Hej!
Wow, its been ages since my last post! Time really has flown by! Well, since my last post I am now a year older...and of course so much wiser.....!
I had a really nice week back in the UK with my family and friends, did a lot of catching up with people and seeing people I hadn't seen for 5 months. As well as doing the family stuff on Sunday and Wednesday (and my Mum, Dad, Big sister, her husband and my nephew came to the airport to see Sarah and I off) I went out in Sheffield with Sarah's uni friends as it was one of their birthdays, went to the cinema 3 times (Angels and Demons : 3*, Star Trek : 4*, Fast and Furious : 2*) and spent Friday night with my uni friends. By the time I came back I was in need of a holiday! :)
Got some very nice birthday Pressies too...a very nice watch, an iPod, a very nice Ralph Lauren T-Shirt, some English Chocolates, an iPod docking speaker set thingy, a book on F1 circuits, money for iTunes just to name a few! Was a really really nice birthday, so thank you to everyone who contributed to making it special for me!
So coming back to Sweden last Saturday was a bit strange...that has been the longest time I have spent back in the UK since leaving, and while it was really nice, I was still kinda excited to get back to my house! And even more weirdly, I was looking forward to getting back to work...I had things I wanted to do, and catch up with, as well as having the last couple of days of my Personal Leadership training course to do. That was on the Monday and Tuesday of this week, and I really really enjoyed it! I think it has really encouraged me that I am aiming the right way in my career, and massively improved my confidence in my own abilities, as well as letting me reflect on what I can do to improve on my weaknesses.
So this last week has been spent with Sarah in Sweden, having lots of deep and meaningfuls, as well as a really nice week in the relatively warm sunshine. Sarah and I have also spent quite a lot of time with my Swedish friends (well...friends that live in Sweden, I don't think she has met my "Swedish" Swedish friends so much yet...) and that has been really nice too! Felt very couplie, and really nice to know that we can integrate into each others lives so easily :)
My friend Keri moved into a new apartment this week, and Sarah was free while I was at work so she helped Keri out...was quite scary knowing that my girlfriend was talking to one of my friends without me being there...who knows what horrible things they could have been discussing about me! But Sarah seemed quite happy with me after a day with Keri, so I guess she must have been singing my praises at least a little :)
So basically I have had a really really good 2 weeks! Amazing birthday, amazing times with Sarah, and really nice weather too!
This weekend is a long one for me too....Thursday was Assertion Day, so a "Red Day" here in Sweden, so I decided to take Friday as holiday which has given me 4 days with Sarah with nothing planned...a rarity when she comes to visit! We don't usually get the chance to spend so long together here, and I think it has been really good! We have had a few walks down by the seafront, and some days just sat in the sun, as well as some evenings in the bars and restaurants around Helsingborg. All in all, a really really nice time for us!
So what have I learned this week (or so) :
Birthdays can still be exciting and really fun, even at 28
I am getting used to Sweden being home, even if I do miss UK Home too
Helsingborg would be even lovelier if it wasn't for the wind that drops the temperature so much!
PS. Life sometimes throws curveballs at you, and how you deal with them defines you afterwards. Try and be as honest as you can with those you love, as it is easier to deal with things as they happen rather then when things are found out bit by bit. Thank you for everything that has made this birthday amazing, and for understanding and trusting me when I mess up.
Saturday 23 May 2009
Thursday 7 May 2009
...missing the sun and watching Henrik Larsson in Helsingborg
Hej!
I guess I had better apologise! I can't believe how fast this week (10 days?) has gone since my last post! It doesn't seem possible that it was so long ago!
Well where to start....? I guess the first place is the dodgy weather we are now having in Helsingborg. Most mornings I am now woken up by horrible hard rain, and dread walking to work....and so far Dennis (one of my team at work) has come to my rescue most days...thanks matey! And then this morning he couldn't take me, so I prepared myself for a very wet walk to work. But as I walked out of my flat it turned to drizzle, and got better all the way to work, so I wasn't completely drowned when I got there, just mildly moist. :)
I have also been crazy busy at work this last week or so, we have had a new server and client roll out of my product (well ok, not MY product, but still the one I am responsible for...) and it has gone quite smooth...but still we have had nearly 200% of the normal incidents to look at and investigate! On top of this, I have been doing lots of training and introductions to various things, as well as continuing my Swedish lessons (which I am proud to say I am getting much better at...even if I am still rubbish!) which means I am not spending a full week at my desk anyway. Ah well, such is work life I guess...
Last weekend was also a bank holiday (red day, national holiday etc..) as it was May day. Now I am used to the English way of doing things....whatever the holiday, its the Monday you have off. But Sweden are actually sensible about this, so we had our May Day holiday on the first of May. What a great idea! Its only when I look at it in the #we are celebrating a specific day' kind of way that I realise how stupid the English way is...there they are just having a day off, because they can!
So anyway, Thursday night (30th April) is a big thing here...something to do with the celebrating of coming of Spring or something...and traditionally they have big bonfires down by the sea...but this year the weather had been so good that they decided it was too dry to have them...so we just had an evening down by the sea anyway :)
Was really warm, and really busy down there...it was like the whole of Helsingborg had gone down to the beach that evening!
Then the weekend seemed to pass by in a blur! More time at the beach was involved, and seeing friends...but I don't really know how it went so quick!
Then all of a sudden it was back to work! SCARY!
Monday evening I went to see my first Swedish football match, Helsingborg v's Malmo. This is classed as a local derby here, so there was quite a good (if a bit scary) atmosphere, but it was mostly kept well controlled by the police. The game wasn't exactly high quality...about English football league 1 I think, but was still really nice to see live football again! The best bit (in my geeky opinion) was seeing the legend that is Mr Henrik Larsson! At his stage in his career he was still by far the best player on the pitch, and is quite clearly the talisman of the Helsingborg team. Just to see the way he predicted the game, and the runs he made and the space he constantly found was worth the entrance fee alone :) Yes...I was a happy boy! Oh, and also he scored the only goal...so now I can say I have seen Larsson score a goal live and in person!
This week has also been the Champions League Semi Finals (ah hem....3 English teams...) so I have watched them too. Both were actually really good games, and very entertaining throughout, not to mention some amazing goals! It is a shame that it won't be two English teams in the final, but I still think Manchester United will beat Barca...they just seem unstoppable at the moment!
I am now on the count down to my birthday too...that’s right, 13th May, well remembered! I have actually decided to spend it in the UK with Sarah and my family, so I fly back home (UK home) tomorrow, and will spend a full week there :)
Really looking forward to it...not just the time off work, but getting to spend so long with Sarah and seeing my family properly. Also quite excited about my presents this year...I don't think I have looked forward to a birthday for a long time!
And then after my Birthday when I come home, Sarah is coming back with me for 2 weeks as part of my present! So we get 3 weeks together... Really really looking forward to it! Not all that sure what we have planned for the 3 weeks, but its going to be fun..I know it! Sarah and I have still been talking most (I think every...) day, and it is really good to come home and be able to talk through the daily things and just relax with someone you really care about. Its not quite as good as being together, but it is a pretty good substitute while we can't be together.
I also had a review at work this week, and got a very pleasant surprise! I thought I had been doing pretty well in my new job, and was quite pleased...but it turns out that my boss(es) are REALLY pleased with the work I have been doing, and see massive potential in me! It is really really nice to be given that confidence boost, especially when I know I still have so much more to give!
Oh, while I remember...Helsingborg has now turned on most of its fountains again, and also overnight turned green! As you (I) walk around now all of the trees are green, flowers are coming out all over the place and it just looks lovely! The fountain thing is quite strange though...they turned them on just in time for it to start raining...great planning..!
So what have I learned this week...
The Swedish 'cleaning' team are amazing...the morning after the big Thursday night everything was spotless again!
Birthdays can still be exciting at 28
No matter how much you know, you can always learn more
PS. Some times even the best of things can feel very hard and like they are a lot of work, but it is worth remembering the good parts in order to work through the tougher times. If you really want something, it is worth going through some hardship to get the result you want. Don't give up because of potential problems, find a way to make sure those problems don't affect it in too big a way.
I guess I had better apologise! I can't believe how fast this week (10 days?) has gone since my last post! It doesn't seem possible that it was so long ago!
Well where to start....? I guess the first place is the dodgy weather we are now having in Helsingborg. Most mornings I am now woken up by horrible hard rain, and dread walking to work....and so far Dennis (one of my team at work) has come to my rescue most days...thanks matey! And then this morning he couldn't take me, so I prepared myself for a very wet walk to work. But as I walked out of my flat it turned to drizzle, and got better all the way to work, so I wasn't completely drowned when I got there, just mildly moist. :)
I have also been crazy busy at work this last week or so, we have had a new server and client roll out of my product (well ok, not MY product, but still the one I am responsible for...) and it has gone quite smooth...but still we have had nearly 200% of the normal incidents to look at and investigate! On top of this, I have been doing lots of training and introductions to various things, as well as continuing my Swedish lessons (which I am proud to say I am getting much better at...even if I am still rubbish!) which means I am not spending a full week at my desk anyway. Ah well, such is work life I guess...
Last weekend was also a bank holiday (red day, national holiday etc..) as it was May day. Now I am used to the English way of doing things....whatever the holiday, its the Monday you have off. But Sweden are actually sensible about this, so we had our May Day holiday on the first of May. What a great idea! Its only when I look at it in the #we are celebrating a specific day' kind of way that I realise how stupid the English way is...there they are just having a day off, because they can!
So anyway, Thursday night (30th April) is a big thing here...something to do with the celebrating of coming of Spring or something...and traditionally they have big bonfires down by the sea...but this year the weather had been so good that they decided it was too dry to have them...so we just had an evening down by the sea anyway :)
Was really warm, and really busy down there...it was like the whole of Helsingborg had gone down to the beach that evening!
Then the weekend seemed to pass by in a blur! More time at the beach was involved, and seeing friends...but I don't really know how it went so quick!
Then all of a sudden it was back to work! SCARY!
Monday evening I went to see my first Swedish football match, Helsingborg v's Malmo. This is classed as a local derby here, so there was quite a good (if a bit scary) atmosphere, but it was mostly kept well controlled by the police. The game wasn't exactly high quality...about English football league 1 I think, but was still really nice to see live football again! The best bit (in my geeky opinion) was seeing the legend that is Mr Henrik Larsson! At his stage in his career he was still by far the best player on the pitch, and is quite clearly the talisman of the Helsingborg team. Just to see the way he predicted the game, and the runs he made and the space he constantly found was worth the entrance fee alone :) Yes...I was a happy boy! Oh, and also he scored the only goal...so now I can say I have seen Larsson score a goal live and in person!
This week has also been the Champions League Semi Finals (ah hem....3 English teams...) so I have watched them too. Both were actually really good games, and very entertaining throughout, not to mention some amazing goals! It is a shame that it won't be two English teams in the final, but I still think Manchester United will beat Barca...they just seem unstoppable at the moment!
I am now on the count down to my birthday too...that’s right, 13th May, well remembered! I have actually decided to spend it in the UK with Sarah and my family, so I fly back home (UK home) tomorrow, and will spend a full week there :)
Really looking forward to it...not just the time off work, but getting to spend so long with Sarah and seeing my family properly. Also quite excited about my presents this year...I don't think I have looked forward to a birthday for a long time!
And then after my Birthday when I come home, Sarah is coming back with me for 2 weeks as part of my present! So we get 3 weeks together... Really really looking forward to it! Not all that sure what we have planned for the 3 weeks, but its going to be fun..I know it! Sarah and I have still been talking most (I think every...) day, and it is really good to come home and be able to talk through the daily things and just relax with someone you really care about. Its not quite as good as being together, but it is a pretty good substitute while we can't be together.
I also had a review at work this week, and got a very pleasant surprise! I thought I had been doing pretty well in my new job, and was quite pleased...but it turns out that my boss(es) are REALLY pleased with the work I have been doing, and see massive potential in me! It is really really nice to be given that confidence boost, especially when I know I still have so much more to give!
Oh, while I remember...Helsingborg has now turned on most of its fountains again, and also overnight turned green! As you (I) walk around now all of the trees are green, flowers are coming out all over the place and it just looks lovely! The fountain thing is quite strange though...they turned them on just in time for it to start raining...great planning..!
So what have I learned this week...
The Swedish 'cleaning' team are amazing...the morning after the big Thursday night everything was spotless again!
Birthdays can still be exciting at 28
No matter how much you know, you can always learn more
PS. Some times even the best of things can feel very hard and like they are a lot of work, but it is worth remembering the good parts in order to work through the tougher times. If you really want something, it is worth going through some hardship to get the result you want. Don't give up because of potential problems, find a way to make sure those problems don't affect it in too big a way.
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