The end of October

Today is the last day in October 2006 and my 33rd day in Kalmar, Sweden. What can be said about my experience so far - INTENSE and interesting. I arrived to my Masters programme a bit late so I had to dive right into the coursework and adapt to the new living situation, dynamics of the class and much much more.My class in entirely international with no Swedish participants and my exposure to them thus far has been very limited. Those who have taken the time and energy to extend themselves to us, international students here have been very warm and hospitable but generally that is the scenario. There is a certain chilliness about the young Swedes that roam the same school halls with us. Maybe things will change in the months to come. Generally, Kalmar is a small city so I will not attempt to judge Sweden by what I experience here but so far it is an interesting experience because the behaviours and perspectives of the Swedes and many of our classmates which are Northern European are so very strange to me - a great opportunity to experience the diversity of humankind