Whoops. Time to update?

Sometimes you have to stop and take stock. Not because something huge or life altering has occurred, but because you suddenly find yourself wondering how you ended up where you did.

Last week I found myself sipping beer in Stockholm, looking out over the water towards the ships due to take part in the ÅF Sail Race, as a guest at the hosts' opening night party. The music was loud and this meant that my understanding of the conversations around me was limited at best. I gave up, and took some time to think instead.

The governmental language classes are a little rushed, but through various courses either paid by the university or through the local kommun, I've managed to get through the Swedish for Immigrants course with a B. Apparently I now understand Swedish grammar and vocabulary to a decent enough level to begin studying it at high school level - which means reading literature, writing essays and discussing contemporary affairs. Fun, but something for after the summer perhaps.

As usual, the summer is dominated by two conferences, one in early July and one in late August. I'm quite looking forward to both, and I'm presenting papers in each. In between those I will be returning to my gorgeous, if unfinished, flat, my own little haven of sunshine right now. After 6 months living here I finally got around to having a housewarming party and my dear colleagues clubbed together to get me in IKEA gift card, which I will be using after the expenses of the summer.

Oh free time, how should I use you? Once the teaching is over, the grades are awarded and the pole dancing has been completed (Midsommar, dancing as frogs and 100% clothed), I'm left with one paper with a deadline, which was two days ago and met quite happily, and two more papers, due in July and September. I should of course use this time to review the data I've collected in my research, catch up on transcribing and get writing those passages my supervisors are so keen to see generated. In August I will be halfway through my PhD and so really should be halfway to the thesis.

Part of the summer will be spent in Iceland, where I will extend my stay after the conference and be joined by the boyfriend for a few days of adventure. But should I go to the summer cottage? Spend some time in the countryside or travel to Manchester?

Perhaps I should spend the time working on my Swedish or experimenting with art or baking? Maybe I should work on my bike and take day tours around in the sunshine?

Because that is the latest news... my summers are no longer blighted by Actinic Folliculitis... oh no. I can frolic in the sunshine and emerge relatively unscathed, with barely a handful of spots on my face. I would like to say that it's the first case of the condition being cured, but I will not hold my breath.

So to take stock. Am I in a better place than I was a year ago? Two? Yes, I would say so. I am happier, more relaxed. I am surrounded by a wide variety of people and although I wish for closer friendships and a better developed social life here, those things will come. In the meantime, onwards, to cookies. 

Chocolate in the Autumn

So, things that happened since last time:

1. My paper on Hybridity was written, submitted and has been accepted.
2. The guy picked up the 'phone and texted.
3. The interview was conducted, transcribed and summarized.
4. Ricardo to made some sense.

Unfortunately I decided that the guy really wasn't worth the effort (what kind of guy dates women with any self respect when he's simply waiting to marry his currently absent ex?) and am waiting for him to arrange our second date so I can tell him it's a bad idea and see you around sometime.

Next, I'm sat here at work trying to understand Negri on Keynes and, naturally enough, reaching for the bar of Maribou chocolate in my desk drawer. As I munch slowly, I recall a conversation with my mother recently in which I bemoaned the lack of decent chocolate in Sweden. Alright, so there's expensive stuff at 30 Skr for perhaps 200g, but I'm a girl. Realistically I'd spend most of my wages to achieve that chocolate induced haze of contentment as often as I'd like.

She was joking that she'd send me a rescue package with some Cadburys' Milk chocolate. Just the bar. Oh God yes please.

In a slightly related story, Tescos have security tagged their Cadburys' stock. Well, if you must loot...

Right, back to work.

The colours here are lovely, hence the sparkly new and updated look to my blog!

Things that I would like today:

1. My paper on Hybridity to write itself.
2. The guy to pick up the 'phone and call.
3. The interview to conduct itself.
4. The guy to realise I'm English and therefore extremely unlikely to call him, even if I was madly in love (I'm not).
5. Ricardo to make perfect sense.

As you can tell all of these require other things to happen for me. Why am I so lazy? Well right now I feel like I've been flattened by a hormonal, tired wreck of a truck. Next week I start my second bout of Swedish lessons, except (whoopee!) the level I signed up for has been cancelled so I've been bumped to the more advanced level.

Urgh. Bed, wherefore art though so far away and behind so many deadlines in my future?

No Yorkshire puddings for me!

Despite spending 5 days in the UK I failed spectacularly to find anywhere serving Yorkshire puddings. I did however fit in a fantastic curry and a wonderfully large volume of real English beer.

Oh, and I did some work too.

I got enough observations for the basis of not just one paper, but several, as the entire dynamics of the project changed entirely. Jättekul!

It's actually a little odd to spend a few days in close proximity to a group socially and to study them as objects. I should probably note here that whilst the people are fascinating it's the project I'm studying. Anyway, everything seems quite exciting and my boss seems rather pleased with the data I collected - he even went as far as saying that I had a good observation eye, although presumably that's in the plural and he doesn't think I'm blind in the other.

Anyway, off to shop for a housewarming party :)

Airport Joys

I'm sat here in Arlanda getting a crash-course from some posh Southern t*** about how the education system in the UK has been the sole cause of the economic crisis. Ha. If only he knew a contradiction to his entire argument was sat behind him.

From this moment on I shall swear to know nothing in full. As he is proving, a little knowledge makes a huge prat.

Anyway, although the next few days are due to be extremely daunting I'm bound to learn something interesting. At the very least it's a challenge, so I should develop personally alongside the study.

I hope also to gain the trust of the engineers. I feel that life will be easier for everyone if we feel a freedom and comfort to talk about what is happening and why. David has some interesting theories on how the economics might be a factor. More on that later, if it proves to be a correct direction.

Aah, back to England. English tea. Fish and chips. Sunday roasts. Yorkshire pudding. Pie!

LSD

LSD is the drug suspected to be responsible for the delight of Alice in Wonderland. Today though I'm trying to read it in Swedish - Alice i Underlandet. It's actually even more trippy.

The reason for my sudden increase in desire to understand Swedish is a lecture today in which my colleague and lecturer announced that he would be delivering the course in Swedish. Thankfully the other students failed to turn up, so I have two more days to become fluent. I'm not entirely sure how Alice i Underlandet will help me discuss Research Methods, but something has to sink in surely? In addition my supervisor is delivering a course beginning on Thursday which discusses the philosophy of innovation - in Swedish.

This week I feel unnaturally tired and quite lazy. Only the thought of saving for flights home at Christmas - and shopping in Stockholm beforehand - is preventing me from leaving my Goddamned bike at home and catching the bus. Yes, today I was knocked off. If you're driving around a roundabout what do you not expect the car at the next incoming road to do? Stop halfway into the roundabout perhaps? Well, some lovely Swedish lady just stopped her bike straight in my line of cycling and then excused herself by saying she wasn't sure what I was doing. I guess the indication, gaze and general straight line in her direction wasn't clear enough.

Later this week I should be on my way to Southampton for a conference. It's on wave power so the details of the presentations are likely to go over my head but it's a good chance to get a stronger connection with the research team I'm researching and also a better understanding of the technology area.

At the end of next month I'll be in Finland and fingers crossed I'll have an interesting paper of my own to present there. I'm quite excited as I've never been to Finland, although I did live with a Fin for just over a month when I arrived here.

Last week I attended the NFF conference at Stockholm Business School. It was a wonderful mix of established researchers and PhD students presenting their latest thoughts on a variety of management subjects. Along with the presentations, which gave me a few ideas about how to pursue my own project, the social events made me feel a tad guilty. I guess it's time to start earning your place when you find yourself on the guest end of a gala dinner in Stockholm City Hall, surrounded by gold mosaic and tasting fantastic food.

Incase you were interested we were served with a sour cheesecake and caviar, sirloin steak and the best potato gratin I have ever eaten (sorry Ulla, yours is delicious too) and finished with a strawberry centred peach mousse with handmade marshmellow and vanilla ice cream. Add in a glass each of Champagne, white wine, red wine, dessert wine, coffee and copious amounts of beer in a bar in town later and I'm very, very happy that someone had more faith in me than I did.

I think tonight an early night and an early start tomorrow to begin making my time here count...

Things to learn

Life is about learning as far as I'm concerned.

Learning is rarely painless though, and often fraught with the risk of embarressment.

One such learning curve began a few weeks ago, when I decided to meet a friend for coffee in the town centre. It was a beautiful day, hot and sunny with no breeze - perfect for a bicycle ride.

Unfortunately I had selected a wonderfully floaty dress. Being something of a doom-sayer I hurriedly looked up how to cycle without flashing your knickers. Although mine were clean I wasn't too sure the inhabitants of Uppsala needed to see them today. Cycle carefully, knees as near as possible, sit on any excess skirting and you should be fine. A sit-up bike is advisable. Hmm. Well, I figured that if I sat as straight as possible on my ladies standard style bike I'd be at least halfway there.

I sat carefully on the seat, pulled my skirt over my knees and set off. As I hit the main road I realised the folly of this adventure lay not in the skirt but in the delicate fabric crossed around my bust.

Yes folks, you guessed it. My dress wasn't designed for leaning forwards.

So, determined to arrive on time I continued, one hand on the handlebar, the other alternating between pulling my skirt down and the cross-over bust tighter and up. As the chiffon slid merrily up over the underskirt for the umpteenth time it dawned on me that I was fighting a losing battle.

I gave in.

So, to all of those poor, damaged eyes witness to my spotted knickers and the indecently uncovered bra, I apologise.

The coffee by the river was though fantastic.