I wish I had a bike....

Ran lots more errands today. Bought a much-needed watering can and some clothes in preparation for the colder weather I KNOW is coming. That's my new favorite excuse: I will need this at some point in the future and therefore should buy it immediately. That was my excuse for the iron and the candle and the chocolate and the magazine and...

I caught the bus out the Ikea this afternoon. Late afternoon. I had less than 2 hours to get what I needed and to get out. I came prepared with my Ikea bags and a backpack but I'd already done some shopping earlier so I was already at 50% capacity. This could get tricky. I managed to play it safe and only buy what I really needed. I also decided against buying the wooden boxes for my shelves and instead chose some nice light wicker baskets. A wise choice.

I only filled one bag and stayed well within my budget so I was pleased with myself when I left the store at closing time. I was on the way back to the bus stop when I saw the bus pull away as I was coming up. I checked the schedule and saw that it was the LAST BUS that day. O.o Ikea is a ways out of town. A long ways. Thank god I'd bought the wicker and not the wood. So I shouldered my load and prepared myself for the slog back to downtown when it was already after 8pm.

After I'd walked for about 5 minutes I passed another bus stop and since there was someone sitting there I decided what the hell, go read the schedule again. Sure enough it said the last bus left at 7:50. I asked the guy if he was waiting for the bus and then told him there were none. He was shocked and double checked. Turns out, I'd been reading the schedule for Sunday, not weekdays. THANK GOD.

So I plopped my stuff down and prepared to wait, except the guy continued to want to talk to me. I tried to get the message across with body language that I was not interested and wasn't particularly inclined to talk about my life to a stranger thankyouverymuch. Needless to say, I had to curtly decline to give him my number, Facebook, go to dinner, or do something over the weekend. Wow dude. Get the message.

Anyway, I made it back and now am seriously exhausted. I have so much to do tomorrow: register for classes, buy books, open a bank account, then go out later. And I'm up at nearly 3am because my neighbors keep having sex loudly and repeatedly for the last hour and a half. I am torn between severe irritation and extreme amusement. What I really want is sleep though.

God natt!

The beginning

Wow so I moved in! In Sweden! At Uppsala! I can't entirely believe that I am here sometimes but I really love it so far. I was ready to feel displaced and isolated at worst but it's been completely opposite of that. Spending a week with family and friends has really helped me feel differently about the upcoming year. I am relieved and excited for winter now instead of wary and glum. It sounds like way more fun than we have at home because there actually is a winter and they make the most of it. All the sports and traditions and snow!! I know I'll be eating my words in a few months but from where I sit now it just sounds fun :)

So. My room. Is HUGE! Well... compared to last year. I have THREE chairs, my OWN bathroom, an ENORMOUS desk, OODLES of shelves and a BIG window!! I am so pleased :D I was gearing up to have to buy lots of furniture once here but it's all taken care of. I still had to buy all the rest of the stuff you need to survive in the semi-urban jungle but that was still considerably better. They even had lamps already! I had a tiny dark one last year in a dark room with a small window. And roommate. Which I don't have now! Own room. Own space. Own decisions. (Wow does that sound cliche.) I put up my few posters but I haven't started with the rest of the little stuff I brought. I think that'll be the fun part. There are several postcards and lots of cutouts from calenders of oldtime posters- they're like posters, but smaller and cheaper ;)

My desk is a complete mess and I've lived here for 3 days already. I just don't have the place for them that I want and I suppose I just don't feel organized enough myself to start cleaning it up haha. I will have to make another trip to Ikea for organizers! The clutter is driving me a little crazy.

Today I slept in for the only the second time since I arrived and I definitely needed it O.o Woke up around 11 and missed the first day of registration... But not to worry, it continues all week and I already reserved a spot in my classes. So I took my sweet time getting ready and headed out the door to walk into town. I didn't rush and took apparently the longest possible way because I made it there 35 minutes later. Ah well.

I took care of some pressing business- but not all of it, sadly- and paid my membership dues to the student union and V-Dala nation. Yay! Official nation member :D Then I took a stroll around the neighborhood- just a little. Mostly I just stuck to shopping. Oops. I made some unnecessary purchases at Gina Tricot and some necessary ones at Åhlen's. Now I have a coffee press and a new outfit! What could be better?!

I turned in my application to have internet access turned on in my room and was told it will take ANOTHER 5-ish days for them to get it done. Omg. I am using my neighbor's wireless connection because he took pity on me and gave me his password. I wanted to not impose anymore (figuratively speaking) and stop piggybacking on his network. Plus, he downloads a lot of stuff and it slows everything down a bit... Not that I should look a gift horse in the mouth or anything... That would be rather ungrateful. Ahem.

I met some really great people last Saturday at a roof party someone was throwing and we're going out again Wednesday for a pub crawl! Yay! I was so worried I wouldn't meet people and here I am, meeting people. How anticlimactic. But I am somewhat relieved that the student life is such a big deal here. Somewhat because my corridor mates to throw all-night parties and blast their music at times but overall glad that people are willing to socialize. I spent most of the night explaining to people where I was from and inwardly chuckling at their amazement at my level of fluency. HAHA looks like I'm a bit of an oddity. Hope that will work out in my favor.

So much more to do tomorrow. It just won't end... Sigh.

Kram!

Pre-Game Gitters

I leave in less than two weeks and it has yet to sink in that I am moving away for a year. That will hit me soon enough though so I'm trying to enjoy my rapidly dwindling days of blissful ignorance while I can. Nothing is really packed yet (insert image of my mother's chewed off nails... not really) mostly because of the fact that I'll be buying 80% of it all there. If all I have to pack are clothes and some books I don't want to leave myself with nothing in the closet too soon. I have to pace myself. Plus, it leaves more room for my denial to hang out and make itself comfortable.

I am really excited though to hang out with Stina(!!) who graciously offered to stay with me the first few days after I move in to help me get comfortable with the town and meet some of her friends there. Then she's off to Cannes and the glamorous occupation of au pair (I am seriously jealous!) with a wonderful work agreement and nice family. Did I mention she'll be in Cannes? I think I'll take a well-timed visit down there during the film festival next May...

So lots to do, lots to see, lots to stress about... but that's all to come and right now I'm enjoying a relaxing day of denial and sunshine.