Walking is hazardous to your health

Here's an annoying thing about Sweden...

I have been here almost a full month, and I still can't figure out which side of the sidewalk/road to walk on! Usually in America, it's pretty universal that we walk on the right side of the sidewalk because that's what side of the road we drive on. It makes sense. Here in Sweden they drive on the right side of the road, too. This would lead me to conclude that, naturally, one would also walk on the right side of the sidewalk. Apparently not.

I think it might have something to do with all the exchange students they have here.... that's one theory anyway. All those darn people who come from countries that drive on the left side of the road are throwing everyone off. And so when you mix hundreds of pedestrians and bikers from around the world on one campus.. it's like a zoo! Especially since you can't even tell when someone is yelling "On your left!" or "Watch out!" because nine times out of ten it's in a different language. It's frustrating to say the least.

Walking to class can be quite the daunting task. It can literally be hazardous to your health if you aren't careful. You have to always be on your watch, looking around to make sure you don't walk into someone or get run over by a biker. And early morning classes are the worst. I would venture a guess that collisions increase a good 50% during that half hour before the first classes begin at 8:15 am.

I can't even begin to imagine the confusion that will ensue two months from now when it's dark 20+ hours a day. I might have to invest in a reflective vest to lower my chances of being run down by a biker. Uff da!

Themed parties are best enjoyed in moderation

Here's an annoying thing about Sweden...

Their parties/dinners are always required to have a theme of sorts... or so it seems.  And they expect you to go out and buy costumes and actually dress up for them, too. They can't ever just have a dinner that is formal, or informal, or even normal for that matter.

The two orientation dinners that have taken place thus far have had a theme. One was a "Barbarian" theme and  the other was a "Toga" theme. Tonight's Welcome Dinner for the exchange students is no different... it is "Fairy Tale" themed. I just don't get it.

 Last weekend when they had the Welcome Dinner for all of the new incoming Swedish students, it was just a formal dinner that people wore ties and dresses for. That's fine. I brought along a dress and some dress clothes. I would like to get dressed up and have a nice meal with my friends. I would not, however, like to dress up like a princess or a witch or a dwarf.  Especially when I'm the one paying for the food I'm eating.

I just want to wear a dress and curl my hair. Is that too much to ask?

As I'm sure you can guess, I will not be dressing up in a costume for the dinner tonight. I will be wearing a dress that I brought along and curling my hair and looking pretty. I thought about making an aluminum foil princess tiara just to halfway play along. But I don't want to. And they can't make me.

I'm sure that all of the Phosares think that us Americans are just a bunch of party poopers who don't like to have fun. But if their idea of fun is playing gross drinking games, getting naked in a field when I can see my breath, and dressing up like a fairy tale character when I won't even get candy for it... then I guess I am.

I just had the best idea ever!Perhaps my lack of costume tonight will be my Party Pooper costume. I'll even go around singing the song!

"Every party has a pooper...
Thats why we invited you....
Party Pooper! Party Pooper!"

It's a real song, I promise. It's from the movie Father of the Bride II.

Click Here to See the Clip!!!

Anyways... Now that I officially will have that song stuck in my head the rest of the night... I'm going to go get ready for the Welcome Dinner.

-Peace, Love, and Swedish Meatballs
The Bogarts!!!

Paying to pay your rent

Here's an annoying thing about Sweden...

You have to pay your rent or any of your other bills at a bank.

Which may not seem like that big of a deal, except our landlord is located right across campus. We could walk across campus, pay our rent, and walk back in less than twenty minutes flat. Plus, it's right by the grocery store on campus. So it's not even out of our way.

The nearest bank, however, is in downtown Lulea. You can probably see now why this is annoying. We have to pay to take the bus downtown to pay our rent, even though our landlord is five times closer than the nearest bank. And then.. on top of paying to take the bus, you have to pay a fee to the bank for them to assist you in paying your bill! Even though there is no other way for you to pay it! It's frustrating and beyond annoying.

I suppose the only alternative would be to not pay the rent and lose our apartment. But since it's already dropping into the 40's at night... and it's not even September... I guess we'll just suck it up and pay them their damn $5 fee every month.

But it's still annoying.