Mon Jan 23 & Tue Jan 24th 2012 -- NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!

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Monday January 23rd

Had class today from 1pm-2:45pm nothing major just more Micro lecture. I must admit these lectures can get quite tedious!

After class I went to city center to FINALLY look for a winter coat. My LL Bean jacket from the US is very nice but it just doesnt cut it here. The cold here is just completely different. So I went to a store called Intersport and spent every bit of an hour trying on a million different coats! I ended up buying a blue down coat originally 900kron. Then I also got a red down coat but it has an outer layer like carhart....it is a bit longer and more what they call an "extreme weather parka" originally 1200kron. So both of these coats were on sale, the blue down to 690kron and the red 900kron, so i asked the girl if i bought both coats if there was an aditional discount...and as both these coats were the last of their kind she swung me a deal of both coats for 1100 kron! SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!! So now i have two new winter coats for about 160 us dollars! I must say i am quite proud!

I met up with Isabel and Santi at the city center and helped Isabel find a coat as well. But while I waited for them to be done with class I decided to have a little pick-me-up....so i sat in one of the cafe's and saw a delicious pastry glaring at me....gee for 25 kron i couldnt resist! It was called Smela...this is a sweet puffy pastry filled with real cream and like a carmalized sugar....YUMMMMMY! (picture to come soon).

Finally around 6pm Isabel, Santi and I all headed back to the apt. I picked up my package from coop (YAY THANK YOU PARENTS!) and went to my place to make dinner. A simple baked potatoe with chicken, cheese, sour cream, and corn. Then watched a nice movie. Around 9pm Isabel invited me down for dinner with her and Santi....they always eat so LATE! But i went ahead and went down to share some laughs. We had a good time as always, Santi cooked and Isabel, Charlen and I all laughed around the table and of course gave Santi a bit of grief as he is always cooking for us! So it was a good night! I finally went upstairs around 11:30pm Class tomorrow at 8:15 am YUCK!




Tuesday Jan 24th

Had Micro Lab today at 8:15am....bleeeeeh. I hate waking up this early to get to class! But the lab was fun we did gram staining and some other tests like oxidizing and catalyzing.

There is a girl named Elsa in the class, she is swedish and breeds swedish moose hunting dogs! They are gorgeous! She told me about a job fair happening tomorrow and I will definitely be going to this! She also gave me some information to apply for internships etc. So I am very hopeful that maybe i can find some work this summer!

After a nice siesta haha i went downstairs and had dinner with Isabel and Santi. We talked about trips we wanted to take!

1) Dog Sledding

2) Snowmobiling

3) Ice Hotel

4) Santa Clause Town

5) Whale Watching

6) Russia

7) Norway

8) Finland

Lots of things on our list to do!

Basically the most amazing thing happened tonight! at 10:53pm I saw the Northern Lights for the first time! I cannot describe to you how beautiful they are! Literally blue, green, and red dancing ribbons across the sky! Its truly indescribable and any words i use just wont do it justice! As I gawked at the lights from my bedroom window i must admit i cried. I wondered how many people in my family have seen the Northern Lights, or how many people in their life times will.

I thought about my mom who I know wishes she could travel more...and all i can say is that I hope she can live through me and my experiences here. Mom I think about you alot and I hope you know that you are a very big part of who I am! Truly she is an amazing person, she always works to better herself and continue to learn...this is an attitude reserved for divine individuals like Buddhist monks...yet my mom holds this close to her heart. Always teaching a strong work ethic and high dose of reality...but never discouraging dreams, you always encouraged adventure and to better yourself at ever opportunity...thank you mom i love you!

I thought about my dad who told me just how proud of me he was. This means so much coming from someone who I respect and look up to in so many ways. My dad is so incredibly smart and he can solve any problem! I have so many memories of adventures to Maine, camping trips in the midwest, and just expiditions that struck our fancy....along the way there was always more than one hiccup and yet my dad would take them with stride...always prepared for the worst but able to enjoy each moment to the best ability. He taught me how to get over hurdles, potholes, sinkholes, mountains, and basically any other obstacle that life throws at you...thank you dad i love you!

I thought about my sister who I wished could share this type of experience with me! Ups and downs included I love her so very much, I wish that she could have expierened something as magical as this with me! I love you Katie!

I thought about my best friend Chalene who i miss so much and can only imagine how much fun we could have traveling the world together! I love you too Chae!! I wish you were here!

I think about my Grandma and Grandpa Nakanishi...i love you guys too so very much and am so thankful to have such wonderful inspiration. I know I push the limits in my dreams and ventures...but ever suportive they only have words of wisdom and kindness to show me!

And I thought about my Granma and Grandpa Bargerhuff....He passed away about a week ago, and I hope that he can share in my joy here, i miss him terribly. Although I am so glad I got to spend time with him before I left I am still sad I couldnt be there. I am thinking of you often Grandpa 😊. I hope that my Grandma can find comfort in some of my stories, I am thinking of you as well....I love you so much!

I think about how very grateful I am to both sets of grandparents and my own parents who made my trip here possible. I miss you all so very much and wish you could all be standing right here with me as i watch this beautiful and magnificent natural phenomena take place. I cry because of how happy I am and much each of you mean to me in my life!

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