Out in the garden

Yes, spring is finally here! 3 weeks without rain and the trees and flowers are blooming!

Not only dislikes...

I have to make something clear here; i don't hate America. Someone toled me that what i write here is abit "anti" America and after reading through my notes i can see where this is coming from. This might come as a suprise but America is acctually one of the countries in the world i can see myself living in. So instead of writing about the things i dislike about it i will write about the things i like.
What i like about this huge country the most is probably the people. I've almost only spent time in the south but the hospitality in these parts are incredible! People make contacts with others everywhere; in the line to the post office, on the bus, in the super market... When you're walking and catch someone's eye you nod your head or say hi. We got invited home by so many poeple we couldn't possible say yes to everyone. This is something you wont see alot of in Sweden. I can understand why we can be seen as "cold" people. Do not seek eyecontact, do not sit next to someone on the bus if there is other free seats, do not start talking to someone in the super market etc...
I also love the diversety; of the landscape, the people and the food. That last one is a big one for me. Man, i miss being able to have incredible ethnic food from all around the world. America is not just fast food as we Swedes tend to see it, America has it all and you don't have to go far...
One of the things which keeps me from living in Sweden is the weather. The weather in the winter is awful, awful! It's miserable, wet, cold and it never ends. It's just something you have to get through and you wish to be enywhere else then just there.

I could probably list a bunch of other things i like but it's getting boring and you´ve seen my point. I will countinue writing how i feel and it might not always favour America, or Sweden or something else..

Nice weather and good climbing

The trees are starting to get leaves/Cris after ascending a 6b

Spring had come to Grebbestad

Chris on his way up a 7a

Ingrid on a 6b

I really, really starting to enjoy climbing. Who would have thought there would be such a use for all the granit i've been growing up around?! It took Chris a long time to convince me about trying this sport, more then a year to be honest. I don't like to be convinced things. Plus i think it's import that couples have different interests. If you'll do everything together you become one person. But here i'm loving the sportclimbing and the challenge it brings.

The beauty of the sport is that it can suit all kind of people and bodytypes. Maybe a guy with lot's of arm muscles and core strenght can manage one "problem" while a tall and light girl can manage a much more balancy "problem" with the same rating.
To go climbing in playses like Smögen, Grebbestad and Gothenburg when the weather is like now is fantastic. I love the swedish spring weather when it's not raining.

We've done our forst weekend working. Great! feel good to finally make some money again.

This is hilarious!!!

Freedom can have the shape of a blue honda

Honda next to my mum´s flowertree

Kikki and a glass of wine at avenyn

Emma was happy the sun was shining over Gothenburg

Even though Sweden's public transport system is 10 times better then the American you'll get tired (and ruined) by taking buses and trains wherever you want to go. So after pity Americans big need of (at least) one car per capita we ironicly felt that a car was just what we needed. So we searched the web a couple of days and came across a honda civic from 2002 at a very good price. The problem was the distance to the dealership, Staffanstorp in the south of the country is about 5h drive from Strömstad and with train and buses it's even longer. We decided to give it a go anyway and that decision was the right one. I love it! And i like to drive it to, which is a rare thing when it comes to me and cars.

So we took our new honda to Gothenburg to visit two of my good friends Emma and Kikki. It was great meeting them again after so many months apart. They were both done with their study but surprised me by knowing even less then me what to do next. We had a great time together cruising the streets of Gothenburg with all it's charm.
I have to admit i'm a bit shocked by how extremly stylish swedish people are. In America i found myself pretty well dressed and never out of style but here on the streets of Gothenburg i was lost in an ocean of guys with skinny jeans, girls with suspenders, make up and hair style. Jesus, i have to get back on track, buy some Elle magazines or something...

We took a couple of days staying with my cousin Matias and did some climbing not to far from his house. It was so good! I climbed my first 6a (v10 american system) so i was pretty happy. We were planing to move on to Smögen the following day but the rainy weather made us drive back to Strömstad again. After all a very good roadtrip with a freedom only a car can provide=)

Home sweet home (?)

Rossö

Granitboulder, Rossö

Blåsippa, Strömstad

I've realized now that there is just so many things you can do to save money. Taking 4 flights, a taxi and a ferry to get from Houston to Strömstad is not one of them. Especially if you misread Ryan air's contract about bringing extra bags and have to ship them from Dublin to Sweden for 200 bucks a bag. Horrible, horrible journey. I got about 3h of sleep, Chris 0.

When i think about Sweden in April i picture it green and sunny. The Sweden we got back to was everything but green and sunny; grey and cold. My parents house was abit upside down aswell as they renovate it and there's paint and wallpaper everywhere.
The last couple of days has been sunny and if the climbing shoes were here instead of Dublin we could have gone climbing. So what have we done then? Sitting in our room with a la ptop each looking for study options (me) and used cars for sale (Chris). We haven't find a car yet but i've decided what to study. 4 years of thinking and you can think i would have made up my mind earlier...Anyway I will apply for graphic design, a 3 year program in Linköping. The problem is that Chris wont get a job there and might study for a PhD in Uppsala, 2,5h north of Linköping. And no, there isn´t any graphic design programs closer to Uppsala than Linköping at least none of where i can get in to.
So are we going to live apart after Chris moving across the Atlantic to stay together with me? We might have to. Seems depressing but 3 years it not to bad and we'll see eachother every weekend.
It's hard for young people to get job here right now, degree or not, and Chris might not get anything at all. I'm grateful for the restaurant job i have to earn some money during the summer when so many of my friends can't get anything.

Bye bye Texas and America...

Field of Texas bluebonnets, 290 Houston - Austin

My last 10 days in the US has been great! I arrived here 13 pounds lighter then when i left  and Chris mum did her best to put the weight back on my bones. I was, after some fantastic American meals and a couple of good nights sleep, ready to attend one of Chris' old friends wedding. This was a wedding with a capital w, a traditional American 300 people wedding. To be honest it wasn't that great. The reception was hold in a fancy hotel with not enough seats for everyone. The food was a big disappointment, a buffet with gravy and roast beef. After Chris had seen just how many of his highschool friends whom gone bald or fat we sneeked out to celebrate Karyn's birthday at a nightclub. That was fun! Great music, great people and cheap drinks.

I couldn't leave Texas without saying goodbye to Austin and all the great people i've got to know there. So we took one last roadtrip, through fields covered in Texas bluebonnets, to Austin - one of my favorite cities in America.
The first day we keep busy bouldering and then meeting up with Clint and Julie. I love this couple, they are so nice to each other you can't ever imagen them arguing on anything. I have enjoyed there active lifestyle with snowboarding, climbing and running and will truly miss them. 

The next day were ment for shopping and so we did. Spending our last American dollar on jeans, shorts, tops...and then Kyoto and the best sushi in town with Kristen, Chris' good friend from college.
One thing i love about this city is the access to all the great outdoor activites. And for us this mean climbing and more for me then for Chris; sportclimbing! I had my best climbing day ever ascending my first 5.10!
Last evening and it was time to spend it with Chris bestfriend Brandon and his girlfriend (and our good friend) Amanda. We invited Katy and Peter and i made salmon with feta cheese and fudge and ice cream for dessert...
I can't even recall how many nights we've been staying with Amanda and Brandon, drinking wine and talking...anyway it's been great and i know i've made some really good friends which i hope to keep. Hopefully they will visit us in Sweden someday...

It also feels sad to leave Chris' parents, they are such a nice people and i've had a good time staying with them in Kingwood. But it's time for Sweden and the studies waiting for me there!