Saturday, November 19, 2011

Halloween: The Spoonkiller in Lund

This is just a short entry and a lot of people might already know the pictures since I uploaded them on Facebook. Nevertheless, the word has to be spread (I NEVER want to be asked again why I had a spoon!)

What do you do if you are invited to a Halloween Party and you hate dressing up?
Exactly, you do the Ginosaji (Japanase for "silver spoon", better known as the spoonkiller)!



Where does it come from? Nobody really knows. Everything that matters is that it will get you. And it will kill you - with a spoon. It's maybe the slowest murderer in the history of mankind.
It's a pretty good trailer to a movie that does not exists, but it got so popular that there are several sequels. Watch it till the end - even if it gets a little bit boring in the middle - it definitely pays of!



And those are the ones who had to suffer and still suffer for their ignorance. May they never rest in peace.

"creepy little child" Tiphaine and "Willy the crazy bee" Rico who can't get enough beating. Stupid, little bee.


 "beautiful, yet dangerous" Gloria and Rico who already left this world.


"WTF am I doing here girl" Iga and "zombie bee" Rico (who finally has some make-up but lost the antennas)


"big baby" Jawid who does not know what is about to happen.


"cute lion" Coco (nope, lions cannot kill the ginosaji).


"black swan" Katarina who was able to take flight...


... for a few seconds. Nobody can escape "the night" Raffaela? No, not even the night can escape.


I guess that's it than. Enough victims for the moment. The murders might take some years.
Happy Halloween (even if it is a little bit late)! May the spoonkiller not be with you!


What? How did Rico manage? He survived? I've never seen anyone that pleased! [It was the day of his birthday =)]


Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Nations

Yeah, finally! The waiting has come to an end!
This time: all about the Nations (specific yet interesting article about Lund's University and the Nations) and of course, even more thumbs!

What is the role of the Nations? They are perhaps described best as student societies. They are by students for students, this means practically everything they do is organised by students. You can only find them in the two big student cities of Sweden: Lund and Uppsala.
They offer everything that is related with the student life but is not about studying itself, i.e. food, parties, pubs, apartments, proms, sports, dating services (never used it but someone told me this exists!) and many many more.

What you have to know? Without being a member of a Nation you have totally lost. You won't be able to enjoy student life at all! The reason is that you're not able to join any activities they offer and that includes you have to pay 50SEK (at least!) for a beer instead of 25SEK. And that matters. A lot.

Thus, you are strictly advised to follow this checklist:
1.) Pack your luggage (see 2nd point for more details what to bring)
2.) Go to Sweden (preferably by car and bring a lot of booze, you will need it!)
3.) Join any Nation (Nobody cares which. There are some slight differences that I'm going to point out later)
4.) Party (No comment on this one. Erasmus students don't need any explanation.)
5.) Minor issues like finding an apartment (it will work out, believe me!)

Enough talk for now! I think you are curious for more thumbs! Let's go!

There is nothing like the German "Mensa" (some kind of cafeteria with cheap food for students) at Lund's University. So, what do you do if you are hungry? You go to the Nations.
For only 35SEK (~4€) you get a salad, a main dish and some dessert with coffee.
Still there are big differences. A smart students goes to Malmö Nation!


They serve (usually by far) the best meal and they avoid the main problem of all the other Nations (no matter what you are up to): the queueing.
In the other Nations you have to queue up forever, then you pay, sit down and enjoy your meal. The quality of the dishes differs a lot but most of the time it's quite good and you are full afterwards (of course, there were some really bad exceptions). The problem is since it's students cooking (which skip their lectures) they only have limited capacities. You have to be there at 12:05pm the latest or you have to leave hungry again =(

In Malmö Nation, on the other side, you get in, take a glass (that's their way how to count the number of people), sit down and wait for them to serve the food and to ask you to pay. It definitely feels like a restaurant (much better ambience) and the best about it: the food is soooo yummi!
The next picture is for one special friend. He always has lunch with us in Germany but never eats anything and complains all the time how disgusting it is while we try to enjoy it more or less.
Glaube mir Markus: Es ist einfach unglaublich geil! Da kannst du noch so viel mies machen. Du würdest verzweifelt aufgeben und weinen.


The salad is nothing special but they often serve a self-made bread which is pretty good. But what I really enjoy is the dessert. Most of the time it's some cake and you can have as much coffee as you want to. And of course: flower milk!
I think everyone who had lunch with me only once knows what I'm talking about: it's the best brand of milk there is and it has cute flowers on the package <3
(and I swear, I will win the bet!)


But of course there is a downside: Malmö Nation offers lunch every weekday (the other Nations only twice a week so check the schedule) but you have to be there at 11.40am. The number of glasses is limited and often there is someone who takes 5 glasses for all of his friends who have classes until 12 (So just do the same! It's definitly worth it).

During the weekends you can have brunch at the Nations. But take care, some of them have a huge buffet (that's what you want (waffles!!!), i.e. Östgöta Nation) and sometimes it feels more like commom lunch where you queue up (of course) and order your food.

We had brunch in Lunds Nation once. Unfortunately, it was not a buffet but the dining room is on the top floor in one of Lund's highests buildings and you can sit outside!


And there's one more: the "sittning". Every Nation hosts a banquet once a week in the evening where three dishes are served. It's more expensive but usually the food is something more exotic and really good. Don't forget to buy the tickets in advance (more than one week)!

It was my first time last week, when Franzi (the girl with the towel on the head) invited us for celebrating her birthday in Västgöta Nation (usually refered to VGs). I should mention that there always is some motto. This time it was opposites (hence the strange clothing). And don't wonder: Pirates are opposites of everything.
On the picture you find (amongst others I don't really know) Johannes who visited his girlfriend Cordula (Coco), José, Tess, Bryan, Franzi, Shane and Rico who, of course, enjoys it way more than everyone else!
(I really sorry for the bad picture but that's everything I have)


After the sittning you have free entry to the Nations club and you don't have to queue up like all the others!
Every Nation has it's own club but VGs is perhaps the most popular. Their club opens every Wednesday and you should not expect to much: bad party music, lots of drunk students but after all, that's exactly what you want (for the friends back home: der Zirkel in Lund)!

In the beginning I mentioned that there is no difference in which Nation you join. Still, we wasted a lot of time in choosing "our" Nation: "Maybe we should go to a smaller Nation then it's easier to get in touch with Swedish people... but they offer more sports..."
As I've said it does not matter. You don't have to be a member of that specific Nation to be able to join their activities (maybe you get some priority in the queue but that's it).
BUT: If you are a member of VGs you pay only 30SEK of entrance fee instead of the common 60SEK and that is a difference (Attention: that's only in VGs. Members of i.e. Hallands don't get a discount on the tickets of Hallands Nation).
I can promise you will end up there sooner or later because practically every Erasmus student goes there. So don't worry and join VGs (Maybe you encounter some conversations like "oh again VGs, why is everybody member of VGs??" Well, VGs is nothing special. Nevertheless it will save you some money for booze!)

[Due to some missunderstandings I have to add something here. I'm definitely NOT a fan of VGs. And the reason why I said that it is perhaps the most popular of all clubs is the following: On Wednesdays everything you have is VGs. So you go there. On the weekends, there is at least 3 different Nations you can choose of plus a huge variety of private parties which I prefer BY FAR! But we come to that later.]

Again, I have to mention the queueing. The clubs open at 10pm. And you should be there on time otherwise you have to queue up for 30-60 minutes and that's definitely not worth it. They do it just because they can (their excuse: they have to check your Nation membership and IDs).
The main problem with the queueing: you are not allowed to drink any alcohol! WTF! Are we living in the Stone Age?!

After you managed to get inside, you are as happy as I am [with my beatiful girls Iga and Maran =)]!


And then you figure out that the Nations close at 2am! Yes! I had to get used to it so bad. Still, I cannot believe it every single time again.

After all, this is something you should concern when you pick Sweden for your Erasmus year. The parties end at 2am. So don't waste any time and start pre-drinking in the afternoon!

And when the party ends? Well, usually you go home. At 2. In difference to Germany there is no alcohol limit when riding a bike!
Still, Rico has to do what you really should not (700SEK!). (And don't ride your bike without lights. Police just started to control and you have to pay 500SEK for EACH light you're missing)
No comment on the picture; I know exactly what it looks like.


After the parties strange things happen in Lund. But I somehow felt at home <3
[Explanation for the Lund people: there are some guys who do the same thing with my bike EVERY single time!]


Mephisto! Er ist hier in Lund! Es geht ihm gut und er fliegt!
[For all the people that don't understand. It's a long story and you don't have to.]


Finally, I'm going to tell something about "my" Nation: Hallands Nation.
What they offer? The cosiest pub amongst all the other Nations. They serve a lot of different beers (35) and whiskeys (24).
But there is one thing you should never do: NEVER ORDER A WEISS BEER THERE!
I was so much looking forward to it and what I got was that:


I mean, how could they? Please, Hallands, order some proper glasses. There are a majority of German students in Lund. Do them the favor or you will perish without a single tear.

What else do the Nations offer? Well, I don't now anything about the housing but they offer some apartments for which you have, of course, to queue.
More interesting are the sports they offer. If you are interested in some sports during your spare time you should check out Hallands Nation. They have a soccer, a volleyball and a floorball team and each Thursday they organise some special event like fencing or climbing.

We also had some tournaments vs the other Nations. On this one, we had to play some stupid games like to throw and catch eggs as far as possible without braking them. The winner Nation won some free tickets for the university's prom.
We (Ann-Sophie, Victoria, Estelle, Maria, Farah) are still very confident, painted with our Nation's colours blue and white ("We are blue, we are white, we are Halland's dynamite!"), but our arch enemy, VGs, won. Those bastards!


There is one Nation, that is a little bit different from all the others. If you join Smålands Nation (the rather leftish one), you have to join a second Nation to gain all the benefits.
Nevertheless, we had a great evening on one of their parties! What happened to Rico's hand! It is swollen really bad and it turned green! I suposse it already started to smell like rotten meat!
(Thanks to Michalis, Tiphaine, Pa (I know that's not even a real name) and Suzanna)


Wow, it's so much text this time, I pretty much doubt that anyone is going to read that. After all, there is a lot of important information, especially if you plan on going to Lund. And let me tell you something: you really should!

There are some more Nations (13 in total) and I'm really sorry for not mentioning them. All in all, you know everything you have to, so now it's up to you. Come to Lund and find out the rest. You are always welcome!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Birthday, Rico!

Well, there is nothing to add right now. A picture says a thousand words.


All the best wishes,
Jo, Michalis, Orestis, Yara, Lara, Sarah, Elizabeth, Maxence, Lottie, Steve-O, Éric, Victoria, Youssef, Genki, Laura France, Francesco, Iga, Maran, Torben, Anna, Malte, Pietro, Scott, Simon, Melanie, Raffaela, Amel, Ron, Toni, Lena, Basti, Pa, Lucas, Max, Nils, Nina, Elli, Michi, Laura Spain, Johannes, Franzi, Ann-Sophie, Gloria, Manuel, der Rittersport-Automat, Estelle, Marie, Suzanna, Veronica, Genessis, Susana, Stanislav, Steve-O again, Tiphaine, Vanessa, Fabia, Sina, Coco, Patrick, Tamina, Ramona, James, Jawid, Markus, Jara, Alicia, Callum, Camilo, Xeni, Juliane, Oschi, Nickolas and Laura Venezuela

Thank you so much for sending me all those pictures. I never thought that it will be that huge! Special thanks to Gloria who helped me taking the pictures at the Church party.

I love you guys. May our paths cross a lot more times.

Download in HQ: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31260607/Collage.jpg

Monday, October 17, 2011

Dedicated to my friends in Erlangen: Night in Lund

This post is dedicated to all of you I left behind (I know... only for half a year).
But please don't get me wrong:  It's NOT because you hate the thumb and there are no thumbs at all (!) this time. It's because university starts again in Erlangen and already half of my time in Lund is over! Noooooo!

A few days ago, there was a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, I was at home and so the next building of Vildanden (the place, where I live now) blocked half of the picture. It's a pity.


The other pictures were taken by night. I was on my way home and pretty drunk. No, my camera did not speak to me, but I really felt like I had to take those pictures.

 




And finally, the picture I'm really proud of. Please don't ask me who put the chairs there.



Yeah, that's it already. But the next entry will be huuuuge!
I told you so much and still I feel like I missed the most important part: the nations (wtf? I know what a nation is!) and the partys (yeah, there are parties in Lund and already way too many pictures in facebook).

To my friends back home:
Ich wünsch euch nen guten Start ins neue Semester. Ich hoffe, die Profs taugen was, macht euch nicht verrückt (Lara, Elli) und vor allem viel viel Spaß! Macht's gut, ich würde so gerne mit euch feiern.
Haltet die Ohren steif, ich liebe euch <3

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

For thumb-haters: the countryside


Hej friends, here we are again!
This time, again, something special: virtually no thumbs! And it's not because of you who complain all the time ("Please guys, stop it! I really cannot see it anymore. Pleeaaassseee!")  No. It's because we want to show you the nice sights that Sweden offers.
There is a friend of ours who spends his time abroad in Portugal. I am so jealous: lying on the beach all day, enjoying the sun and damn, it's still kind of summerish there! Well, Torben, there are days when it doesn't rain in Sweden and there are a lot of nice places!!!

First place I want to show you is Lomma Beach. Lomma is very close to Lund (~10km) and it's a very nice place to spend a sunny afternoon. On our way, we went to the local LIDL, because Rico (of course) wanted some chocholate. I love LIDL (friends from Erlangen will understand) and guess what: it's one of the cheapest! Still a bad picture to start with (thumb) but yeah... Rico found the perfect bike!


Oh no! Another thumb-picture! I really have to apologise but there is a reason: I want to introduce someone: Michalis! I don't remember where we met for the first time but according to Rico, he is the best guy ever (and he really is!): Thumbs up for Michalis!


As you can see on the picture above, it wasn't very warm - especially for a guy from Greece - but there were a lot of people windsurfing (Swedes are resistant?)


Well, you might recognise this picture but unlike the one on my facebook profile this is not photoshopped (of course, the pictures I post in facebook aren't edited :P)


 Blue sky! (by the way: Rico doesn't like it)


The huge bridge in the background connects Sweden (Malmö) and Denmark (Copenhagen). It's nearly 8km long and you are able to travel to Copenhagen in less than 40 minutes (10€)!

 

 As you can see, we really were the only three people on the beach, but we had chocholate, cookies and a nice afternoon!


This is the way Lomma looks like, when it is warm (ok, not really warm) and sunny (still windy). The water was freezing cold and what makes it even worse: you have to walk in knee-deep water forever till it gets deeper. I was swimming for some time and usually you start freezing as soon as you leave the water, but the water was so cold that even the strong wind felt warm!



This was our first short trip with Michalis, but after Rico told him that we are going to spend two days at some lakes he joined us without any hesitation! Since we didn't know anything about the Swedish countryside we just picked some random place: Växjö. And guess what: It was an awesome choice!
It's only 180km from Lund but it took us nearly 3 hours to get there. The streets looked like a German Autobahn but still there are speed limits all the time (90km/h!). In contrast to Germany, Sweden does not want to squeeze money out of you: every speed camera is signalised by a sign (and we saw a lot on our trip)!



The same spot than in the picture above. Without real clouds, it suddenly started fake-raining. Unfortunately, the fake-rain turned into real rain.



But half an hour later which we spend in the car the sun came out again!


Since I don't know too much about cars, I'm not able to explain it to you, but is there always a plug coming out of the car?




The weather was perfect those days but still - no people at all! Not even in the more touristic places like this old castle.


And I now have to present Michalis favourite tree! (Actually, I don't remember why...)



A blog is definitely not the right place to tell it, but anyway: you cannot image how long we sat there and just enjoyed the silence: you don't hear anyone, you don't see anyone. It was perfect.



 Once again, Rico had to play the fool :P


After he climbed the tree successfully, it took him forever to come down again. So he decided to stay forever!


In the evening we drove back to Växjö since we needed a place to spend the night. There was only one hostel and that was so expensive! We (=3) decided to sleep in the car. It was not the best decision. During the night, it was so cold that you couldn't sleep and in the morning, it was so wet in the car that we weren't able to see through the windows.
[Short addition: Rico wants me to put it straight. He had an awesome night, sleeping with his back on the handbrake, his knees leened against the horn and his head on the window.]
Still I'm glad that we returned to Växjö, since we discovered a beautiful castle. I want to live there!









The next day, we left Växjö because we wanted to go canoeing. Well, we missed the opening hours by 30 minutes.


Riciiiii <3


One of my favourite pictures. It's how Sweden should look like - the way you know it from the movies.


This is a man-made sandy beach close to a camping site. Again: huge area - no people.


Rico found a boat of his own! I don't know how he managed but he was seasick afterwards!


For the ending of our trip, we bought a instant grill and some sausages and went hiking. Biggest problem we had: where to stay for dinner. There are like a 1000 (no exeggeration) lakes and every single place is so beautiful!


Since it took us so long to decide, poor Rico wanted to taste a mushroom Michalis gave to him. C'est trop mignoooon! ;)


And guess what happened!


Luckily, after some meditation he recovered to full health.


 Let the Greek work! (I apologise immediately but it was right there.)



How did he do it? I don't know!


Believe me or don't. The water was cold. Damn cold. Still, the best thing to do. I think, Rico wants to tell us that he cannot feel his feet anymore!


And finally: dinner! There is nothing better than a barbeque in the wilds! I promise!


With this last view I have to say goodbye for now. I wish you could have experienced it with us ='(