I wrote this and I was going to post it when I wrote it but then I didn't. So here it is.
I just got my hair cut, haven’t done that since March or so.
I have been at my internship all day and all day yesterday, and am going to again all day tomorrow. Today, my bus didn’t show up in the morning. That happens about once or twice a week. The following one was packed full, and I was late. But as said, it happens so often that nobody cares if you are late. Nobody in the whole city. It’s built dysfunctional, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
After getting my haircut, I sat in the light of the setting sun for a while, down by the water on the north side of downtown, overlooking the north shore and the sea planes coming and going. It was nice, almost serene, quiet and pretty. Then I walked to my bus, and encountered the crazies and the smellies, the beggars and the homeless, and I was reminded of what makes this city so unbearable. There is so little caring, so much wrong but nothing is done about it. For a second in the sun I almost thought I would miss what other people consider make this place the best place on earth, but I won’t. This place is a soap bubble. Pretty and colourful to the spectator from afar, but with no substance, ready to burst the second someone tries to see what’s inside.
I started working three days a week at my internship because they will pay me for any hours I take beyond the sixteen they want me to volunteer (or intern, as they like to call it here). So for the final four weeks including today, I will get 80 dollars per week. Total = 320 dollars. Funny things is it almost pays for my plane ticket to my new home.
As you all probably know, I managed to get a hold of an apartment in Malmö. I will move in on October 12th. That is less than a month away. I can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve been here so long now, it feels like all there is. But I know people aren’t this empty, crazy and rude everywhere.
So there it is. I wrote that on the 15th of this month. Then I had a brief spur of happiness, which lasted one day, then I once again descended into this perpetual bad mood and annoyance over the illogicalness of this city. I walk around ready to be angry with people. And that is not how I want to live.
I am leaving in thirteen days. It is so weird. I won't miss Vancouver, not at all. But I will miss my friends. And until Chris arrives in Malmö, I will miss him. But at the same time, even on the plane I am going to be so happy to be returning to a place where people care about their surroundings and their fellow human.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
The heatwave continues
I am back, and I brought pictures! It is currently around 30 degrees outside. With the humidity it feels more like 35. Take a look at this week:
Nice, eh? They've even gone back on their word about the rain this weekend. Instead, they are promising more sunshine and unbearable heat. I suppose some people would consider it a fantastic summer, but I must say it gets a little hard to take, especially since the buses do not have airconditioning (they are diesel and the engine heats up the back of the bus even more).
I must concede the weather lead to some fantastic displays of thunder and rain a couple of nights ago - take a look at this photo which I managed to take just before the sun went down. I was a little too late for great photos, so this is what I got..
The sky was amazing that night. Not only was it orange, but we also got thunder and lightning, and fireworks, which seemed a little lame after the sky had lit up in this manner. Photos follow.
I had my interview for a possible internship position today, so I will let you know how that progresses later in the week... Now, for some photos from Grouse Mountain! Chris and I did the Grouse Grind yesterday (Sunday) in about 28 degree weather. For those of you who don't know, it's a hike up Grouse Mountain. Here are some stats:
Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles)
Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
- Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
- Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
- Total Stairs: 2,830
I don't know if I've ever been as sweaty in my life as I was when done with the hike. It took us an hour and a half to get up there. But it was worth it. The skyride up onto the mountain is 40 dollars, walking is free. And once on the top, we were rewarded with an amazing view, really bad and overpriced food, and a bird show. Here we go:
Nice, eh? They've even gone back on their word about the rain this weekend. Instead, they are promising more sunshine and unbearable heat. I suppose some people would consider it a fantastic summer, but I must say it gets a little hard to take, especially since the buses do not have airconditioning (they are diesel and the engine heats up the back of the bus even more).
I must concede the weather lead to some fantastic displays of thunder and rain a couple of nights ago - take a look at this photo which I managed to take just before the sun went down. I was a little too late for great photos, so this is what I got..
The sky was amazing that night. Not only was it orange, but we also got thunder and lightning, and fireworks, which seemed a little lame after the sky had lit up in this manner. Photos follow.
I had my interview for a possible internship position today, so I will let you know how that progresses later in the week... Now, for some photos from Grouse Mountain! Chris and I did the Grouse Grind yesterday (Sunday) in about 28 degree weather. For those of you who don't know, it's a hike up Grouse Mountain. Here are some stats:
Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles)
Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
- Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
- Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
- Total Stairs: 2,830
I don't know if I've ever been as sweaty in my life as I was when done with the hike. It took us an hour and a half to get up there. But it was worth it. The skyride up onto the mountain is 40 dollars, walking is free. And once on the top, we were rewarded with an amazing view, really bad and overpriced food, and a bird show. Here we go:
Friday, July 17, 2009
Burning in hell
Vancouver just took one more step towards becoming hell: it's scorching hot out! Right now, according to the weather network, it's 30 degrees. I need a cold drink or a swim in the ocean, but since I burned myself and can't be in the sun, it'll have to be the former. The wine's chilling in the freezer.
Even though it's Friday, I have to be at school tomorrow from 2-6. We have a Saturday class this term! We are also supposed to find internships but seeing how late BCIT was with informing us what and how we can do (and when), not many of us have any place to work. I have no idea whether or not I will be able to find an internship to fill my Mondays and Tuesdays off. I hope I can though, as it will make time go faster, and if time goes faster, I will leave here faster. Although since time is an illusion, maybe I should just leave right now.
Even though it's Friday, I have to be at school tomorrow from 2-6. We have a Saturday class this term! We are also supposed to find internships but seeing how late BCIT was with informing us what and how we can do (and when), not many of us have any place to work. I have no idea whether or not I will be able to find an internship to fill my Mondays and Tuesdays off. I hope I can though, as it will make time go faster, and if time goes faster, I will leave here faster. Although since time is an illusion, maybe I should just leave right now.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Back to school
So my school started again after a week and a half long break. It felt a little strange to be back in the classroom, but I've gotten so used to it that it also felt completely normal to sit and be bored. We had class at nine am, with our worst teacher, so I wasn't looking forward to it at all, but getting out of bed ended up being less painful than expected.
But speaking of painful, I just burned my shoulders. Like, really burned them. They are pretty darn red. I smothered them in aloe vera just a minute ago, and expect to be keeping that up for the rest of the evening. Vancouver currently sports an 8 on the UV scale - and had I been aware of this, I would surely not have gone out without sunscreen. EIGHT! I'm used to six!
I just saw that I haven't really written since March. Well, to be honest, nothing has happened since then. We're still living on Main, we're still very bored, I still hate BCIT, etc, etc. One thing that's changed is the weather, I guess. It's really hot and sunny and the UV is on EIGHT! Run! Put on some more sunscreen! Oh and Chris' birthday was last week, and we went for dinner and then saw Bruno, to which I'd won some tickets.
Oh we went out to the island over the weekend. To Nanaimo and Parksville. That was nice, and very very warm. People are so much nicer on the island than in Vancouver, there's definitely a small-town feel over the whole place, not the competitive asshole-ness that you see here... And less people trying to run you over.
I feel like I'm rambling a bit here. Guess it's because of the long break from writing. Oh and my head is starting to feel kinda strange now... I hope I didn't burn it as well.
Two and a half months left until my school is over! OVER AND DONE! I won't miss it, but I'll miss my friends. It is looking like I will be heading to Malmö at the end of October, but I will keep you posted on how that works out.
I have to go put on some more aloe vera now.
But speaking of painful, I just burned my shoulders. Like, really burned them. They are pretty darn red. I smothered them in aloe vera just a minute ago, and expect to be keeping that up for the rest of the evening. Vancouver currently sports an 8 on the UV scale - and had I been aware of this, I would surely not have gone out without sunscreen. EIGHT! I'm used to six!
I just saw that I haven't really written since March. Well, to be honest, nothing has happened since then. We're still living on Main, we're still very bored, I still hate BCIT, etc, etc. One thing that's changed is the weather, I guess. It's really hot and sunny and the UV is on EIGHT! Run! Put on some more sunscreen! Oh and Chris' birthday was last week, and we went for dinner and then saw Bruno, to which I'd won some tickets.
Oh we went out to the island over the weekend. To Nanaimo and Parksville. That was nice, and very very warm. People are so much nicer on the island than in Vancouver, there's definitely a small-town feel over the whole place, not the competitive asshole-ness that you see here... And less people trying to run you over.
I feel like I'm rambling a bit here. Guess it's because of the long break from writing. Oh and my head is starting to feel kinda strange now... I hope I didn't burn it as well.
Two and a half months left until my school is over! OVER AND DONE! I won't miss it, but I'll miss my friends. It is looking like I will be heading to Malmö at the end of October, but I will keep you posted on how that works out.
I have to go put on some more aloe vera now.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Money!
I got great news today! I don't know if I mentioned it, but I applied for a bursary a month and a half ago, and today I got a letter stating I was awarded 1645 dollars! WoooOOoooo! That's a sixth of my total tuition. I want it all back, but that's another story.
I am almost done with this term, but there are still two or so more weeks to go. I need to do a press kit for a band, a flash website, an audio mix, and some other websites that suck too much to even mention.
Right now I'm just being lame and staring at the tv even though there is nothing on. Chris is meeting up with a friend together with whom he is writing a tv pilot. Oh, he got a job over the summer by the way - 9-5, weekends off, time to relax for a change!
We are heading down to Seattle for easter, on the train south and the bus north. My cousin is being awesome and letting us stay at her apartment, so that saves us a whole lot of money. So I can spend my bursary money on shopping instead, muahahahaaa... I do need a new computer, but maybe I'll hold out - it's not like this is spending money.
Oh and I finally started with some work at my part-time job - basically some copy editing so far, I'll know more tomorrow after another meeting with another person at the department (it's somewhat confusing dealing with three people at the same time) and I might end up either helping them put together an e-zine or writing about my own experiences at BCIT (which I don't think they would ask me to do had they a clue about my true feelings for the place).
One of my instructors rebuked me on Wednesday for leaving early on Tuesday. He said that that sort of behaviour wouldn't work in a workplace. I told him I wouldn't leave at my workplace, they would pay me to be there. Here, I am paying to be present, thus, I have the right to leave. Well. I didn't say that last part, cause I didn't see any point in pissing him off. But the whole mentality at that school is so high school - we're not treated like we have any rights or personalities, but like slow, silly beings who need to be told what to do. I know there are some people who like that sort of environment (or wouldn't make it anywhere else), but if I am bored, and I am paying for it, I need to have the right to leave. I really don't appreciate some of my teachers.
Sorry, I didn't have too much to say today. Still excited about the money though. I will end this message with some pictures of some ugly ugly houses in my neighbourhood. Sorry the pics are huge but I don't have any energy to make them smaller, I already made them all 72dpi. These are by far not the worst ones though. They are just ugly. This is the style of building they seem to like down here in the southern ghettos. Man there are some crappy houses in this city, many that seem ready to collapse any second. I might get to those later, in the meantime, enjoy the ugliness of the "Best Place on Earth".
I am almost done with this term, but there are still two or so more weeks to go. I need to do a press kit for a band, a flash website, an audio mix, and some other websites that suck too much to even mention.
Right now I'm just being lame and staring at the tv even though there is nothing on. Chris is meeting up with a friend together with whom he is writing a tv pilot. Oh, he got a job over the summer by the way - 9-5, weekends off, time to relax for a change!
We are heading down to Seattle for easter, on the train south and the bus north. My cousin is being awesome and letting us stay at her apartment, so that saves us a whole lot of money. So I can spend my bursary money on shopping instead, muahahahaaa... I do need a new computer, but maybe I'll hold out - it's not like this is spending money.
Oh and I finally started with some work at my part-time job - basically some copy editing so far, I'll know more tomorrow after another meeting with another person at the department (it's somewhat confusing dealing with three people at the same time) and I might end up either helping them put together an e-zine or writing about my own experiences at BCIT (which I don't think they would ask me to do had they a clue about my true feelings for the place).
One of my instructors rebuked me on Wednesday for leaving early on Tuesday. He said that that sort of behaviour wouldn't work in a workplace. I told him I wouldn't leave at my workplace, they would pay me to be there. Here, I am paying to be present, thus, I have the right to leave. Well. I didn't say that last part, cause I didn't see any point in pissing him off. But the whole mentality at that school is so high school - we're not treated like we have any rights or personalities, but like slow, silly beings who need to be told what to do. I know there are some people who like that sort of environment (or wouldn't make it anywhere else), but if I am bored, and I am paying for it, I need to have the right to leave. I really don't appreciate some of my teachers.
Sorry, I didn't have too much to say today. Still excited about the money though. I will end this message with some pictures of some ugly ugly houses in my neighbourhood. Sorry the pics are huge but I don't have any energy to make them smaller, I already made them all 72dpi. These are by far not the worst ones though. They are just ugly. This is the style of building they seem to like down here in the southern ghettos. Man there are some crappy houses in this city, many that seem ready to collapse any second. I might get to those later, in the meantime, enjoy the ugliness of the "Best Place on Earth".
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Just waiting..
Thanks for the comments!
I received feedback about my writing language from a few different sources. The opinions very diverse. As diverse as they can be, when you only have two options, that is. I think I'll write in whatever language I feel most comfortable with on the particular day I do choose to write.
I'm trying to re-install Acrobat on my computer and figured I might as well give you an update on my life while the program is "Checking System Profile". This week I've had a few morning classes off, and while I should have been diligent and gone to school to work on stuff, I've been sleeping in and feeling weird instead. Like today.
My installation is taking forever.... Perhaps I should click cancel.
Yeah so for next week I have a video and an audio mix due, and I think a midterm too. But the midterms are always easy enough. It's just the editing that takes a long time. I've already spent about four hours mixing the track I'm doing, and I'm maybe a third done. I think it'll be faster to finish it though, once I've got all the samples and loops... Yuk. Oh and I just realised it's my birthday tomorrow. I'm having a bit of a party on Saturday, but it really sucks that you can't be too loud down here, cause of the upstairs people hearing everything through their floor (our ceiling!). So we'll see how much fun it will be... Anyone have anyy good tips for party games?
That's it- I'm pulling the plug on the Acrobat installation. I've already sat here an extra half hour because of it, and I can't take it anymore.
I'll try to put up some pictures next time I write!
I received feedback about my writing language from a few different sources. The opinions very diverse. As diverse as they can be, when you only have two options, that is. I think I'll write in whatever language I feel most comfortable with on the particular day I do choose to write.
I'm trying to re-install Acrobat on my computer and figured I might as well give you an update on my life while the program is "Checking System Profile". This week I've had a few morning classes off, and while I should have been diligent and gone to school to work on stuff, I've been sleeping in and feeling weird instead. Like today.
My installation is taking forever.... Perhaps I should click cancel.
Yeah so for next week I have a video and an audio mix due, and I think a midterm too. But the midterms are always easy enough. It's just the editing that takes a long time. I've already spent about four hours mixing the track I'm doing, and I'm maybe a third done. I think it'll be faster to finish it though, once I've got all the samples and loops... Yuk. Oh and I just realised it's my birthday tomorrow. I'm having a bit of a party on Saturday, but it really sucks that you can't be too loud down here, cause of the upstairs people hearing everything through their floor (our ceiling!). So we'll see how much fun it will be... Anyone have anyy good tips for party games?
That's it- I'm pulling the plug on the Acrobat installation. I've already sat here an extra half hour because of it, and I can't take it anymore.
I'll try to put up some pictures next time I write!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Flooding
I am back after a two month break! Praise your god of choice if you so desire.
I wonder if I'd be more inclined to write here more often if I got more comments? Probably not, but it couldn't hurt.
Where should I start? Well, I am back to writing in English because I received feeback from one of my trusted readers, which stated that the blog was more enjoyable in the language of the natives here. Well. Who knows what the language of the natives here is. Anyway.
Right now, we have three dehumidifiers going in our laundry room/hallway. This due to an unfortunate event taking place on Saturday night, that is, yesterday. Chris and I spent most of the day in West Vancouver, looking at trees and sights and views and stuff. We were actually looking for a specific park, but ended up walking for such a long time before even reaching it, that we turned back and came home without seeing it. Well, when I came home, I proceeded to walk towards the laundry room, and as my foot hit the carpet outside the room, I had to let out a slight shout of surprise, as it felt as though my foot had descended onto a large bog. Our carpet was soaked.
Turned out the water heater tank in the laundry room had given up on life, and started a slow expulsion of its contents onto our floor. As such, we had to eat our sushi and drink our wine with a plumber in the adjacent room, and there was no hot water in the house until the following morning (today) around noon. It felt like being back on Lövlandet, boiling water and not being able to shower.
In other news, I visited the dentist a few days ago, and it seems that either Canadians cannot take care of their teeth, or dentists here go a long way to flatter their patients in order for them to want to book another appointment, because I was overwhelmed by comments of how wonderful my teeth were. "Her teeth are amazingly nice", was one of them. My dentist smelled of onions and argued with other patients in front of me. And neither the dentist nor the dental assistant were able to locate a single of my fillings. I was in an open room, with no closed doors, and it just felt so much less professional than Finland and dad's office. Yet another example of how sloppily things are done here.
(Continued on Monday)
And so we come to school news. I still don't like my school. I feel like I'm in kindergarten. Right now we're watching some loud making-of-something-video that I have no idea what it is or why it is. We have tons of homework this term, but little time to do it because of all the other homework we have to do. Right now I should have two posters, two illustrator-documents, one javascript file, one flash website, one dreamweaver website, and one audio file done for this week alone. Jesus christ webdesigner help me.
Oh and I got a job. Good timing eh? I haven't a clue so far what it is that I will actually be doing, but my title is "research assistant". I will be helping out at a department here at BCIT for a maximum of 8 hours a week. It shouldn't be too bad, especially since my dreamweaver and javascript courses are both ending this week.
Betcha I could write a whole lot more on here since I've been away for so long, but I'll just conclude with saying that "ridiculous" has become one of my most used words lately. It refers to most everything going on in Vancouver. For example, Chris and I went out to an observatory on Friday night, because the sky was clear, and the observatory is supposed to be open every Friday and Saturday night when it is clear. Well, it wasn't. There was no info as to why, and nobody answered the phone number you are supposed to call to check if it's open, and we left and went for sushi instead. Ridiculous.
I wonder if I'd be more inclined to write here more often if I got more comments? Probably not, but it couldn't hurt.
Where should I start? Well, I am back to writing in English because I received feeback from one of my trusted readers, which stated that the blog was more enjoyable in the language of the natives here. Well. Who knows what the language of the natives here is. Anyway.
Right now, we have three dehumidifiers going in our laundry room/hallway. This due to an unfortunate event taking place on Saturday night, that is, yesterday. Chris and I spent most of the day in West Vancouver, looking at trees and sights and views and stuff. We were actually looking for a specific park, but ended up walking for such a long time before even reaching it, that we turned back and came home without seeing it. Well, when I came home, I proceeded to walk towards the laundry room, and as my foot hit the carpet outside the room, I had to let out a slight shout of surprise, as it felt as though my foot had descended onto a large bog. Our carpet was soaked.
Turned out the water heater tank in the laundry room had given up on life, and started a slow expulsion of its contents onto our floor. As such, we had to eat our sushi and drink our wine with a plumber in the adjacent room, and there was no hot water in the house until the following morning (today) around noon. It felt like being back on Lövlandet, boiling water and not being able to shower.
In other news, I visited the dentist a few days ago, and it seems that either Canadians cannot take care of their teeth, or dentists here go a long way to flatter their patients in order for them to want to book another appointment, because I was overwhelmed by comments of how wonderful my teeth were. "Her teeth are amazingly nice", was one of them. My dentist smelled of onions and argued with other patients in front of me. And neither the dentist nor the dental assistant were able to locate a single of my fillings. I was in an open room, with no closed doors, and it just felt so much less professional than Finland and dad's office. Yet another example of how sloppily things are done here.
(Continued on Monday)
And so we come to school news. I still don't like my school. I feel like I'm in kindergarten. Right now we're watching some loud making-of-something-video that I have no idea what it is or why it is. We have tons of homework this term, but little time to do it because of all the other homework we have to do. Right now I should have two posters, two illustrator-documents, one javascript file, one flash website, one dreamweaver website, and one audio file done for this week alone. Jesus christ webdesigner help me.
Oh and I got a job. Good timing eh? I haven't a clue so far what it is that I will actually be doing, but my title is "research assistant". I will be helping out at a department here at BCIT for a maximum of 8 hours a week. It shouldn't be too bad, especially since my dreamweaver and javascript courses are both ending this week.
Betcha I could write a whole lot more on here since I've been away for so long, but I'll just conclude with saying that "ridiculous" has become one of my most used words lately. It refers to most everything going on in Vancouver. For example, Chris and I went out to an observatory on Friday night, because the sky was clear, and the observatory is supposed to be open every Friday and Saturday night when it is clear. Well, it wasn't. There was no info as to why, and nobody answered the phone number you are supposed to call to check if it's open, and we left and went for sushi instead. Ridiculous.
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