File Under: Notes

I regret many packing decisions. This is largely the effect of not differentiating between the wonderful web advice about packing lightly and the reality of moving to a new location for six months. I approached the task with an eye to eliminating weight, bulk, and keeping warm.

Turns out, at least so far, I should have dumped all but one or two of the sweaters and packed t-shirts, skirts, and shorts. In addition, though admirable, packing a suit was a bad decision (I knew there would be several formal events and wanted one solution for all of them - a sweater and pants would actually get worn, unlike the suit).

Good decisions - shoes. I don't regret any of em, not even the big huge honkin' boots (though were I forced to jettson something: them or the heels). I thought I was crazy for packing 5 pairs of shoes. I now wish I'd brought tennis shoes too (a sudden and bewildering desire for a jog, I'm not sure where it came from).

I packed with an eye to style and public comfort (and succeeded, though I wish more T-shirts and more skirts). I regret not bringing a big ugly shapeless skirt for wearing around the bedroom and equally ugly cotton shorts for sleeping in when traveling.

Good tech decisions? Computer, firstly, was a necessary investment. Also, I get more use out of my travel mouse than I ever suspected (I thought I'd get used to the track pad... I still hate it after a month of intermittent use). The mouse came as part of a 'travel accessories' pack for $15 from buy.com before the holidays (I was most interested in the USB hub at the time, though I've also used the reeled RJ45 cable, I've not used the phone line). Wise investment, and came with a handy packing case to boot.

Less-wise tech decision? Travel wireless router. I'd use it (particularly because it'd let me move my desk across the room) but I'd have to buy another power adapter for it... and it never occurred to me to buy a second one before leaving.

Baseless angst? Medicines, both traveling with them, and overestimation of my need for a variety of OTC meds (that I knew I wouldn't be able to obtain here). However, I suspect that the first time I get sick I'll stop thinking this was wasted money and effort.

Wishes - that I'd known the very real need for duty free alcohol and took full advantage of the 5L (or 2L, or whatever) that I was allowed to bring into the country. Still kicking myself over that one.

Impossible wishes - that I'd brought a supply of gum, a wok, my stash of spices, and beer-brewing supplies with me.

Things I need to buy here that I suspect will cause me considerable angst: bras, underwear, and large-sized clothing.

Unanticipated costs: shipping! I expected to be mostly self-sufficient once I got over here - able to purchase whatever I needed in town. This hasn't been the case, both due to cost of items here, and being unable to find larger-sized clothes. I predict a request for a box of clothes from home soon. (Shorts, T-shirts, skirts, running shoes, and new bras). In addition, I'm feeling an intense desire for a sewing machine to make more skirts - they're by far the most used item in my wardrobe other than shoes. I am hoping to find either a super-cheep super-tiny/light model at home or the ability to borrow one while I'm over here.

Pix over at my Flickr acct of the rural/suburban area I'm coming from. Some trains I'm particularly fond of:

Currently, I'm drinking my last Michigan beer: Bells Cherry Stout (it's stupendously good) and packing.

Awake, worried.

Mostly about money but also mundane stuff like fitting in, getting around, adjusting, and a lot of anxiety about social foot-in-mouth as a result of being a Dumb American. Great fear, that one, that of being a dumb American and also knowing that I'm being relied upon to represent our country (the people of which I don't actually believe are all as sucky as the politicians, corporations, and marketing departments have lead me to believe).

There's a social event in roughly a month I think where I'm expected to present... a song and dance and speech sort of affair. I don't have anything to wear and am petrified about presenting. What to say? What to wear (and should I go shopping now, where it'll be cheaper, but require fitting into the limited space of my luggage)?

So how could I possibly represent 'us'? (America, the United States, the slavering consumerist masses that constitute the non-Canadian part of North America). What right do I, social and political malcontent, have to represent the whole country at some university event (Yes, it's a big deal, they specifically emailed me and said to pack something formal and start planning now)?

“We aren't as dumb as we look. Really.”

Despite our skyrocketing health care costs, and astounding costs of prescription drugs, we've allowed our drug companies to market to uninformed consumers. Consumers now self-diagnose invented illnesses and ask their not-very-trusted doctors for the solution to their life's problems by name (after watching a 60 second TV commercial consisting mostly of a soothing jingle and pandering to our need to believe in a magic bullet cure for our lifestyle-induced chronic illnesses).

Our political system is a sham. Politicians compete for votes by competing with commercial donors for campaign contributions so they can buy more TV 'spots' in influential districts. By some accounts the present leader of our country wasn't even elected, instead seizing power through a shady voting scam involving his governor cousin. Half the countries' voters are holding their breath until the new presidential elections and hoping the political system holds out long enough to keep Bush from nuking anyone or declaring martial law.

Despite record unemployment (and underemployment, and 'restructuring'), we've eliminated almost all of our social welfare programs, along with our subsidies for college education, unemployment insurance, and most terrifying; the accelerated financial atrophy of the educational system. We're instead funding the slaughter of increasingly unprepared and unqualified solders fighting a 'war' that is both unethical and unwinable.

I'm so exhausted just thinking about those items that I can't even talk about the damage we willfully inflict on the environment (not even in the name of progress, this is political head-burying long after the dragon's turned around to claim it's tail).

Really, I want to say our people are better than that. We're better than the astronomical personal debt, lack of investments in our future, our environment, and our own health, not to mention any sort of securing of those resources for our kid's futures. But I'm not quite sure how.

We have to be better than that.

Camera, check!
Memory card, check!

Computer... maybe.

Downloading Swedish mp3s and reading Google news in the hopes of sounding less like a dumb American than I might otherwise. Setting up webcams, email accounts and Skype accounts. Also beginning the process of time change adjustment.

More worried than excited. Money is the prime culprit and my realization that I haven't yet ordered a laptop and unless I'm planning on buying one off-the-shelf, I'm going to run into delivery problems if I don't do it soon!

Now, how to *pay* for everything (still, no camera)?!!

In the getting shit done department, I've wiped and reinstalled my old laptop for Michelle's use while I'm gone, set up a Skype acct for both of us, GTalk and GDesktop for her with instructions for use, and learned my way around a webcam (my first).

Tomorrow, puppies and kitties and enjoying my (?) last day? at the vet office (I'll miss it, it keeps me sane!).

Yesterday, thanks to News Trust (and this article) I learned that Sweden suffers a spring algae bloom that locals say turns the Baltic Sea into 'rhubarb soup'. I can't wait to check it out.

12-12-06

A little more than a month to go and I feel behind already.

I've ordered shoes and a waterproof shell (the closest I've come to an actual coat) and I've spent hours and hours with my budget (did I forget to account for a cell phone? a used bike? how much will I pay for laundry?).

I've made rudimentary contacts within the Vaxjo University system and attempted one contact within the Länsstyrelsen system (a souped-up local-natl governmental and public health program with focus in a variety of areas including veterinary and animal agriculture - this is a topic of much interest). So far, nothing has panned out for an internship - but I'm still looking.

I've downloaded Before You Know It's rudimentary Swedish language software and have played with it a bit (not enough - I'm hampered by the lack of a laptop).

I don't know the key combos necessary to get the 'vowels with the dots' and don't even know what they're called. I have yet to order a pocket dictionary (and wonder if it's necessary - so far, my contacts with university staff says I won't need it!).