Sweden is better then England

First of all I want to apologize to everyone that thinks I’m an asshole for coming to England and complaining. It’s true, I am an asshole for that matter. It took me over 1 and a half year tho, to realize that I actually prefer and like Sweden better then England and any country I have so far been to. Iceland comes on the second place, probably cos it’s almost like Sweden just even less crowded and with no trees (and trees are on my “100 things I like about Sweden” – list, which I should publish here anyway…. soon). The lack of trees might therefore be the reason for Iceland’s second place. Anyway, back to the apologizing. This is an important matter to me since when I lived in Sweden many people (me too) where very annoyed with immigrants (not cos they were there! Oh, no! They are as welcome as anyone, is my opinion) that came to Sweden and complained about everything and anything. Makes people wanna say “well go back then, if it doesn’t suit you”, and I don’t want anyone to think about saying that to me. I like England, it’s nice! I just happen to like Sweden better, and I will go back, so even if you think that sentence I wrote before about me, then well, what can I say? “I will!” And also, I’m not really complaining about England, just highlighting the good things about Sweden, which might be seen as a complain towards England if you wanna compare my highlighted points with the situation in England. I think I lost myself a little bit now. Anyway; I’m sorry I don’t like England as much as Sweden and that I can’t shut up about it.

My reasons to this new discovery started on the event some of my course mates and I went to last week called eco-build. Lots of talks, conferences and seminars were planed, all on the topic of eco friendly building, which includes energy saving (which directly relates this event to my degree). Hundreds of companies with the newest technology in environmental friendly energy generation techniques were there and… and I’m getting carried away! Let’s not make this post into a super energy technology post. You get the point: it was big and it was GREEN. If you are interested tho… check eco-build out! 

The important part is that Sweden was used as un example in many cases and lots of case studies were made on existing sites in Sweden, which made me thing (and grow to about 3 meters tall). So now when I have been thinking about it, Sweden, as in the population of Sweden, cares more about the environment so that it can be used as an argument in advertising. For example: I recently put my name on a waiting list for housing in Stockholm and on the first page of every housing complex online, there was information about how far a recycling station is from the building or if it is in the building. First after that was the information about how far the university is, the closest shop or nearest park. And not only is the environmental point of view of the Swedes better but also things such as education and social help. Even higher education in Sweden is free, the loans are high enough to have a good student life and the percentage of parents that feel the need of sending their children to expensive boarding schools is low.

There is much more, but I got bored of this now. The point is; I just realized all this after moving out from the country where most things are moving in the right (my opinion) direction, even tho “moderaterna” are ruling the country for the moment. Well, they are to the right, but that’s not what I meant.

Conclusion: I’m going back to live Sweden one day.

Africa

Some time ago, it all started with a joke, I and Axel decided we’ll climb Kilimanjaro. He was studying in South Africa and invited me for an out & about in Africa over Christmas. Since the only excuse I could come up with for not to go was that I need snow for Christmas, he suggested Kili. And so I went.

A pic of Axel and me, dressed up in traditional Swahili outfits for New Years Eve.

I tried to keep a dairy for the time we were bumming around but it is very short.

Christmas in Africa 2008

Day 1  Cape Town      The day with the sunset, festival & when I got 3 blisters on each foot.

Day 2  Cape Town     The day when we did the peninsula tour & I got burned to the bone.

Day 3 Cape Town      The day when we hiked up to Table Mountain.

Day 4 Jo-Burg            The day when Axels hat blew off.

Day 5  Jo-Burg           The day with the taxi and Venesh mum’s birtsday.

Day 6  Jo-Burg           The day when Kenny took us to Hillbrow, Soweto and the 3^rd and 4^th floor of the central polis station.

Day 7  Dar Es Salaam The day with the ques.

Day 8 Zanzibar           The day with Axels Birthday and the full moon party.

Day 9  Zanzibar          The day with the cherimoya and the swimming crisp bag.

Day 10Arusha             The day in the coach.

Day 11Manyara NP    The day with the hospital with bugs.

Day12 Serengeti NP   The day with the masai village and the camp fire.

I should have left him there.

Day 13Serengeti NP   The day when we meet Scar and the elephant stole our water.

Day14 Ngorongoro     The day with the Rhino.

Day15  Kilimanjaro     The day when it all begun.

Day16  Kilimanjaro     The day with the rain.

Day17 Kilimanjaro      The day with the lava tower.

pic: 2000 vertical meters left. This is the top, The roof of Africa!

Day18 Kilimanjaro      The day when Jo was sick all over Kili.

Day19 Kilimanjaro      The day with the caterpillar.

Day20 Moshi              The day when we went for Christmas dinner.

Day21 Mombasa        The day with the bumpy bus ride and the prison hostel.

Day22 Mombasa        The day with the juice.

Day23 Mombasa        The day with the movie theatre.

Day24 Tiwi Beach      The day we both got fried.

Day25 Tiwi Beach      The day we did nothing at all…. in the SHADOW!

Day26 Tiwi Beach      The day with the snorkelling snake and New Years Eve.

Day27 Tiwi Beach      The day we hitch hiked with an armed guy.

Day28 Nairobi            The day we survived the streets of Nairobi.

Day29 Nairobi            The day with the flags.

Day30 Nairobi            The day I flew home.

 

Drugs

Since moving out from Sweden I have noticed major differences in opinions about drugs. Youth in Germany, France, Poland and England (these are some of the countries I have lived in) lack the fear of drugs that we Swedes have got.

Before I start writing I must say that I never studied in Sweden and my opinions are based on my experiences which are mainly in a small town in Sweden and also some years ago. As the time has gone by the situation in Sweden might have changed a bit. But I do think that I am at least partly right about this. Feel free to correct me. I’m also not talking about special cases, just common people. I do know that my theory has many or some exceptions.

The common people in Sweden are drinking alcohol and maybe a few, very occasionally, smoke weed. I would guess that not many percent of the Swedish youth have even tried any other drug then alcohol. If someone in Sweden does smoke weed on a regular basis, such as every or nearly every day, he or she would probably not have any future plans, not study and maybe not even have a job. And by the common people he or she would be called “a Loser”.

Any harder drugs, such as ketamine, ecstasy, speed and more are, I would say, not known by the common youth. Most of them would not even have seen any of those drugs. The even harder substances are used by people that have chosen the unfortunate path in life.

In England, drugs can be found everywhere, and it may seem like everyone is doing them. Many teens are tempted by the excitement or escape that drugs seem to offer. The common youth have seen and probably at least tried some kind of drugs. Many are using drugs when going out and some smoke weed on a daily basis. It is perfectly fine to be a good student and smoke weed every day or do other drugs in the weekends.

Young people in England do not seem to be afraid of drugs in the same way as Swedes. How come? There is also some kind of shame connected with doing drugs in Sweden. I have the feeling that someone that is doing or just tried some kind of drugs in Sweden will feel at least a little bit of shame because of the society they live in, where as in England a person who is using drugs will be seen as “normal”. Instead if one doesn’t try he or she will be a coward and boring.

My statements are based on how many of my friends in the different countries are doing drugs and how much people I meet are talking about drugs. Also, how many times I have the opportunity to try myself and how many high people I see.

Just to make my point clear I have been exaggerating a bit.

Frozen Money & Job Hunting

Yesterday I suspected nothing when I was falling asleep to the Swedish radio station P3. I was totally fading away when the news came on. But all of a sudden I woke up with a jump; they said Iceland and bank –something!! Confused and still asleep with one eye I was tumbling around in the dark to get hold of the laptop to replay the news. I was right, they had said those things and unfortunately also the words currency and fall. I double checked it with my Icelandic online banking thingy and it was true, all my money that I at the moment own just lost 30% to the English pound. I wanna say “I knew it!” But oviously I would take the money out then.

Apparently, as my Icelandic source says, all Icelanders go crazy and stock up with food for future drops. Well, I can understand that they are scared (which makes them easy to rule) but it’s not the end for them. Its the people with Icelandic money that lives or are abroad (like myself) that are in most economic pain right now. Off course I have very little money anyway, so I have nothing to fear!

The 2^nd and 3^rd largest banks of Iceland have been nationalised and the largest (kaupthing, the bank I am using) have got a large loan to stand on its feet.

Basically I can’t take any money out in England now, because that would make me loose to much. My money is frozen, Frozen in Iceland!

All of this trouble scared me maybe too, as I will need a lot of money in the end of the year. I started to look for a job. CV looks nice and fresh and now it’s just the decision of where I want to start searching. Health care? Bars? Restaurants? Cafes?

The day of the “Bulle”

In Sweden it’s cold so everybody needs to eat a lot of sweets, cakes and bullar to have enough body fat. That is at least my interpretation to why we Swede’s have so many “day of the” -semla, -bulle, -pancake, or anything else sweet. All of them basically only have one purpose; stuff your face full!

Anyway, because it’s not so easy to get hold of bullar in this country, I decided I will make bullar, even though it’s a pain in the ass for at least 3 hours.  Now you might wonder, unless you are Swedish (cos that would be weird if you didn’t know): What the hell is “Bullar”? Well, come down to my place and I promise I’ll give you one. (Offer only as long as bullar still in stock)

Love in first sight!

Back in Leeds

After a nice and chilly summer in Iceland I am now back in the UK, the country of “please & thank you”. Here everything is as I left it; people leave the tea-bag in the cup, drive on the left side of the road and say “sorry” when I bump in to them. I totally forgot about the left side rule and almost got driven over when going to Uni for the first time this semester.

At Uni on the other hand thought, everything is changed! The whole “cafe’ and hang out” –area was renovated with a fancy coffee machine for real lattes and the walls are now bright white with large green posters. Unfortunately, they also manage to take the clocks of the wall which automatically will result in me being late for the rest of the year. Well, at least I’ve got something to blame. Also the system have changed which basically means that if I go abroad to any country this next coming semester, I  will get no credits for the WHOLE year.

To cheer myself up a little I am going to get a puppy. I have been wanting it for so long so I decided it’s time. My flatmates also like the idea which makes the timing just perfect. Here I would like to announce that names for a female or male dog of unknown breed (probably crossbreed) will be needed and all suggestions are welcome!

Hot Rivers and Geothermal Heat

The hot rivers are as you would have thought rivers with hot water. The beauty with them are that they are not heated by man! No, they are naturally heated by the geothermal heat in the ground. As you know Iceland is located on top of two plates, the north-american plate and the eurasian plate. Those plates are gliding appart and therfore Iceland have so called High-heat zones where first of all you can fine hot rivers and second of all you can build a geothermal powerplant.

Kata and Me swiming around in the hot rivers

In the hot rivers it is possible to swim and relax just you and your frinds cos there is planty of space, so everyone that fancies a swim can have their “own” spot for a while.

It was suppose to be a different pot with hotter water, not the same one you are swiming around in, Dummy!

In some places you can also finde a extra hot water spot where you could boil eggs or something els. We tried to boil eggs but not in the right pot, so well it didn’t work for uss.

Kata and Martina who came along to the hot rivers

It is also a bit of a walk before you get to the rivers if you choose the same place as we did. I was walking around with two super sporty girls! they are even studing physical activity or something like that. Anyway they get to do loads of sports in school and all of them are super fit! So guess who was the last one all the time on our walk. It was upphill which kind of scared me a bit for this Killimanjaro walk I’m gona have to do. I’m just never gona make it…

Anyway. it was pretty! If you havn’t been there yet, I’ll take u, just come around to Iceland.

High Heels and Geothermal Energy?

For the last 24 hours mostly one thing has been on my mind, and for a change it’s not a boy! This time it’s the new rules and regulations at the Uni of Leeds, regarding exchange years, and how I can get past them. I’ve got such a good plan (well, I think so…) and I have been telling everyone I know (even tho they prolly didn’t care at all) so many times that I could give a well prepared speech about the topic by now. Anyway, I’m dying to get in to Uni of Rey for the next semester and everything seemed to be fine, until they changed the rules in Leeds, but I’m not a “give up” – kind of girl! I’m gonna fight for my right to paaaaaaaartyyy (oops! Mean study of course!) !!

They have lots of intressting courses in Uni of Rey about geothermal energy and stuff that you don’t care much about anyway, so I won’t go any deeper in to it.

Tomorrow I have a meeting at the Uni of Rey! We are going to discuss my possibilities and Ingunn is going to prepare me for the fight with Boris when I get back to Leeds. Should I wear high heels or not?

Isafjordur and back!

3rd of August we all meet up at the bus station to leave civilization for a while and disappear to Europe’s most Isolated town; Isafjordur. 

We stoped by Fjallfoss, a 100m rocky scarp at the head of Dynjandivogur bay.

My bus-buddy (both ways) Pierre!

With a bus ride ahead of nearly 12h you were sc**ed if you were stuck with a French guy, like I was . Well, he turned out to be silly enough to stand me too.

We had some stops on the way and early the next morning we marched of to the classrooms to learn some Icelandic! Og núna get ég talið islandsku, í alvöru! Well, at least some.

 In the classroom

 

 

 

My roomy for the next coming three weeks was a soy friendly girl from California named Sarah. We spent a lot of time eating chocolate and watching stupid (but so amusing) programs like Extras or Family Guy in those three weeks. We spent a little too much time together cos apparently people thought we were gay together. But well, I get that all the time anyway.

The nightlife in Isafjodur was nearly dead. Luckily the 3500 inhabitant-village kindly opened the only bar/nightclub until almost 3am one Saturday. When we walked through the village at night it was so quiet so you could hear the silence! Oh, that was so poetic of me.

We were offered to go on a trip to explore the Westfjords a bit, which I did come along on. We basically went everywhere south of Isafjordur and to Europe’s most western point; Latrabjarg, where the Puffins were the main attraction.

One of the amazing fjords in the west

 

A proud Puffin at the edge of the cliff

 

 

 

 

Finally the beautiful three weeks were over and with lots of new experiences, new friends, some Icelandic skills and a bad hangover we were going home to Reykjavik again.

Sarah is doing a lesbian face!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snæfellsnes

Me , Anni, Kata & Donal hiered a car and took off! We went around the whole Snæfellsnes, the penninsula sticking out above the Reykjavik area if you look on a map.

The Team!

We stopped in some of the beatyfull places, such as small fishing villages to just take a walk, admire the view or intergreate with the locals.

One of the stoppes was here, in The middle of West Iceland.

Snæfellsnes volcano surrounded by volcanic rocks

On a clear day you can see the Snæfellsjökull volcano  from Reykjavik at a distance of 120km. It is covered with the white coat of a glacier. Around the volcano the ground is made of and covered by volcanic rocks and that is why the ground looks all black-grey-ish.   

Hellissandur beach

Lush Fjords, volcanic peaks, dramatic sea cliffs, sweeping golden beaches (like the one above), a glistering icecap is some of the stuff you can see at Snæfellsnes.

View from the café where we had lunch, at the tip of the peninsula

We had our lunch at a sweet little café at the tip of the peninsula with a view over the Atlantic ocean just by a stony little beach. We didn´t spot any wales as the lonly planet said we could but happy and full we took of to continu our trip.

Jump of a Cliff!!