Xmas and a new year

Only three days to go (in Sweden we celebrate on the 24th) and I am already filled with tranquillity. The weather has been warm, or rather, less cold than expected and school has gone well. Meeting relatives again is something I am really looking forward to. Even despite all the things that can go wrong during Xmas.

I look upon the next year with the same joy and optimism, partly because of the time I'll spend in Germany but also because prospects for my and Joni's thesis have brightened. However, since nothing is finalized yet I dare not reveal too much about it. For those who want to get a broad idea I can recommend a BBC documentary (video), this article or this presentation. Then add a touch of Colombia and you should have a pretty accurate picture.

May you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Old News

About a month ago or so I, and many others (for instance my sister, to the left) participated in the Stockholm Model United Nations. Here we are, posing together with the former Foreign Minister of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, who also recently held the position of President of the United Nations General Assembly, i.e. he is pretty much Sweden's foremost diplomat.

Enough said about him, I mainly posted the picture because both my sister and I look so nice in our Nigerian outfits. I am beginning to grow more and more interested in Nigeria and Africa. Hopefully I can get my African friends in Sweden to come over for dinner soon (we are always postponing it). Did you know that Nigeria is having elections in the spring of next year?

And oh, by the way, both my sister (representing Mali) and the Nigerian delegation (which I advised) received distinctions from the organizing committee for their performance during SMUN. (and so did I :-))

In Pursuit

Jägermeister can be seen as an illustration of foreign cultures. The outside looks a bit strange but you are sure that there is something cool inside. Then you taste, and get your first culture shock. Then you realize that cultures are destined to blend and mix. The question then is what to mix with. This was the question some friends and I tried to solve yesterday.

To give you a very short answer: Red Bull (or also, if you have access to a Swedish foodstore, "Hallonsoda") works best.

Why, one might ask, am I writing about Jägermeister. Well, yesterdays tasting was intendend to mark an auspicious occasion, namely that I been offered to spend the first half of 2007 in Düsseldorf, to improve my German and do an internship.

I'm alive

Pssst, just wanted to tell you that I am not dead, although my internet absense could be taken as a sign of my demise.

And I can promise that the time between this post and the next will be shorter than that between this and the previous one.

Take care

Post-Mania

I got an e-mail asking if I am alive. I have never felt more so! Switzerland is too much fun! Every week something wonderful happens (or more often than that). The following 8(!) posts will try (with many pictures) to clear the back-log. Hopefully also clearing any doubts of how I am fairing.

If you like chronological order I recommend that you start reading at the post entitled "Introweek" and work your way up.

PS this weekend I am attending an AIESEC conference so the fun doesn’t look set to stop

Landsgemeinde

Have you ever in an election voted openly in front of all other members of your community? Well that is how direct democracy works in Appenzell Innerrhoden where twice per year at the Landsgemeinde all citizens eligible to vote gather in a square to (by show of hands) cast their vote. Very fascinating and a huge magnet for tourist. Hence we had to squeeze a bit as we tried to get a glimpse of the proceedings.

At 11:00 sharp it started, with a march of dignitaries to the square, led by a marching-band.

The voters waited respectfully
After the march there was a (too?) long swearing in ceremony
Then the voting begins!
How to best have an "after party" once the voting is over? The Swiss buy sausages and so did we.

Uniball

The same day as we won the competition the UniBall, a ball for UniSG students and alumni, took place. We of course went there as well (to celebrate). Since I had known about this ball for quite some time I had managed to bring some appropriate clothing from Sweden.
Me, entertaining the Ladies (Astrid & Bea)
Joni (fellow exchange student from my home university) at his happiest moment in Switzerland thus far. Look how he is glowing :-)

Competition

Together Martin (Czech Republic), Astrid (the Netherlands) and Bea (Hungary) I constituted a team in a strategy competition that was arranged last weekend. Surprisingly (considering that it was done completely in German) our team won!

What we won was a trip (transportation and housing included) to Freiburg (Germany) where the next leg of the competition would be held. Sadly I have now received the news that this part (due to lack for funding) is postponed to October (by which time our team will be scattered across Europe). We will try to change this, since the team that came second will go to the second leg as well (but their leg is in Stuttgart and is NOT cancelled) but maybe we can arrange a switch. Cross your fingers, please.

Polish Dinner

There are many house parties where you meet up and chat over a drink before going out (Wednesdays is the big party day since many regular students aren’t from SG and go home over the weekend). Some parties stand out, and the lovely homely event that Malwina hosted (and prepared with help of Kamila, and maybe also Bea) was such an occasion.

The hostess with the mostess sitting the closest

Hiking

BuddySystem® together with the MBA program at Uni S.G. arranged hiking trip in the nearby hills. We started by visiting a cheese-making factory/museum and the proceeded to trek for 3-4 hours up and down green hills and into valleys and canyons until we reached our destination: a water park. Oh, the water was so nice and there was so much to do that I think I stayed for almost 4 hours.
Taking a well deserved rest after some serious walking