And so it goes

The high holy days were here and now they are gone. Being with my family and going to temple during this time of the year was a given. But this year I seemed to miss it completely. Not only did i not go to temple, I didnt celebrate in any way. Me not celebrating a holiday that I always look forward to is more of a shock to me than being away from my family. I really didn't expect to be affected this much by not going. It just seems to be another thing that has passed me by in my month here. The days go by so fast I can hardly keep up. It feels like I was just with my grandparents laughing and talking, but that was already 3 days ago. I'm not sure thats such a bad thing though, I mean if its moving fast it means you are having a good time...right?

1 month in

I can believe it has already been a month. In some ways I feel like I have only been here for a short time, and in other ways I feel like it has already been half a year. From what I can gauge so far I am going to love it here. I love Sweden and it just feels so normal and right. When I am surrounded by the culture and language I feel like I am filling up a part of me that was never really full before. Its like I am connecting to another part of myself. The only thing that is really bothering me is the lack of things to do here. Tomelilla is a tiny little town with nothing to do, and though some larger cities are within 30 mins to an 1 hr by train its not really feasable to go out during the week. I suppose as time goes by I will figure something out.

Language

To sit here and listen is like watching a t.v. where the sound is fluttering in and out like a bug stuck indoors.
You follow the story, but you miss the details that make it meaningful.
Is it my circuitry that is wrong, or must I just be patient and wait for the signal to steady.
Life without speech, or at least meaningful conversation, wouldn't be a life at all.
To sit and listen is not what I do well.
Am i just fooling myself into believing I'm not good enough, perhaps I must wipe the dust off my mental Rosetta Stone and let the translation begin.
It has to be in there somewhere.
I just need to excavate and restore it.
My mind and my possibilities are like an ancient civilization waiting to be discovered and restored.

Am I Proud?

I am proud to be an American, but I am disappointed as well.
I am proud of the fact that you can go to a good school, but not that you have to be rich to do it.
I am proud that we gave rights and laws to protect us, but not that big companies can pretend they don't exist, and get away with it.
I am proud of our scientific leaps, but not of how we use and abuse them.
I am proud of the American dream, but not that money can buy you one.
I am proud of our ability to excel, but not that we would kill 1000's to save a buck.
It is in these greedy companies and crony favoritists that I lose my faith and pride.
How can we preach and condem others, while underneath our glorious facade lays deciet, fraud and corruption.
We say Americans are hard workers and its true, but its all about money, taking advantage of people, and finding a quick fix.
We have lost the American spirit of working for what you have, and gained the idea that if I can make more money and do less work I am working hard for what i get.
Goodbye to the Joads, and hello to American Family Inc.
Its Monsanto's world now.

8/27 and 8/29

8/27/09
WE HAVE LIFT OFF! We just took part in our program’s first official trip. We weren’t in some far away land surrounded by jungle, or dangerous animals, or an unstudied group of people, but on a trip through the forests of Sweden. This was a treat for me, for even though I have seen most of the south of Sweden; I never really went exploring or camping. Something that gives one a completely different feel for the area. The entire international program went on this 2-day excursion. The prospect was met with varied moans, complaints, and from some squeals of excitement, myself included. The proposed plan was a 7 or 8-kilometer hike to our overnight, and then the next day a 14 or 15 kilometer hike to the ocean. In real Swedish fashion, the only thing people were chatting about now was whether or not the sun would be out and we could lie on the beach. As soon as the sun is out Swedes flock to the beach like something else flocking to somewhere else.

8/29/09
I don know what to write, what to write, something. I need to write something. What use is a blog if you don’t write anything? Anything at all. Golden wheat, purple mountains, all that jazz. I’m at a loss for words, and whether that is because of my surroundings or if I truly have nothing to say I don’t know. Considering I have been in Sweden for almost a month now, and at school for just about 3 weeks, I have nothing considerably interesting to write. The school is a tiny little place, with good food, and a lot of fun people. The town in a tiny little place, with good food, and a lot of fun people. And I suppose can be said for Sweden as a whole. Perhaps part of the reason I don’t have anything to write is because I have to concentrate so hard to bridge the language gap that I am losing my memory and appreciation of events. Because plenty of things have happened. I’ve gotten locked out of my room and had to initiate a secret agent type entry by going in through the window. I have gone of on the town/village with friends from school. I’ve spent real quality time with my grandparents, something I’ve never really been able to do. All this and no commentary or description.

Links to Photos

I uploaded my photos to facebook, check em out

Venice: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140871&id=614390759&op=6
Florence: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144696&id=614390759
Rome: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144697&id=614390759
Paris: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144698&id=614390759
Bruges: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144699&id=614390759
Amsterdam: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144702&id=614390759
Berlin: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144703&id=614390759