Thursday, April 3, 2008
The River Fyris
Mom sent me this picture of the river in Uppsala after they went back home. The Christmas evergreens were still lining the bridges and I just really like this picture so I thought I'd share!
A night on the town
The last night that Mom and Dad were in Uppsala, we went to a beautiful concert at the Uppsala Domkyrka (Cathedral) of Handel's Messiah. There was a full orchestra, an organ, a choir and 4 solists.
It was awesome listening to Messiah in that huge cathedral. Afterwards we enjoyed the lights on the river and nice Swedish meals of Salmon and Reindeer at the Carl Philip Restaurant (named after the Prince of Sweden).
It was awesome listening to Messiah in that huge cathedral. Afterwards we enjoyed the lights on the river and nice Swedish meals of Salmon and Reindeer at the Carl Philip Restaurant (named after the Prince of Sweden).
Friday, March 28, 2008
I'm BACK!
Hej hej!
After a long sabbatical from my blog, Im back! I just finished my first term courses and I have a few days free until my next (and last) class begins. I see it's been since February 19th since my last blog, so I'm going to take a few blog entries, in chronological order, to catch everyone up on what I've been doing.
First, here's a quick review of my time in Sweden:
I moved here on Jan. 16th - my parents were here with me for a week and classes started on the 21st.
Mom, Dad and Me in Uppsala - Domkyrka behind us
Three weeks later, I moved closer to town, which made a HUGE difference for me - that's when I bought the bike.
My new neighborhood
My bike outside my new house
I joined a Student Nation, participated in the Business School "Welcoming Weeks" events, met lots of International Friends, a few Swedish friends and learned how to bike in snow...
My Swedish buddies and Me at the Business School's "After Ski" Party
I joined the University's International Bible Study group - amazing experience to have bible study with Christians from all over the world.
International Bible Study's Easter Potluck dinner!
I attended a couple of Swedish Gasques (balls to celebrate the beginning of a new semester with excellent food and Swedish Schnapps)
Varmlands Gasque - my table mates from Sweden and the Netherlands
Jay Bacon came to visit from March 7-16th and we took a trip up to the Arctic circle - SO beautiful! We also toured around Uppsala and Stockholm.
Jay and Laura in Gamla Uppsala - the old city - with Viking Mounds behind us
I spent Easter both here in Uppsala with my Bible Study friends and also at my Swedish friend's house in Falun - one of the most "typical" Swedish towns. It was really special to be invited to Marta's house for Easter.
Marta, Laura and Ashley in the Falun Kristine Church
And that's my review.
Anyway, things are going really well here & the sun is shining more and more everyday. We've reached the vernal equinox and in a month or so I'm going to be really glad that I have black-out shades on my windows. I think the days are getting about 6 minutes longer everyday...
Love and miss you all!
After a long sabbatical from my blog, Im back! I just finished my first term courses and I have a few days free until my next (and last) class begins. I see it's been since February 19th since my last blog, so I'm going to take a few blog entries, in chronological order, to catch everyone up on what I've been doing.
First, here's a quick review of my time in Sweden:
I moved here on Jan. 16th - my parents were here with me for a week and classes started on the 21st.
Mom, Dad and Me in Uppsala - Domkyrka behind usThree weeks later, I moved closer to town, which made a HUGE difference for me - that's when I bought the bike.
My new neighborhood
My bike outside my new houseI joined a Student Nation, participated in the Business School "Welcoming Weeks" events, met lots of International Friends, a few Swedish friends and learned how to bike in snow...
My Swedish buddies and Me at the Business School's "After Ski" Party
I joined the University's International Bible Study group - amazing experience to have bible study with Christians from all over the world.
International Bible Study's Easter Potluck dinner!
I attended a couple of Swedish Gasques (balls to celebrate the beginning of a new semester with excellent food and Swedish Schnapps)
Varmlands Gasque - my table mates from Sweden and the Netherlands
Jay Bacon came to visit from March 7-16th and we took a trip up to the Arctic circle - SO beautiful! We also toured around Uppsala and Stockholm.
Jay and Laura in Gamla Uppsala - the old city - with Viking Mounds behind us
I spent Easter both here in Uppsala with my Bible Study friends and also at my Swedish friend's house in Falun - one of the most "typical" Swedish towns. It was really special to be invited to Marta's house for Easter.
Marta, Laura and Ashley in the Falun Kristine Church
And that's my review.
Anyway, things are going really well here & the sun is shining more and more everyday. We've reached the vernal equinox and in a month or so I'm going to be really glad that I have black-out shades on my windows. I think the days are getting about 6 minutes longer everyday...
Love and miss you all!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Golden Glory
God dag!
So this weekend, as I mentioned before, I purchased a secondhand bike and I named her "Golden Glory". I'm so happy because not only was it the most stylish bike in the shop, but also the cheapest at half the price of almost all other bikes :). Also, it was one of the smaller bikes in the shop, which is good because many bikes are for tall Scandinavian people here... Anyway, the first bike I tested out was also small, but the shop owner refused to let me look at it any more because "this bike for man". So, I kept searching and found Golden Glory - the sweet little women's golden bike with a purple seat. It makes my life so much easier, especially with the basket I had installed on the front...
Here is a picture of me the day I bought her:
Laura and Goldie
Love and miss you all,
Laura
So this weekend, as I mentioned before, I purchased a secondhand bike and I named her "Golden Glory". I'm so happy because not only was it the most stylish bike in the shop, but also the cheapest at half the price of almost all other bikes :). Also, it was one of the smaller bikes in the shop, which is good because many bikes are for tall Scandinavian people here... Anyway, the first bike I tested out was also small, but the shop owner refused to let me look at it any more because "this bike for man". So, I kept searching and found Golden Glory - the sweet little women's golden bike with a purple seat. It makes my life so much easier, especially with the basket I had installed on the front...
Here is a picture of me the day I bought her:
Laura and Goldie
Love and miss you all,
Laura
Hej everyone...
Hejsan!
This is the Uppsala Domkyrka in the city center. It is the largest Cathedral in Scandanavia, and is now the seat of the Archbishop of Sweden. It dates back to the 13th century. On May 4th, the church will install the new Archbishop of the Lutheran Church os Sweden.
This weekend I moved 4 kilometers closer to town! My lovely friends from Finland, Saila and Antti, helped me move with their car - and I am eternally grateful - kiitos!!
Tomorrow I will get all of my papers for my new dorm - and then I'll post my new address. I really really love where I live now - I am close to many people, right next to the river, about 15 minutes from the city center walking, 5 with the bike, and about the same to my school. I will take some pictures the next time it is sunny and post them for you to see...
In the meanwhile, I keep trying to upload this video message that I made... but Blogger isn't uploading it for some reason... I'll keep trying.
Hej då!
Laura
This is the Uppsala Domkyrka in the city center. It is the largest Cathedral in Scandanavia, and is now the seat of the Archbishop of Sweden. It dates back to the 13th century. On May 4th, the church will install the new Archbishop of the Lutheran Church os Sweden.
This weekend I moved 4 kilometers closer to town! My lovely friends from Finland, Saila and Antti, helped me move with their car - and I am eternally grateful - kiitos!!
Tomorrow I will get all of my papers for my new dorm - and then I'll post my new address. I really really love where I live now - I am close to many people, right next to the river, about 15 minutes from the city center walking, 5 with the bike, and about the same to my school. I will take some pictures the next time it is sunny and post them for you to see...
In the meanwhile, I keep trying to upload this video message that I made... but Blogger isn't uploading it for some reason... I'll keep trying.
Hej då!
Laura
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Välkommen till Uppsala!
Hej Hej!
I'm here in Uppsala and it's great! I arrived Wed. the 16th and got settled in my dorm - which is really more like a studio apartment - then spent the next couple of days with my parents (who accompanied me :) ), getting to know the city and getting ready for school. It was really nice having them with me- Thanks for helping me and touring the city!! Mom & Dad went down to Stockholm on Monday, then flew out on Tuesday, so we spent Saturday & Sunday together, ending the day with a concert at the Uppsala Domkyrkan (Lutheran Cathedral - largest in Scandinavia) of Handel's Messiah. It was beautiful! My apartment is about 6km south of the main campus and city, so I take a bus into town & now I'm working on finding a second-hand bike for getting around town!
Uppsala by night - looking up the Fyrisån River in the city
The weather is unusually warm for this time of year - everyone says this whole winter has been unusually warm. No complaints here! It snowed on Tuesday and it was beautiful! It lasted one day and for the past week it's been a moderate (for Sweden) 32-41 F. Actually, warmer than most parts of the US from what I hear! So, I'm getting the whole layering, gloves, scarf thing down and it's actually pretty fun.
Looking out my window (Playground, Laundry Room...) after the first snow
On my walk to school
School started last Monday and I've already had one exam and a presentation! The Ekonomikum (Business School) is great - central in the city and a great place to hang out, eat, work on group projects, etc. I have 2 classes right now, Management Consulting and Service Relationship Management, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the AM, so other than that I've been getting to know the city, learning the bus routes and participating in student activities.
The Ekonomikum - where I go to class - the day it snowed!
At Uppsala Universitet, they have a really great system for students to get involved, meet each other, eat cheap food, and of course party all together. There are 13 student "Nations" - each named after a region in Sweden. Essentially they are student clubs that all date back to the mid 1600s! Every student is required to join a nation, so the memberships vary from about 700 to 4000 students. It is through the nations that the students receive their University ID card, which you show to get discounts around town and for other things like paying rent and taking exams. Traditionally students join the nation that corresponds with the region that they are from, but International students are free to join any nation. The nation I joined is called Värmlands Nation and has about 2300 members. Each nation has a beautiful house, also very old, where you can go to study, eat lunch or dinner at their cafes, and go out after dinner to their pubs/clubs. They are entirely student run, so in addition to participating, you can work there. I'm really a fan of this system.
In addition to the Nations, the Ekonomikum (Business School, again) has a program for the first month of every semester for all new and international students. There are about 4 activities/events/parties a week for everyone to participate in - ranging from movie night, cocktail reception, dance party night where they divide everyone into groups & you have to dress up like your theme... our group's theme is Bollywood..., etc. (google it if you have no idea what I'm talking about) Again, I'm a fan.
So... I think that's pretty much all I have to report for now. It's taken me a bit to get settled in, but now I think I have it all down. I found a big grocery store really close to my house, which is nice because I don't have to take lots of small trips all the way back from the city with a bag of groceries....
I love you and miss you all!
Laura's Address in Sweden:
I'm here in Uppsala and it's great! I arrived Wed. the 16th and got settled in my dorm - which is really more like a studio apartment - then spent the next couple of days with my parents (who accompanied me :) ), getting to know the city and getting ready for school. It was really nice having them with me- Thanks for helping me and touring the city!! Mom & Dad went down to Stockholm on Monday, then flew out on Tuesday, so we spent Saturday & Sunday together, ending the day with a concert at the Uppsala Domkyrkan (Lutheran Cathedral - largest in Scandinavia) of Handel's Messiah. It was beautiful! My apartment is about 6km south of the main campus and city, so I take a bus into town & now I'm working on finding a second-hand bike for getting around town!
Uppsala by night - looking up the Fyrisån River in the city
The weather is unusually warm for this time of year - everyone says this whole winter has been unusually warm. No complaints here! It snowed on Tuesday and it was beautiful! It lasted one day and for the past week it's been a moderate (for Sweden) 32-41 F. Actually, warmer than most parts of the US from what I hear! So, I'm getting the whole layering, gloves, scarf thing down and it's actually pretty fun.
Looking out my window (Playground, Laundry Room...) after the first snow
On my walk to school
School started last Monday and I've already had one exam and a presentation! The Ekonomikum (Business School) is great - central in the city and a great place to hang out, eat, work on group projects, etc. I have 2 classes right now, Management Consulting and Service Relationship Management, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the AM, so other than that I've been getting to know the city, learning the bus routes and participating in student activities.
The Ekonomikum - where I go to class - the day it snowed!
At Uppsala Universitet, they have a really great system for students to get involved, meet each other, eat cheap food, and of course party all together. There are 13 student "Nations" - each named after a region in Sweden. Essentially they are student clubs that all date back to the mid 1600s! Every student is required to join a nation, so the memberships vary from about 700 to 4000 students. It is through the nations that the students receive their University ID card, which you show to get discounts around town and for other things like paying rent and taking exams. Traditionally students join the nation that corresponds with the region that they are from, but International students are free to join any nation. The nation I joined is called Värmlands Nation and has about 2300 members. Each nation has a beautiful house, also very old, where you can go to study, eat lunch or dinner at their cafes, and go out after dinner to their pubs/clubs. They are entirely student run, so in addition to participating, you can work there. I'm really a fan of this system.
In addition to the Nations, the Ekonomikum (Business School, again) has a program for the first month of every semester for all new and international students. There are about 4 activities/events/parties a week for everyone to participate in - ranging from movie night, cocktail reception, dance party night where they divide everyone into groups & you have to dress up like your theme... our group's theme is Bollywood..., etc. (google it if you have no idea what I'm talking about) Again, I'm a fan.
So... I think that's pretty much all I have to report for now. It's taken me a bit to get settled in, but now I think I have it all down. I found a big grocery store really close to my house, which is nice because I don't have to take lots of small trips all the way back from the city with a bag of groceries....
I love you and miss you all!
Laura's Address in Sweden:
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