Molly and Meatsquares

Hejsan! I've been putting off this post since I can't put it's awesomeness into words! (Hence the use of such adjectives as "awesomeness"...). So last weekend, one of my best friends from UCLA came to visit the lovely city of Lund. We did absolutely nothing, yet everything. It was unbelievably refreshing to just hang out and catch up with an LA friend. We spent most of the time baffled at the state of our lives; pondering questions such as what makes the clouds move, waterfalls fall, and trying to remember what stress feels like (the only example we could think of in the last two months is checking our bank accounts). We seriously spent hours exchanging study abroad stories about Swedish and Irish culture, food, and people--what they do, how they speak, and their funny ideas of Americans. We even spent time discussing our troublesome government (yay, the use of brain cells); and of course a few hours catching up on Grey's Anatomy (good-bye braincells...). We planned future trips together, longed for Bruin friends and football, and, of course, recorded an 8-clap hehehe.  I actually can't think of a topic that we didn't somehow mention in her four days here, so I will spare you the list! I'm definitely blessed to have this friendship that's for sure (:

The first full day of Molly's visit I took her around town. I had to meet with Professor Farhan about a new research project, but once that was taken care of we walked through the Domkyrkan, campus, and Systembolaget. Andddd yes, we took many cliche-leaf-throwing pictures!! Besides the toddler we saw in the park, we were definitely the only people doing anything more than stepping on these golden beauties; Sorrywe'renotsorry...

Then Molly found a new church!

And thennnnn, we had the most perfect night drinking cider and watching Grey's Anatomy muahaha

Okaaaay, so the next day was a little bit more productive (just a little) but just as fun! I showed her my favorite jogging route out into the Swedish countryside. On the way back Molly had one of her genius ideas: "Let's lay in these leaves". Yes, friends and family this is my life right now. I have zero stress, zero obligations, and all the time in the world to just lay in a pile of Swedish leaves for literally an hour talking and laughing with my friend. I've decided this is basically a 5 month long out of body experience. And in fact, this surreal time in our college years was a notion we just couldn't stop talking about. We are sooo grateful!!! 

Next on the list: IKEAAAA! I'm ashamed to admit I've never once been to IKEA back home (saving this day for the real stuff duhhh). We took four hours to walk through the whole store, taking weird, embarrassing pictures and picking our future home decor. We literally spent 20 minutes alone just smelling candles to find one that reminds us of "home"... (Is this what retirement feels like?) It was only the greatest experience ever!! And of course we ended the visit with meatballs and warm kanellbular before we left to face the chilling wind outside.

But, actually this took alot of collaboration and multiple takes...

IKEA selfiessss!

Lol..oh the Swedish alphabet...

Molly looking very impressed by how well stocked she found each kitchen. A wisk!!

My favorite/ future kitchen

Molly <3 camping 

We found this section for the multiple trash containers the Swedish household needs, what with all their recycling and what not. Definitely an item missing in the US IKEAs (according to Molly)

Ah yes, me in my natural habitat. I wish mom always shopped here when I was younger instead of Lamps Plus...FYI today my roommate said my sleeping patterns remind her of a bear. So indeed, being abroad hasn't changed much hehe

Molly is realllly excited for Swedish meatballs. So much so, that we decided to also make them for dinner! 

As if my day couldn't have gotten any better, we finished the evening off in Malmo sipping the sweetest of fall drinks (and being very American, Anya was keen to point out). That's right, we were on a mission to find a Starbucks and get our hands on a pumpkin spice latte. The fact that we paid over $7 for a medium didn't matter since we honestly woulda paid an arm and a leg for that delicious cup of heaven. 

PSLLLL- I will be coming back for more of ya ;) 

Really, what is better than sharing this treat with such a great friend?! If anyone has any suggestions on how this day could have been ANY better, we'd like to hear them because we can come up with none ourselves!

Molly is a true Swede now

Next on the "Welcome to Sweden" checklist was grocery shopping and dinner. As I mentioned earlier, we went with a traditional Swedish meal--meatballs. Except I couldn't exactly recall how to make them so the kitchen was an experiment zone. And, well, long story short we got some tasty meat...squares since the shape of the balls didn't really hold up on the stove. Ooops but it was delicious all the same!

nomnomnom

Finally, we spent Sunday in Copenhagen. We walked to all the main attractions and continued our endless chit chat. Most importantly...we recorded our 8clap!!!

Here are some more pictures of Copenhagen, though I've posted a lot already. You really just can't get enough of this wonderful city. 

Tivoli decked out for Halloween. October 31st is celebrated out here but just not as crazy as we do in the US

The Danish Palace

One more shot of the Little Mermaid (:

Shout out to ma Brubru's in their win against Cal last week! (They better kick this much butt my senior year, just saying...)

After taking cover from the rain at "Joe the Juicer", it was inevitably time to make our way to the airport. We were sooo sad to part ways but promised to have a repeat of this fantastic weekend next month when I visit Molly in Cork, Ireland! Love you Molly!

Anyway, that's all for now! I have a paper on the Religion and Cosmology of Viking Age Scandinavia that I swore I'd finish this weekend. The fact that today's temperature didn't rise above 45 made it kindaaa difficult to get off the couch and do anything productive... So tomorrow! Really though, tomorrow I'm going to write this paper...Maybe some pumpkin spice latte will motivate me ;)

Xo

Golden Leaves and Toasted Treats

Hi family and friends! I can't believe it's already the second week of October! Where has the time gone? Well, this lovely month is truly becoming one of my favorites. I can't spend enough time outside. The leaves are golden and air crispy; it hasn't even rained yet. This sweater weather is amazing, it's a miracle I get anything done. 

Really? This is where I go to school?! How did I get so blessed? 

It's official, this is my favorite run by far. I can't resist jogging out here every time its warm enough. It's the most liberating feeling to be able to just keep running with no obligations later that day. I think I spent a good few hours out here; nothing better.

Back at school. I always feel like a dork whipping out my camera (gives me flashbacks to the billion photos my mom would take of us..) but I NEVER regret the moments and beauty I capture. Definitely worth it.

Leaves on da grounddd

This picture is up the road (or should I say field?) about a mile from my usual run. Honestly, how can you not just keep running when you're here?

Okay. I'm a little obsessed with these leaves.

But look at the colors!!!

My third class, Gastronomy, started last week and I am already really enjoying it. The course is about sustainable eating in a global environment and is something completely new to me. Next week, we have an excursion to Malmo to do something evironmentally friendly... I'm assuming. Talking about excursions, I also have an excursion to Copenhagen for my Viking Age Scandinavia class next Thursday! While this class didn't turn out to be my faaavorite class of the semester, who could turn down a free trip to Copenhagen?! As for my psych class, I'm proud to say I am still attending the lectures despite my alarm sounding before dawn. Oh! I also started helping a professor in the Cognitive Psychology Dept. with some of his research. He is working with the law school to understand the effects of different wording and phrasing on interrogation methods in court. The surveys are in Swedish and it required me to talk in front of 120 students in large lecture halls, soooo this experience better be worth it...

With everyone moved back to LA, volleyball tryouts and Belles recruitment I've started to miss home a lot more. And how else do you cure these homesick blues?! Food of course. More specifically, traditional American gooey, sugary, heart-threatening treats: S'mores. I badgered my mom until she gave be her secret s'mores recipe and a few girlfriends and I spent a night making them. During the process we learned that Sweden does not have pecans and grocery clerks believe chocolate chips to be located in the chip aisle next to the sour cream and onion... But, never the less, we made do with the adjustments and the dessert came out perfect. I made sure to share some with the Swedes and explain that you're really supposed to make them over a campfire not in an oven.

Yes, that's caramel you see. What you're not seeing is all the brown sugar, butter, and walnuts that made this chocolately dessert even better. Nomnomnom.

While we;re on the topic of food, can you overdose on dairy? Seriously, I eat so much yoghurt, cottage cheese, and milk I don't think my body was made for this! Ugh why does everything have to be more delicious here. As if we didn't have enough sugar in our systems from the s'mores, National Kanelbullar Day took place 4 days ago so obviouslyyy we had to whip up a batch of those babies as well. Kanelbullar is basically a cinnamon roll sans the drippy-Cinnabon-goop on top. It's usually served with coffee during a midday break called a fika.

Do you have any idea how much sugar and butter go into a cinnamon roll? Well I do now and it definitely inspired me to hit the gym twice as hard for the next couple days!

The before product...

Ruthie and I couldn't stop eating the uncooked dough! (Alyssa you would have been so angry haha)

OOOPS. not my finest baking moment HA (shout out to Angela this is why you're our designated baker ;))

But the second batch came out just right!

I was even told they taste just like a Swede made them. Muahaha. Thanks to my corridor mate for giving me this recipe which I shall keep forever!! 

So other things that happened hmmm.. well in case any of you missed my fb post, my sister continues to rock it out on the court (there's physical photo proof this time!) And Buddy took a tough loss this week on the field. BUT since Poly vs Rancho Verde was the featured game, this link of the full game made my whole week! Buddy alsooo took his first SAT which made me weirdly proud (: (And also freaked out since I feel like I was just taking that horrible test, could it have been that long ago?!) Shout out to my best friend in the whole world; Taylor is still da baby but at least she's 20 now hehe. Last Sunday I finally attended a church service at the cathedral in town. It was an international service in English. It was similar to the Catholic mass I'm used to but is technically the Church of Sweden. At the end I pinned Riverside on their map for visitors. People from every corner of the world (for realz this time ANYA!!!) were represented. After, Rebecca and I got to meet some new friends over some free coffee and kanelbullar. Yummy. 

Tomorrow is a taco and sangria kinda night with my Spain travel buddy (and some other good friends, too!). Thursday, my weekend starts with the arrival of the best Miss Betts (hahaha). Really though, I CANNOT wait for this Bruin reunion. You underestimate the number of 8 claps we will be doing. GO BRUBRU'S!!

Thats all for now, 

Xo