The party was SO good that I'm only writing about it now!
Jokes.
However, I think there were 11 people. Let's be honest, that's as many as I'd have in Ottawa I bet. No bailers! Say what you will about Swedes, their word is a good as gold. If they say they'll be somewhere, they will.
There was one mishap: about twenty minutes before expected arrival time, I finally ended my mind debate and decided to vacuum. Since there were a few lights, my computer, and my new Jul star up in the window, I blew a fuse as I plugged in the vacuum. FAN, thought I. My display of food and Christmas decorations would not be seen in the dark. So I ran to Netto, my grocery store, and bought handfuls of candles. Man, I felt like a dummy, because in the dark no one would even see my carpet.
Eventually, my friends showed me that my electrical box was actually in my apartment. Let there be light!
Other than that, it was nice to get together with food and beverages, in a warm and cozy apartment for one. I have the empties on my window. No clue what to do with them.
12 school days left! No way! Friday min kompis is having a Jul party, which I'm looking forward to. Two more weekends in Borås, and then homeward bound.
Other than that. . . just went to this intense gym class. . . circuits of intensity and my arms are sore just typing.
Ok, det är alt for nu. That's Swenglish.
Hej då
p.s it gets dark at 4 pm sharp. It's about minus 12 right now, and the sun rises at. . . 830? yuck
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Me, a get together. . . hilarity will surely follow.
I know I changed blog addresses. . . but I'll just post it in both places. Give my millions of fans some choice.
Anyways, last Sunday after what was probably a cleaning-product induced momentary lapse of reason, I decided to invite the entire staff to a 'get together' at my minuscule bachelorette apartment. Did I think this through? Not really? Do I regret it? Absolutely not! BUT I was thinking that if I'm bored, I should do something about it. This sure is something.
Now, I pretty much knew beforehand that it would be a max of about 15 people, if everyone I thought might come came. However, seeing as it was such short notice, quite a few colleagues had prior plans. As of today at work, there should be about ten or eleven, if nobody bails. I do foresee a few bails. . .
Anyone who has known me for any period of time knows that this is an overwhelming feat for a lazy slob. But I can do it! Wine and beer have been purchased (twice was I asked for i.d. . . it will never end) and I chopped veggies and prepared dip. I even bought vegetarian cocktail weenies. I didn't really tell anyone that I wouldn't be serving meat, but, well, I won't be. I'm not doing total vegan, and I must admit I sampled the dip and cheese. Mmm.
I even bought napkins, new glasses, and Christmas (or Jul) decorations and a few candles!
Tomorrow: the big clean. Even though I cleaned last weekend, it's not 'guest-clean.'
I'll have to run a few errands, perhaps briefly run to the gym, and then put the final touchings on this apartment.
I keep picturing when Bridget Jones throws the dinner party and she thinks she has her shit together, but then ends up with blue soup. Thankfully, I'm not making soup!
This week I had two separate dinners with work friends, and that was great!
In other news, teaching is going fine, however, being a role model for pre-adolescent youths who can instantly switch to any of four other languages I don't understand can be trying.
I can't wait to touch down in Canada, and to sleep in an actual bed (not a couch-bed hybrid).
The 18th. . . all roads lead to the 18th! Will Jangles remember me?
Anyways, last Sunday after what was probably a cleaning-product induced momentary lapse of reason, I decided to invite the entire staff to a 'get together' at my minuscule bachelorette apartment. Did I think this through? Not really? Do I regret it? Absolutely not! BUT I was thinking that if I'm bored, I should do something about it. This sure is something.
Now, I pretty much knew beforehand that it would be a max of about 15 people, if everyone I thought might come came. However, seeing as it was such short notice, quite a few colleagues had prior plans. As of today at work, there should be about ten or eleven, if nobody bails. I do foresee a few bails. . .
Anyone who has known me for any period of time knows that this is an overwhelming feat for a lazy slob. But I can do it! Wine and beer have been purchased (twice was I asked for i.d. . . it will never end) and I chopped veggies and prepared dip. I even bought vegetarian cocktail weenies. I didn't really tell anyone that I wouldn't be serving meat, but, well, I won't be. I'm not doing total vegan, and I must admit I sampled the dip and cheese. Mmm.
I even bought napkins, new glasses, and Christmas (or Jul) decorations and a few candles!
Tomorrow: the big clean. Even though I cleaned last weekend, it's not 'guest-clean.'
I'll have to run a few errands, perhaps briefly run to the gym, and then put the final touchings on this apartment.
I keep picturing when Bridget Jones throws the dinner party and she thinks she has her shit together, but then ends up with blue soup. Thankfully, I'm not making soup!
This week I had two separate dinners with work friends, and that was great!
In other news, teaching is going fine, however, being a role model for pre-adolescent youths who can instantly switch to any of four other languages I don't understand can be trying.
I can't wait to touch down in Canada, and to sleep in an actual bed (not a couch-bed hybrid).
The 18th. . . all roads lead to the 18th! Will Jangles remember me?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
New location!
Hello!
Sweet Sweden has moved!
http://sweetsweden.tumblr.com/
see you there. . . .or not!
Sweet Sweden has moved!
http://sweetsweden.tumblr.com/
see you there. . . .or not!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
My week in photos
Since I got back from vacation I have been first too sick, then too tired, and now too lazy to write about Stockholm and Berlin and do them any justice.
It was so nice to get away from being an 'adult,'and getting to being a twenty three year old youth, staying in hostels, and wandering around, getting lost in new cities.
It also helps that I don't look a day over 18, so I really can blend it as a university student travelling. Plus, I can always get reduced student prices!
I've been back 'home' for a week. We had interviews with parents, and it was exhausting! Today's been a lazy, lazy day!
Since I am still too lazy, here is a snap-shot of my week off in pictures, with hilarious captions. . . . maybe.
Photo 1: Stockholm
Two of my colleagues out for the night in Stockholm! A nice refreshing change from the five bars of Borås.
Berlin! This is the East Side Gallery. The longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. Beautifully painted over.
Beautiful words.
A very natural stance at the Brandenburg Gate. Fun fact: Napolean was apparently the first to walk through the gate!
The wall again!
At Checkpoint Charlie! I was a Cold War history nerd in HEAVEN!
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Pretty profound to get lost in memory and thought while paying respects.
It was so nice to get away from being an 'adult,'and getting to being a twenty three year old youth, staying in hostels, and wandering around, getting lost in new cities.
It also helps that I don't look a day over 18, so I really can blend it as a university student travelling. Plus, I can always get reduced student prices!
I've been back 'home' for a week. We had interviews with parents, and it was exhausting! Today's been a lazy, lazy day!
Since I am still too lazy, here is a snap-shot of my week off in pictures, with hilarious captions. . . . maybe.
Photo 1: Stockholm
Two of my colleagues out for the night in Stockholm! A nice refreshing change from the five bars of Borås.
Berlin! This is the East Side Gallery. The longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. Beautifully painted over.
Beautiful words.
A very natural stance at the Brandenburg Gate. Fun fact: Napolean was apparently the first to walk through the gate!
The wall again!
At Checkpoint Charlie! I was a Cold War history nerd in HEAVEN!
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Pretty profound to get lost in memory and thought while paying respects.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Goodbye I.E.S, hello Stockholm and Berlin
Well, it happened. I.E.S pulled off Halloween!
The teachers all did such an amazing job dressing up! The costumes were hilarious, and just way too much fun. The kids also mostly looked great! There were some creative and frightening costumes.
I was a pirate, complete with a toy parrot on my shoulder, held up by a paper clip. I found mini chocolate bars, and passed them out, making it 2/2 years that I pass out candy. Last year I had grade 12s, and I think they were more excited about the candy, to be honest. Also, we had tacos for lunch, and mousse for dessert. Heaven.
I also played 'This is Halloween' in class, and it was so cute to hear kids singing it later on. I forgot how spooky it is though. . . .
Now, I am putting the finishing touches on this week, and trying to wrap things up before leaving for a week. I should probably clean out my fridge. . . along with 7 billion other things. Man, where did the time go?
Next stop, the gym, and then off to a colleague's for a pre-vacation dinner!
After the break, only six weeks until Canada!
For everyone paying attention, our next unit in English is sports, and then food.
Animals, sports, food. . . . my three favourite things next to music.
One more thing I need to say. For the past 6 nights, I have eaten spring rolls for dinner. I'm going to miss them, but I guess I'd rather be in two exciting capitals.
The teachers all did such an amazing job dressing up! The costumes were hilarious, and just way too much fun. The kids also mostly looked great! There were some creative and frightening costumes.
I was a pirate, complete with a toy parrot on my shoulder, held up by a paper clip. I found mini chocolate bars, and passed them out, making it 2/2 years that I pass out candy. Last year I had grade 12s, and I think they were more excited about the candy, to be honest. Also, we had tacos for lunch, and mousse for dessert. Heaven.
I also played 'This is Halloween' in class, and it was so cute to hear kids singing it later on. I forgot how spooky it is though. . . .
Now, I am putting the finishing touches on this week, and trying to wrap things up before leaving for a week. I should probably clean out my fridge. . . along with 7 billion other things. Man, where did the time go?
Next stop, the gym, and then off to a colleague's for a pre-vacation dinner!
After the break, only six weeks until Canada!
For everyone paying attention, our next unit in English is sports, and then food.
Animals, sports, food. . . . my three favourite things next to music.
One more thing I need to say. For the past 6 nights, I have eaten spring rolls for dinner. I'm going to miss them, but I guess I'd rather be in two exciting capitals.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
October Snow
Hej Hej!
So it happened. It snowed on Thursday. The walk home was brutal and cold, but beautiful. The next day at school, the mountains behind us were covered in a white blanket. It was picturesque, to say the least.
Today, the snow melted with the lovely rain. I've had a headache all day, but toughed it out to go to the gym and run errands. I can finally watch TV here, and I get about 11 channels, mostly Swedish, but Discovery is in English, which is sweet!
In a week from now, I will be in Stockholm! Actual Stockholm this time! Then a few short days later, I'll be in Berlin. Only five school days! I've been reading about the Brandenburg Gate all day, and can't wait to be in a city where SO much has happened!
My head still hurts, so I'm gonna make some popcorn and watch a movie.
A wave of nostalgia seems to be sweeping over Jean Roycers, and if any of you follow this, I say: amen. A night out on the Kingston town with good friends is something that has a fond place in my heart!
Hej då!
So it happened. It snowed on Thursday. The walk home was brutal and cold, but beautiful. The next day at school, the mountains behind us were covered in a white blanket. It was picturesque, to say the least.
Today, the snow melted with the lovely rain. I've had a headache all day, but toughed it out to go to the gym and run errands. I can finally watch TV here, and I get about 11 channels, mostly Swedish, but Discovery is in English, which is sweet!
In a week from now, I will be in Stockholm! Actual Stockholm this time! Then a few short days later, I'll be in Berlin. Only five school days! I've been reading about the Brandenburg Gate all day, and can't wait to be in a city where SO much has happened!
My head still hurts, so I'm gonna make some popcorn and watch a movie.
A wave of nostalgia seems to be sweeping over Jean Roycers, and if any of you follow this, I say: amen. A night out on the Kingston town with good friends is something that has a fond place in my heart!
Hej då!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
. . . .or a local will push me. . . .
Forgive me followers, for I have neglected this blog.
It's been one week since my last blog post.
What have I been doing with my time? Well, work, foodstuffs, and watching documentaries and the Daily Show and Colbert Report.
School is going well. My head is sort of finally resting on my shoulders. There are also only two weeks until the Fall Break, so there's a definite finish line to strive for, or, actually, breathlessly reach for with outstretched arms. I suppose it's halfway save point, in video game terms, where you jump into the barrel, and all your previous work is saved, but you still haven't beat the level yet.
Oh, Donkey Kong metaphors. The biggest challenge now is the huge gap between extremely motivated and students who want to be challenged and those who really, really need a lot of help just to follow along. I'll figure something out, I'm sure.
Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous out, but I lazily spent most of the day lounging, watching Jon Stewart's various musical guests, and eating chocolate chip pancakes with vegan canned whip cream! MMM! (no sarcasm)
We went out with the staff to Gothenburg for the night. We started off at a pretty nice restaurant, and I received five pounds of gnocchi which I barely dented! We sat in the wine cellar, which was spooky, albeit freezing. After dinner some parted ways, but ten of us went out on the town. The first place we went to was called Puta Madre (for realz) and it was this Baton Rouge type of Vaudeville place where the servers were all dressed thematically. From the outside it looked like a shithole, but we walked in and it was beautiful. After an hour or so, what was left of the group (nationalities present were: Canada, U.K, South Africa, Iran and Sweden) went to the watering hole next door. I must say, I was not pushed by anyone this week, which was an immense relief. On the bus ride home, I was giving a Swedish 18 year old boy a musical education. The only music he knew from Canada was Nickelback and Neil Young. It also turned out I knew way more Swedish music then he did. I asked him if he knew Tom Waits, and he did not. However, a boy sitting in front of us did, so we began to compare what music we knew and loved. Eventually, we made it home back to the hustling and bustling town of Borås. . . .woo hoo (sarcasm).
So today. . . I have accomplished very little. I made popcorn, (on the oven) watched a documentary by Stephen Hawking, and one about Psychology, ate pancakes (with no soy whip this time-gotta be sensible) marked literally three student papers, and cleaned my apartment for a total of one minute.
It's beautiful out today, so I will drag my lazy behind outside for a walk, and perhaps go to the gym I just signed up for.
I miss home and special needs programs and family and friends and BBQ chips and Toboggan and Jangles and my fish who may be dead and having blinds in my room and being able to watch Sens game and sarcasm.
But I'm glad to be here, and I am not complaining.
It's been one week since my last blog post.
What have I been doing with my time? Well, work, foodstuffs, and watching documentaries and the Daily Show and Colbert Report.
School is going well. My head is sort of finally resting on my shoulders. There are also only two weeks until the Fall Break, so there's a definite finish line to strive for, or, actually, breathlessly reach for with outstretched arms. I suppose it's halfway save point, in video game terms, where you jump into the barrel, and all your previous work is saved, but you still haven't beat the level yet.
Oh, Donkey Kong metaphors. The biggest challenge now is the huge gap between extremely motivated and students who want to be challenged and those who really, really need a lot of help just to follow along. I'll figure something out, I'm sure.
Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous out, but I lazily spent most of the day lounging, watching Jon Stewart's various musical guests, and eating chocolate chip pancakes with vegan canned whip cream! MMM! (no sarcasm)
We went out with the staff to Gothenburg for the night. We started off at a pretty nice restaurant, and I received five pounds of gnocchi which I barely dented! We sat in the wine cellar, which was spooky, albeit freezing. After dinner some parted ways, but ten of us went out on the town. The first place we went to was called Puta Madre (for realz) and it was this Baton Rouge type of Vaudeville place where the servers were all dressed thematically. From the outside it looked like a shithole, but we walked in and it was beautiful. After an hour or so, what was left of the group (nationalities present were: Canada, U.K, South Africa, Iran and Sweden) went to the watering hole next door. I must say, I was not pushed by anyone this week, which was an immense relief. On the bus ride home, I was giving a Swedish 18 year old boy a musical education. The only music he knew from Canada was Nickelback and Neil Young. It also turned out I knew way more Swedish music then he did. I asked him if he knew Tom Waits, and he did not. However, a boy sitting in front of us did, so we began to compare what music we knew and loved. Eventually, we made it home back to the hustling and bustling town of Borås. . . .woo hoo (sarcasm).
So today. . . I have accomplished very little. I made popcorn, (on the oven) watched a documentary by Stephen Hawking, and one about Psychology, ate pancakes (with no soy whip this time-gotta be sensible) marked literally three student papers, and cleaned my apartment for a total of one minute.
It's beautiful out today, so I will drag my lazy behind outside for a walk, and perhaps go to the gym I just signed up for.
I miss home and special needs programs and family and friends and BBQ chips and Toboggan and Jangles and my fish who may be dead and having blinds in my room and being able to watch Sens game and sarcasm.
But I'm glad to be here, and I am not complaining.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Falcon Lake Incident
I will be home in ten short weeks! Let's be honest, ten long weeks.
Well, one of those weeks will be spent in Stockholm and Berlin, so any semblance of complaining I'm thinking of doing is not justified, because, I mean, I get to spend a week travelling in Stockholm and Berlin! My former self would have been green with envy at my current self's proximity to such rich, cultural places.
This week went off without any serious glitches. We're doing a unit on animals in English, and it's evident how much more interesting this is than common and proper nouns.. . . the next unit is sports. Let the good times roll!
I'm trying not to dwell on the fact that this weekend is Thanksgiving, which I love spending at the cottage. From the cold sweater and coat weather, to the homework parties with Emma, to the delicious meals, Catan games with Mishy and others, the tofurkey, the pie, the food-comas, the trip hiking up the mountain that results in very serious injuries. . . ok, well that part I can do without, actually. . . but all these things mean a lot to me, and it's hard to not be there. If there was ever a (second) time to be homesick, this is it.
But, at least the leaves here are changing colours and are extremely beautiful. Tonight, my friend is hosting a party, so I won't be alone, and tomorrow I'm going to go to this lovely little café where they serve pie and cream. So, it could be worse.
My apartment is just such a loser-den. It's so messy, and filled with junk food. It's like a college room, minus the other people around, and the party lifestyle.
I did go for a long run today, and then did some stretching and BASIC yoga poses I'm learning. It was a good day to clear my head.
Ok, well, I just purchased Jim Bryson and the Weakerthan's latest album, and I can't wait to fall in love with it. Listening to Ottawa-Winnipeg Folk-Roots-Rock is probably not the best way to rid myself of homesick fever. . .
oh, what the hell!
Well, one of those weeks will be spent in Stockholm and Berlin, so any semblance of complaining I'm thinking of doing is not justified, because, I mean, I get to spend a week travelling in Stockholm and Berlin! My former self would have been green with envy at my current self's proximity to such rich, cultural places.
This week went off without any serious glitches. We're doing a unit on animals in English, and it's evident how much more interesting this is than common and proper nouns.. . . the next unit is sports. Let the good times roll!
I'm trying not to dwell on the fact that this weekend is Thanksgiving, which I love spending at the cottage. From the cold sweater and coat weather, to the homework parties with Emma, to the delicious meals, Catan games with Mishy and others, the tofurkey, the pie, the food-comas, the trip hiking up the mountain that results in very serious injuries. . . ok, well that part I can do without, actually. . . but all these things mean a lot to me, and it's hard to not be there. If there was ever a (second) time to be homesick, this is it.
But, at least the leaves here are changing colours and are extremely beautiful. Tonight, my friend is hosting a party, so I won't be alone, and tomorrow I'm going to go to this lovely little café where they serve pie and cream. So, it could be worse.
My apartment is just such a loser-den. It's so messy, and filled with junk food. It's like a college room, minus the other people around, and the party lifestyle.
I did go for a long run today, and then did some stretching and BASIC yoga poses I'm learning. It was a good day to clear my head.
Ok, well, I just purchased Jim Bryson and the Weakerthan's latest album, and I can't wait to fall in love with it. Listening to Ottawa-Winnipeg Folk-Roots-Rock is probably not the best way to rid myself of homesick fever. . .
oh, what the hell!
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