Exams & Chocolate Addiction

Seasonal closedown of the amusement park, outside of my accommodation window.

So I just had my 'exam week'. A quiz and take home exam for Project Management (PM) and a larger test for Wastewater engineering. It will be a miracle if I pass the PM test, which is old school style 'memorise the textbook', even though the textbook is not facts but opinions. The take home exam was nice, but I don't see why they call it an exam, because it's basically just an assignment...Wastewater I finished in 2hrs of the 4hrs alloted. Hopefully they don't mind dotpoints...lol.

I'm still addicted to chocolate from my Swiss adventures. I should write to Switzerland asking for compensation for my rehabilitation.

Feeling the usual twang of post-exam-depressiveness. Usually cured with a victory Cigar with the Eng' boys, some greasy food and girls nights...this time excacerbated with salty Swedish chocolate and after a nice night out; having my personal space violated yet again with a random drunk girl sitting on me (this time at the bus stop). Anyway...

Looking forward to my 2 new subjects that start tommorow; Environmental systems analysis and Infrastructural geotechnics. :). Also looking forward to having my visas sorted out for the transiberian railway journey I am planning, :).

Oohhh, almost forgot, I had two Aussie friends (doing exchange in Oslo and a Swedish town) here last weekend, :). It was so nice to catch up. Finally got to spend my 'birthday dinner' money. Got a seafood platter from the 'fish church' where I got to try some real crayfish and lobster. I can understand why people love lobster, such dense flesh. Also included crab, pickled herrings, oysters and prawns. Not a fried item to be seen.

Seafood Platter at the Fish Church

Went on a boat tour of the River port . Similar to Newy in that it is quite industrial, but here the city is more disconnected to the industrial part. They have two floating docks, and ship about 60Mtpa of goods, (note Newy ships around 120Mtpa of coal).

Shipping Yards, Göteborg

Lipstick building and tall ship.

Looking towards the city. Big wheel and Opera House in the shape of a ship.

Went to a couple of museums.

Art Museum- Konstmuseet

Naturally Preserved Skeleton. Natural History Museum- Naturhistorica Museet.

Also a small town called Alingsås puts on an beautiful light exhibition.

The start point. The church.

After all this site seeing it was time for some 'local food'.

Kebab meat pizza.

Observations of an Outsider

Observations (mainly extracted from notes I put on my phone when catching the bus)

# public transport is used by a cross section of society. Hence you see a lot more about how people live their lives than you would in Australia where buses are restricted to students, the poor, elderly and people stripped of their license due to drink driving.

# even though the time the Swedes spend outdoor is restricted due to weather, they still make lots of provisions for nice outdoor spaces and parklands. The city is well integrated with the environment, and the movement of people seems well planned.

# spitting on street is common

# some people feel that Sweden is a safe place, but in a short space of time there has been many examples of petty, mid-level and serious crime.

# street shopping as opposed to shopping centres is more common, with the biggest mall in Scandanavia (located in Göteborg), being smaller than the three biggest shopping Centres back in Newy.
# living in an apartment is strange as there are no bugs. The only living creatures I have seen is a rabbit in a nature reserve and a tiny spider. NO MOSQUITOS...Even they are smart enough to stay away from the cold.

# everyone here seems to be so tolerant of temperature changes. I am constantly taking layers on and off, as I can't wear a winter jacket on a heated bus, whereas everyone else seems to handle it....

Activities/Events

# International Dinner- was the conclusion of the month of events held by the awe-worthy volunteer International Reception Committee. Only a small portion of the international cohort attended (the rest took a free ferry ride to Denmark). 50people all brought a tradditional dish from there own country. Being Aussie, there wasn't much to chose from, and was too lazy to make lamingtons and pavlova. So I brought vegemite+cheese scrolls, fairy bread and a pear, feta and pine nut sallad (explaining that sallad and steak is basically a staple). I really enjoyed everyone elses food!

# The local climbing wall is pretty big, but also VERY popular, that usually there are more people than ropes available. Managed to get a cheap year pass for about $180AUD. But as a warning, climbing gear (and pretty much everything except cheap fruit and veg.) is the same price as in Aus.

# Every Friday many pubs put on event called 'Afterwork'. You buy an alchoholic drink similar to Australian prices $4-7 ~ €2.50-4.50, and with that you get a plate for all you can eat buffet, for example nachos and salad.

Traditional Afterwork- after climbing...

# BEST project management weekend. Took ferry to island and stayed in a scout camp...

Ferry to Island.

Walking from the event.

# Girls night we made Kanelbullar, which is basically everywhere! Was very good fun to hang out. Learn how to make it... http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.recepten.se%2Frecept%2Fkanelbullar.html&act=url