Relay By Myself and a 180

I really need to get better about this blogging thing. I actually enjoy writing on my blog quite a bit, but whenever I sit down to update it, I think of a million other things that I have to do and I get distracted. Welcome to my ADD. Haha.

So what happened this week? I had a full schedule of courses Monday through Thursday. That was a little tough, especially coming off of all of my traveling and fun times. I actually had to remind myself more than once that I was in Sweden to go to school. Ha. On Thursday I basically had an "academic Relay" - Economic Development from 9-12, Swedish II from 1-4, and Economic Geography of Asia from 5-8. Considering that I left my house at 8 and did not return until after 9, I do believe that it was slightly insane. However, I made it and reminded myself that this type of a schedule is what I have been working off of for several years. I had some great guest lecturers in both Economic Development and Economic Geography this week...yay! I appreciate people who know what they are talking about! I had a real reality check in Swedish called "you do not actually know any Swedish, Courtney." Okay, so I do, but missing two lectures for that course was sort of rough. I have a five minute oral presentation IN SWEDISH on Tuesday. My teacher (who is really fantastic, just tough) unpleasantly surprised us by saying that she expects at least 75% of that to be memorized. How do I curse in Swedish again? Just kidding. In case you are wondering what my presentation will be on, here is a draft:

I dag, jag ska prata på Stafett För Liv. Stafett För Liv, eller bara Stafett, är en promenad. Folk promender att berfordra pengar. Alla pengar berfordrade får till Amerikan Cancer Förbunden. Pengar får till cancer forskning och att hjälpa folk med cancer.

Stafett är speciell därför att evenemanget är tolv timmar. Folk promender under kvällen och de promenader i team. Teamen har tio till fjorton folk och folk byter som promenader. Stafett starter circa nitton. I början det är en speciell ceremoni med en anförande. Vi erkänner folk som har cancer. Då Stafett starter. Circa tjugo vi har en cermoni heter “Luminaria.” Eftersom det är mörk, vi satte eld på stearinljusar i säckar. Säckar har förnamnen av folk som har cancer eller folk avled frän cancer. “Luminaria” är mycket emotionell men det är viktig att minns. Då vi promender tills solen kommer upp. Det halv är jätteglad därför att vi är förhoppningsfull. Stafett avsluter circa sju. Vi kungjorde som befordrade det mesta pengar. Då folk går hemma att sova! Jag startade Stafett i min skola på min forsta år med min kompis. Vi tyckte att det kommer att lyckad på Colorado College. På maj tredje, Colorado College hade dess tredje Stafett. Vi berfordrade tjugoniotusen dollarna eller circa etthundrasjuttiofyratusen kronor. Jag är stolt som en tupp!

I lordags, jag hade min egen Stafett i Sverige. Jag promendade frän otta till tjugo eller för tolv timmar. Jäg var trött men glad! Stafett För Liv är i tjugo länder men inte Sverige. Jag tycker att Sverige behover Stafett. Det är jatteglad att promenda med kompisar. Också, det är för en bra orsak. Cancer är et stor problem i USA och här. Stafett För Liv är ett metod att hjälpa.

I wrote it last night and it needs a little bit of work. In case you are wondering, no, I did not use an online translator. That was just me and my dictionary.

On Friday, I spent the day "Relaying" in Sweden! My goal was to walk from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and guess what? I DID IT! YEAH! I was actually feeling pretty pessimistic about the whole thing when I started on Friday morning, thanks to a massive blister on my heel that I had the joy of receiving two days prior. But guess what else? After walking for twelve hours, your feet basically go numb and you do not feel things like a dumb blister that much anymore! I have to say that the weather was absolutely gorgeous: sunny and at least 25 degrees. I wore my super hot running tights, CC shorts, and, of course, RFL shirt. I choose to wear the original. The really fantastic thing about this whole event was yesterday. Why? Well, I will admit that I was feeling pretty crappy when I finished walking on Friday night...obviously...and I was expecting the worst on Saturday morning. But, I actually felt pretty darn good yesterday! I was a little bit sore, but well enough to walk to school, write a group paper, walk back, etc, etc. It was totally amazing! I did not take any photos during my Swedish Relay because I forgot my camera, and I also did not calculate the distance for most of it. I will estimate that I walked over fifty km though...and because I walk at least five km per hour. Anyways...

The forest section of my walk to school

On to the "180 part." Wow, so one time I went to Portugal and Finland, and then I came back and I said, "Sweden, what the heck happened to you?" I have really enjoyed Sweden since I arrived and have always felt that it was a beautiful country, but all of a sudden this place is amazing! For one, it has been sunny and practically hot for the past week. I have spent all of my time skipping around in my CC shorts and sandals. Also, everything is GREEN! There are blooming trees everywhere and flowers and I discovered lilac bushes about to bloom on my way to town today. Yes, lilac bushes, my absolute FAVORITE type of bush! Plus, it does not get dark here until after 9:30 pm now, so I have plenty of daylight! I discovered that there are teeny tiny lizards in the grass too...but they are lightning fast and really difficult to find. Sweden also has the biggest bumble bees that I have ever seen in my life. Seriously.

Can you spot the bee?

I should probably get back to my reading. Then, I am going to start practicing for my Swedish presentation. It would be funny if I did not actually have to get a grade on it. I am so excited that Bridge is going to be home in Colorado today and, of course, Happy Mother's Day to Mom and Grandma and Grandma!

PS - Cinnamon does really work to get rid of ants!