Semlor Dag!

Last night I had my friends from my chemistry courses last semester over for Semla! Which in my mind is just a Swedish version of a cream puff (like so).


We all hung out and made them. We were supposed to make them together, but really only Kristina made them and everyone else chatted and watched hah. I'm no help in the kitchen anyways.

Here are some pictures of the process of making it all:


We did end up helping with rolling the dough into balls...really difficult stuff (also notice Swedish fish in the background). Once we made all the little bread things you had to cut it in half and then hallow out the bottom part, which you then fill with this delicious marzipan type stuff. Then you put whipped cream on top of that, put the top piece of bread back on and finish it off with a little powdered sugar.

Before the construction:

Mmmm mmm mmmm so good! But sooo much sugar. I thought I was going to be able to have two, but just felt sick after my first one.

This is my favorite picture because it gets most of the group in there:


It was a really great night! Although every once in awhile they would forget to speak English and start talking in Swedish--made me realize that I REALLY need to learn Swedish. Or at least try a little harder than I have been. I feel so lucky that I got to meet actual Swedish students. I have a lot of International friends who don't have any Swedish friends. Yay for taking real classes here :)

SHOUT OUT

Just wanna give a little shout out to MELISSA TORREY. My BFF since the big 3rd grade:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I don't know what 23 means but at 25 you'll be able to rent a car.
I hope you have a great day and you'll be hearing from me soon :D :D :D

kyckling tacos

Today in lab, my lab partner asked my teacher a question. She told him the answer and he replied "Righto!" (he's American). My lab teacher was really confused and kept asking what he was saying, "riiight toe? what do you mean" it made me laugh a lot. Right toe. Hahaha.

I have finally found a good path to class, and don't get lost every morning on my way there. It's especially hard biking over there because it is so dark in the morning and it usually snows at night. Fresh snow is very difficult to bike in.

This biochemistry course I'm taking is turning out to be harder than I though. Perhaps also just because i don't care about half the things we learn about. Lac Operon...I don't care about the Lac Operon. And when we have 4 hour lectures I seem to tune out. I just don't understand how they expect us to do all this work. We have class/lab from 8-5 everyday, and then are expected to do all the reading before class (its about 3-4 hours of reading everynight) and be prepared for lab. AND I'm on exchange. Okay I'm done complaining now.

Tonight I am having a dinner party with my corridor and the one below ours. I am cooking (yes, me!) chicken tacos. Which is actually quite expensive. $20 just on chicken! Damn expensive Sweden! Time to get ready for that--I'm definitely not going to be doing my reading tonight.

2nd Semester begins

FUN FACT: In swedish "semester" means break or holiday, so they get all confused when I talk about semesters and instead have to say "terms."

Even though my new place is significantly closer to BMC (the building I study at), I managed to double the time it took me to get there from Kantorsgatan. I thought I would just be able to figure out my way there. I was wrong. I ended up going in this huge circle which took me 40 minutes. Then I just decided to go in a direction I knew, even though there is definitely a faster way there. So all in all it took me an hour (!!) to get to class this morning. WHY AM I SO BAD WITH DIRECTIONS. Grah.

Other than that my day was pretty decent. I think I might actually be enjoying the snow. I think I'll really dislike it when its melting. But right now, its kind of fun. Everything is covered in snow...all the roads (which makes me wonder why they don't have a better plow system here...or why they don't use salt) and everything. I haven't slipped yet! Go me.

The very wrong road to class


Red Safety in all her glory and beauty


Time to memorize some Amino Acids! Yay Biochem.

PS...

Here is my new address:

Megan Hill
Sernanders väg 6-620
752 61 Uppsala
Sweden

(you even get to use the little a with the dots! Even more reason to send me stuff!)

Back to back to Uppy

I'm back in Uppsala and it's a beauuuutiful 10 degrees F today. It's supposed to get up to almost 30 degrees though! Woo hoo!

I have finally moved to Flogsta! So far I love it. I was really worried because it's a corridor with 12 rooms, and everybody shares a (really big) kitchen and living area, so some of the corridors I've seen are really messy. Buuut mine is one of the cleanest I've seen so far. I've only lived here for a day, so I've only met three people. But they are all suprisingly (and refreshingly) talkative and nice.

The first person I met is from Ireland. Is name is Demkjhearhio;ea. At least thats how I interpreted it. It does start with a "De" though. He is a masters student studing sustainable development. He says he originally came here for a girl and for school...and now its just school. He has a cute little Irish accent that is sometimes hard to understand.

The second person is Swedish. And he's nice! And the most talkative one yet! Crazy, I know. It's like my whole idea of Swedish people has been turned around. But he's from a little rural area I guess. He loves hunting. That's all he talks about. And how great the American hunting (and animal preservation) is. He said he could take me ice fishing, which I'm pretty stoked about. He's so nice! It's hard to believe. And I guess he goes home a lot on the weekends because he can't be away from his dog for too long. Awww so cute.

The third person I met is from Honduras. Which is WAY cool because we can speak spanish annnnd it's probably pretty similar to the Spanish I know well since honduras is so close to Nicaragua. When I met here she was drinking this rum called "flor de cana" which is a Nicaraguan rum and it made me all excited. Although I've never had any (no drinking in Amigos).

Now I have a whole 24 hours until my three essays from my political science class are due. Yes, I procrastinated a whole 5 weeks to do them. I know, I am just as disappointed as you (meaning I don't really care that much).

Will post pictures of my room soon!
Tack för läsning!