I’ve arrived safely in Sweden and am getting settled in.
The people at work are all very friendly and helpful. This week I’ll be spending some time with my supervisor and industry sponsor to get a better idea of my research topic. But it is the start of the summer holidays, so it is quiet in the office and will only be getting quieter. After summer I will be start my teaching load assisting with a subject called Practical Project Management.
I’ve found an apartment and can move in on 1 July. It’s a furnished studio apartment on an island called Saltö in the Karlskrona archipelago. It’s a pretty 10-15 minute walk into the centre of Karlskrona. In the mean time I’ve got a couple of weeks in a youth hostel followed by a couple of weeks in an apartment leased out for the summer while the owner is away.
I’ve decided that the guy leasing out his apartment is a geek. Not just because his name is Linus, but the minimalistic approach he took in furnishing his apartment – bed, desk, chair and high speed internet connection. Purely functional.
The last of my luggage has just arrived in Sweden. So this weekend I will have an adventure on the right side of the road to pick it up from Malmö airport. On the bus I’ve been sitting behind the bus driver practicing which way to look (especially at round-abouts), which lane to choose (especially when turning left and right), which hand to use to indicate and which hand to use to wash the windscreen. I feel a bit like Maggie in the opening sequence of The Simpsons. Once I pick up my luggage I will have my computer, so will put up some of my photos and just generally expand and personalise this site.
But I will have to start learning to drive (again). Sweden will only transfer licences from other EU countries, Switzerland and Japan. If anyone can tell me why Japan features in this list I would be very interested to know! That said I will have to learn in a manual, and I think I have to do a hazards course including snow and black ice. I’m told that over 95% of cars here are manual, and had only one option at each of the car rental places when trying to rent an automatic car. I am allowed to use a school car to pick up my luggage, but yes, they are all manual.
I will also continue learning Swedish from next session. I’m surprised at how much I remember, but it’s really only good enough to get me through simple things and talk to patient old ladies who have lots of time to listen through my stumblings.
There is a surprisingly large amount of diving in the area. I’m told there is no marine life, but there are hundreds of sunken boats from rotting timber hulls of Viking ships to WWII relics and specially sunk military vessels for divers. Definitely something to look into over the summer when the water is at its warmest!
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Archived comments
Posted by Dante 2007-06-10 18:31
Glad to hear that you arrived at your destination safely! Hoping to hear a lot about your day to activities. Good luck and have lots of fun! I’ll be missing you heaps =D But I know your doing well.
Posted by Laz 2007-06-07 01:53
Seems like you’re settling in quite well over there. You’re not missing on much here in Sydney as it’s cold and wet here today!
The reason why Japan is on the list, despite Japan and Sweden driving on opposite sides of the road, is because the Japanese Government actually went and negotiated a reciprocal agreement. I had a quick look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website and it appears Japan has signed reciprocal agreements with the following countries…
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Look forward to seeing photos… will be interested to compare Karlskrona to Stockholm or Göteborg (the bits I’ve been to). =)
