Month: March 2017

It has been very busy. First, I put a lot of effort in preparing to facilitate a conversation with the faculty about distance learning. Distance learning was started about 3 years ago at Johannelund, but to be candid, it wasn’t well thought through and not very well supported. Because I was asking questions, I was invited to lead a pedagogy session. I replied that I would not be the best one for that, but I can facilitate a conversation. I used collaborative learning exercises to identify what we are doing, but also what we need to develop our efforts.

I think it went quite well for several reasons. First, I focused on the mission statement and core values as important for guiding decisions. As community is one core value–and which is very important for me–I get to rally the faculty and administration to focus on this (yes, this actually conflicts with distance learning! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.). Second, we have identified some easy steps to move forward, with peer tutoring to be included in every fall faculty meeting. We will survey everyone to prioritize our lessons, but we have 4 topics to start with. Then, we’ll work on getting a grant for a bigger steps. An important aspect that wasn’t part of other’s expectations–but was on my agenda–was demonstrating a couple collaborative learning exercises and advocating for learner-centered teaching. I think I started to expand the imagination as many–not all–of the classes are taught with quite traditional lecture–note taking–reading–one paper–one exam model.

I put a ton of effort into this, because I knew that if it went well, we could take a step toward constructive change. I would be able to nurture the context to focus on our values and good pedagogy. I was quite tired after this, as I was up late the last 3 nights working on it, but I had a new course prep and another session that needed some development for the next day, Thursday. It would have been a rather normal week without the distance learning session with the faculty, but it was important to make it go well.

The new course prep was for a 3rd-year course on “Exegetical theology for the missional church.” My colleague lead the New Testament session, and I had the Old Testaments session; each were 90 minutes. We had to take it out of order, New Testament first, because of another course he was teaching, but that was good for me. I was able to see what he was doing and build on that. It would have been ideal to have more time, but what we did went well. One student (who flew in for the class as he lives up north), said he appreciated it, and he would have actually liked if my session was longer. I had them dig into texts in pairs at three different times and then share their discoveries with the class. For the first time with a new lesson, it went OK. There were a couple things that I would like to do a little differently, and there was one important slide at the end that I forgot. I’ll have to come back to these things with them at the next and last session I have. (This course only has four, 90-minute sessions. I don’t quite understand the limited contact hours, but I’m working on that too!)

My Bible school session on Jeremiah went OK, but just OK. The energy didn’t seem to arrive in the classroom yesterday morning. Yes, it was an 8:30 am class, but usually, I can rally them. I will revisit this lesson, especially for the next time I teach it. My sense is that my exercises were too big or too open for this group. I will see how to make it more specific and focused next time, especially because Jeremiah is such an important model of faithfulness, and I know they heard my story of how I resonate with this, but the text engagement needs to be strengthened for understanding key themes.

I went home quite tired Thursday after being in the classroom from 8:30 until 4:45 pm (though excluding chapel, lunch, and I didn’t teach 90 minutes of that).

Friday morning was off to Swedish lesson with Lennart. Chatting in Swedish seemed harder today. Am I more tired? Have I not be practicing enough and regressing? Was it just trying to communicate new things or in new ways? However, I keep pushing on. We read through two pages of a 2nd year student essay. It develops my theological vocabulary which isn’t included in Duolingo or standard Swedish grammar books. It is good also to talk things through with a theologian. Lennart is gracious, and I thank him each time with a gift of chocolate.

I knew the rear tire on the “Elenn bike” was bad for the past few days. This was a used bike, so one never knows what issues might appear. I was hoping that it would hold out until the busy part of the week was over. So, I would rise off the seat, standing on the pedals, when going over any bump to try to not compress the tire with all my weight on it.

Fortunately, the tire held. On the way home from my Swedish lesson, I stopped at the closest bike shop.

Within 15 minutes, maybe less, I was out the door with a new tire.

There are two signs of spring. First, they are beginning to sweep the course sand/fine gravel off the side walks and bike paths. It is so much nicer to bike where it has been cleaned off. Secondly, I saw my first spring flowers.

Anya is at a friend’s home for her birthday dinner. I’m home relaxing, studying some Swedish, streamed a movie, and a Swedish TV cooking show that has subtitles in Swedish. Reading the words while hearing them spoken is helpful for me. The talking goes a bit fast for me, but it is a little more exciting than the news in easy Swedish. The show is about a Swedish woman, Tina, who is a good cook. She goes to various places and makes a meal. This first episode I watched was Tina’s visit to retired LPGA golfer Annika Sörenstam’s HUGE home in Florida. Tina made a strawberry cake.

With blessings,

Beth

 

On Sunday, Uppsala was the warmest spot in Sweden.

No wonder I’m smiling!

Monday was sunny too and reached 64 degrees. So, in the afternoon, the students were outside.

Then they got out the volleyball in a fun gathering. And I thought, “What would Jean do?”

I got my gym shoes out of my bag and went to join them for a mid-afternoon break. It was fun, and I think they thought it was fun that I joined them for a few minutes. However, when I told Anya, she was mortified!

I’ve been busy preparing for a session on online learning that I’m facilitating this Wednesday afternoon. This is kind of strange, because I have never taken an online course, been formally trained in online pedagogy, and have only had minor roles co-teaching in a course that had minimal online aspects. However, I am asking questions, so I’ve been invited to facilitate a conversation. That I can do.

I have been reading online pedagogy books and researching things to try to bring out important issues to discuss. I am actually going to be demonstrating collaborative classroom learning techniques (this is my passion) to discuss online pedagogy issues! In reality, I am bringing a little (hopefully gracious) critique of what is being done now, so it may not be so straight forward. I’m also going to advocate for sustaining our “brand” which has focused on a learning community (online things started 3 years ago). Pray that it goes well.

One other part of today was a tutoring session for students writing their bachelor’s degree thesis. One is writing in English, in preparation for an application to a UK master’s program. He had previously provided a draft of a section (prior for departing for a 10-day course in Ethiopia). I carefully proofed, edited, and gave some recommendations for it. It is really difficult to write in another language that isn’t your mother tongue. My American colleague, who is excellent in Swedish, says that he sounds 20% stupider when writing in Swedish.

I know that even writing in English, my mother tongue, I sounded less stupid thanks to Marv’s generous editing (with help from some others, like Jean and my mom).

With blessings,

Beth

Friday was a day revolving around the application that our rektor has submitted for a master’s program. The Swedish body regulating higher education had a series of interviews in Stockholm on Friday afternoon. I was part of the teachers (they don’t use “faculty” here in the same way) hour-long interview. At first, I was a bit unsettled thinking that I would not have much to say, as the interview would be in Swedish. I did speak on 2 occasions–in English–though one was an introduction, and the other I knew that the conversation regarded course goals related to ethics, because this is not explicitly stated on the syllabi. While I agree that this would be a good feature for all syllabi, I added that it was an intentional conversation in exegetical theology and has influenced the reading list (Daniel Patte’s Ethics of Biblical Interpretation) and topics such as post-colonial hermeneutics (as we have a long-term East African connection).

We walked past the 1912 Olympic Stadium (I’m assuming that was where Jim Thorpe won both the decathlon and pentathlon), and I took the subway for the first time in Stockholm, but I have  only one pictures from the day.

But, I have many pictures from today!

Two weekends ago, Anya and I met Michael K, in Stockholm. I know Michael and his wife from Bible college. He is here for a few weeks for work. This weekend, he coordinated a visit Uppsala with a professional guide to show us around. Michael enjoys getting to know a place, and this is a great way to have an informed orientation–as well as transportation around the town (as I only have a bike). Before we met our guide, we had time for fika.

Then on to tour. Michael asked about the viking era, so our main guide also secured an archaeologist with a specialty in the viking ere. So, we first stopped by some rune stones. This is the predominant area for them, with over 20,000 known!

Our viking era had some viking era weapon replicas.

Around the corner from the rune stones was the cathedral. The guide added many interesting facts and a few whimsical stories!

We took a little time in the Gustavianum museum across the street from the cathedral. They have a good exhibit of the Vendel Period (550-790 AD, pre-viking era)

The archaeologist had many interesting comments–too many to note. So, if you’re curious, come and visit, and we’ll have the guy take us around!

After Michael’s invitation to a nice dinner, I bid him farewell at the train station and went to my bike. Then, I think I saw a bicycle being stolen right before my eyes! A man was close to one bike (while I was turning off tail lights on a bike that was probably parked before it became dark), but then he walked to the next bike rack and leaned over a bike that had a flyer in the bike rack (a tell-tale sign that the bike had been parked there for a day or two). Then he walked the bike straight to a panel truck parked on the side of the road. Another guy was there to help load the bike and drive off. It seems very fishy! So, I took some pictures. A couple pictures showed the license plate, so I got home and called the non-emergency police line and reported what I saw and gave the license plate number.

Let’s hope that I helped to stop a bike theft ring!

A full day! Perhaps a bit too full!

With blessings,

Beth

Taxes are rising: Next year in Sweden, those who earn the equivalent of $4,327 per month will see an increase in tax. That is the middle group of taxes in Sweden’s progressive income tax rates. The information I have, the 2014 rates, are:

• 0% from 0 kr to 18,800 kr (~0 – 2,690 USD)
• Circa 31% (ca. 7% county and 24% municipality tax): from 18,800 kr to 433,900 kr (~2,690 – 62,140 USD)
• 31% + 20%: from 433,900 kr to 615,700 kr (~62,140 – 88,180 USD)
• 31% + 25%: above 615,700 kr (88,180 USD and up)
  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Sweden)

On Facebook recently, I read a complaint about taxes from a former student. A former colleague, Sue, responded to him that she appreciates what taxes do: good roads, fire departments, schools, and such that supports a healthy society.

I responded: “I’ve looked at tax from both sides now, from high and low, and still somehow, it’s civil society that I recall. I really don’t hate taxes after all.” Yes, Sue got the allusion to Joni Mitchell’s song. (My favorite version is her remake with a slow tempo. Check it out.) Yes, I want them to be fair and administered wisely, but after living in Tanzania, it is so evident that we need reasonable taxes with good management for a civil society.

Civil society: The civility of Swedish society was demonstrated recently. Anya did the laundry on Saturday. (She is up early on Saturday and starts laundry at 7:00 am!) On Monday morning, I asked her if she had seen my new gym towel. I recently bought a microfiber camping towel so it could more easily fit in my backpack. The manufacturer recommended washing it separately the first time. However, she forgot about it in the washing machine. I went right over to the laundry room expecting it to be long gone. Surprise! It was there and even folded nicely!

Now, I know that everything isn’t perfect here. They say that you haven’t lived in Uppsala long enough if you haven’t had a bicycle stolen. I did have a bungee cord taken off my bike, but otherwise, we are doing fine.

My conversation partner, Åsa, has her husband’s cell phone number inside her cell phone cover, so when she leaves it lying around, the person who finds it can reach her husband and get it back to her. So far, it has worked!

2nd-year essays: Three of the four students completed writing their essays last week. This week, they “defended” them. I set the tone for a collaborative conversation to help us strengthen each other’s work. I also made and brought chocolate cake to celebrate at the end of a very stressful process with a whole course grade resting on one paper. The rest of the cake went to the employee fika.

Anya is back pole vaulting after a break for a couple months. Now a new season is starting, and I think she is renewed and ready to vault some more. She continues to put her school work as priority and is studying hard.

Bible school presentations: One highlight of the week was the Bible school presentations. Last week, I handed out the names and some introductory information on the 12 minor prophets and gave the assignment to create a 5 minute presentation that would make “your prophet” memorable. I find it difficult to keep all the 12 guys straight in my head, so I figured that if the students made associations with the presentations of their different classmates, they could begin to remember important things. I told them there would be a vote for the most memorable presentation, and there would be a prize!

The first pair, composed a song on Jonah and sang it.

The Joel presentation included the whole class jumping like locusts in (around) the grass to a soundtrack with song lyrics, “Jump! Jump! Jump!” Not quite a lament, like in the book, but they won’t forget the locusts!

A student older than me Providentially ended up with Habakkuk. After an overview of the book, she composed a personal lament that beautifully echoed the themes. It was powerful. I have goosebumps now thinking of it.

The winner of the prize—a bag of chocolates—was for the representation of Haggai. With good call and response of “Haggai says” (a great memory devise to connect with the specific book), the story unfolded with chairs representing the completed Jerusalem walls (behind), but the incomplete temple (foreground). Eventually, the “stones” were assembled to complete the temple with a round of applause!

Amazingly, 7 of the 12 presentations received votes for the most helpful presentation to help them remember the minor prophets. There was another bag of chocolates that were shared with everyone, as we were all winners with new knowledge. Yes, it was a great day, and a nice energy in the classroom, way before the chocolate came out! The downside is that the presentations were in Swedish, so again, I could only track a bit of what was said. The Jonah lyrics were sent to me, so a quick Google translate gave me help with the words I didn’t know.

Frustration funk: My lowest part of the month is the faculty meeting, which was yesterday. I can typically only track the Swedish enough to understand the topic. Most of the details I can’t get. These are the conversations that affect the academic policies and practices, and I can barely understand the basics, much less contribute to things that affect my work life. It is SO frustrating. At one point, I thought about walking out and just asking for the minutes to come to me early. Usually, last month’s minutes are reviewed at the beginning of the meeting, so I only then see some of the details, if I didn’t ask for clarification from a colleague after last month’s meeting. However, I had a new course proposal on the agenda, so I didn’t think too seriously about leaving.

The course proposal was for an elective course in computer-aided research for exegetical theology. No one uses biblical research software here, except me! I helped some of my essay writing students with some technical searches for word studies and accessing some Septuagint lexicon resources, so the students are eager to have the software integrated into the course offerings here. The faculty heard how I helped the students with their essays, so the first suggestion was to offer the course in their 5th semester, prior to their bachelor’s thesis course in the 6th semester. I had to inform them that this is software that students could use in their very first course for their interpretation papers and for many other courses prior to their bachelor’s thesis course (potentially 10 or more), especially because we will address bibliographic resources, online journals, and other basic technology-aided research tools. When I realize how my contribution can be helpful, it gets even more frustrating that I am so limited with communication.

So, I must learn Swedish. But I can’t study full-time, because I also have to produce. I work on Swedish some every day, but it isn’t enough. Some days, like today, I met with a tutor for 1.5 hours. I will do more online exercises. I listen to the news. I listened to over 1.5 hours of spoken Swedish at work, seeking to understand. But, I’m not learning fast enough.

Onward,

Beth

The director of JTH, Hans, invited me to go with his mentor’s group to a city about a 2.5 hour road trip to the northwest. This JTH tradition gets students into various EFS churches. (The EFS is a subgroup under the Church of Sweden which comes from a pietistic tradition out of the Scandinavian Reformation of the late 1800s with an emphasis on lay leaders—but also with ordained clergy—and global mission.) I figured this would be a chance to connect with Hans, students, another EFS congregation, as well as see a bit of Sweden.

It ends up that there is only 1 student along, the one who will be preaching. He was my student last fall, and I know he has some good thinking, but now I get to hear more of his story. He comes from a line of carpenters and farmers in a central crossroads area in Sweden between large lakes. He says that before IKEA, his family made furniture that filled the farmhouses in that area. But now, there is less demand because of the expense of hand-crafted furniture. I asked of what he thought of IKEA. He wasn’t as negative as expected, as his family has chosen diverse professions, and he is pursuing the vocation of a pastor.

The city, Borlänge, is in the Dalarna region, which is literally “the valleys” in Swedish. Many know the Dala Horse, and we passed a very big one!

This area is higher and has rolling hills, with one that is steep enough to have some downhill skiing. (Not quite Washington state’s mountain skiing!) The area looks quite like northern Minnesota with pine and birch forests. This area used to have a big steel mill. Now they are specialists in rolling steel. The iron is mined in other places in Sweden and cast into semi-finished casting products which are sent here by train. The specialized production here converts the semi-finished casting products into finished products, big rolls of steel, that are shipped all over.

The evening plans included a congregational gathering. There were about 40 or so in attendance. Hans did the main presentation looking at Finnish hymns in the Swedish hymnbook, as he is Swedish-Finnish. (There are parts of Finland where Swedish is dominant, while all students learn Swedish in school, which is part of the remnant of the Swedish empire days when they controlled of Finland. The student introduced himself, and there were many questions about his experience at JTH. This congregation has had one of the professors come on several occasions for preaching and teaching, so there is a pretty good relationship with the school. I gave a little homily as part of telling a bit about who I am (I prefer to point to Jesus), and the student translated. He spent a year in England volunteering at the Walsingham pilgrimage center, so he has a distinctive British pronunciation of his English.

My host family were kind. I slept very well with a great view of the a partially-rural area out my bedroom window.

I was in their son’s room, who is now in university in Gothenberg. However, I discovered a book in his bookshelf from his younger years. I think I might have to find me a copy!

The Sunday morning service, went well for the student preacher. I said it went very well, for what I could understand (though it wasn’t much!).

There was also bilingual content for the Ethiopian children.

After the service, we had a lunch with some of the international men that are served by the congregation, including from Pakistan, Syria, and Ethiopia. They have international Bible studies in 5 languages at the church: Arabic, Spanish-Portuguese combined, English, and Swedish. I helped the Syrian young man, who is studying at the university, find an online New Testament in modern Syriac, which is similar to the Aramaic that Jesus spoke. (The first Syriac Bible was probably translated in the 2nd century AD!)

Really, there was an amazing spirit and warmth. Even though at the beginning of the trip I wondered why I had agreed to come, by the end, I was enriched and blessed.

We took a bit of a scenic route on the way home and stopped by a very old church from the 1300s.

Yes, I did make good connections and see a bit of Sweden. And one of the retired women who is volunteering to teach English to immigrants and refugees, told me that she was impressed with my Swedish speaking for being here 7 months. I was encouraged.

For those who are worried about immigrants and refugees, I wish they could have joined me to see how this Swedish church has opened up their hearts and homes to welcome the sojourner. This is the real beauty of churches.

With blessings,

Beth

There is a palpable buzz when the sun is shining in these early spring-ish days after a dark, cold winter.

I biked to the gym, and I actually had two conversations in Swedish! One amazing factor is actually talking with strangers, as it rarely happens, and the other amazing factor was that I used my basic Swedish! One conversation was rather short during the entrance to the gym, as I helped a woman in a head scarf enter through the door. The other conversation was longer but a bit strange, as it started as we were naked coming out of the shower room, but our lockers were next to each other. She was patient with my beginning Swedish, and now I have a recommendation for a dentist, as she is a retired dental hygienist.

As the gym is 98 steps from work, I stopped in to print out the 2nd year essays that were due today. I then biked to my Swedish lesson with Lennart. He said he would be willing to work with me in reading a bit of the essays. We got through about 2 pages carefully. I am able to get many words, but there are many that are not yet in my vocabulary. There are also words that have dual meanings, so it is helpful to talk through these. The huge blessing is that as a theologian, he knows the theological language. Did you know that there is only one word in Swedish for our two English words of reconciliation and atonement?

So, how am I going to get through 4 essays of 8-10 pages each written in Swedish by the end of Tuesday? Well, the reading won’t be this careful, as this is a language-learning-lesson-quality engagement. I will probably cut and paste into Google translate to get a faster–though rough–translation, and check where things don’t seem to make sense. Fortunately, there is a “defense,” so all the students have to read the other 3 essays. They each get assigned one that they must read very carefully and be the “opponent”, but I am calling it a respondent. So, I will get other perspectives on the paper. But the saving grace is that I only have to determine if the paper is unsatisfactory, a good pass, or a very good pass. For this first time, I’ll do the best I can under the circumstances. I hear that my essay-course students have appreciated my guidance and help, in spite of the extra effort for them speaking in English.

Today, I also am working on the discussion on online-learning that I will facilitate on 29 March. I’m reading a book, developing a survey, and working on a PowerPoint presentation for some talking points.

Then I took a break and biked to the mall to get a carbonator for our Soda Stream thing. That’s the closest place, but it also means that it gets a little crazy on a Friday afternoon. However, I did get a pulled pork roast for dinner and some things that aren’t in our neighborhood store, like water chestnuts and pistachio ice cream.

This evening, I worked on some Swedish with Duolingo. I now reached a 54% fluency, according to whatever metric they use.

I actually think I’ve been hovering at 53% for several months, even after completing all the lessons. I just have to keep on keeping on.

Keeping on,

Beth

 

For those mathematically challenged, March 14th is Pi day; 3.14 = π. However, in Sweden, the date is written 14 mars 2017, so it is 14.3. No pie. But I still see semla buns around!

Anya is not mathematically challenged. She is mathematically excited. A book she ordered came today.

There is no Amazon in Sweden, but shipping rates from Amazon UK are not bad at all.

I’ve been reading pedagogy books in addition to books about the minor prophets, as I’ll be teaching a class on Thursday. I haven’t ever taught the minor prophets before, so I’m reviewing these 12 smaller (that’s why they are “minor”) books for a very brief overview; 12 books in 90 minutes. At least there are some groupings for similar contexts and similar themes.

Today, there was a little shenanigans on campus.

Kind of fun! I’m trying to find out if there is something more behind this, because there were similar, real sized party hats on the faculty door bulletin boards this morning. Hmm, I sense owls in the moss. This is a literal translation of the Swedish idiom, “Jag anar ugglor i mossen,” which has the same meaning as “there is something fishy is going on” for Americans. In the Tanzanian context, owls are omens of bad luck, and if one lands on your roof, it is believed to indicate that someone is going to die. So much for wise owls in different contexts!

With blessings,

Beth

It was a Bob Dylan Sunday service! With Dylan receiving the Nobel Prize in literature, he has gained more attention recently in Sweden. My colleague, Tomas, used Dylan’s life story and Christian songs, sung by a live band, to preach a powerful message.

Then Anya and I headed to Stockholm, where a Bible school friend, Michael K., met us and hosted us for lunch at a nice Italian restaurant. He and his wife were just a year behind me at LBI, so we had fun memories of our time. He told Anya that I was really “serious” in those days.

Michael works for a Canadian company that bought a Swedish company, so he will be here in Sweden 50 days in the first 3 months, going back and forth every 2 or 3 weeks for 2 or 3 weeks. (What a lot of jet lag!!!) Then Anya took off to the library, while Michael and I went to the free History Museum, which focuses on Sweden’s early history, especially the Vikings through the beginning of the Reformation. Since Anya buzzes through museums at a walking pace, it was nice to be with someone who reads some of the information!

It was a nice visit, other than the little technological glitches (a bank card wouldn’t read in one ticket machine, so we missed our planned train to Stockholm, and my phone isn’t set up to pay by my bank card, so we ended up taking a train 10 minutes later with a few more stops). Fortunately trains run several times an hour.

Anya heads to be early and is up early (between 4 and 5 am!), because she likes the productive mornings. I had a good Skype conversation with my folks, to check in with them. After a little Swedish language learning, now its off to bed.

With blessings,

Beth

The big plan for the day was to go shopping. I don’t like shopping, especially at busy times. However, I needed to get some things at the “Clas Ohlson” store, like printer ink and paper; Anya wanted dry-erase markers, and I wanted a micro-fiber gym towel, as it is smaller and can fit easily in my gym bag. I also had my 10% off grocery store reward coupon, which is only redeemable at the mall, with their larger “Kvantum” store. (Reminder: I not only needed a personnummer [like social security number], but I also needed a Swedish ID card–not just a residence permit card–to get the store membership card.)

However, Anya is using my bike with the studded tires, and while her bike has studded tires, it isn’t as good to ride as the “Elenn” or guest bike, and I don’t really know if my tightening of the handlebars on Anya’s bike is adequate (there is an problem with tightening the hexbold on the headset). With all the extra weight for a shopping trip, I wanted to take the Elenn bike. So, yesterday, I strapped a plastic crate on the back of the Elenn bike for all the stuff, as the bike paths were clear of snow and I could take the non-studded-tire bike. But it froze overnight and the slushy puddles and wet areas could be a bit slick. So, I waited for the temperature to get above freezing and for Clas Ohlson to open. In other words, the mall was very busy.

During my first week in Sweden, when my host, Christina, took me to the Kvantum grocery store, she commented how so many people make it a Saturday family event to go grocery shopping. So, there are a bunch of kids adding to the congestion. Yesterday, one kid wanted the Star Wars cereal. (Anya likes this cereal too!) But shopping is a bit crazy in a busy store where I don’t know my way around.

In my wanderings, I saw the transfer of semla pastries onto the shelf. So, yes, the Fat Tuesday delight is now available during the fasting time. even though Lent here is called the “fastan” time.

I still can’t find tapioca. I couldn’t find any barley, as I was going to try to make a beef barley soup. That just sounds good right now. I made two trips through all the varieties of toilet paper, varieties of paper towels, and varieties of baby wipes looking for facial tissue; nothing. Don’t Swedes blow their noses? I went to the cosmetics section and found one kind of boxed facial tissue with small shelf space. They also have the travel packs of tissue, but again in little shelf space. This makes me curious, but it is an awkward question to ask. I supposed I would have to start, “Do Swedes blow their noses? If so, how–as in–into a tissue, cloth, or else-wise?” Swedes are very pragmatic, so perhaps toilet tissue makes sense. It is quite readily available.

With my 10% off coupon, I stocked up on a few things. Sales tax is 12% on food and 25% on non-food items, but 10% off is nothing to sneeze at. So, I stocked up on Nutella and shampoo, as well things that are not carried in our small, neighborhood grocery store. I have to prioritize, so everything will fit in my backpack and bike baskets. With about 15 pounds extra in the handlebar basket, I had to be more careful steering and navigate around some puddles that didn’t quite look melted, but I got home safely with my cautious pace.

I did some piddly fixing (finally fixed the spice drawer bottom) and little tasks, like putting paper to “file” in binders (Swede’s don’t use file cabinets, they put everything in ring binders). These are not 3-ring binders, but I think they are called a four-ring “fork” binder, with two wide prongs on the left and two narrower prongs on the right. The pages have 4 holes. When you close the binder covers, the prongs on each side have to align with the holes on the other side. It seems a bit inefficient, but perhaps there are some benefits I have yet to figure out.

While there were some things accomplished, like paperwork, boots waterproofed, laundry put away, and clean sheets and duvet cover on, (we are going Swedish with just a duvet–no top sheet), but it was a rather low key day. I did some Swedish, but I know I could have done more. I usually try to have a “carrot” at the end of each lesson, such as watching a 6 minute episode of “How Its Made” in British English on YouTube (I find these fascinating), but yesterday I had more episodes than lessons.

In the back of my head was all the things I should be doing, as I think that things are going to get a bit crazy now with work. There is the crunch of getting all the literature revised for all the syllabi for next year. There are always more books to read for my new courses. Soon, there will be lots of essays to read (in Swedish) and grade. Fortunately, I only have to discern between unsatisfactory, good pass, and very good pass. I should be able to do that adequately evaluating the content (not the Swedish grammar), but very slowly!

My musings today are just on the stuff of life, nothing dramatic. But these are part of what takes energy here.

With blessings,

Beth

My Fridays include a morning conversation time with Lennart. The snow is mostly melted on the paths, though leaving some large puddles. So, I could take the “Elenn” bike, the extra used bike we bought when Elenn was here. It doesn’t have studded tires, but I like it better than Anya’s bike. Anya’s bike had a loose handlebar, so she has been taking my bike (with studded tires) to her school these past few snow-laden days, as her school is a bit farther. The Elenn bike has 5 speeds, and it pedals smoothly. The rear fender needs a larger flap, as I arrived at Lennart’s apartment with a little splatter on my backpack.

I bring a chocolate bar every time. While he says I don’t need to, it is good Swedish tradition to bring something, and it shows that I am appreciative of his time. He makes tea and has a little plate of something, perhaps some of previous chocolate, and today some saffron scones that he baked.

Lennart helped me know which Psalm is in the lectionary for next Sunday. (Swedes don’t use the Common Lectionary.) I have the faculty-led chapel service this next Wednesday, and we are using the Psalm from the lectionary. I read to Lennart in Swedish, and then I translated it. Finally, Lennart helped me with the half a dozen words that are not in my vocabulary yet. Some are words that are from a previous era and not commonly used except in Scripture and prayer.

On the way home, I stopped by a bike shop and picked up a metric Y-shaped allen wrench for bikes and a bike bell for the Elenn bike. Then I raised the bike seat (Elenn has shorter legs), fixed the bell and a light, then fixed lunch (not with the allen wrench).

After lunch, I went to the gym and read about the pedagogy of distance learning while on the recumbent bicycle and prayed while I pulled on the rowing machine. Again, this is Scandinavia, as evidenced by the biathalon competition on the flat-screen TV.

I met Rebecca for språk cafét. (This blog has now reached 200,000 words with the word cafét! I started it on 18 January 2015, so a little less than 100,000 words a year!) Rebecca has great patience to listen to my belabored speaking, and she gently corrects me if I don’t correct myself. We talked over Swedish health care (they call it “sick care”). We talked about this, because Rebecca has some lingering respiratory infection, so while you read this, would you add a prayer for healing. We also talked about the Meyers-Briggs temperament indicator and favorite movies.

Recently, I asked colleagues what Swedish movies I should see, but I don’t want movies that are dark and will leave me depressed. They said that it will be a short list then. I’ll have to check out a couple recommendations, and see if they are available somehow. We don’t have TV; we just stream movies for the little we watch.

So, for the evening, when Anya went to youth group, I streamed one of the episodes of Sherlock that she has purchased.

Off to bed, and hopefully no gory images from Sherlock will dance in my head.

With blessings,

Beth