It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

A lit tree in the snow in town It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go. Not only has it been snowing for about the past week, but there are lights up all around town! I found this tree lit in an apartment complex on my way home yesterday. Along with Christmas comes buying gifts for all the important...

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School

Swedish Textbook This is what i do in school. I learn how to speak Swedish in math class. It is a productive use of my time... I think.... I hope....

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Sankta Lucia

Yesterday was Saint Lucia Day (Saint Lucy Day) in Sweden. It is one of few saint days that are celebrated in Sweden. I woke up at 6 am to go to a Lucia Concert in the Västerås Cathedral. One of my best friends Jacqui was Saint Lucia for the concert. The concert was beautiful with traditional Swedish Christmas and Lucia...

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Snowing in Västerås / Snöar i Västerås

A house across the street in between snows. Today I woke up to it snowing once again! It was a pretty sight none the less! The worst part of the snow is having to walk to school in the snow. No longer can I ride my bike to school which takes much less time. Now I have two options: to walk all the way or to ride the...

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ITS SNOWING

I am what I would like to call "snowmotional"! It is so beautiful outside with the largest snowflakes I have ever seen falling. The ground is covered in a nice blanket. In the smart words of Wilhelmina Slater: "Snow is a magical blanket, it hides what's ugly and makes everything beautiful". I am just so happy right now, I have been brought to tears. It is soo beautiful. Pictures to come tomorrow!...

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Care Packages!!!

Just in case you failed to notice there is a new page above! It is called "Care Packages!" just like this post, check it out! But only if you are so kind to send me packages with heeps of lo...

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Fall Break

This past week has been fall break, which for all purposes has not been that exciting of a week. On Monday, I spent all afternoon at the doctors office waiting for a nurse to see me. Then I got an appointment for Thursday to see the doctor. On Tuesday I spent all afternoon with Jacqui Wellham (look! your name is in my blog again!!!) She moved into a new house Monday evening, so I went to entertain her while she unpacked everything. I spent most of...

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Jacqui Wellham

Jacqui Wellham is now mentioned in my bl...

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Its Saturday.

I just decided that I would update the world on the life of Joseph Dobson. As usual, there is not that much that has gone on this week. Monday, I went to school, and um. That was pretty much it. School. I know, it's very interesting. Tuesday on the other hand was my looong day at school. I started school at 8.30 in the morning. And, if I remember correctly, I do believe I was on time. Scratch that, who are we kidding? I am never on time when class...

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I woke up before 8...

Today I was up and out of the house before 8. I can not recall the last time I was even up before 8, let alone talking in front of people. This morning, almost against my will, I was at a breakfast Rotary meeting at 8 in the morning. Not only was I up, and at a Rotary meeting, I was speaking Swedish infront of the district governor. They were, as most usually are, impressed at how much Swedish I speak. Sometimes it is amazing even to me, that I can...

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procrastination. förhalning.

föorhalning. procrastination.  Going to Swedish school, and working in Swedish has not hindered my great skills of procrastination. I might even say that they may have gotten a little worse. I say this because two nights ago I did my Swedish homework the night before I had class. And today I must turn in a psychology paper for which I have barely started. Besides me being supper busy because I am just such a popular guy, I have no...

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The uneventful life i live.

Sometimes when I am working on homework, or just sitting around at home, I get asked from people at home what I am doing in Sweden. Everyone wants to know how amazing life is, and everything that I am doing. What do I have to tell them. Ingenting. Nothing. I do homework, I go to school. I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I hang out with friends. I buy clothes. My favorite questions is "Have you been to Stockholm?". My aswer is "Yes, multiple times."...

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I fell off my bike. Again.

I fell off my bike yet again this morning. Ironically, I fell of in the exact same place I fell off last time. This time however, I was going down hill, nice and fast, so I managed to get some nice souvenirs from my fall. I decided to walk the rest of the way to school... Mostly only because my handelbars are no longer aligned. I parked my bike in town, hopefully I will remember to pick it up on the way home. I came to school, and got all patched...

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SPIDER!!!!

There is a spider in my room. I am scarred to death of spiders. Spiders and snakes are the only two animals I can not stand. They make me so nervous and scarred. The spider was under my desk. It has now disappeared and I am now scarred to get off my bed for fear of spotting it at my feet. Anyways, I am sitting on my bed. Scarred to get up because of this scary spider in my ro...

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Writing.

This afternoon I begun working on a story for NJU:Z, my school's magazine. This article is about the dullest subject I know, myself. Of course being the exchange student you expect these things to happen, but I never imagined that in my first meeting I would be asked to write a piece about myself and my journey to be included in the publication. I am at lost as to what I will write about, but surely something will come in the next month...

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Crayfish Party

I dont know... I just thought it was cool... This is long overdue. And when I say long overdue... I mean a month old. My family had a traditional Swedish crayfish party August 6th, my sixth day in Sweden. It was to say no more great fun! Many friends came over for the party, all bringing their own crayfish. This is an interesting part of Swedish culture, when you have a crayfish party, the host does not provide the crayfish for everyone, everyone...

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This is life...

Hej alla! What has happened since my last post.... Well alot. I have been in Sweden for just over a month now, which is so hard to believe. It seems like I have lived here my whole life, besides not speaking swedish all the time. But, then to think that the time has gone by so fast and I only have eleven months left is...

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Haircut!

Yesterday, I went for my first Swedish Haircut, it was an experience of itself. I have never had someone go over every inch of my hair so many times. I was lucky enough to have some great Swedish friends who took me to get it cut! The man who cut my hair was so interested in what I was doing in Sweden, and what I thought...

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25 cups of coffee latter.

25 Cups of coffee ago, I arrived in Sweden. That was a short 10 days ago, and I have been loving it ever sense. One of my favorite parts of the day My favorite part of day is the fika. All of you who have never experienced this amazing word, you are missing out on something very cool, and special. My first fika was...

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Yes, I'm alive.

Earlier this week I started writing this long long long blog post all about this week and what's happened since I arrived, but I have decided to start over and keep it short and sweet (rest assured there will be a looong post to come soon). First of all, I have met tons and tons of people and have had a great time so far! I learned the other night that one of my favorite Swedish songs, is actually the un-official summer theme song, Lilla Lady by...

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I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when i'll be back again. I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know if i'm ready to go. I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know if I should go. I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't think you can keep me here. Love, Jos...

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Miss, Look Forward

I leave Sunday for the adventure of a lifetime. Even though I will be back, friends and even I keep reminding myself of "last times". Over the past week there have been a lot of "last times"; "last time" eating lunch at the River Market, "last time" at WholeFoods, "last time" seeing so and so, "last time" going here, "last time" going there. With all of these "last times" I can't help, but think of all the things that I am going to miss, and what...

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3 DAYS!!!

3 Days left, and I am getting packed up and rapping everything up with my life in the United States. It is hard to believe that I will be leaving in a mere 3 days, and when I come back I will be such a different person. It's amazing to think of all the things I will learn about myself and this new world of mine. I can't wait to start this adventure! I am so excited to meat my new family and my new life in Sweden. There is so much excitement and...

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Less then a week

I still remember the days when it was 5 months before I leave and I couldn't wait. Now, its 5 days away, still can't wait, it's here so soon! Just over a month ago at outbound camp we had to do something that was hard for many, we threw all of our fears into a fire, now with the day so close those fears seem impossible to find. They are no where in sight. With 5 days to go before I board that flight to Stockholm, Sweden, there is nothing to do, but......

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9 Days

9 days to go.. Its hard to believe that I will be packing everything up and moving to Sweden for a year in just ten days. Its surreal. I have been getting more and more excited as the day comes closer and closer. It hasn't fully hit me yet that I will be gone for a whole year. The thought of leaving for a whole year is hard to stomach, but I know it will be amazing! I can't wait to embark on this great new adventure learning a language and adapting...

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Life in a Day

On July 24, 2010, thousands of people around the world uploaded videos of their day to YouTube to take part in LIFE IN A DAY, a historic cinematic experiment to create a documentary film about a single day on earth. Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald whittled down over 4500 hours of footage into a 90-minute film...

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Västerås, Sverige

13 days, and I can't wait to move. I am getting really excited. I realized the other day that I had not notified the blog world of where exactly I would be living. I will be living in Västerås, Sverige. Västerås is the sixth largest city in Sweden (170,000 people). It is an hour and a half west of Stockholm. I will be...

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Pins

I have been putting off getting ready for as long as possible. The pins were no exception to that. Finally, earlier this week I got into the game. I began asking people for pins. And boy was I surprised! People are sending tons, everyone that has  them is game. I have gotten nice gold lapel pins and then touristy plastic ones, but they all are special. I have started getting really creative with my requesting. One of the Rotexes, Mandee,...

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Those Permits

The residence permit. Oh, yes, I did say that word. That big scary word, believe me it has been haunting. Ever since I sent off my application to the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. it has been eagerly awaited. Thought it came once, but it was just a letter about how the process had been changed and my application...

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