The Swedish life... Cultural

27/02/2012

As time has gone on I have been able to delve a little deeper into the way of life here in Sweden by the help of my buddy Andy Bång and my friend family.

My friend family took me to a glass blowing factory about 20Km outside of Växjӧ. I will lay down a bit of history for this area as it had one of the largest glass blowing industries.

In the mid-18th century, with forestry in decline, this south-eastern district of Sweden needed to find a new industry to support its people. The glass works industry was born in Kosta, using firewood from the immense surrounding forests and water from the lakes. As the glass industry boomed and its wares distributed all over the world, the district soon came to be known as the Kingdom of Crystal. Sadly there are 3 factories in this area now as not many people can afford blown glass.

I visited one of the last remaining factories called Bergdala; its famous at it is the only glass factory in Sweden that still a wooden floor in the work shop.  It was awesome to see, how they came from just the sand to amazing pieces of art. The skill that it took to makes these grand pieces of art was so impressive. The men working in the factory (all 6 of them) made it look so easy.  My friend family knew the owner of the factory so was given a private tour of the different areas. It was great to see the different stages and the patience’s needed for it, I feel they could teach teachers a thing or two about that.

Amazingly I was given the chance to blow some glass and made myself a glass made of blue glass cover in clear glass. I got to try the different techniques but it is very difficult but I loved the challenge of it and I also love working with my hands so I think I would have taken to it quickly if given another chance.  It’s ugly as sin but because I made it, it’s special. I choose the blue glass as it is special for this factory, they don’t tell anyone the recipe of how to make the cobalt blue glass.

My Swedish has come on, let’s say a bit. I find it unbelievably difficult to grasp just the sounds they make are very difficult for me to make. But my buddy has been great at helping me learn some more and helping me with my oral for the exam. I have never liked learning languages and it’s not because of being ignorant thinking everyone should learn English. Having hearing problems, speech therapy and dyslexia have made learning any language hard, even my own….ha-ha. But I still feel it is incredibly important for us to at least try and give it ago, if you get it wrong big deal. I know from my own experiences that if you at least try and talk the native tongue people will appreciate the effort and also it’s how you learn best.

Sorry there are no pictures this time either, I lost my phone and have no camera so have to wait to steal some friend’s pictures.

Tak så myket for reading.  (more pics will be up soon)

Until next time Hej då 

It's been a month... Personal

19/02/2012

I feel that I have fully found my feet now I’ve been here for a month. It hasn’t been the easiest time but it has been a great time, a time of learning about what I can deal with and that’s important to have in your life every now and again. I have found it quite difficult to get on with some of the Sweds as they just aren’t as open as us Northern Irish but I shouldn’t expect that.

I went to an ice hockey game this week and that was truly brill. If we think the Belfast Giants are good then these guys would make them look like children. It was an amazing experience, I went with a group of friends and our tickets were for the standing area. This was a great choice at it seemed to be where the hard core fans where, with the chants and drums so really got us into the atmosphere and game. The Växjӧ Lakers won in extra time in a penalty shootout, which was really cool to see.

I went to my friend family’s house for dinner this week, I had to travel by bus to Braås and they picked me up from there as the live on a farm a bit further out from town. That was just great and felt so nice to be in a home environment again with a home cooked meal and fire in the living room. They were so welcoming and friendly so it made chat easy. We talked about over family and what things we liked to do. As I said previously I share my friend family with a guy called Ravi from India, so was great to actually have a proper conversation with him and to find out what life is like in India. He is here for three years; I don’t if I could be away from my family and girlfriend that long.

So me and Niall have decided to either do a 10km run or half marathon in May so I will start doing my ankle stretches again to make sure it’s strong enough for it (Broke and tore ligaments during Belfast marathon training last year). Also I may need to get a move on with losing that Christmas weight that’s been there for the last couple of years. Hopefully it will help me get ready for the summer months.

I also have decided to go on a trip in the middle of March to Poland with one of the lecturers. We go to Krakow and have a tour around the old town but the bit I am most interested in seeing is Auschwitz. I don’t think it will be a nice trip but just to see the history of it and to be there will be so interesting.

Tak så myket for reading.  (more pics will be up soon)

Until next time Hej då 

Brrr its cold in here….Professional

10/02/2012

Niall's 30th

So it’s been yet another great week here in Växjӧ....but the cold has come, it’s dropped to -20 so my face goes numb after a couple of seconds. Then again as they say in Sweden ‘there is no such thing as bad weather just stupid clothes’ and I have found this to be true. 

Strannies at welcome dinner

          The Strannies had to do a presentation on our country in front of the class. It was great fun to show what Ireland has to give. I really enjoyed listening to the other presentations as well, just to hear things and see things that I don’t usually get to.

One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Sweden was for their standard in education and their abstract ways of teaching. This pretty true to what I’ve seen/heard so far. I was reading an article (http://www.businessinsider.com/a-group-of-schools-in-sweden-is-abandoning-classrooms-entirely-2012-1) about some schools in Stockholm getting rid of the classroom and using more open spaces to work in to help with children creativity. The students also don’t always work with the same age they work with their level. I feel this is maybe not the best way as it could bring a lot of focus to older children that are struggling with certain subjects and they could get bullied or picked on for this.  It’s really interesting to see that Sweden isn’t afraid to take a chance or a risk at trying something knew with education, I feel that they take the risk because at the end of the day they can always revert back to the older style if it doesn’t work but we can progress if we don’t take risks. That is how I kind of feel about going away also, I have nothing to lose in this experience but everything to gain.

We went to visit a high school today one that is more focused on vocational subjects rather than the normal main stream subjects. People in Sweden don’t have to pay for school or many of the things around it like transport to school, books, lunch etc. This may sound like the perfect system but I feel that is loses on a lot as well especially when I focus on the primary sector. I remember when I was in primary school I loved going on schools trips to the zoo, W5 or places like that and the children would pay a small sum of money to go. In Sweden like I said everything is paid for so if they want to go on a school trip the school pays. Sounds pretty good but it’s not as the school gets very little funding for these type of trips so the children rarely go on any. The school also cannot ask the child to pay anything or they would lose other funding. I feel if I was a parent I would not mind paying for my child to have a fun and educational visit to somewhere.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg to things I have seen and heard this week but I will leave that for another day.

Tak så myket for reading.

Until next time Hej då

Finding my feet.... Cultural

05/02/2012

I cannot believe how quick the time is going already, but as that saying goes ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ and this week truly has been great.

Well it was birthday at the start of the week and I turned 24. That was a brilliant night, I invited over some of the friends I have made over here so far for dinner. So Mary and I cooked for 17 people. It was a bit crazy at times but the food was great if I do say so myself. We made spaghetti bolognaise and chicken tikka masala. It was just lovely to all sit together and chat and get to learn and hear about other people’s lives and culture, what they are finding difficult and new that I may see as fairly normal. But it was a great place to turn 24 and I will always remember it.

My 24th

Old church in Vaxjo

I also got to meet my friend family this week. The friend family group is organised by a lady within the university, it’s organised to help students meet real Swedish people and really get to see what Swedish life is like. This is one of the main reasons I done it as I felt I could get to see things that maybe tourists may not. Also its helps I have more people to practice my Swedish on because at the minute I am shocking so hopefully the more I practice the better I’ll get. Well that’s the plan anyway. My family seemed really nice; they are an older retired couple who live on a farm 35 kilometres outside Växjӧ. Furthermore I get to share this experience with another exchange student; he is called Ravie and is from India. I just think it’s amazing that in a few short weeks I have met so many people from all over the world.

Me on the frozen lake.

Like I said this has been a really great but busy week. I got to meet up with my buddy for the first time. His name is Andreas Bång and he is from a town not too far from Gothenburg and studies international marketing. We met up for fika (coffee and chat) and that was great and not at all awkward we talked none stop so decided to grab some food with one of his mates and his buddy. The food was awesome and at a great price as well which is always a bonus. I think we are meeting up sometime again this week before he goes on a weeklong trip so looking forward to that.

Hopefully visiting a high school this week but I shall tell you all about that experience next time.

Tak så myket for reading.

Until next time Hej då