Internship Quest

Well, the unemployment office found me a nice internship I can apply for. It is minimally paid, but the experience would be wonderful. I'm not sure I know enough information for it, but I can try. It is about the EU and is here in town. Go around to schools and such and inform people about the EU. I don't think I know enough Swedish either, but I hope I do!

Anyways, the Swedish way of internships is a bit odd. You can't have an unpaid internship since that would upset the unions. So someone has to pay you, even if it is like 10 dollars a day or whatever. It also seems that they can't take on an intern if they've recently fired or laid off anyone.

This whole system frustrated me when I first got here. I was willing to work for free for a few months as long as there was a possibility of it leading towards a real job in the future. I figured that someone would be much more likely to take a chance with the 'weird foreign girl' if they didn't have to pay me. Then I could prove myself and work things out. Unfortunately that is not how the labor market works here. I'm not sure I'll ever understand it, but I am trying.

In other news, I'm helping out two days a week at specific times with English classes now. I'm hopefully going to start tutoring in English a bit too. I also step in when requested and help out in English classes with one time meetings rather than weekly meetings. The apartment is ALMOST done. It's been sitting at the same almost done for awhile since we've not done anything with it since last weekend. My driving theory classes are going well too. David and I really need to go out driving every evening or something. Yesterday, instead of going driving, David and I worked on our 'save the date' cards. The design is done now. I just have to print them, glue them, address them, and put stamps on them. Then they will be ready to be mailed. Hopefully that will be on Monday.

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I'm not even sure what to call this blog post really! Life has been both exciting and extremely boring lately. I've had Peter over for two days, that was fun. And we've been working lots on the apartment. I'm also going to be helping people or classes with English Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday this coming week. I've got two Swedish tests tomorrow too.

That's life summed up quickly.

I'm having a much nicer time in Skellefteå now. We have an apartment that is livable, we've got a washer and dryer now, and perhaps most importantly... we have friends who come over quite often just to hang out. On top of this I've got stuff to do with my days as well. Studying lots on my own, attending classes, and helping people with their English. Now if only someone wanted to pay me to do this! *laugh*

It's been awhile since I last wrote a blog entry. It's bit a bit crazy here. The past week we've been unpacking, building furniture, and doing all the other things that happen when you move. David has been working a bit as a teacher too. This entire week he is working, and he worked two half days last week.

I'm doing really well in my Swedish classes. I've dropped the orientation course in Swedish that I didn't really like. Instead I'm just taking Svenska A and Svenska Grund. I'm still studying for samhällskunskap A test. Either next month or more probably, in January.

I'm helping out with an English class at VUX one morning a week. And it looks like I'll be helping out with an English class at the nearby high school one morning a week too. No pay yet, but it gives me something to do at least. And references, and all sorts of other important things that will help me get a job later on.

And either tonight or tomorrow Peter will be coming! He'll be staying for a few days and I'm really going to drag him outside to help me take pictures before it becomes any closer to fall. I need to send my parents some pictures. I can't send them pictures of the inside of the apartment yet since there are still pieces of the walls and floors missing. We spoke to the maintenance workers about getting hot water, and hopefully they'll come look at that soon. And we now have a password to the laundry booking service online. I'm still holding out for getting the washer and dryer tomorrow though. We'll see if it works out.

Swedish A here I come!

Well, it's been insane the past week. We moved last weekend. I also took a test yesterday that says I can move up a level in Swedish class. But I'm supposed to stay with my old class too and finish up the novel and a few other things. I've no problem with that really. It's more Swedish classes!

David also got to teach his first lecture as a real teacher. He took a day off of cleaning and went in as a substitute. He loved it. I wish we didn't need his income so much. Then he could be a teacher, even if it was just a substitute. He's been offered full time work for just next week too. But he doesn't want to leave his other stable income yet, and he really doesn't want to leave the work place short a cleaner. I need to get at least a part time job. REALLY. Then I can earn some money and he can quit his current job (or work just part time there). And look for teacher work. He'd love that.

Meanwhile. I'm now taking classes or studying the following courses.
Swedish Basic (Svenska grund)
Swedish Extra (in order to pass Basic faster)
Swedish A (first year of highschool Swedish - Svenska A)
Driving Theory (Korkort terori)
Social Studies A (Samhallskunskap A)

I'm thinking about dropping the Extra course. Because then I don't have to get up quite so early on Wednesday mornings.

Also... we're still trying to dig our way out of the giant pile of boxes. We spent most of yesterday trying to find a bag of screws that puts together 4 bookshelves. That will let us empty a whole TON of boxes. They were in a big bag of shoes. Go figure.