A jerk not to go to York / Word of the day X

What is the hell is The Big Apple?? Just some New shit! You have to see the original of course! So yesterday I killed two birds with one stone and got the chance to see the old city of York and also catch up with a friend again and get some nice company for the day. The city is not more than a 40 min train ride south from Durham and shares many features. They both have really big old cathedrals (although the one in Durham is free of charge to enter, and the one in York is not) and other old buildings and streets. Basically just a very nice and charming city to walk around in with lots of small original shops and stone walls etc. And again the weather was much better than expected, just started to rain in the afternoon when it was time for a Frappuccino.

Of course I took the time to do some shopping when I was in a new town. I don't have that many real souvenirs from England so I decided to shop a pair of Union Jack boxers, which I actually thought of buying when I was in Cambridge two years ago, so now I have the UK up my arse! I had also looked at a pair of jeans, but only just week ago, at H&M from their new guest designer line. They are blue (like almost sky blue) with some extra things on them, and after being finally convinced to take them I decided to buy them as well, and £20 for a pair of designer jeans is nothing less than a real bargain! As this "Word of the day" is No X it gets a bit x-rated:

• Stud: Nit

(Note: 'Stud' refers to the metal things around the waist on the jeans, and not the guy that drops the jeans, even though he can be referred to as one as well but with a different meaning.)

Exams / Word of the day IX

On Wednesday I have my first exam, which I must say I'm quite nervous about. But that's how it's supposed to feel, and if it goes not so good, so be it. I have four more exams after it, and even though I feel a bit stressed I can't be too much bothered. Right now I just look forward to get over with them and enjoy June here fully free!
The exams here are bit different than I'm used to. Fewer questions and more writing, but hopefully not too much problem as we get to choose two questions out of six. Also, as an Erasmus-student I get a concession, which means I get to use a Swedish-English dictionary and also in most exams get some extra time. Not bad with some extra benefits. Some people, not I though, even get to answer less questions, which I think is a bit weird. Speaking for myself I might be a bit slow with things, but I got no knowledge problems.

• Concession: Förmån

Word of the day VIII

Two nights ago I was in my friend and corridor neighbour Tom's room, when I all of a sudden see this big disgusting insect flying around and climbing on the ceiling. I knew very well what kind it was, just didn't know the name in English. I remember when I used to have my mom or dad come into my room and kill them before I could go to sleep, I hated those long creepy legs! I still do, but not so much anymore that I need others to take care of them. Well, in this case though Tom tried to save it by force it towards the window, but I handled him a rolled up tourist folder and told him to smash it. What happened to it, and the proud warrior, you can see below.

• Daddy longlegs: Harkrank

Word of the day VII

I have been a bit sickly the last couple of days, so mostly stayed in college reading in the library in my sweat pants, uni hoodie and slippers or flip-flops. Haven't really cared about my looks that much so haven't shaved in a couple of days either, which I even like if it's not getting too much, and it was the reason I could add another word to my vocabulary. It's very similar to Swedish, but I had never heard about the word before asking a friend here.

• Stubble: Stubb

Word of the day VI

This vocabulary-lesson is a bit Aidan's Day inspired. One of the words I learned way back when I first came here because of it being the Aidan's mascot. The other word I learned yesterday as it was one of the team games in the morning.

• Badger: Grävling
• Tug-of-war: Dragkamp

Therapeutic landscape

Today I handled in my second essay in less than a week, and it feels even better to be over with than the first one! It's not the best essay I wrote in my life, but it fulfills its purpose at least, can't really be bothered about it anymore.
The essay I wrote is about how natural environments can influence human physical and mental health and wellbeing. For example what is called 'therapeutic landscapes', which I had a seminar about in where we discussed our own therapeutic landscapes, places were we feel relaxed and well. I said that mine was probably the family summer house, which is on a small island south of Stockholm. When I was a tiny kid I was a bit afraid of it cause it was very dark and scary at night, since there's no electricity, and a lot of the interior is as old as the house, which is 120 years old. Then as a young teen I got very bored and restless as there were no TV to watch. But the last couple of years when I've been able to go there myself with friends for a weekend or so I have appreciated it much much more; the big quiet old house, the relaxing calm, the amazingly beautiful natural environment, the evening dips in the strait (which I think creates a need for "Word of the day"-special, since I didn't even know this word myself), and sitting on the balcony with a beer in good company and see the sun sets. Pure quality of life!

Sanamki

Pålsundet

Word of the day V

• Strait: Sund
  

Word of the day IV

Jag köpte med mig lite smått och gott från Sverige på flygplatsen, bl a pepparkakor som jag gav bort i present. På förpackningen så var det en bild på kakorna och några kryddnejlikor bredvid. Bibo visste bara vad de heter på franska och undrade vad de heter engelska, vilket inte jag heller visste. Så kollade upp det på nätet, och kunde sedan lägga till ännu ett användbart(?) ord till mitt vokabulär!

• Clove: Kryddnejlika

Word of the day III

Jul-special!! Här kommer några bra ord kopplade till julen.

• Nativity scene: Julkrubba
• Manger: Krubba

• Gingerbread cookies: Pepparkakor

Word of the day II

Dagens ord är tagna från två aktuella händelser; min första riktiga roddträning, och halloween-festen som va igår.

• Weir: Damm, fördämning
• Cauldron: Gryta, kittel

Från vårt båthus kan man bara ro åt ena hållet (uppför ån skulle jag tro det är), eftersom åt andra hållet är det ett litet lätt fall på ca en meter för att dämma upp vattenflödet (tydligen en historisk orsak då de hade problem med spridning av sjukdomar). Inga problem att hålla sig på rätt sida om man bara vet vad man gör och på rätt sätt, men har hittills den här terminen hänt ett fall och ofrivilligt dopp i plurret för några tjejer som kom för nära med sin båt.
På halloween-festen hade de stora grytor för att servera bål ur i konstiga färger i små provglas, eftersom det var Harry Potter-inspirerat häx- och trollkarlstema. Väldigt bra och påkostat!

Word of the day

Under min hittills ganska korta tid här så måste jag ändå säga att min engelska bit för bit har blivit bättre. Har i de absolut flesta fall inge problem med att förstå eller kommunicera om typiskt vardagliga saker. Istället är det de väldigt små orden, som kanske inte alltid är så nödvändiga men som man ändå ibland måste använda och då inte har den blekaste om vad det heter. Sådana ord som gör ens språk mer nyanserat, som man kanske inte alltid fick lära sig i skolan. Så man får använda alla konstiga metoder för att få fram vad man menar, och på så sätt lär sig vad det heter.

Tänkte därför lansera en liten personlig kurs i engelsk vokabulär. Bra för er som vill bättre på ert engelska ordförråd, and also if there are any readers from other countries that is just dying to pick up some great Swedish words to impress friends or use as a conversation starter or pick up line. Hittills är det framför allt två ord som fastnat:

• Archipelago: Skärgård
• Blue tack: Häftmassa

'Blue tack' lärde jag mig säga när jag var i en välsorterad pappersbutik och letade efter häftmassa för att sätta upp en nyligen inköpt affisch. Jag letade omkring i butiken efter nåt som såg ut som det jag letade efter men fann det inte någonstans. Gick till slut fram till ett biträde:

- Excuse me, I'm looking for this kind of sticky thing that you use to put up for example posters on the wall... (börjar med fingrarna visa hur man kramar till häftmassa medan hon konfunderat tittar och försöker förstå) ...you
have it?

- Ahh, you mean blue tack!

- I don't really know...could you please show it to me? (följer henne
till en hylla) Yeah, that's it, thank you!

- But sorry, we only got white tack, is that fine?

Så nu har jag vit häftmassa på min vägg, istället för den mer vanliga blågrå färgen. Hittills har det funkat minst lika bra, och jag lärde mig ett nytt bra ord.