Skiing

Yesterday evening, my new neighbour Linda invited to an "inflyttnigsfest", a house-warming party. It was quite funny eventhough Ali and me were the only ones from our corridor. After the last of her other guest went home (or to Corona or where else), Linda, Ali and me went to Baloogrillen and had a funny corridor afterparty. (Hey Linda, tack för inbjudan! Det var jätterolig igår. Vi måste göra flera fester i korridoren!).

This morning then, we went skiing to Agnäsbacken, which is about 75 km from Umeå. The Hill there is not very spectacular, it has two lifts and one for children and (officially) 12 ski runs. But it has fair prices and it is ok when you go there for a day. Today was really great weather, blue sky and the sun was shining the whole day. Temperatures were with about -5 degrees also nice.
Some pictures will follow soon.

Ha en bra vecka!

Modo Hockey - HV 71

It was time again to see some Eliteserien ice hockey, so we drove down to Örnsköldsvik to Kempehallen for the game between Modo Hockey and HV 71 from Jönköping. Last seasons champion HV 71 had to fight for qualify again for the playoffs, while Modo Hockey was already 5th in every case. Unfortunately Peter Forsberg was still injured and could not play, but goalkeeper Tommy Salo was back on the ice. The Game began well and after some big opportunites for HV 71, Modo came better into the game and scored 2 goals in the first period. The second period then was quite boring. HV71 could not react and no good play was seen.
The third period became rougher, both teams had their opportunites to score and the goalkeepers were standing in the focus. But it was surly not the evening of Husquarna keeper Stefan Liv. The 3-0 didn't seem to be unsavable and with the 4-0 four minutes later he didn't look good as well (even it was not his fault). Three minutes before the end he lost his stick and wanted to get a new while the game was on the other side, but Modo-defender Mattias Timander got the puck and scored the 5-0 from the own defense zone into the empty net. On the other side, Tommy Salo played a great game (en kanonmatch, like the Swedes say), but could not hold the shut-out because the Modo defenders were sleeping during the last minute.

Modo won 5-1 and this means for HV 71 that they won't reach the playoffs and the season is over. It is the first time in 20 years that the last years champion doesn't reach the playoffs. (Mathias, ich würd s'Blue Bulls Liibli verbränne wänn ich dich wär!). The level of the game was ok (surly compared with the last games I've seen here in Umeå), but the games I've seen last year in Kempehallen were a lot better. Now I'm looking forward to go there once again during the playoffs (and hopefully Peter Forsberg will play again).

Modo Hockey- 5, HV 71 - 1

Rolf Leu, Kempehallen Domsjö / Örnsköldsvik

New Linguistic Challenge

On thursday I started my new course Internationell handel (international trade), and until now it seems to be quite interesting. The lectures are in Swedish again, but all the literature is in English. I don't know yet if this is an advantage or not. Yesterday I've seen that there are also some exceptions in the literature. We are supposed to read an article in Norwegian! Ok, Norwegian is not that far away from Swedish and when I hear it, I also understand it to some extent (I downloaded a Pippi Långstrump movie and watched it for about ten minutes, allways thinking, I understand it somehow but it doesn't sound like Swedish. And it was a Norwegian translation, of course). I usually don't read all the suggested reading, but this new linguistic challenge I just have to try.

Today I'm going to watch ice hockey once again. Down in Örnsköldsvik, Modo Hockey against HV71. Unfortunately, Peter Forsberg is still injured, but I hope it will be a great game anyway.

Ein schönes Wochenende allerseits

The Last Game

Today, Björklöven played its last game at home this season, already before the game it was clear that the next round could not be reached anymore. So tonight's game was only about the honour, especially because it was against Skellefteå. It began perfect for Umeå, only 10 seconds were played and it was standing 1-0. The team had a great start, dominated the first minutes and scored the 2-0. But then Skellefteå came back again and the game was quite close with light advantages for Skellefteå. After the second period it was 3-3 and the last period promised to be exciting. But after a fatal mistake of the Björklöven defenders, Skellefteå could score the 4-3. Afterwards, the game became quite boring, Skellefteå did not want to do anything anymore, and Umeå was not able. So, Björklöven lost also its last game in a rather typical matter. It's a pity it was the last time this season to watch ice hockey here in Umeå, the games were not on a really high level, but it was mostly quite entertaining. Thank you Björklöven for some interesting hockey evenings!

It is just bitter to stand a bit often on the losers side within a week. On sunday my favorite team a home, Kloten Flyers lost their last and decisive regular season game 10-1 and did not qualify for the play-offs, and now the season for my favorite team abroad ended with a defeat. But that's sport (and also life), it can only get better again.

Björklöven 3, Skellefteå 4

Rolf Leu, SkyCom Arena Umeå

First international Pub

On Thursday we had this semesters first international Pub in NH - Karaoke night. The willingness to sing was this time already from the beginning quite high, eventhough a lot of "singers" were mainly dancing on the stage without singing. But, of course some were also really great. Last semester Marc and me sang "Alperose", a swiss-german song, but this time we decided to sing something especially for our female fans. So, "The Swiss Boys featuring Markus" were performing "How Deep is your Love", but unlike expected, the girls didn't throw teddybears or underwear to the stage. Maybe we were not as good as we thought.

On friday I took it easy and went only to the sauna with Stein and Alex. On Saturday afternoon we went sledding (or kind of). It was snowing the whole day with temperatures around 0 degrees. It was a lot of fun. In the evening we had dinner at Leenas place and afterwards we went to Corona. It was not that crowded as usual and the DJ played once five good sounds in a row! Incredible! At the end, Stefan had problems to get rid of a Swedish girl, who could not understand that he neither wanted to dance with her, nor to take her home.

Today, I was lazy again, a typical sunday, having brunch, reading newspapers, out for a walk, things like that. But tomorrow it gets busy again, I have to learn a bit more for the exam on tuesday and then preparing the seminar for wednesday.

Next week I will upload some pictures of the Karaoke-night and also others from the weekend.

Bye

Sports Press Review

This morning I read the sports part of Dagens Nyheter (Swedens biggest newspaper) and Västerbottens Kuriren (local newspaper); and I noticed once more how strange the choice of articles acually is. I mean, it's clear that the focus lies on Swedish athletes but it is close to arrogance that they publish hardly any reports (or even results) from other events. As you might know, last weekend were the qualification tournaments for the olympic ice hockey tournament. Switzerland had Norway and Danmark (two Swedish neighbours) in the group (and beat them both). I was interested what DN would write about these tournaments, but nothing. Not even the results were in, of neither one of the groups. But two pages about the game Sweden - Finland and two pages about the sex scandal in the Swedish national team during the Sweden games. There was another game at the Sweden games, Russia against Czechia, but also no report, only the result was printed. Another funny thing was the reporting from the alpine ski world championship, as I heard, they broadcasted the second run of the womens slalom at the university, but after Anja Pärsson dropped out, they stopped the transmission, without showing who won. And today I couldn't find results of the team competition from sunday, I could only read that the Swedish team was really bad and that the Germans won, but the other places?

Facit: Swedish sport newspapers are quite strange.

Bye the way, also some positive news; today I got the recharger for my digital camera. Thanks to the superintendent! He really finds everything.

Soon I can publish more pictures here. (I also got some from last saturday from Luise, but I'm not sure if I will publish them).

I'm out now, I heard there is a Valantine's party somewhere, let's see what's going on there.

Beachvolley challenge

Hey there,
I just came home from a after party at Daniels place (merci Dani!). I made an appointment with Jakob this evening that we play it out who is beachvolley-nation number 1. Germany or Switzerland. The game will be in two weeks and we play three against three (since we are three Swiss here). I'm looking forward to win this game. If any other nation wants to challenge us, feel free to write a message.

So, I think I need some sleep that I'm able to play ice hockey this afternoon.

I wish you a good night and a nice sunday

Week review

Hej,
as you might have noticed, the pace of new posts in my blog slowed down a bit. It's because I'm getting busier now. The first weeks of the new semester were easy but now I noticed that the next exam will probably not that easy as I thought first. I think I have to read the book now. But it's still more than a week to go till the exam and only 250 pages.
Today I started a second course (introduction to Swedish Law) paralell to the other one. I thought it is a 25 % work load evening course over the whole semester, but now it is shortend down to 2 months and actually a 50 % work load daytime course. Some lectures will overlap and I'll have the first seminar exactly one day after the exam of the other course. So, the next weeks will be quite busy, but I need this somehow. Since a feel a bigger pressure again, I'm also more motivated to learn. Last week and at the beginning of this, I was just lazy but today I really felt like learning. Unfortunately it was really nice weather today and I got a pair of cross-country skis on wednesday. So I decided to shorten lunch break, reading till 2 o'clock and than go skiing on lake Nydala. And it was the right decision; it had fresh snow, the sun was shining and hardly anybody was on the lake. It was really nice, the only thing missing was an après ski-bar.

On Wednesday, the USBE had a information event for swedish students about studying abroad. Marc and me gave a presentation of the university of Zürich for them. It was quite funny; we knew how to advertise the city, but what should we tell them about the university? But there was also a swedish girl who has studied in Zürich last year and she knew better how it worked for exchange students in Zürich. Afterwards we could talk a bit with her and it was interesting how Zürich is seen by an exchange student.
Zürich, worth a visit!

As you might now, the world sometimes can be quite a small place. Today in this law course I met Rikka, a Finnish girl who has been a year in Switzerland for high school exchange at the same school like I have been. I would not have recognised her anymore, but I surly could remember her. Some coincidences are really funny.

Now, the forcast for the weekend: I don't know what's on tonight, I decided to take it easy, go to the sauna with the mentor group and then perhaps have a beer or two in NH.

Saturday evening offers (like allways) a lot of possibilities. There is a party in Mariehem (17B) but I won't go there, since it is too far away. The place to be tomorrow is the pre-party at Anders' corridor (Pedagoggränd 7a, 3rd floor). Afterwards it's club zoo in Villan, that's a party I really can suggest. But I'll probably go downtown tomorrow, I haven't been there for a long time and O'Learys should be nice.

Last but not least, on sunday will be ice hockey again on the ice rink in Ålidhem, it starts one o'clock, if somebody is interested.

I wish you a nice weekend

Jokkmokk Vintermarknad

As promised yesterday, I will report a bit more extensive about the trip to the Jokkmokk wintermarket. The trip was organised by the international office and the request for places was high. So we had three buses and about 170 international and swedish students going to Lappland. Since Jokkmokk is more than 500km from Umeå,and it is about 6 hours to drive, we had to leave at 4 o'clock in the morning and the question was: going to bed early or staying the whole night awake? I decided to do the former, but it wasn't a good idea, I could not sleep well and was tired anyway. I really hoped to sleep in the bus, but 2 or 3 people (out of 60) wanted to watch movies. Damn, I could sleep perhaps for half an hour.
Shortly before Jokkmokk we crossed the polar circle. Time for a stop (the only one) to take some pictures of a sign that you're crossing the polar circle. Actually I didn't expect more, but some people were really disappointed that there was no line on the ground. (I'm quite sure there is one, but they probably do not paint the snow red).
Arrived in Jokkmokk, we ate breakfast and then started to explore the market. It was surprisingly big with a lot of Sami stuff like rendeer skins, fur hats, elk sausages, knives etc. But there was also a lot of daily stuff and this junk you find on every market in the world.
Furthermore, there were many activities to do, like dog-sledding, rendeer-sledding, helicopter flights, snow scooter rides and more. But the highlight of the day were the rendeer races on the frozen lake. It was a bit like the horse races in St. Moritz, a lot of people with fur coats and fur caps, but with the difference that here the ambiance is better (and funnier) .
The last hour of our stay in Jokkmokk we spent in a bar tent. It looked like a common Sami tent from the outside, but actually it was nothing else than a "Bierzelt". That's probably why the locals like this market so much. ;-).
Antti had then the great idea to buy some beer for the journey back. And it's true; beer is the panacea! The way back seemed to be much shorter than before.
We arrived in Umeå at about 10 o'clock. First, we were thinking of going out but I was really too tired, but it was worth to do this trip. I mean, I wouldn't go there every year but it was interesting to see it once. The Jokkmokk wintermarket shows the traditional Sami culture as well as the modern life.

As you see on the right, I uploaded some pictures too. I haven't shot them myself, so I want to thank Dani, Leena and Nils for providing me with their photos.

Dies und das

Es ist bereits wieder spät, aber ich habe schon lange nichts mehr geschrieben und es gäbe wieder einiges zu erzählen. Am Donnerstag haben wir mit der Mentorengruppe Beachvolleyball gespielt, war wiedermal ganz lustig. Am Samstag sind wir dann nach Jokkmokk zum traditionellen Sami-wintermarkt gefahren, 5 Stunden im Bus hin und 5 Stunden wieder zurück. Na ja, der Markt war aber ganz interessant. Heute wars mal wieder richtig gutes Wetter und wir haben 2 Stunden Eishockey gespielt. Am Abend gabs dann Rentier bei Nils (ein Schnäppchen vom Markt gestern).

A more detailed report from Jokkmokk and some pictures will follow tomorrow. But I uploaded now the first part of the Ammarnäs pictures and added some links to other international students web pages. If I forgot anybody or if anyone of you have a link to provide, feel free to send it to me.

Good night

Björklöven vs. Leksand

Today Björklöven Umeå played at home against Leksand stars. The situation before the game was quite clear, the last against the first of the Superallsvenskan and Björklöven lost every time they met this season. But with one more defeat, Umeå's posititon would be even more uncomfortable (they have only one win and a draw in 8 games).

So, we pilgrimaged once more to the Sky-Com arena hoping to see the turnaround. I mean, every time I've been there before, they didn't loose.

Like allways, Björklöven started quite well, but soon it was clear that Leksand was a really strong team. The stars took over the command and were apparently the better team. They led after the first period 1-0 and after the second 3-0. In the third period Umeå came back again and shortend to 1-3 and again to 2-4, but the last period was ice hockey on a low level, both team were playing without a concept and the game was hectic. In the end, Leksand scored the last goal in the empty net, but probably after a committed (and not avanged) foul.

The victory of Leksand was ok, since they were the better team, but four of their goals were not really forced, but were individual failures of the Björklöven defenders.
Umeå is now 7 points behind the 6th, but still 5 games to play. It will be hard for the birchleaves to qualify now for the eliteserien-qualification series, but it is not impossible. It would be sad, if they have to finish the season allready in february.

Björklöven 2, Leksand 5

Rolf Leu, Sky-com arena Umeå

Links online

I don't feel very well today. Maybe I'm a bit sick. I stayed the whole afternoon inside, but the weather was bad anyway. These were actually allmost perfect conditions to learn a bit. So I read for the first time in my course book and solved some microeconomics exercises.

But I also got time to work a bit on my blog. And after reading some source codes of other blogs and some copy/paste, I managed to get my own link section. But actually it would be enough to link to Ralf's page, where he comment all the important Umeå links.

Hopefully, my pictures from Ammarnäs are developed by tomorrow (at least some of it). And maybe the clowns at El-giganten are also able to order the things I need for my digi-cam.

have a nice week