Well, hello there. Bet you are surprised by this post. Just because there is really a long time since the last one. It has been a hectic few weeks, arriving in Uppsala last Sunday and an intensive week with lectures and general tourist-ing. And geocaching because I just have to when I am at a new place.
I really should be studying, obviously. Even as I am writing this I really should be studying. And I probably won't be doing this post in Norwegian as it seems my Norwegian syntax didn't want to go to Sweden with me. Norwegian and Swedish are so close to each other, and my brain seems to adapt very well to hearing Swedish all day. So well, in fact, that writing in Norwegian is really hard right now. I know this because I've been logging geocaches all day from my trip to Stockholm yesterday. There were only 11, but it took forever because writing suddenly is a lot harder than normal.
Summary of the past week?
Sunday: I left my home around 11. I really don't remember the exact time. My train from Hamar left 1208, and I wanted to make sure I got on that because I had to connect to the train bound for Stockholm at 1442. And then I had another train from Stockholm to Uppsala 2111. I made all my trains and arrived at the hostel in Uppsala a little past 2200. I did not regret paying a little extra for a seat on 1. class. They had free mini muffins. And really comfortable seats.
Monday: We got our keys and had a late meetup dinner in the evening. But between getting the keys and the dinner I made my way to the station to get a bus card, and then to IKEA. I had to buy an extra pillow. I was really close to bringing my own, but I kind of gambled on the pillow they provided here being enough. It really wasn't. Also, I needed food and shampoo, conditioner and soap since I didn't want to bring that extra weight all the way here. With my hair, I can leave whatever little shampoo might be left over after three weeks. It probably won't be much.
Tuesday: First lecture. Thankfully we start at 10, and so I am actually awake when it begins. We had some introduction to the course, plans and got internet access at the university, and then a course in Swedish pronunciation. In the evening I went exploring around town and discovered a rainbow. Among other things.
Wednesday: Lectures about Swedish literature and language history. Most of the language history I already know, since it basically is the same as Norwegian language history. But it is my favorite subject, so I'm not unhappy. Fell asleep really early in the afternoon, since I hadn't got a good nights sleep in ages because of stress and unfamiliar beds. Woke up again around 20 and went for a walk. It has been really hot here, and a late walk is really nice because the temperature is a lot more comfortable for a person that can't wait for fall.
Thursday: A guided tour in the oldest part of Uppsala. And a trip out to Old Uppsala. You see, Uppsala was moved, I think in the middle ages. This was because of the land raising up since the last ice age. The Old Uppsala lost its close connection to the sea and a new cathedral was proposed closer to where the sea was then, in a town then called Östra Aros. The pope approved of this, as long as the name moved with it. But the Old Uppsala is most definitely a place you should go if you are ever in the area! I also bought dish towels with runes on them, and another Tors Hammer necklace, in the museum shop there. I love museum shops. They really are the best. It was really hard to choose a picture from this day, there really was a lot to see. But this is the first runestone I saw here, it is in the church wall at Old Uppsala.
Friday: More Swedish literature and a little on dialects and their status in Sweden. After school, I went to look for some more runestones, and found a whole bunch! Went to bed early after a long week.
Saturday: Went to Stockholm! Held a little geocaching event, met geocachers and had two of them show me the best caches in Stockholm city center. Went to the old part of Stockholm(Gamla Stan) and bought a handbag and churros on the shopping street Drottninggatan. Got really tired from all the walking, all the people, and the heat. I still did not get to do all the things I wanted to in Stockholm, I might have to go back. My bed finally felt like my own when I got home.
Sunday: Today I've been taking it easy. Got out for a few hours to find some caches, to keep my streak. Ended up covered in seeds. The kind I hate it when Zelda is covered in. Missed Zelda a lot when I found a small forest to hide in, where there were shade and a comfortable temperature, and she would have loved running around in it. I miss my collie kisses. Went home, did some laundry, postponed reading and wrote this in stead. Going to bed early to charge up for another intensive week of learning.
If there is anything you would like to know just ask, okay?
