Hey everybody!

This is my first post in my first blog, wow how exciting!

I decided to write in English for a practical and and a useful reason: the practical thing is of course that I don't have to translate everything for example to Russian for my friends there (Greetings!). The useful thing is that I just want to practice my English - so sorry for maybe some horrible mistakes. All smart asses are very welcome to correct me in the comments or somewhere :)

The first days here or "the universe hates me!"

It's just unbelievable what happened to me all the time during the first two weeks. A short flashback:

12-08: Tomorrow is the big day, but I still haven't found a place to live in Linköping. Accommodation should be provided by the university or an institution called "studentbostader" (bostader = houses). But there were not enough rooms..."Don't panic", I said to myself - it can't be so difficult to find a place. 13-08, 1 pm: packing for my 6 month trip (everything at the last moment - typically Paul) 14-08, 7 pm: I discover that I have exactly one kilogram of excess baggage, so I open my bag and put the first thing I see in my hand luggage. Check-in: As there is a stop in Berlin, the friendly woman at the counter tells me that my baggage will be directly transported to Stockholm. 8 pm: Completely shocked I watch the airport security people trashing my shampoos, creams, gels, my perfumes(!) and so on... The thing I have put in my hand luggage is unfortunately my washbag. Ever heard of the the new regulation not to take liquids on board? I had but had just completely forgotten it in the morning. "Usually we have these plastic bags here" the security people say, "but today there are no more and we see that you don't have enought time to buy any...". Discussing didn't help so I proceeded to the gate. The gate was still closed. I had to wait 20 minutes more to go to the airplane. That's exactly the time needed to go back home, get some plastic bags there and return, as my parents live close to the airport. But hey, forget it! Stay optimistic! ;) An annoying woman sits on my seat; Stop in Berlin, buy alcohol, flight to Stockholm: a grumpy man sits on my seat; arriving in Stockholm, get the luggage, wait and wait and wait; 40 minutes later there is nobody and no more bags! The local personnel (my first contact with a real Swedish here) told me that they had no idea, where my luggage could be and that I should give them my address so they could send it to me when (if) they found it. It was quite an effort to tell him that I had no address... My train to Linköping was going in 20 minutes so I gave him my number and left: A wonderful blond young mother sits in my place. This time I can take another seat :) In the train I have my first Swesh lesson: "Hey!" is hello, "Tack" is thanks and "Hej då" (say hej doh) is bye.

After arriving in Linköping I suddenly heard my name. My student colleague Elmar has come to pick me up at the station (Resecentrum) - very nice surprise! Luckily I could stay for some days in his "corridor", e. g. a big flat with (mostly) 8 rooms and shared kitchen/living room.

On the next day I got my starting-kit from the international student coordinator, including a practical guide, a study guide and 4 coupons for McDonald's (indespensable for the first days!) and started to look for accommodation. Some students initiated a special agency and an office with a few computers and a database with private accommodation offers. On the door there was a big poster: "Don't panic!". After a few days spent there searching for a room I was still unlucky. And it seemed to getting more and more difficult as more and more new students arrived. I really had a great time in that corridor but I could not stay there forever so I went to a very self-explanatory place called "emergency accommodation". Sleeping on a little air matress on the floor was not that comfortable but OK but I really enjoyed the bath there! Yes! No furniture, no beds there but a big bathtub! Wonderful! By the way big respect to the French guys there, who spent almost 2 weeks sleeping on the bare floor! As I am not so tough (or self-destructive ;) I stayed a few more days at Elmar's place (THX!) and as my last resort started to write dramatic and desparate mails to all student coordinators and all people in charge. Two days later I had a room in a "corridor" in an area called Flamman (more to come) - I hate it but sometimes complaining really helps...