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Published: April 23rd 2006
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Mom & I
Taken at Tampa International Airport before I started my journey. I left Tampa, FL on January 15, 2006. I said goodbye to my mother and flew to O'hare airport in Chicago. There, I met another exchange student headed to another city in Sweden through ISEP. She was going to Karlstad-a school I had considered. After boarding the plane and saying goodbye to my Minnesota friend, I found myself sitting next to the window, sharing space with a Russian woman. The plane was run by SAS-Scandinavian Airlines. Lovely plane, really. I watched movies, listened to music, and was served at least two meals. We were given hot cloths, blankets, and pillows, and coffee and coke as needed. Plenty of water to go around too. So, while on this plane, I thought about family and everything that could happen. We flew straight to Stockholm.
I watched the Brothers Grimm and a horse movie that starred Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell. Good choices, in my opinion. So, we arrived in Stockholm. It was Sunday. 7:36 am to be exact. So I lost some hours. I walked off the plane and went through passport checking with two other girls headed to another town. Finally, I went through that airport and took my hour flight to Lulea. The clouds were thick so you couldn't see anything. Goodbye southern Sweden and hello northern Sweden. Finally, I arrived in Lulea. From the plane, I had glimpsed the famous archipelago. Pretty islands locked in ice and covered with snow and evergreens they are. I found my welcome party waiting. Anna and her friend helped me with my bags and got me into a car. Anna is a member of LURC-the Lulea University Reception Committee, formed to assist exchange students, set up parties, trips, and to ask questions. They also do our orientation program.
They took me to the school first. On the way there, I spotted a McDonald's and thanked God for that. So, we reached the school. It's about the size of Maryville or smaller. The buildings are lettered in most cases-A, B, C, D, E, F. Though we do have Karhuset and the Alfa building, Porsohallen, and another one. The buildings are each painted a different color, so to me they look like Lego blocks. Another Scandinavian design feature eh? So, I signed my rental agreement for my student room and got some paperwork and information. Then they drove me to my room. Home was a student room on a floor with 10 rooms in total, a common kitchen, and a TV room. The laundry room was downstairs and shared with the whole building. There is an elevator too. So, I unpacked and immediately wandered to the common room to say hello to the boys within.
And thus, my first encounter with Ingvar and Johan occurred. Anna spoke to them in Swedish. I watched. Things were said. Then I went to my room and unpacked some more. Discovering I had no way to tell my mother I arrived safely, I ran back to the boys and discussed this, somewhat frantically. Ingvar offered to let me use his phone, but the phonecard I had wouldn't work. So, Johan allowed me the use of his computer to send my Aunt an email. After that, I stayed in my room organizing. Not much in the way of furnished, but it had two rolling tables, a desk, a desk chair, a recliner chair, a bookshelf, a bed, a long lamp, a desklamp, and a bedlamp. The wardrobe is white. There's also a hanger for coats and things. And in the bathroom, I have a toilet, a sink, a medicine cabinet, and a hand held shower. There is no bathtub, but I manage.
So the next day, I found the way to school and discovered I had no classes so I didn't miss any. I saw Inger, my ISEP coordinator here, figured out my schedule, then saw my academic advisor, Astrid Fell. What a cool name huh? They were both very helpful. I then went to the library to use the computers since I did not have internet in my room. I did go to the Student Union (you are mandated by Swedish law to be a member of one and there are two on Lulea's campus) and paid my dues. After that, I went to the Helpdesk and got the forms to get the internet up and running in my room. Lot of things accomplished eh?
I thought so. Now, to explain something. School is a 30 minute walk from my room. You walk on a bike path that is covered in snow and ice. There are woods, water, and apartments on the way. It's pretty but cold. They tell temperature here in celsius and it is usually below 0. I'm getting used to it though. Still, if planning to come-have a warm jacket, good gloves, and a great hat or hood. Moisturizer is also a must. It gets dry walking in the wind. The grocery store is right across the street, but it's the expensive one. I usually go to the ICA Supermarket on my way home from school and just carry stuff back in my backpack. Much cheaper that way.
So I came home and bought food. After eating, I watched some TV and began to wonder who exactly these boys I lived with were. I discovered there was a girl living right next to me. Her name was Cornelia Reitbock and she was Austrian. Unfortunately for me, Cornelia was leaving in 10 days. So I would be the only girl on the entire floor. I also noticed that there was a system for cleaning the kitchen. Each person takes a week. The kitchen didn't really look clean, though, so I wondered on that.
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