Monday, November 22, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Autumn ends, Winter Begins...
Hej! (hello)
Wow, it's been a while since I updated. I guess it means I've been busy or I'm not a very good blog writer. Of course, now after almost two months, I have plenty of things to write about. My updates are in sections, so feel free to read about whatever topic interests you (if any at all).
Research:
Research has been going in some weird phases (sometimes really busy and sometimes not). I hit a roadblock a few weeks ago, and basically came to the conclusion that the project I planned might not work out too well.. I really wonder what I'm going to do in terms of research here, but hopefully, on Monday I'll have some more answers. Why? Monday is my half-time examination! That's three days from now! Just to give you an idea, the half-time is somewhat like a mini-thesis defense, where I have to present my research to three scientists in the field, and they get to evaluate my work. Of course, this will also include a wonderful 3 hour "discussion", which is just a euphemism for a session where they get to ask me difficult science questions, but also hopefully give feedback on the future of my research.
Dance:
Lindy Hop classes have been spectacular! The instructors are good, and while I can't understand more than 30% of what they say (classes in Swedish), I've definitely been learning the dance. The other night, I went to a social dance and danced with some really amazing leads. At one point, a lead threw me in the air for a jump-like move and it was the coolest move EVER (before I knew what was happening, I was airborne for 2 seconds). That night, I decided that I knew when I was dancing with a good lead if he/she could: 1) make me do dance moves I have never learned before, 2) make me look good while doing it, and 3) do them unexpectedly. Several people in that night kept saying that the jump/throw move was really cool. :) haha.
Choir:
Our October concert was a great success. I've put a few pictures of our 1930's outfits from the concert below. But since that concert, choir has been really intense, but fun (mostly). We have to learn 29 Swedish/Latin Christmas songs for some performances in December, and I need to know about 20 of them by heart. By next Tuesday the 23rd. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen (I have about 6)... haha. Singing in Swedish is not easy people. Not easy. Anyway, I look forward to our numerous holiday concerts. On Nov 28, we will sing in an open air market wearing 18th century clothes. I promise to take pictures. On Dec 12, we will have our Lucia concert (if you don't know what Lucia is, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy's_Day). And I have been bestowed the honor of being Lucia--yes, I get to wear a crown with live candles on my head. Woo?
Musings on the Swedish language:
I have been learning more Swedish and I know I am improving (slowly, but steadily). I had a five, that's right, five minute conversation entirely in Swedish with my roommate the other day. It was painfully slow, but that's how it goes. What makes me laugh is that I often end up inserting French words without knowing it until I see my roommate's confused look. haha. The grammar is fairly easy, but the hardest things about Swedish have to be the pronounciation and word order (switching nouns/verbs around when making simple statements). So many vowel and consonant sounds you've might not have made or heard before: å, ö, ä, skj, stj, sk, lj. What's strange is that the å sounds like "o" in English, while the ö sounds like "oe" in French, and the "ä".. well no equivalent. And the Swedish "o", is sometimes like an "oo", but other times like an "o". The skj, stj, sk all sound similar, but I just can't make that sound. It's aspirated, with an "r" sound. Needless to say, it's hard.
Weather:
The darkness is super weird. It comes around 3:45 pm now, with the sun setting around 3:15 pm. What is really bizarre is how the human body can feel so tired by 6 pm just because of the dark! I could go into all the scientific reasons for why this is cool, but I won't.
Wow, it's been a while since I updated. I guess it means I've been busy or I'm not a very good blog writer. Of course, now after almost two months, I have plenty of things to write about. My updates are in sections, so feel free to read about whatever topic interests you (if any at all).
Research:
Research has been going in some weird phases (sometimes really busy and sometimes not). I hit a roadblock a few weeks ago, and basically came to the conclusion that the project I planned might not work out too well.. I really wonder what I'm going to do in terms of research here, but hopefully, on Monday I'll have some more answers. Why? Monday is my half-time examination! That's three days from now! Just to give you an idea, the half-time is somewhat like a mini-thesis defense, where I have to present my research to three scientists in the field, and they get to evaluate my work. Of course, this will also include a wonderful 3 hour "discussion", which is just a euphemism for a session where they get to ask me difficult science questions, but also hopefully give feedback on the future of my research.
Dance:
Lindy Hop classes have been spectacular! The instructors are good, and while I can't understand more than 30% of what they say (classes in Swedish), I've definitely been learning the dance. The other night, I went to a social dance and danced with some really amazing leads. At one point, a lead threw me in the air for a jump-like move and it was the coolest move EVER (before I knew what was happening, I was airborne for 2 seconds). That night, I decided that I knew when I was dancing with a good lead if he/she could: 1) make me do dance moves I have never learned before, 2) make me look good while doing it, and 3) do them unexpectedly. Several people in that night kept saying that the jump/throw move was really cool. :) haha.
Choir:
Our October concert was a great success. I've put a few pictures of our 1930's outfits from the concert below. But since that concert, choir has been really intense, but fun (mostly). We have to learn 29 Swedish/Latin Christmas songs for some performances in December, and I need to know about 20 of them by heart. By next Tuesday the 23rd. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen (I have about 6)... haha. Singing in Swedish is not easy people. Not easy. Anyway, I look forward to our numerous holiday concerts. On Nov 28, we will sing in an open air market wearing 18th century clothes. I promise to take pictures. On Dec 12, we will have our Lucia concert (if you don't know what Lucia is, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy's_Day). And I have been bestowed the honor of being Lucia--yes, I get to wear a crown with live candles on my head. Woo?
 |
| 1930's-inspired outfit from our Jazz concert. Yes, I have a feather attached to my head. It felt like a bird was nesting in my hair. |
 |
| The theater in which we performed. The girl in the center has a large feather hat. |
Musings on the Swedish language:
I have been learning more Swedish and I know I am improving (slowly, but steadily). I had a five, that's right, five minute conversation entirely in Swedish with my roommate the other day. It was painfully slow, but that's how it goes. What makes me laugh is that I often end up inserting French words without knowing it until I see my roommate's confused look. haha. The grammar is fairly easy, but the hardest things about Swedish have to be the pronounciation and word order (switching nouns/verbs around when making simple statements). So many vowel and consonant sounds you've might not have made or heard before: å, ö, ä, skj, stj, sk, lj. What's strange is that the å sounds like "o" in English, while the ö sounds like "oe" in French, and the "ä".. well no equivalent. And the Swedish "o", is sometimes like an "oo", but other times like an "o". The skj, stj, sk all sound similar, but I just can't make that sound. It's aspirated, with an "r" sound. Needless to say, it's hard.
Weather:
The darkness is super weird. It comes around 3:45 pm now, with the sun setting around 3:15 pm. What is really bizarre is how the human body can feel so tired by 6 pm just because of the dark! I could go into all the scientific reasons for why this is cool, but I won't.
 |
| First snow fall in Stockholm. A bit pathetic, but still. It's snow! |
This weekend, I'm going to see the Harry Potter film!!! And next week, I plan to throw a Thanksgiving dinner... :) More pictures and posts to come in the next blog entry (whenever that is going to be)...
Så till nästa gång, hej då! (So until next time, bye)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)