Stockholm is one of the most beautiful places I have visited in the world. I literally have hundreds of pictures just from this weekend, but as of the moment, I am still not feeling too well so I can't. I will never forget: that initial view of the Riddarfjärden from the Stadshuset (City Hall) through the open terrace; stumbling onto the weekend Farmer's Market on Hötorget (Hay Market) in all its colorful and vibrant glory; the boat tour around Djurgården; and of course, Skansen.

I have never been so sick before in my life. It sucks that there's no one here that I can cry to or have take care of me. Instead, people here hypothesize the reason why I became sick in the first place, and joke about my sickness. Sigh. Please keep me in your prayers.

Kpxgrlx012: whatre you doin this weekend
bCxaNgeL143: i'm goin gto versailles tomorrow and then to champagne on sunday
bCxaNgeL143: i'm having a picnic at the garden of versailles
Kpxgrlx012: im going to stockholm
bCxaNgeL143: stockholm sounds cool...what is it?

Freaking Sewon Oum.


Poor Sweden, always the struggling undergod. =[

This is a picture of my favorite milk. I like this milk because the animals are smiley and I get happy every time I see them. Milk here in Sweden is incredibly fresh, meaning that it expires three to four days from the date it was purchased. Hence there is this enormous pressure to drink my milk every day so that I don't end up wasting it like the first two cartons that I bought. But this has become a feasible task because I realize now I can grow to be as tall as the Swedes here, and I can eat bowls of cereal to my heart's content. And it also helps that the animals encourage me with their waves and smiles as I guzzle away.

Perfection in an average day.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12.

I want to say thanks to everyone who's taken time to email me to say hi, to catch up, or to let me know that I'm still in your prayers. I know that what I have is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am so thankful for having this chance to live life to its utmost fullest, but it still helps to have encouraging words from friends and family. It makes the days just a little brighter, makes adjusting just a little easier, and reminds me again of just how much He must love me. Tack sa mycket. =]


For a period during senior year, I hated the written word. One reason why was because I was tired of people manipulating its power to only further their own selfish interests, and I was sad to lose considerable respect for it. But it makes me happy to have my faith slowly be restored as I continue to delve deeper and deeper in my little pile of literature that I've brought from home.

"Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict."

Sigh.

I went to Tivoli yesterday which is in Copenhagen, Denmark. Tivoli is the world�s first ever amusement park, built in 1843 and which is rumored to be the inspiration for Disneyland. My favorite moments was riding The Flying Trunk, which depicted scenes from the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen (The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor�s New Suit, The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Little Match-Seller, The Nightingale), and staying until the park closed to watch the fireworks show behind the Tivoli Concert Hall. True it was no Disneyland, but I could see how Walt Disney was definitely influenced by Tivoli and its attractions. But I loved Tivoli for its simple and quaint beauty and for retaining its original history for all these years instead of losing itself to capitalism and consumerism.

There is one and only one thing in Lund that does not cost anything: free washing machines with free laundry detergent and fabric softener, and free dryers with free dryer sheets. This is very, very important.

I was initially reluctant to meet my corridor mates because the air in the hall smelled dank and stale. But I have met most of them now, and they are all nice and friendly. I think the smell is due to the fact that 10 boys live on my floor while there are only 2.5 girls. These are the nice things they have done for me so far: let me borrow bedsheets, give me toilet paper, give me a TV, teach me to sing in Swedish about a busdriver, give me a TV cable for the TV, set up internet illegally for me, and teach me to use the microwave.

It has been raining sporadically since I've arrived here. I think I have experienced every single type of rain thus far: light sprinkling rain, drizzly rain, scattered and sudden showers, rain while the sun is still shining, rain while everything is gray and overcast, chilly rain, warm rain, thunder storms with heavy showers, and etc. It has been fun. But my favorite days are the days after a heavy rainfall when the sun is shining and the blue sky is crisp and clear and filled with the puffiest and fattest white clouds.

People here are TALL. I always thought myself a considerable height until I was humbled by the blond, long-legged Scandinavians. I wasn't even tall enough to buy a regular bike but was instead degraded to a mountain bike with a wheel circumference of only 24 inches. I get sad everytime I see my dinky little bike parked next to all the loftier and impressive big people bikes.

Lund is beautiful. Every day I continue to wake up unable to believe that places like this can still exist in the world.





But Lund has bees instead of flies. I never minded the bumblebee until I was recently stung by one on my lower lip. Now I utterly despise them and I can't wait until it gets colder so that every single one of them dies and I don't have to cower in fear whenever one of them flies near me.

The Swedish people have many traditions. One is to eat ice cream or frozen yogurt in waffle cones whenever it's a sunny day. The rationale behind this is that such days are precious and thus are very deserving of a celebration. I have most readily acclimatized myself to this cultural convention, and having tried Swedish ice cream, frozen yogurt, and popsicles, I find them all very worthy of acclamation and praise. One of my most favorite popsicles is the Itsakadoozie from 7-11. The discovery of its Swedish counterpart, the Pirulo, in a dodgy Arab shop one day for only 12 kronors, was definitely one of the happier moments I've had so far in Sweden.

And look at this:
Corny cereal bars taste like banana Laffy Taffy. Digestive crackers, however, are not only delicious, but they also help to regulate one's bowel movements.


P.S. I have internet now so email me home addresses so I can write. And don't forget to say hi. =]

I'm starting to feel my first pangs of homesickness. If you've had the slightest inkling of what I've been through, you'd understand why.


People in Sweden encourage me to walk home alone at night. I find this ironic since for the past 4.5 years, I was told to do the exact opposite. The nights here are simply beautiful though. I wish I knew more constellations.

I was at BR when the worker-man saw my shirt and exclaimed, "Cal?! You go, girl, you go and represent the Cal State System."


Bob, my tomato plant, is thriving and doing well. The tomatoes are not as plump as Bob from Veggies Tales is, but in my opinion, are still just as red and shiny. Naming a plant is not such a bad thing after all.

Lasting memories. =]

Genova.

Fuddruckers.

Brazilian Tri-Tip.

Kettleman's In-n-Out.

The Campanile.




Gower and Mejeld's wedding.




These two and another not pictured, are three of my most favoritest people in the entire world. Don't let anyone say otherwise. Look at how monstrously overjoyed and happy I am.

A reminder to not be so hesitant to take opportunities. Welcomed solitude and immersed deep thought only to be interrupted halfway down. Wondering why it is I'm so afraid to say goodbye.

"opportunities create you, not the other way around"

This is Mike Sim.


He has the largest hands I have ever seen on a Korean boy. I could not stop staring at his hands all throughout dinner.


Look at how his pinky finger is the same size of my index finger.



My last final ever at Berkeley in just a few hours. Whew.

The days are just flying by and I'm finding that each day here left in Berkeley needs to be treasured. This past weekend, I was able to re-visit some favorite places, create new memories, and was forced to say some very difficult goodbyes. And keeping my emotions under control is becoming more challenging every day.


Monterey Bay Aquarium, Carmel, Golden Gate Bridge: I've loved the opportunities I've had to spend time with my cousins this summer. But after two days with my baby cousins, I've been having second thoughts about my previous resolution to have my five children in a yearly succession.



Nursery: My initial motivations for serving in nursery were very selfish and prideful ones [I'm getting Andy's "Serving Small" tingles]. I can't explain it well, but reflecting on these past two years, I can see how much I've grown in reliance and faith from the relationships I've developed from the babies and the teachers, even though I thought I was the one offering my help to nursery. Everything always seems to work out that in that twisted and ironic sort of way.



Jane's 22nd Birthday: I've known Jane Kim now for at least half of my life. I consider myself so blessed for such a loving friend who has stuck by me despite all my faults and my shortcomings. Look at how beautiful she is. =]

Stinson Beach is beautiful.


I like this picture a lot.


Yes, we are cool.


Yes, that spells the word "food."


Babies + bellies + beach = Happy Jahndee. =]