Adjustment

Here at Uppsala, things are becoming less chaotic and more routine. I start Swedish on Thursday so I will have class from 4-6 TR. I have Religious Life Tuesday from 13 to 15:30 and Victorian Literature Wednesday from 10:15 to 12:30. I usually go to the Karin Boyle library in the English Park campus and study there or sometimes get fika. On Wednesdays, I get lunch at Varmlands nation and on Thursdays I get dinner at Uplands which is always pea soup and waffles with jam and whipped cream. On Fridays, I go to the pub and get a drink (usually a cider) and nachos. On Wednesdays, I have Bible study at 19:00 and then usually go to bed right after.

It's nice to finally have some structure, and to feel more adjusted to life abroad. You, dear readers, probably wondered why I didn't post much during weeks two and three. There were some interesting things that happened in my classes, but mostly I tried to stay warm and not starve. It snowed a lot here, and I was tired a lot. The first week I was here I woke up at abnormal hours in morning, like between 4 and 7, so my body took time to catch up on sleep. 

My friend Sam and I had a conversation about how we feel that each day we are here we get stronger. There is truth to that. The day I arrived it took everything I had to carry my suitcase up four flights of stairs. Now I know where the grocery store is, and I remember to bring my reusable bag! I bought my first smart phone and learned how to use it. I know when and where my classes are. I know how to take the city bus, and will figure out how to use the regional ones. I have taken the train to Stockholm twice now. I've learned a collection of 20-30 words in Swedish, and I will learn more. 

I'm determined to make the most of my time here and to enjoy life. I'm a much less stressed out person here. The scariest thing that happened was getting lost with Amanda on the bus back from Ikea to central station. The biggest decision I had to make was which nation to join. 

There are some things which still have yet to be settled. I have to go to the Migration Board and get my residence permit card. I have to figure out all the details of my international travel plans. I have budget and not run out of money, because I don't like being hungry. I am type of person who obsessively plans before I go, but in coming here I didn't do that. I do believe that if we don't plan for the future, we won't know what to do when we get there. However, there is also something to be said for living in the present moment each and every day. 

That's my goal here in Sweden.