Finally here!!!

Well....after attempting to figure out this website as it is now all in SWEDISH, I can at least remember exactly where to click to get to a new post! Maybe I'll have it all memorized at some point here.... Whew!!

What a long couple of days! I don't even know where Tuesday went as I passed out at the wonderful City Hotel that my mom set up for me at 7pm. Since I arrived late on Tuesday (at least late enough for the housing office to close before I arrived) I needed to find other accommodations for the night. Took at taxi from the airport to the City Hotel, where I was greeted very nicely! Thankfully the City Hotel is close enough to the housing office at Utlandagaten ( ;-) ) for a 20 minute walk. My mom, who already made friends with the hotel office, mainly Ann, were extremely helpful in assisting me with where I needed to go! Thankfully, the hotel kept my bags locked away in a closet until I returned.

After Ann called the housing office to see if they were open, we realized that they opened at 12pm instead of 9am, like we thought. So, I still took the hike at 10am to find it and then hung out for the 2 hours around the area. Actually, it was more like I got terribly lost in the neighborhood because I thought Ganglaten (my residence) was supposed to be in that area. I figured my way out eventually looking like the stupid tourist walking around with the map. At least I did not have all my bags with me!

Got into the office and got all 7 of my keys and hiked it back to the hotel. After letting Ann in on the news that my apartment was quite a ways from campus, she said that there might be a possibility that she and her husband could drive me to the place. Until then, I wandered down to the Chalmers University campus. I was looking to see if there were any student rate passes for the tram or bus like the U Pass at the U. With no luck, I went back to the hotel. I must say, though, that the campus is amazing! This whole city is amazing! So fun, people are so nice and most all speak English! Very simple for any American who would travel here!

Got to my apartment around 5pm. Was not what I expected it to be at all! Absolutely terrific! All items in the rooms are from IKEA! None of my roommates have arrived, yet, but I hope they come soon so I will have someone to go out shopping with! We have our own kitchen with a stove top and oven, 1 bathroom w/ a shower downstairs along with one bedroom, then upstairs there are 3 bedrooms and another bathroom w/ a shower. Aside from being so far from campus, this place is so cool!

Just went out to check out the area and found this huge shopping center called Frölunda Torg. Groceries, H&M, and many other neat stores, including a cell phone place, which I'll have to check out tomorrow! Bought some necessities for now, along with dinner from the 7 Eleven.

The apartment complex that I am in along with the whole area has many families of different ethnicity's, which I find fascinating because they all speak Swedish! There are always children playing in the many parks and I'm sure I'll have fun playing with them eventually!

Well, all for now, gotta eat my food! No herring for me yet, but I'm sure I'll come around!

Laura

PS. There are pics coming!