A new week has started and almost passed by... I had some days off in the beginning of this week and now when I'm back at work it's almost weekend again! The days are flying by and we are almost halfway through Summer Academy - how crazy?!

 

Today it's Thursday, which means classes for almost everyone. The building is full of students and so is the harbour. The sun is shining and people are drinking coffee on the wharf, watching the boats come and leave. We have the best office view in the whole city and it's a really good place for our students to experience the best of Kalmar and the Swedish summer. Here's a lot of people every day, having coffee, eating lunch, enjoying an icecream or just walking around watching all the nice boats. There are a few yachts but mostly sail boats. God, I really wish I wasn't that motion sick. I would really like to sail, but would probably throw up even before we've left the harbour... 

 

Last Saturday Isabelle, who is social responsible, took about 60 students to Öland for a guided bus tour. Each weekend we offer field trips and tours and these are really popular! The trip consisted of a tour through the south fo Öland where they had a few different stops, for example Stora Alvaret (English translation: "Serioussness"), the dominant environmental feature of the island. This is the habitat of numerous rare and endangered species. The first known scientific study of the biota of the Stora Alvaret occured in the year of 1741 with the visit of Carl Linnaeus (for fact: the man Linnaeus University is named after). The weather wasn't the best but I heard a little bird whisper in my ear that the trip was really appreciated! Swedish summer is not really world known for having the best weather, so you always have to be prepared for rain and coldness. On the other hand, when the weather is good it is really great, then Sweden probably is the best place to be!

 

This weekend the trip goes to the deeper Småland. The students will visit IKEA in Älmhult, Kosta, an elk park, the place where Carl Linnaeus was born and so on. The trip is divided into two parts and the first one is on Saturday. The second is on Sunday. I will not be joining these trips either, but next weekend I will join the biggest trip - to Stockholm! We will be away for three days and we have a packed schedule - only with fun things of course! The most spectacular thing with the Stockholm trip is that it's the Gay Pride Festival - a festival that is held once a year. This will probably be a very memorable thing for many international students. The gay culture isn't that big/well-known in every country as in Sweden. It's the first time for me as well being in Stockholm at the same time as Pride so I really looking forward to see it!

 

I will tell you more about the Stockholm trip, now it's time for me to clear my notice board of post-its. Later!

 

/Jonna