so i started doing a travel journal thing, upon the advice of my grandmother. however, i think this might be easier.
i've been in lund, sweden for 13 days now. it doesn't really seem like that long, honestly. the time is going by way too fast, and it's making me want to stay for fall semester. i'm fighting with myself about that, because i know staying here would be amazing and i'm already approved to stay, but i already made the commitment to be an RA next year, and i know that will be a great experience as well. and i know that as much as i'm over the whole housing bit right now, i can't just drop it because i'll regret it later. and if i stayed i would miss everyone back home too much.
going into this trip, i wasn't sure how the other people in the program would be. i think that was probably my biggest worry, actually. all i can say is...my sweden family is incredible :) i couldn't ask for better people to share this experience with.
learning swedish has been interesting. definitely easier than the past year of arabic. its hard to practice though because as soon as the swedes realize youre american they'll start speaking english to you. i like the language though. wish i could continue taking it when i get back.
the weather here has been nuts. apparently, its not usually like this in the summer. but i think it has rained every day since i've been here, except maybe the sunday that we checked in. today, it pretty much poured rain from 5 am til about 7:30 pm. i love the rain, but this is crazy.
things close early here. all the stores in town close by 6 or 7 on weekdays, earlier on saturdays, and most aren't even open on sundays. i feel like the people here have different values than they do at home. in a good way. i've seen alot of families as well. lots of kids. health care in sweden is pretty fantastic, but they pay very high taxes. this history of this place is pretty interesting too. i like history though. when its not about the united states.
tomorrow, we're going to the island of ven to ride bikes and such (weather permitting). i think a few people are also going to göteborg. most of us aren't though. too expensive. especially if we're going to spain in a few weeks. saturday, KP and i (and probably others) are hopefully going to malmö to do some shopping and be tourist-y (see the turning torso and such). and saturday night is armando's birthday. should be fun. more later.
