my camera sometime.... :)

As many, if not all of you know, I really enjoy exercising. Whether it be running, playing sports, or  walking, I just like to be active. It makes me feel better in every way. So, needless to say, after over a week with little to no physical activity other than walking to the University, I was getting a little antsy. Fortunately, there is a great program at the University called kauIF, which provides all different types of fitness classes, as well as the opportunity to play ball sports, for an extremely reduced price in comparison to other work-out facilities. I signed up the first day :) 

So far I have participated in 3 different "activities". The first was a step aerobics class. I do not have much experience with aerobics, but I had such a good time! It was similar to the class I mentioned earlier that the international students took during orientation week. We did various things with stepping, squatting, lifting, etc., and did it all to some great Swedish jams. I also must add...everything--meaning all of the instruction--was in Swedish, so my other international friends and I had a good laugh as we tried to catch on to what everyone else was doing. Haha. I'm going back for sure.

The second class I took was spinning. Good old spinning. I am thankful for the fact that I have had some experience with spinning in the states, so was not as big of a problem that I did not understand the instructor's instructions. :) A couple things that are different though: all of the lights were off during the class, with the exception of a small string of lights around the instructor's bike. It was actually quite nice. Something else: half way through our workout, the instructor refilled our water for us as we continued to bike. Talk about service! I will be a regular in that class as well.

Ok, so I know some of you are wondering....soccer. Yes! There is a soccer "open gym" three times a week on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The first night I went, there were 34 guys and 2 girls...including me. I know. I guess soccer is not as big for girls in Sweden as it is in the US. ha. Lets just say I was a tiny bit intimidated. So, we were spit into teams, and I played terrible. I mean, it was bad. Someone even nut-megged me for a goal. Ouch. Fortunately, there were some nice guys on the team who tried to make up excuses for me, but it was no secret that I wasn't playing too great. Buuuuut never fear!!! I went back yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, and completely and totally redeemed myself. I mean really, I played great...and I am  not one to point that out unless if it is 100% true :) I don't know if it was because it was my second time, or because there were only 12 guys this time, or if it was just because I knew I had nothing to loose, but whatever it was, it worked. I gained the respect of my teammates, and had a great time. Plus, I am really sore!! Which, as many of you know, I love :) I suppose 2 hours of playing indoor soccer with guys does that. Anyway, it was very encouraging, and I am looking forward to continuing to go and keep up...or even improve my skills this semester!

Well, that's all for now. I just figured I should share that with you since it will be a common part of my everyday life here in Sweden! I will post again soon!

Universitetet

The Library is very nice and modern. 

This is one of the cafes on campus. You can buy a coffee for 9 Kr, a little more than a dollar, but it is pretty tasty. There are lots of chairs, tables, and couches to the right behind the bright sign. It is located right by the library and the entrance to the University, so I have bought coffee there a few times. It is a nice place to relax for a bit after class, or meet some friends for fika.

The main entrance to the University.

This is where most of the students eat their lunch. There is a cafe, but there are also microwaves to heat up something you brought from home.

This is the way I walk to get to my Swedish Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are walkways like the one above in between all of the buildings so you don't have to walk outside in between classes.

I have been wanting to post a few pictures of the University, but thought it would be best if I waited until a nice day so as to give you all a better first impression. Unfortunately, I have come to realize that sunny days are few and far between, and because I know some of you are anxious to see photos (mom), I decided to go ahead and post what I have, despite the dreariness of their appearance. Having said that, I hope you are able to get a little glimpse of where it is that I attend classes, go to the library, and have fika on occasion. So here you go! 

For some reason, I am unable to post all of the pictures. I am not really sure why. I still have a bit to learn about how to use "blogger" to its fullest. I will try again soon...but for now, these will have to do!

Winter in Sweden

Fog is common.

This is a fun little story. I was walking by these kids with my camera, and they started speaking to me in Swedish. I told them, "Jag talla lite lite lite Svenska! Talar du Engelska?" It was clear we did not know each other's languages, so I pointed at my camera and asked (through actions) if I could take some pictures. They loved it. When I left, they were giggling and whispering to one another, and all of s sudden they shouted, "Goodbye!!"

Notice the background. The snow doesn't intimidate bike riders...not even elderly ones :)

The elementary school I pass on my way to the University....where the kids were sledding.

I thought that since I posted pictures of Karlstad in the beautiful sunlight, I should also post a few pictures of the "real" weather in Sweden :) Truthfully speaking, the sun has not come out in "full form" since the third day I was here, so I thought it would be good to give everyone an idea of a typical day in Sweden "weather wise". Now, I know that sounds extremely depressing...but I have to admit, for being someone who grew up in a city where the sun is shining almost every day of they year, I have taken this weather quite well. Plus, I have to add, there is a substantial difference between cloudy weather in a big city such as Chicago, and cloudy weather in a place like Karlstad, Sweden. Maybe its the fact that I am in Sweden, and so it is what I expected; maybe it is the fact that I am surrounded by nature, or maybe its simply the fact that I haven't been here long enough to feel its effects...lets hope its one of the first two :) All I can say is it is what it is, so I might as well find the good in it...or try :)

A little of this and a little of that

FIKA. 

YUM.

Candy lover's heaven.

REAL Chinese!

Wok.

Kim.

Well, since I have so many small things to tell everyone about, I figured I would go ahead and try doing one post with different little stories. Maybe this format will be the way to go....we will see how well it works...

CHINESE DINNER:

So I know I already wrote about the night my friend, Kim had made Chinese food for dinner, but he did it again a few nights later and invited Antje (our friend from Germany) as well as Alexandra and Andreas (our host students). It was fun watching him make the 5 different dishes... especially since he only had one wok to use. Needless to say, it took a little while :) When we did finally eat though, it was delicious, and we went to bed full and happy :) Dad- I was thinking of you the whole time because I know how much you like woks! 

CANDY:

Once again, I know I already touched on the subject of candy, but I think it deserves a little more attention. On Sunday, I decided to try some for myself. I got a bag scooped up a variety of candies. Some looked delicious and some looked questionable, but I tried a variety nonetheless. I have to say, after trying many of them throughout the week, my favorites are still the ones Cat told me were the best: Dumle, and Geisha. The Swedish fish were delicious too, of course. Leann, you would LOVE it here :)

FIKA:

As some of you know, I was getting anxious to experience my first "real" FIKA (Swedish Coffee Break). FIKA is one of my favorite parts of the week in Chicago at NPU, when friends get together on Friday afternoon for coffee, sweets, and visiting. Fortunately, a few days ago, Alexandra and Andreas took Kim, Antje and I downtown and we went to a cafe called T for coffee and Samlas. I got a latte and it was deeelicious. While the coffee was good, the best part was the pastry we all tried. It is called a Samla, and is basically a sweet bun filled with cream. Sooo good. Swede's actually eat them on Fat Tuesday as a tradition, so I am sure you will be hearing more about them in the future :)  

It turns out, I liked the cafe so much that I went back today! I had to go downtown to run a couple of errands, and decided to stop in. This time, instead of getting a latte, I got regular coffee....except it was in a mini french press! They handed me a timer and told me that once the time ran out, I should press the coffee down, and it would be ready to drink. It too was delicious. Very strong, but also very smooth. The type of coffee I got (I can't remember the name) is actually mixed in the coffee shop with a various blend of roasts, so it is unique. I think I will be going back. Regularly.

YARN:

This is for you Aunt Chris! While I was downtown, I decided to wander around a bit. I came across the information center and stopped in to look around. The lady at the counter asked me if I had any questions, and I asked her if there was a yarn shop in town. She looked it up, and sure enough there was one only about a block and a half away! I found it, went in and talked to the woman working there. She was very helpful and nice, and let me take a few pictures :) Aunt Chris--there is one type of yarn that they carry which is native to Sweden. It is from the sheep on an island called Öland. Let me know if you are interested! :)

Well, that is about all for now. I am still doing well! I thank Chicago for my tolerance for the weather. It has been wet and dreary to say the least. The roads and walkways are all covered with a  generous layer of wet sulshy slosh....but it has yet to affect me :) I just know that the day the sun comes out will be a glorious one indeed! Classes began this week, but I only have two a week until Febuary 3, when my second class starts. Not bad! So far now, I am enjoying the free time, and trying to plan my various other excursions to a few other destinations! I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for reading!!!