Music Keeps Us Alive

As I wrote two days ago or so, I went to see Panda Da Panda which was just amazing. It's impossible to describe the feeling when you hear and see the artist sing your favorite songs, it feels like your body is flying and your heart is pumping like never before.

After this concert I promised myself to go to more concerts. It's just so great to see the artists live because you get closer to the artist by seeing him or her live. To my happiness, I saw that an artist I really like is coming to a city close to me, Daniel Norgren. Now I just need to find someone who is willing to go and see him with me haha. The good thing is that the tickets are really cheap (around 30 dollars) so it's totally worth it!

Panda Da Panda

Daniel Norgren

Also, watch this live performance. So so so good. My fav song with him!

Dansa Bonne Dansa

I'm really in love with this song! If you'd translate the lyrics to English, you would probably have a good time laughing. But I really like Panda Da Panda and I'm embarrassed to tell you that I started to listen to him today.. Well, of course I've heard some of his songs before, but when my friend showed me a new song of him I started to get interested because I really liked it and I also knew that he is coming to my city (a free concert!). So today I've listened to all of his songs and I like them so much. They are so different and he is singing in the dialect spoken in the county in Sweden where I live (Skåne). So it's really nice and funny to hear words in the way we say them down here haha.

Now I'm so excited to see him live! Just need to learn the lyrics, shouldn't be a problem.. :)

Fun fact: He is in a relationship with Rebecca Scheja (from Rebecca & Fiona

Election coming up!

It's almost time for election here in Sweden. Every party is trying to convince every citizen that they are the best party for making Sweden a better country in every way possible.

I think I've decided! This is my first election so I'm really excited. For me, it is given to be voting and be involved. It is after all my life that will be effected. The whole society might be changed!

Things I miss about LA

Today I spoke English for the first time in four days. Only for like five minutes but yeah, it felt pretty good.

What comes up in my mind every day as the days pass by and I get away from the American society, are the things that I miss from America.

1. The "Hi, how are you?" you are asked anywhere.
2. Having Starbucks everywhere anywhere you go.
3. The toilet seat covers

Today's thoughts

One of my goals of this semester is definitely to get better at planning. I was not so satisfied with my results from the 2nd year of the gymnasium and I think that lack of planning was the problem. I need a better plan to when and what I'm going to study each week to make everything as smooth as possible...

I feel like I'm already losing the great flow in my English which I had when I was abroad. It's not strange of course, from speaking English every single day in a month to getting back home and only hear Swedish. It makes me sad, because I love speaking English. Tomorrow I have my first English lesson of the semester, so I hope I get so speak some English then.

I can't wait to finish the gymnasium and explore the world! Speaking of exploring, I need to borrow some books. One book I'm currently waiting for is the book "The Fault in Our Stars". I have heard a lot of good things of the book and movie, but as always I prefer to first read the book and get my own picture of the characters and settings and thereafter watch the movie. It's always fun to se the filmed version of the book, to see which parts they included and which parts they did not.

America, I miss you.

Wednesday and I have been in Sweden for about two days and I can't tell you enough how much I miss LA. I will continue to write here as often as possible, when I have something interesting to share. That is a good way for me to put down my thoughts and keep on working on my English..

All I have been thinking about all day is how I can't wait to go back. I really want to go back and study there. I wan't to live there!

I know it will be hard, but I'll do everything needed to make it happen!

Home..

It's with a sad face I'm writing this. I came home a couple of hours ago, from sunny, beautiful Los Angeles to cold and rainy Sweden.

I already miss Los Angeles. I miss all the people I met, I miss the awesome weather, I miss my class. Oh I want to back already :(

Just My Luck

What is wrong with me and my luck?! Or maybe I should say why am I so careless? Now I'm hearing my mother's voice in my head: "Ninette, du är så slarvig!!" (translation: "Ninette, you are so careless!")

First, I lost my bag in Vegas (and found it, thank god!) and guess what happened last Thursday?

I was going home and when I was going off the bus, I searched for the keys in the same place I always put them. But to my surprise, they were not there! I panicked and started to search for the keys.. Nope, no keys. I went to the hotel and explained the situation for the woman at the reception, but she couldn't really help me. My roommate was home so she could open the door for me. I called every place I had been to, but no keys. 

In my head, I had all the time this picture of them being by the bench, where I sat before I got on the bus. Did I really put the keys aside while locking for cash for the bus? Well it was the only option I had so I decided to take the bus back to the city and see. But first I had to get change at Seven Eleven.. That's one thing I miss from Sweden. The bus card!! Here in LA it's so complicated to get one that I rather just stay to using cash... 

Anyway, I went off the bus and went straight to where I took the bus before. And guess what?! My keys were there! It's was the second best relieved feeling I've had in my entire life (my first one was when I found my bag in Vegas).

I celebrated my luck by buying some yoghurt ice cream.

Oh I'm so happy now and thankful! Note to self: Be more careful.

Sweden VS America #1

1. This is actually quite funny. I talked to a man at my summer job before leaving, since he had worked here in the U.S. He told me Americans are not as personal as we Swedish people are. They met some friends here and when they were going back to Sweden they only got a "Bye" and not in a personal, friendly way or whatever.

I have got the total opposite picture of Americans. I think they are so nice and sweet to you and I think you get more close to them than Swedes! So was a surprise and also really funny.

2. Ok so this is a bit disgusting maybe. But in America, or at least LA, they have these great things to put on the toilet before using it. Haha, maybe a bit weird but I wish we had it in Sweden too.

Thursday already..

It's already Thursday and the last week is around the corner. Even though I'm trying not to think about that I'm soon going home, I can't help myself for thinking that I have to leave Los Angeles. At least I know for sure that I'm going back! I really need to check up the possibilities of doing an exchange year over here.

I found a really interesting blog (in Swedish) that I have been reading a lot of: http://collegeliv.blogspot.com

She has spent a lot of years in the states, starting as an university student. Really interesting!

Cheers

Wednesday

Today I have been in school and I have inter alia learned where some states are located on the map. It may sound simple, but it was really interesting because I had really forgot some states and had no idea where they were located since it was years ago since I did any kind of map exercise. We also did some other interesting exercises. 

I came home about 40 minutes ago and had lunch and I just did my homework which was a text about advantages and disadvantages in globalization. I really enjoy writing so actually I don't mind getting writing as homework. I also feel that my writing really has improved and I have better grammar and flow. 

Today, I'm going to a bonfire with people from my school. I look forward to it! I'm going to bring a jacket though, as it may be a bit cold in the evening. I hope I will have a nice evening and get to know some more people. 

I'm trying to get some kind of schedule for the days I have left. So far, these are the plans I have:

Wednesday (today): Bonfire

Thursday (tomorrow): Yoga at Equinox

Friday: Beverly Hills (probably)

Sunday: Universal Studios

Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday next week - Six Flags (we have not decided what day yet, but probably Monday)

I want to go to Century City Mall and The Grove, so I think I'll do that this weekend! I'm gonna make a better schedule tomorrow. Worst mistake ever - not getting Internet here! The next time I go to the states and if I'm staying as long as this time or longer, I will definitely get American Internet because it would make everything easier. Now I can't use maps, see when the bus comes and goes.. So yeah that was a mistake for sure.

Now I'm going to read through my homework before sending it to my teacher and eat something more before heading back to the school.

Cheers

Las Vegas!

I have not written as much as I wish I had, but for good reasons!

This weekend I was in Las Vegas and I loved it. Even though I'm only 18 I had so much fun. I will tell you some parts of the weekend, haha

So we went 12 pm Friday. It was a long bus ride, but I have to say that it wasn't that bad. I think it took 6-7 hours or so, including a one hour break. When we came to Vegas, we got our room keys and left our bags in the hotel rooms. I shared room with three other girls. I and one of the girls went out to discover Vegas when we arrived. We took some pictures and did the roller coaster, which was so funny! I love roller coasters :) so Friday was pretty calm but I was so amazed by how beautiful Vegas was, so it was definitely enough for the day as we were pretty exhausted from the bus ride.

Now to the better day - Saturday.

First we started the day with a little tour. We went to some cool casinos, Caesars Palace etc. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't go to the Las Vegas sign though. After we ate lunch and walked home to get some rest before the evening.

8 pm, we were supposed to be picked up by a limo bus and have some fun. But since I'm 18 and not allowed to party in the U.S., I didn't expect so much from the bus ride. 

Anyway, a bus came but that bus was for 21+ only and we we were told that our bus would come 2 HOURS LATER! We got so mad because we were ready for the bus to come 8 pm.. But at least I got to know two really nice girls at this time, so something good came out of it haha. 

30 minutes after, a bus suddenly came and the bus driver said that the bus was for us so we got on the bus. It was not as good as the other bus, really boring too actually and everyone just sat for themselves and oh god it was so boring and awkward. But then, suddenly, the bus stopped to pick up some other people, we thought it would be people under 21 y/o as us, but nope! On the bus came people 21+! Haha, so we must have got on the wrong bus. And the people who got on the bus were so nice! Guess if I and my two new friends were happy, since we were so sad and angry before the got on the bus. The bus was supposed to take the others to the club, but me and my friends got off at the hotel. At the hotel, we met some other people whom I spend the rest of the hours with.

Now to the WORST part of the weekend: I lost my bag! 

Yep, I woke up the morning after and had NO IDEA where my bag was. In my bag I had all my money, I had my passport, Nikon camera,  headphones etc..

I was so stressed, since I had about 1,5 hour to find it. And finally I did, right before I almost had a breakdown!

Anyway, I really loved Vegas and have to get back when I'm 21! It's gonna be the first thing I do when I turn 21. Can't wait! It must be 100000 times more amazing to be there when you are 21.

Cheers