Wow, it's hard to believe that it is the end of May arleady. Where has the time gone. I can't say that I'm too upset that time is going by quickly. I'm really anxious for my visit to Korea/Japan just over 1 month from now. So many things to do before then though. Right now I'm working on my thesis plan and figuring out what needs to be done. It's strange, I don't feel that I'm really doing so much work but everyone else (advisor included) looks at my plan so far and assumes that I've been working really hard, day in and day out. Actually, I do do work everyday but usually it's just a little reading, nothing too big.

Anyways, other than that, just playing rugby. We've got another game today and one more on Monday. It may be my last game before I leave for the summer. The weather here is getting so nice. We've been barbequiing a lot lately. We had a couple parties in my corridor this past week. Here are just some miscellaneous pictures from the city park (which I heard was beautiful but actually was kind of boring) and the parties.

I've finally figured it out. For some months now I've noticed a strange and significant change in my Swedish ability depending on who I'm talking to. Naturally, I assumed it was due to different regional dialects but couldn't quite figure it still didn't really make sense. Why could I understand some people from up north but not others? Why could I understand my rugby teammates and my classmates but not my corridormates? And finally, why did I feel more motivated to speak Swedish with some people and others not at all? Now, after months of pondering, i have solved the mystery... I simply don't respond well to being treated as if I'm mentally challenged.

I made this earth-shattering link just today as I asked my corridormates if they wanted anything from the store. One girl responded, "Yes, I'd like some chocolate ice cream. In Swedish it is choklad...Shi-yok-lad." The second girl asked for a liter of milk and some rice crackers. When I asked what kind of milk (i.e. what percent fat) she said, "M-e-l-l-o-n M-j-o-l-k...It means 'medium milk' and it's the blue box. And rice crackers, r-i-s k-a-k-o-r."

Yes, I realize that they are only trying to be helpful and have only the best intentions but when people talk to me like that, i lose all motivation to attempt speaking Swedish with them. Do they really think that I haven't learned the words for 'chocolate' or how to buy milk in the 9 months that I've been living in Sweden?! And, I must say, it is not all of my corridormates who do this, some are very good about it...but now just being here saps the will-power out of me.

I spent all day Saturday with my rugby team and I have to say, I was pleased with my level of understanding, even my eavesdropping ablilities. True, I'm not terribly happy with my speaking abilities but I understand what's going on most of the time. (I think my speaking is not as good as I'd like it to be mainly because I'm not much of a talker in English let alone in Swedish. I hate talking for talking's sake.) They were patient and they didn't talk down to me so I felt comfortable enough to make mistakes and not worry that they will be held against me. I wish I'd met them sooner though, because my Swedish has improved by leaps and bounds just since meeting them. Not only in social situations but the coaches speak Swedish and only when I don't understand do they explain it in English. I have noticed that I now rarely need them to explain unless it is super complicated and most of those times the other girls tell me they didn't understand either even though they speak Swedish.

So, the moral of the story is, if you know someone who is trying to lean your language, please don't talk down to them. Talk to them like you would anybody else. If you ARE someone who is trying to learn another language and people are treating you as if you've had one too many blows to the head, try responding in kind. I think I'm going to start speaking English in slow motion and see what comes of it. Right now I'm going to go s-t-u-d-y.

It's been a busy week. Between final exams, preparing my thesis proposal, final Japanese classes, and rugby, I have hardly had the time to sit down and check email let alone write something here. But that's good.

Nothing much to write about has happened. I helped organize a baby shower for 2 of my very pregnant classmates last week. (there are actually 3 pregnant women in my course out of maybe 20 women....strange)Anyways, it was nice. I've never actually been to a baby shower so ididn't know how it should be but everyone seemed happy with my improvisions. Here are some pictures from that.

I also had a rugby game yesterday. It was my first real game. (the others were short tounament matches. 7 players per side, 7 minute halves) this was 11 player per side, 30 minute halves. Until yesterday I thought I was in pretty good shape. Afterall, I cycle to and from Malmo (round trip 3.5 hours) twice a week. I jog about an hour a couple times per week. I play rugby. I go to classes at the gym. But after the first 15 minutes of the first half, I was sure I was going to collapse on the field. Somehow I made it through and played the full game up until the final minute when I was substituted. We played in Lund so it was really nice to have some fans. I had told several people about the game but didn't really expect anyone to come see but after the game I was shocked to find about 15 people I knew watching on the sidelines!!! We won the game 84-0. Not bad for our first full match. We've got one game per week for the next 3 weeks so I'm looking forward to it...but hopefully I can build up some endurance by then!

I had my second rugby tournament today. I'm not sure what happened to the pictures, I know i didn't take many but i am sure I took some but they're not on my camera now. In any case, it went pretty well i think. It was a men's and women's tournment in Helsingborg, about an hour's drive north of Lund/Malmo. There were 4 mens teams and just 3 womens so unfortunatly we only got to play 2 games. I played in the first game and while I can't say i did any nice tackles, I managed to get my first 'Try'. (For those of you non-rugby speaking people, a 'Try' is a goal...I don't know why they call it a 'Try' and not a 'Success') Anyways, yes, I had my first goal. It felt pretty good and apparently it is a big thing in rugby when you get your first 'Try' because I had several of the men congratulate me on it and they weren't even watching the game. Of course, I also learned a new tradition of rugby...after your first 'Try' you have to buy everyone a beer and sing a song at the next club meeting. I think they were less excited about my success than about the up-coming entertainment.

In other news, I guess there was some excitement here in my corridor last night as I slept. First a little background. One of my corridormates returned home Saturday morning to find his laptop computer stolen from his room. We all assumed that the thief or thieves had snatched it from his open window next to the desk. Since our floor is groundlevel with a walking path in front, the danger seems pretty obvious and I usually close my windows even if I go to the kitchen for any length of time. While I sympathised with the guy, i thought it was a little stupid of him to leave his window open all night long. Anyways, last night another corridormate was coming out of his room when he saw a stranger standing in the hall holding a laptop from yet another room! When the stranger saw him he dropped the computer and a chase ensued. He didn't catch the thief but the computer didn't get stolen (a little damaged though). We're not sure how he got in the hall since the door is locked and we 10 should be the only people with keys. I say he got a spare key (or a key recently 'lost') and some inside information since he happened to know exactly who's rooms would be unlocked and also, I'm guessing, that they would not be inside. Not that I think anyone in the hall is running a stolen computer business...I think it was unintentional but i have my suspicions.

Happy Spring everyone! I'm not exactly sure when it became spring according to a calander but according to Swedish tradition, as of April 30 it is officially Spring. Thousands of students croweded the City Park from 9am Friday morning until...well, I'm not sure when they went home.

Luckily I had no classes that day (I'm told teachers plan lectures around April 30) so some friends and I headed to the park around noon. It's a good thing one of them went ahead and found a spot because there was no extra space in the park by the time we arrived.

I can't say it was anything special. Just a bunch of students sitting in the park, drinking beer, some barbequing but most eating sandwiches. It was a nice day though I really enjoyed sitting in the park. Unfortunatly, I peetered out too soon and had just enough energy to make an appearance at a 7pm barbeque nearby my house.

Here are a couple pictures from the park. The first few taken indoors are from a barbeque the night before the 'park-fest'. (it was too cold to stay outside after grilling)