A few visual thoughts for today ... Since it was another study/ lecture day .. I only have a few pics to share

So the window to my room is the bottom row open window (because it's SO hot) above the concrete wall. I'm standing in front of the Grocery Store taking this picture. SO convenient!

 I thought the elevators in San Francisco were small but this one --- 3x3 ft ... that's it! AND when you want out the silver 1/2 in. metal plates fold back then you push open the red door. 1/2 in ... that's all that's between you and the moving elevator ... So, funny!

 I don't know if you can read it but we learned how to count to 10 in Swedish. Not that I have it memorized yet or anything. Let's hope there's not a test on this part ...

 Just as we began class this morning 2 construction machines (sorry I don't remember what they're called) began pounding the concrete outside our window. No luck hearing Prof. R so we waited for a minute for another room to open up but then had to start despite the noise.

I LOVE this building behind me. The one with the multi-color glass ... standing uniquely among all of the historic buildings. It's sort of how I feel among all these very bright young women ... You're never too old to learn & grow -- and make friends of all ages blending in uniquely. Just like this building. 

Tomorrow will be a big travel day ... lots to see & share! Archeological dig, centuries old Danish castle IN Sweden, and Herring to try ... ;)  MORE TO COME!

STUDY ... STUDY ... STUDY

Today we were in the campus "hospital" which is where 99% of SLP services take place in Sweden. There seems to have been very little differentiation of an SLP needing to choose to be a Medical Clinician (Strokes, TBI, cleft palate) or Educational Clinician (Language disorders & delays). Very few schools have SLPs here ... it is a new endeavor slowly progressing for SLPs to work in schools in Sweden ... and partially it began by our dear Professor Reuterskiold! ;)  She's amazing!  Here is a photo of old & new hospital buildings side by side (old on the left & new on the right).  We were in the new building today.

And I found a photo of Dr. Reuterskiold's Doctoral Dissertation:

 She's definitely had a varied and interesting career in a variety of specialties and multiple interactions with well-known colleagues. I love that I get the opportunity to learn first-hand from someone so humbly knowledgeable!


VERY interesting day of lectures; first by a Doctoral cohort of our Professor: Dr. Christina Hannson. She still works here in Lund and gave detailed information about the Swedish Language changes over time, current phonological patterns and grammar. I'm not going to say I understood it all but I definitely enjoyed the comparisons. Here's a little taste ...

 

This lecture was followed by lunch where my room mate and I found these ...

We decided this should become an American thing ... especially during finals ;)

After Lunch; we got a taste of Professor R's story and our first dip into School-age language Disorders.  My brain is full ... and tomorrow is a quiz. So, this will be all for today! ... More to come ...

Wow! Today ... was overwhelming, interesting, amazing ... words aren't enough so after a brief description of where these came from I'll let the pictures (worth a 1,000 words each) do the talking. We toured the campus, which is HUGE, I'm going to guess that it covers 3-4 square miles. In total, my new friends with step counters tell me we walked approximately 9 miles today. My dogs are pooped!! The weather is unusually warm ... every Swedish person we met spoke of the unusual heat to us. It was 82 and humid ... not like the southern states of U.S. Humid but close.  Needless to say ... I'll get in shape faster on this trip as we have to walk 3/4 of a mile to and from classes each day.

I addition to touring the campus we also got into the city of Lund a bit. So, you'll see the wonderful Plaza with cobblestone (which is actually almost everywhere) I love the visual, historic aspects of cobblestone ... not so much the physical walking aspect as I really have to watch my steps. It's still beautiful. Additionally we got a brief run-through of the Lund, Sweden Cathedral (Pastor Bob spoke of these National Churches a couple of weeks ago). However, these are no longer REQUIRED by citizens to belong (pay taxes to). Instead if you wish to attend then you have to pay taxes. A few of us want to go observe a ceremony just for the experience ... I'll have to find out if we need to pay? Just for fun here's a link to further history on this Cathedral https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lund_Cathedral ... I love the huge clock with the children on the platform ... every day at 3pm they dance around the platform. I'll have to schedule that in as well as a trip into the crypt. I missed that part in my 10 minute tour. ;)  The clock also has a circular calendar of Swedish names to celebrate "Name Day" which is like an extra birthday just for those children with that name. I wonder if they have "Penny." 

 Part of the old hospital on Campus

 Loved the wooden doors ... many buildings have them

 Swirly cobblestone crosswalks

 Instead of Arches these are called "Valves" ... can you make out the decorative ceilings?

 One of the buildings on campus that houses the Logopedics

 (Study of words -- Speech-Language Pathology) departments

 Most of the buildings are older and Castle like

 One of our Professors giving the story about the Cathedral

 The clock & my roommate who is taller than me by a couple of inches; So the clock is huge!

 This is the model from which the Cathedral was built

 The Pipes for the Organ ... reminded me of the old Pizza restaurant in Portland "The Organ Grinder"

 Can you see that massive Candleabra ... I'm going to guess it's 10 ft. tall

 All things created by Sweden ... including a Nobel Prize for Dynamite ... who knew?

 This was the "prize" for the quiz given by the Swedish students giving the tour. VERY salty covered black licorice. But the licorice was hard so first you get an overwhelming salt taste for about a minute followed by 5 minutes of perpetual chewing of black licorice. Not going to lie --- I wasn't a fan!

 Part of the town Plaza in front of The Cathedral

This is our Group ... 14 Students & 2 Professors. NYU Sweden 2018!  

More to Come ...

I made it! After 26.5 hours from my home in Washington to my June home at the Lund University Guest House I arrived. Worn out from transitions, being observant for necessary information to find my way, turbulence (the atmosphere was NOT happy on Sunday) and lugging suitcases across the world. I think that should be a new workout routine ... "the glorious luggage race." I'm here ...Safe & Sound!!

 Waiting for the train to Sweden at the Copenhagen airport.

While landing in Copenhagen I couldn't help but think about my great-grandfather. Where did he live? If he'd never left Copenhagen would I speak (and understand) Danish & Swedish today? Swedish Words from Prof Reuterskiold:
Hej = Hello;  tack (I heard pronounced "tuck") = thank you; vi ses = see you; ursakta = excuse me; forlat = I'm sorry
I hope to discover some ancestrial information while here but if not it's just fun to think I could've been raised here!

 Countryside between Malmo & Lund pretty agricultural and gorgeous!

Leaving Malmo for Lund!

Finally ...

 The view from my window ... those white flags are a grocery store. Our team is on the 2nd floor with 

the laundry & a fully stocked kitchen on the same floor with us. Pretty spoiled, eh?

It was gorgeously warm today!! Silly me I always thought Sweden was a cool country but today is toasty warm! Tomorrow begins our studies with a tour of the town & campus (more workout for me -- sans luggage -- which means "without luggage"). Hopefully I'll  have more pictures to present ... then there will be reading to finish and quizzes to take .. it is school after all ... ;) ... More to come!

Today is flying day ... Bright and early from West Coast time. It will take approximate 24 hours to arrive at the Guest House in Sweden where I'll be staying for the next month. I managed to get one of those awesome flights with 2 connections (New Jersey -- Hi Marilyn then Brussels Belgium) landing in Copenhagen, Denmark 20 hours after I leave Seattle. From Copenhagen I will get to take a train "under" the water to Malmo then Lund, Sweden. After all of this flying I will bless myself with a taxi ride to Lund University Guest House and hopefully a much deserved "nap." 

Sweden is 9 hours ahead of  Seattle time. So, as I arrive and get settled at the guest house approximately 1pm Sweden time it will be 4am Seattle time. Having to get up early and leave home by 1am to get to the airport this is ONE long day I'm looking forward to seeing the SAFE end of.  Adventure -- Here we come!!   If you think of me today send up a prayer for safety, clear-thinking, and wisdom. Bless you all!  ... More to Come ...

Preparing to GO!

An abundance of emotions ... What to take? What to leave? Parting from Tom for over a month ... yet it WILL go by quickly and we'll meet in Denmark. Family history to research, Castles to explore, research to enjoy ... but what will I miss at home ... Adventures to enjoy ... Finances to consider.  I've been up and down over this opportunity since December when I found out I was accepted. And yet ultimately; that's just what this is an OPPORTUNITY!

At this point excitement is building with each Checklist item completed and home "responsibility" passed to another family member. I fly out in 5 days ... 20 hours later I'll arrive in Copenhagen, Denmark. How amazing to live today when the journey around the world takes so "little" time.  Think of me this Sunday (5/27th), won't you (?), as I manage multiple plane transitions, a train ride "under" the water between Denmark and Sweden,  and a final 10 mile trip to Lund University, Sweden. My home for the month of June.

As my reading group's readers say at the end of each non-complete story, "More to Come."