I should be on trial for blog neglect.

Sorry for slacking so much these days on this blog! It's strange because as each day has gone by, I've truly felt that nothing has been happening that would be considered blog-worthy, but then all of a sudden a week practically goes by without posting and I can think of a lot I could talk about!

So here we are. It's November 2nd and the snow is BEAUTIFUL here. Lots of opportunities to be a nice neighbor and shovel. It's legitimately cold, and I am in love with the winter jacket I invested in a month ago. Sweden is definitely a winter country, no doubt about that. 

I think part of my blog neglect stemmed from a general ambivalence I was feeling last week about my time here. Yes I still feel like I learn something new every day and yes I'm having the time of my life in a foreign country, but I mean let's be serious, I've been here for two months now, times were bound to get a little slower. You adjust to your new home and so obviously no matter where you are you're bound to get bored from time to time. I wanted to convince myself that this is SWEDEN!! and STUDYING ABROAD!!! and THE TIME OF MY LIFE!!!! every single day but that just simply makes no sense! haha it's better this way: it's a more realistic way of looking at this experience. This isn't just a 4-month thrill vacation, it's a relocation and a chance to actually reside outside of my usual boundaries. Of course there will be times where life is less thrilling.

So what do we do when it gets like that? That's right, we cut off all our hair. I forgot to mention this last week, but once I returned from my trip I could not stop thinking about how badly I wanted my hair cut off. I was so sick of it. I didn't want to pay to get it cut, so for a couple days I kept on trying to convince my friends to do it, that I wouldn't be asking if I cared about them messing up, blah blah blah, but no one was brave enough. So sure enough, last Wednesday night I took matters into my own hands and started hacking away. Over the course of the next few days, Sandra and Anna evened out some parts in the back, I cut off more to give myself layers, etc., so after about a four-day hair cutting project I finally arrived at the simple 50s-looking boy haircut I currently boast. It's so awesome. I may never grow it out again. I have a feeling that the implications of this hair-cutting spree and what it truly represents about my growth as a young adult may be revealed to me in a few months' time, but at the moment I'm content with saying I was simply sick of styling it. :)

What else have I been up to? I received my first presidential election ballot to date about two weeks ago so that was exciting to send in. I love Gumpy my bike with all my heart. I just finished an 8-page paper for my master's sociology class, which concludes the course. In relation to that assignment, I have a newfound appreciation for the way classes are taught at Coe. Kevin and I ate lunch with Pam Carstens, our exchange advisor from Coe, last Thursday, and it was refreshing. He and I are also preparing for our Election Party on November 5th to show these Europeans how was party American style :) (we have now found Miller Lite AND Coors Light here!!!). I am obsessed with Scrubs at the moment. I will be going to Sicily for May Term. Oh! Duh...and November will be full of tiny little trips: 

November 7-10: Sandra, Benoit, Kevin and I will be going to Göteborg, the second largest city in Sweden

November 14-16: I want to take a little weekend trip to Gotland, the island off the east coast of Sweden, to see the gated city of Visby, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been described as "arguably the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia"...sweet!

November 19-21: I'm taking a little three-day trip to Prague in the Czech Republic...mildly worried that I haven't been able to convince anyone to join me yet, but not all that concerned if I have to go it alone in the end. 

Charlie the Eurail pass is over on November 16th, and I'm proud to say I will have used every one of the 15 train trips she offered. :)

Well I think that's all for now. I'm sad because Sunday brunch is a no-go today...the majority of our brunch bunch is still working on their papers. Just another lazy Sunday. :) 

Thinking of you all ALL the time!! Send life updates! Love you!

kt