2.5 months in Sweden

On 7 August, I attended my first Swedish class. I registered for the lessons at the end of June. I got the letter a week later, and my class started after the summer holidays. This week is my fourth week in class and I am happy to say that I can write and speak a little Swedish, albeit in broken phrases. I wrote messages to my partner in Swedish after 2 weeks in school. He was very surprised. I am mostly motivated to find a job and earn monies. It is difficult to not have monies in Sweden. Without my own monies, I have been spending based on necessity and not on wants 

I have gotten all my necessary documentation to survive in Sweden - Resident Permit card, ID card, Bank ATM card, Bank ID card. I have yet to receive my card from the Social Insurance Agency -Försäkringskassan. The officer tells me it takes between 4 - 6 months to get the card. My jaw just dropped. It is a shorter timeframe for those from the EU. 

I also registered myself with the Public Health System - Vårdcentral. From here, I get a doctor who will tend to me. But first, I need to make an appointment to see the doctor. I registered with Swedish Public Employment Service - Arbetsförmedlingen.    

Today, I did my first pap-smear at a gynaecologist. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from the Läkarhuset Farsta Centrum. Apparently, all females (unsure of which age it starts) are required to do a pap smear once every 3 years, and it becomes once in 5 years upon reaching the age of 50. In Malaysia, we have to make our appointment and pay for it. The last time I did a pap smear in Subang Jaya, the price was RM120. In Sweden, it is FREE! I did not have to wait long either because a midwife is assigned to do the pap smear. There are no doctors. We will get the results via mail within 4 to 6 weeks. If there is any abnormalities, one will get more letters to see a doctor. Everything is very structured and regulated here. I am not sure how did I get this letter in the first place. I don't know if it was because I registered my ID card, or with the public healthcare or with Social Insurance Agency. I should have asked the midwife. 

I also went to see the Pride Parade which was on the first week of August, saw some cultural performances during Stockholm Culture Festival, went to a few hikes in Stockholm (I got into them because I registered with Meetup) and watched a summer cinema outdoors. Oh, I have finished visiting all the free entrance museums. Can you believe that? I am THAT FREE. Well, that was before I started my Swedish lessons. Now, I just want to go home after school. 

I am no more a mess after 2.5 months here. I am more in tune with how things work here in Sweden. I am not panicked anymore. I think I am more relaxed after I got all the administrative stuff settled and I am familiar with the transport system which eased my movement. When it comes to governmental matters, I do not like to procrastinate. And the irony of it is the local Swede themselves don't know what to do with the administrative matters for the reason that they are a Swede and do not need to do this. All of these are registered for them once they are born. 

I even gave advices to newbies like me on what to register. I get their anxieties too because they felt the same way as me. I told them to relax, register as advised, learn the language and enjoy the new environment.

I wished I had someone to guide me when I first arrived. I would have been less of a negative person then. 

Note: All of the above will be detailed in future posts on how I applied / registered and with pictures. 

Sörmlandsleden 10, 11 & 12.1 : Part 1 - Day 2

20 August 2017

We woke up to a beautiful morning. I did not shiver in the tent, but it was a bit chilly for me. We woke up earlier than the boys. The girls were up by 6am. We brushed our teeth and packed our stuff. 

The Sörmlandsleden hike continued on to the remaining Section 11 and Section 12.1. The walk started at 9am. 

Sörmlandsleden 10, 11 & 12.1 : Part 1 - Day 1

19 August 2017

Another Meetup activity - an overnight hike on the Sörmlandsleden trail. We will hike Section 10, 11 and 12.1 which will be about 25km. I was very excited on the idea of staying overnight in Sweden's nature! I used to camp whenever I go hiking in Malaysia. We sleep under a fly and in the open too, even if it rains, because it is not that cold. I had hoped I could do the same in Sweden - I wondered if I could do that as it is summer. But it turned out that it was not warm enough and I decided to go inside the tent.

I took the train to Södertälje Centrum. Then, Bus 785 to Tvekaberg. There were 4 of us - 2 guys and 2 girls. I shared a tent with the other girl, and both guys slept in their own tents. The organiser is Walid. I did a hike with him earlier this month on a Sormlandsleden trail too - Section 6 & 6.1. 

For the first day, it was Section 10 and part of 11. The remaining was done the next day. Enjoy the photos! We had a couple of breaks during the walk and it was not a very tiring walk, except for carrying the rucksack. 

Summer Cinema 2017 - My Neighbour Totoro

17 August 2017

An acquaintance I befriended on one of the hikes I did in Meetup informed me about Stockholm Outdoor Cinema. I got so excited by it because I have never been to one. Ever. In Malaysia, it is too warm to watch cinemas outdoor and worst, be bitten by mosquitoes. 

I went for my first outdoor cinema outing to watch 'My Neighbour Totoro'! It is a Japanese animation and I remembered that cartoon from my childhood days. Unfortunately, the movie here was in Swedish, so I really could not understand anything but I remembered bits and pieces of the cartoon, so it was not too bad.

Five nights in August the Stockholm International Film Festival screens films on an outdoor screen in the park of Rålambshovsparken. Loads of people gather bringing picnic and blankets for a night out. The films start at 9 pm in the evening and are free for everyone. Popcorn, coffee, and candy for sale. Source from Visit Stockholm.

The screening started at 9pm but I was there by 6pm because I thought I was going to go for a bicycle ride with a friend, but he cancelled on me half an hour before. So, I explored the park a bit. Got a nice spot. Also, there was a food booth with free slice of pizza and free Fanta can (although of a small size).  

Check out the large crowd! It is good to come early to get a good spot. 

It was an awesome experience - my first outdoor cinema. I hope to do it again in 2018. There is no information on the movie list yet. I have a better grasp of Swedish now, so I can appreciate the movies better.

Stockholm Culture Festival 2017 : Bollywood

15 August 2017

Stockholm Culture Festival fills streets and squares with all kinds of cultural events for all ages during five lively summer days and nights. Source from Visit Stockholm.

This is an annual event in Stockholm during the summer - happens in August. They have events in multiple places for 5 days and you can look for your interest in their website or in their printed pamphlets. It was my third month in Sweden and I thought that this is so cool! Countries coming to Sweden to showcase their culture and food (at a not-very-affordable price). In July, Indonesia came to Kungstradgarden for the weekend. 

For 2017, the theme was India. I was hoping to find banana leaf which is a South Indian dish and also found in Malaysia, hence, my cravings for that. The crowd was huge to look at the performances and looking at my limited finances, I thought that I better not buy anything. I did enjoyed watching the Bollywood dancing. I am a fan of Bollywood movies when there is Shah Rukh Khan inside, but I watch them rarely now. I used to buy his DVDs. His movies are the only ones I buy. 

I was surprised that there is actually a 10 minute break during the performance, just like a Bollywood movie with 15 minute intermission. Haha!

Sörmlandsleden 6 & 6.1

12 August 2017

Today's hike got me addicted to the trail. It is called Sörmlandsleden and there are 62 sections (with subsections too) in this entire 1000km trail. I was so keen on going to all the sections but then I found out that most of these sections are outside the SL train or bus route, which means one needs to pay for these independent tickets. I think the SL train or route covers till Section 13 or maybe slightly more.

We are going to do Section 6 and 6.1 today which will be about 20km. We met at Huddinge Train Station and took bus 709 where we alighted at Ådran bus stop at 11.11am. It is amazing how accurate the timing is. 

Dansmuseet (The Dance Museum)

9 August 2017

Dance Museum. Stockholm has museums for the oddest thing. I thought it was free entrance as stated in the website but it was apparently not updated, and the entrance fee is SEK120. Since no one was manning the counter, I went in unaware that one needs to pay. I only found out when I walked out of the museum and a tourist got stopped at the counter that he needed to pay.

Dansmuseet (the Dance Museum) is a museum for the performing and visual arts located in Stockholm, Sweden. Opened in 1953 in the basement of the Royal Swedish Opera, it originally displayed a large collection of dance-related art that belonged to Rolf de Maré, a leader of the Ballets suédois in Paris from 1920–25. In 1969, a library, named after the Swedish dancer, Carina Ari was endowed by Ari and attached to the museum with Bengt Hägar as its curator. The library contains the most comprehensive archive of literature on dance in Northern Europe. The museum is currently located at Drottninggatan 17. The library, receives no state funds, as it is privately endowed. The majority of its collection are materials from Western Europe which date between 1500 and 1850, a journal collection dating at the turn of the 20th century, and a video library of thousands of films. There is also a large collection of books on Russian dance. Source from Wikipedia.

Bogesund 18km hike

6 August 2017

With all the museum visits around Stockholm, I have been overdosed and there were no more free museums to go to. There were not much free places to go to. Then, I stumbled across this awesome site called Meetup. It is my lifesaver in Stockholm! It is a website that allows one to join or create activities based on their interests and most of them are free (they will mention the price if there is one). So, I joined groups with interests in hiking, language and travel. 

This is my first meetup activity and it certainly was not my last. I am an active user of Meetup now and have been going to so many hiking trails outside of Stockholm. I am really happy with that. 

The difference between the hikes I have done in Malaysia and Sweden are the hikes here are free mainly because one don't need a guide to go into the forest or nature reserves. The routes are well-marked with colours on the trees or stones or signboards. There are also maps where one can download. Plus, the trail is clear and proper unlike the ones in Malaysia, where it is a jungle, and you can get lost in it without a guide. And the best thing is the nature reserves / forest are accessible via public transportation. 

But the one single con is how everyone is by themselves or with their friends - so, single persons are usually left out of conversations after the brief introductions among each other. It was awkward for me in the beginning but one gets used to it after a while. No one shares food with you. Okay, that might sound weird when I write this. In my hikes in Malaysia, we have a person who is responsible for food and everyone carries the food together and we will cook upon reaching a restplace or campsite. We eat and talk together. For Sweden, bring your own food and expect yourself to be occasionally isolated and try to chip in some words, if you wish. 

Today, we will hike in Bogesund. Bogesund is a place in Vaxholm, situated about 30 minutes from Stockholm. We gathered at Danderyds Sjukhus and took bus 670 where we alighted at Pålsundsvägen. As it was my first hiking activity here, I was very excited to meet strangers who were friendly and everyone spoke in English. There were not many Swedes, and in fact Meetup is mostly a gathering for foreigners. 

Pride Parade 2017

5 August 2017

Pride Parade. I have seen this on televisions and read them on newspapers. But being in Malaysia, they are usually summarised versions and nothing elaborate. So, when I actually got the chance to witness them with my own eyes, I took this opportunity to see it in Stockholm. There were so many folk and a majority were in colourful clothes. I thought today was cold for me as it rained a little, but those in minimal clothing did not seem to mind. 

I got myself stamped with pride colours. Got a few flags, brochures and also a pair of sunglasses because it got sunny after. Enjoy the photos!

Stockholm Pride is a non-profit, non governmental organization with a membership of around 150 individuals, organizations and companies. Among the organizations that are members of Stockholm Pride are the political parties and the big associations for LGBTIQ Rights and Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Source from Stockholm Pride.

Tyska Kyrkan (German Church)

31 July 2017

Now, I am on a Church hunt. There are 3 obvious churches when you see the panoramic view of Gamla Stan. Their domes are high up in the skies. They are Riddarholmen Church, German Church and the Swedish Church. I did not go inside the Swedish Church (Stor Kyrkan) as one needs to pay a fee to go inside, and so that was left out until I got sufficient monies. 

Today, I am at the German Church. It became my favourite church after I went in. I have no idea why did I made that decision. It could be because of the pictures on the ceilings, the very elaborated paintings inside the church or the high spire that is very distinguished in its design. I was very surprised that there is no entrance fee. 

Hagaparken (Haga Park) : Part 2 - Chinese Pagoda, Turkish Pavilion and Palace Ruins

31 July 2017

From the Butterfly House in Haga Park, I continued on to explore the huge grounds of Haga Park. I passed by Haga Palace where the Crown Princess lives. I could not see Haga Palace because it was built way inside and it is surrounded by a fence with security cameras at every angle. So, you can imagine the size of Haga Park now.

This is the Temple of the Echo. My voice did not echo around, though. 

The Temple of the Echo is one of Haga Park's many summer houses. Gustav III enjoyed eating outdoors on warm summer days and the temple was built as an airy summer dining area. The building was originally called the Temple of Venus and the Green Salon but soon took on its current name due to the acoustics. Source from the Signboard.

This is Gustav III's Pavilion. It was locked when I visited the place. It is opened from 15 June - 13 August at 1200, 1300, 1400 with its guided tour in Swedish and at 1500 for the English version with an entrance fee of SEK100 for an adult while students and children between 7 - 17 years old for SEK50. 

Hagaparken (Haga Park) : Part 1 - Copper Tent and Butterfly House

31 July 2017

Today, I visited Haga Park. It is a huge park, with not just a big garden but ...

... Haga Palace, King Gustav III's Pavilion, the Chinese Pavilion, the Echo Temple, the Turkish Kiosk, an older castle ruin (which is not really a ruin as it is the remains of a castle never finished) and several other interesting buildings on the grounds (such as the peculiar Copper Tents and also the Butterfly House). Included in the Haga Park is also the Royal Burial Ground of the Swedish Royal family (since 1922), where several members and ancestors of the present Swedish royal Bernadotte family rest. Source from Wikipedia.

I was in the Park for close to 7 hours exploring the entire place. Because it is summer, it was still bright at 8pm. 

This is the entrance to the north of Haga Park. I took the bus here. Every place in Stockholm is conveniently accessible by public transportation. You need a car only if you plan to drive out of Stockholm.

Medelhavsmuseet (The Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities)

30 July 2017

After the Royal Coin Cabinet, I ventured further on to another museum. It is really easy to be museum-overdosed in Stockholm if you have nothing else better to do or nowhere else better to go. Remember - my money is scarce here. Can't visit cafes or restaurants. 

The next museum is The Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities. That is a mouthful in comparison to their Swedish version - Medelhavsmuseet. Medelhav = Mediterranean. If you happen to find the name Near Eastern similar to another museum, yes, you are right! There is another museum called Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities (I went in June 2017, a month before this museum). Okay, maybe you don't find it familiar, but I did confuse them both together. The Museum of Far Eastern relates to antiques from China, and Japan. Now, I realised why is it named Far East and Near East. China and Japan are definitely very far from Sweden and located very far in the east, whereas the Mediterranean is much nearer, hence Near East. Does that make sense? Because I feel smart when I come to that conclusion. Haha!

Regardless of how these names came about, both of these museums are part of the National Museums of World Culture. Including Etnografiska Museum and The Museum of World Culture. I wondered why I have not been to The Museum of World Culture, and now I know why. It is located in Gothenburg - somewhere in the far west of Sweden, about 5 hours drive from Stockholm.

The museum was first formed in 1954 when two separate institutions, the Egyptian Museum and the Cyprus Collection, were combined. The Egyptian Museum had been created in 1928 from artifacts collected in the 18th, 19th and early 20th century while the Cyprus Collection was the result of the excavations of the Swedish Cyprus Expedition in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Cyprus collection in the museum is the largest outside Cyprus and of great scholarly value. A new gallery of Cypriote antiquities sponsored by the A.G. Leventis Foundation and designed by White Architects was opened in January 2009. Besides Egypt and Cyprus the museum also holds collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, near eastern antiquities from Shah Tepe, Luristan bronzes and Islamic art. Source from Wikipedia.

I enjoyed this museum a lot! Lots of information on Egypt and mummies, and marble statues. 

Kungliga Myntkabinettet (Royal Coin Cabinet)

30 July 2017

This is the Coin Museum, my simplified version for Royal Coin Cabinet. It is situated right opposite the Royal Palace. There were not many visitors here though. 

The Coin Cabinet is an institution with a national responsibility for the conservation and the historical studies of coins, medals, and finance in general. Through expositions, the institution offers insights in the economical history of the world; by lending objects from its collection to researchers and expositions all over the world, it helps develop the knowledge within its scope; and by maintaining a national register of coin hoards, it is of great importance to scholars in Sweden. Over the portal is a piece of art by Elisabeth Ekstrand from 1996 called Vattenporfyrlek ("Water Porphyry Game") made of porphyry and marble. The museum includes exhibitions of coins, banknotes (the first in the world was issued in 1661 by Stockholms Banco), treasure hoards and piggy banks. Source from Wikipedia.

History Museum : Viking Exhibition

29 July 2017 

The museum hunt continues to History Museum. It is free entry. I decided to go because there was a Viking exhibition going on and there is a free tour guide too. So, why not? By the way, the 2nd photo is the doorknob or door handle of the museum. I like to look at door knobs in museums or old buildings. They are different. And oh, ceilings too!