Wandering around the city.
It's so strange for me seeing most trees without leaves. My privacy from the trees screening my window no longer exists.
Last weekend was Halloween. Friday night headed out to a friends-friends huge fancy seaside house. Cool party in a decorated basement. So many people turned up in the end the party was cancelled.Worked out well because a friend and I took advantage of the clear still night and went exploring. The backyards of the rich seaside houses where lots of fun, where there were beautiful jetties, benches and walkways.
Seeing the clear sky it made me want to know about the stars here in the Northern hemisphere. I'm going to join the Chalmers Aerospace Club, even though I wont be around for much longer.
On a less nerdy note, I observed something very wrong on my way back from the seaside.
Pick the goon bag...
Yup folks, that 'handbag' is actually a cask of wine.
Saturday there was a wicked pre-party where my friend had decorated her kitchen Dexter style and had an amazing costume to match, very creepy!
Preparty.
Then to the big university party in the student union building. Earlier in the week I had waited for 40mins in a 200m queue just to get a ticket! Sold out in a couple of hours. Well worth it though! really cool music, magicians and vibe. Everyone gets a little crazy in costumes. We got there early so had a chat to a few of the djs and were surprised that they were not getting paid a cent!
Halloween at the student union builidng. The usual 6 dancefloors & 'photo committee'.
START BORING
Two subjects finished, and two just started. Totally different class dynamics in all of my four subjects, here is a summary:
Project management: great teacher, participatory style and seminars, organised, software engineering students (mainly Swedish male) engaged, analytical and social, weird huh!
Wastewater engineering: informative, problems with marking assignments and scope definition since every group given different problem to solve, seems unclear (or seems limited) about what previous studies have been taught, maybe I'm being harsh since this is where I have most practical experience at work, many international students and 50/50 girl/guy ratio.
Geotechnical project: most people are falling asleep or leave, many teachers, some with the ability too make an interesting topic boring, students mostly male and Swedish, students seem low energy and boring...
Environmental System Analysis tools: new teachers with lots of knowledge, environmental students with strong values, energy and assumptions that they express a lot. Many international students and 50/50 girl/guy ratio.
END BORING (just kidding)
It's kind of cool that 3 of my 4 subjects have field excursions. The latest one was to the waste treatment plant, which incinerates general waste, and uses heat exchangers to supply the city with hot water. What may be of surprise to some people is that the plant was located near lots of residential properties. This reduces the transportation energy cost to the plant, but requires strict odour control. The manager who took us around was a stirrer to say the least, one example was when he was talking about how people are selfish and don't sort their waste, suggesting "we all have a mini Hitler inside of ourselves". Hmm...
Only 4 operators are needed in waste management the plant. Prerequisite, to win a prize in the grab games.
The incinerator.
Here is a cool practical task that some of the students participated in.
Student made bridges across the fountain.
There were not many clubs at the student union day, but there was a pyrotechnics club and a hot air baloon club.
Photo of the Chalmers hot air balloon passing over my accommodation during a BBQ.
At the beginning of our stay we were given a sheet full of coupons to experience the city. One of these was to visit the Maratime museum with a tour guide. The guide was great, explaining a lot about Sweden's history aswell. The extent of the migration out of Sweden particularly to the US is incredible.
Nemo on tour in Sweden. Maritiman.
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