1. Thermometer
This is about one of the most frequent topic of conversation in Sweden. Swedes really like to talk about current or forecast weather. Simple sentence like, “Today is so sunny, isn’t it?” will be enough for you to start a conversation. Besides, you need to check thermometer to start your day. Make sure that you read the number in it before you go to the store or visit your friends, to work or whatever. This is basic survival kit you should be familiar with.
One day, I misread this tool. I was in a rush to catch a lecture in the morning. I was pretty happy to read that the temperature was minus two.”Wuaoo it’s warmer than yesterday,” I said to two of my koridor mates. They were Swedes. I remember how they stared each other after i said that sentence. I wondered what wrong was with my sentence while walking out of the building.
Several steps were enough to answer my hidden question, ”It must be below minus 18”. My nose told me. It was difficult for me to breath. I could feel the hair in my nose became sticky or icy maybe. I needed to cover my nostrils with scarf which i didn’t wear at that time. Fortunately, i wear veil. It helped me to solve this problem. At least i understood why my friends stared each other. It shocked them to hear minus 22 was warmer than minus 24 from an Asian student like me.
2. Banan, Apelsin Choklad, ICA
ICA is Sweden. We can find this supermarket easily throughout this country. From ICA in Ålidhem, i often ate banana (Banan in Swedish) for free. They provide several baskets of these fruit in the entrance. Well prepared food to provide instant energy in the easiest way that we can find.
“Nurul, i need sugar”. When they said sugar, it referred to chocolate. All i can say was i had it in my bag, always. Don’t ever think that i ate chocolate that much. I had it just in case i need to boost my sugar level. But most of the time, it seemed that i was their logistic officer who can provide them chocolate. And they will never complain because the only option that they had was apelsin (orange flavoured) chocolate.
3. UniversitetBibliotek
As a public health student, most of my friends went to medical library. But don’t expect me to be there. I rarely went to this library, not even once in my second year study. I felt more and most comfortable to be in university library, universitetbibliotek. I could be there for hours. I left this place after i heard an announcement from the officer, 15 minutes before they closed, 10 pm. I walked 20 minutes easily just to be there, to be in magazine room, silent room or research room. Browsing the internet, reading magazine, meeting with friends in a cozy cafetaria upstairs. I called this place as ’my beloved place’.
4. IKSU
I never thought before that I took a double degree master program. One was master in public health (Umea International School of Public Health_UISPH) and second was master in IKSU (MI). Hehehe IKSU is a sport centre, the biggest one in north Europe. Surprisingly, it lies in Umeå, a north and small town. I was glad to be there. I was member for two years. One or two times per week i spent my time in this place with one till two hours training each.
I continued practicing yoga routinely. I practiced several new sports e.g body balance (mixture between tai chi, pilates and yoga), pilates, beach volley ball, squash, badminton, etc.
We, me and some UISPH colleagues, played badminton each Sunday or Saturday for two hours in two courts. I had special time with Anne Neuman each Saturday 10 am in Lissabon room for body balance. I played squash for many times with her and Ailiana Santosa also.
5. IKEA
I could spend hours in IKEA without buying anything, gladly. Even though i had only three chances to be there within two years. First, i visited IKEA Stockholm and then Sundvall with Nawi Ng Family. In my last moment in Sweden, i visited IKEA Linköping. A free bus took me and my friend, Nurangez Abdulhaminova, from Ryd Centrum. I really like the concepts that they have, simple but elegant. I wish i can be there again. I brought some catalogues back home.
6. SJ
SJ, Statens Järnvägar, is a train company that is operated in Sweden. My first trip using this train was done on June 2008 from Stockholm to Linköping. It followed by several special memories also. One day i was lost in Stockholm. I should take a train to Akalla instead of Hjulsta. But i was too sleepy to recognize the difference. To make things worse, that train was the last train for that day, around 00.30 am. Fortunately, a very nice train driver took me to Rinkeby. He tried to help me to get night bus with commuter train. I was so impressed, that long and sophisticated train was moved in order to help me. And i stood next to him, in the very front space of the train.
Other story was about my ambitious trip on March 2009. I Travelled to Stockholm, Göteborg, Lund, Copenhagen, Malmo, Uppsala and back to Umeå. It costed only 600SEK in total, the same amount to get one way ticket to Stockholm, sometimes. It was done in the middle of my thesis. I got my supervisor’s permission to do this.
” My advice is to continue your trip”, He said.
In Lund, i changed my mind to skip Uppsala. I booked a ticket, direct from Lund to Umeå. But then i visited my friend in Malmo and i forgot where i was. The departure time that i kept in mind was the time from Lund (It takes 10 minutes only from Lund to Malmo). That was why i was late. It was so closed. I was there to see the train’s doors were closed. I saw the train moved slowly. “Good bye 600SEK”, I said to myself for the price of the ticket that i bought.
I continued my first plan to go to Uppsala. Unfortunately, the train was late for one and half hours to Stockholm. I couldn’t catch the last train to go to Uppsala. But SJ was so nice, they arranged a taxi for me to use. I also got a voucher 99SEK as compensation.
One other miracle was my trip to Linköping. I really wish to see my friend from Tajikistan. We tried several times to meet each other for two years. So June 2009 was my last opportunity to see her. I went to SJ Machine to book return ticket from Norrköping to Linköping. But no seat was available. But i was sure, there must be some empty seats. I asked to the officer. She suggested me to buy tickets on board. Luckily, i met no officer until i arrived. I got a ticket for free for the first time. :d
7. System Bolaget
It doesn’t mean that i am addicted to alcohol. I avoid drinking this liquid. But to be in Sweden is to know about their alcohol regulation. Monopoly system was used to sell alcohol in Sweden. You have to be older than 18 years old to buy a bottle of alcohol. This is a way to control alcohol consumption. One successful story of how public health influence to the whole community. Friday and Saturday evening are two most common days to be drunk.
I remember, i went to System Bolaget in Vasaplan, downtown, with Sasi. We wanted to buy free alcohol wine either red or white. Both of us were blind about wine. It took more than 10 minutes to choose. But one officer kept starring at us from the time we entered until we went to the cashier.
I just can smile at him. In my mind i think he asked to himself,” Am i drunk already to see two moslems wearing veil in system bolaget? Surprisingly being drunk without a single shot of alcohol?” hehehe
No comments:
Post a Comment