Barcelona!

So a group of us went to Barcelona for the weekend. Things started fairly interesting when we missed our connecting bus on the way to the airport, but we figured things out and got there in time.

Catalunya. I had no idea that it was looking for its independence.
Or that it was separate from Spain to begin with.

Spain was never a deciding country for me to go to, but it's definitely one of those places you have to experience in your lifetime. The best things in life are low budget and experiences you can remember for years to come. We only spent a few days, but the history and culture is fantastic and we did as much as we  possibly could. La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, La Rambla and flamenco dancing show (with tapas and sangria included!) Much walking was done. The city, I must say, is glorious.

Highlights video.

Knowing the historical context of the place and seeing all the kids milling around in the 'My Immortal' video from Evanescence really hits home.

Crazy catastrophes, now with more svenska!

So a Swedish family live in Perth for a year and end up contacting the university looking for Aussie students to come hang out and talk.  The fact that they're being mentioned to you right now tells you the result.

They were very friendly and open, and this kind of opportunity usually doesn't come up for an exchange student. I've loved the nightlife (and the HUGE tequila shots), but sometimes I want to see the real Sweden. And this is definitely a gateway.

Daughters Klara and Moa, aged 9 and 7, are quite entertaining and open. Their mother and father are also quite entertaining with their stories about Perth and what they like and dislike about both countries. There was a lot of English thrown around, and the girls were especially encouraged to learn. We had pulled pork and vegetables, with a lovely berry pie to follow with ice cream (and some sort of vanilla flavoured whipped cream), and then these lovely ladies were encouraged by my reactions and dressed up to perform Gangnam Style.

I'll definitely be coming back, and they definitely want me back!

Two weeks later...

The stairs at my temporary apartment. Deadly.

So I'm back in my room. Clean clothes, food and my own bed have made me appreciate things and I'm looking at things a little differently. Right now I'm thinking about homework after a quick walk around campus. It's snowing a little today, a little windy and very idyllic. A quick cup of coffee, getting toasty warm inside, and then walking back outside; the resulting sensation is almost sinful, and fairly addictive.

What with all the North Americans I've been hanging around, my reaction to snow has been labelled as 'cute'; but again it's perspectives that you have to keep in mind. Two weeks of this weather and I'm still loving life! I was always searching for such pictures to accompany this blog; now I have enough of my own to last for two years at least.

I still keep getting the typical 'why did you leave during your summer?!' question, but as I keep telling people, I'm probably the least Australian person they'll meet. I love winter and hot beverages. I recoil from hot weather, and Vegemite is terrible in my opinion.

We're thinking of a few trips here and there. We have Barcelona booked for next week, and Copenhagen is being tossed around for this week. I'm looking at the places on my bucket list and everything on my Europe list looks fair game at the moment; and even more possibilities keep popping up. Amsterdam? Vienna? Berlin? At this point I don't care where I'm going, I'm up for (nearly) anywhere. It's all so much closer than Australia, so who am I to pass things up?

There's been a lot of clubbing involved and I'm kind of glad for my time in Mildura - it developed the liking for clubbing, I think. The music seems to almost be the same, and yet it's seeping into my subconscious, associating it with good times and friends. We're mastering the basic things. Laundry. Rubbish. Transport. Groceries. Fika.

Sometimes I miss Australia... but then I remember where I am and that it won't last for long.
So make the most of it.

Swedish catastrophes.

Due to a crazy set of circumstances (which could only happen to me, it seems), I've been locked out of my room. I'm also without my camera, winter coat and mobile phone. Long story short, it involves a night out, coat check, a lost ticket and the venue not being open today to retrieve my belongings. But no stress! It'll be open tomorrow, and I'll hopefully try getting it all back then.

So I'm homeless for a day.

Bright side, I'll be able to sympathise more with those who are full time homeless. Scared, alone, and wondering where to sleep at night. I'm just incredibly lucky that I've made a circle of wonderful friends who are willing to share their rooms, their clothes, their bus money, their humour... their help.

I'm going to go see Gangster Squad tonight with a wonderful group (Swedish subtitles included!) and hopefully see how the movie theatre experience compares with my own back in Oz. It seems promising. It's great to give my liver a break tonight and take things easy. Foreign rituals these friends partake in, such as beer pong and the Superbowl, are slowly becoming normal -- and it turns out I'm a decent shot at beer pong.

I'll look back on this day and undoubtedly laugh --well I'm kind of laughing at the moment.

Well, hey there.

So I went sledding for the first time yesterday. I also tried Swedish meatballs and those were quite tasty.

New friends, new experiences, new places.

Click to enlarge.

 

 

Adjusting.

So I have been VERY busy with my new life here in Örebro. Basic human things such as groceries and socialising can be interesting when you don't speak the dominant language. However, everyone I've spoken to speaks excellent English. 

Here is a collection of videos that I've made. I may have crossed into vlogging.

Stockholm Central.

Room Tour (1 of 2)

Random Swedish Life.

Swedish Accordion Man.

Swedish Grocery Shopping, Part 1

Swedish.

So a common misconception is that Swedes are blond hair, blue eyed, tall etc. In actual reality, Australia is the best country to compare it to. People of all colours, sizes and intellect. The language is common.

Vlog!

Stockholm Central.

Watch this space....

Solo adventures...

So the thing with Jack Torrance in The Shining is that the film failed to portray him properly. The novel presented us with a character who had existing personal demons but was in control and repenting for his past actions. The hotel may have pushed him to the manic point, but the truly scary thing is that it tapped into his personal demons and fears. The film just portrayed him as menacing from the start.

...okay, I'm avoiding the subject.

My apartment is (mostly) packed at this stage, and this is the state of my suitcase.  

My paperwork and entertainment utensils are gathered.

My flight is tomorrow night.

This is my first overseas trip overseas; solo. And this is no touristy trip, either. 

I am going to live somewhere else for five months.

Wish me luck... and and I wish you luck with your own solo adventures.

...no matter what they may be.

Bon voyage...

We had goodbye drinks at Sahara Restaurant on Swanston Street Friday evening, and I was delighted and touched by the night's turnout and the diversity between them; whether they were family members or friends.

 

The venue itself was wonderful. The restaurant offered wonderful food, good drinks and a beautiful atmosphere, which faded from the lazy afternoon to the lit up splendour of the night. The staff were particularly friendly and inviting.

My purple beanie as a going away gift could not have been more perfect. My friend Gen had seen it and been reminded of me; hard to see why? I can already tell that this is going to be a favourite piece of mine that I will wear everywhere and with everything.

Feeling so much love from my loved ones before I depart in a few days... there are no words.

I'm letting go tonight...

New tumblr! Come find me. http://crazycatastrophes.tumblr.com/

So I've come to realise a few things; after people have revealed their feet of clay and have just toppled like the worthless monuments that they think to be. I'm sick of people being fed up with my actions, only for them to do actions themselves that make me fed up. I'm tired of being made to feel guilty for wanting things. I want to wake up. I want to change. I want to blossom. I want to let go. I want to be happy. I'm going to do what I want for myself, as well as others.

Seeing Wreck-It Ralph only further drove this realisation home for me. Without spoiling too much, a certain protagonist decides he's not happy with things as they are and decides to go out and make changes. Even while being repeatedly told that these changes are impossible and further attempts to persuade him otherwise only just pushes him further. He makes new friends, and there's plenty of video game references for those of you paying attention.

We're all counting the days until that plane is ready for boarding. Shopping, currency exchange and packing have been involved and it still hasn't entirely sunk in yet. I'm wondering when it will... both terrified and excited for it to hit when I get on that plane.

I hope you all are well. I'm going to miss this place that is Melbourne...

See, heaven's got a plan for you...

So I spent the past couple of days with these handsome devils. Inevitably more silly, consumption of alcohol, some TV shows, and other corruptive activities.

Much fun, especially having time off work for a bit. I hadn't realised how driven I'd been by work until my cousin pulled me aside for a chat. He ended up using my constant mantra 'work to live and not vice versa' without even knowing he was quoting it, and he told me not to lose sight of who I am.

Sometimes I wonder who the heck I am. I've done a lot of juggling; daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend, student, waitress, customer, commuter. I seem to be whatever the situation needs me to be, but there's the constant part that seems to shine. We can never truly know ourselves and others - we know what we're not when we encounter it and it makes us want to throw up and feel shame for knowing such thing. You know what I mean? When something just resists the very fibre of our being and we can definitively say, "Oh there's no way".

Of course, I'm always doubtful. It's in my nature. I don't trust compliments, so imagine my reaction if somebody were to say they had feelings for me? For a pessimist, I'm pretty optimistic.

I long for freedom. And I just very well may find it someday.

 

 

Les Misérables was quite fantastic. Of course, I went in with not much known about plot and with no prior knowledge of the novel or play, so count me happy. I wasn't comparing it to anything, I was just watching. I've always been one for watching things; even with video games I'm quite content to watch game play instead of actually playing. Anne Hathaway deserves some kind of award for her performance; watching her character fall into such a downward spiral... And also Éponine, one of the oldest examples of friend zone.

SO MANY EMOTIONS.

I hope you are well...

A new year, a new set of happenings.

So it's been an interesting few days. New Years' Eve and Day proved to be equally eventful. Eve involved working a shift before heading to a new friend's gathering to await the ball to drop. There was much fun had and, yes, an amount of alcohol was consumed. Day involved spending time with these friends and some family time. I'm living my life and appreciating. Feeling. Laughing. Living.

Elbow's album Leaders of the Free World is number three in their discography, and I'm approaching with caution. I've liked the two previous albums quite a bit and trying to keep in mind that there was, in fact, time between albums and things happen, things change. Of course the music is going to be effected as a result. Not that it's not still great, songs such as 'Mexican Standoff' still prove to be my inspiration between friends and work.

I've recently retained Doves' entire discography and intend to listen to it soon; if not, then overseas. I've only had their best of album and loved it, so I'm hoping for a few surprise tracks somewhere in there.

I've also started Mad Men, and it's a good watch. It's a fascinating one, certainly, as a Media and Communication student currently on holiday. The values, the fashion, the cinematography; it's like watching a living magazine.

I've had The Great Gatsby sitting on my nightstand for months and I've just picked it up. Hopefully I start reading, it feels like I haven't been able to keep reading consistently for months now. With the exception of one (a gag, turned surprisingly riveting!) book.

Just over two weeks until I leave the country. And still not quite comprehending.