20060121

New Year and start of semester

For New Year's Eve I met some people from International Friends Of Stockholm (IFOS), had a few drinks and then watched the fireworks over the harbour from the Slussen district in Södermalm, Stockholm.

This is traditionally a time for introspection and resolution; why, I don't know. Perhaps waking up with a terrible hangover on 2 January prompts one to start thinking things over in the interest of self-preservation. In any case, every year people around me take vows and swear terrific oaths not to do this or that ... and then fail miserably when the temptation becomes too much to bear, to the ghoulish amusement of their acquaintances who made similar resolutions. After all, it's not a real NY's resolution unless you tell everyone about it.

I decided a while ago that this is a silly and counterproductive tradition, and refuse to be bound by it. Why do something patently stupid just because everyone else is doing it? Sheeple! Granted, I'm denying my friends a certain amount of entertainment, but I have enough entertaining deficiencies to compensate for this several times over. The only thing to be said in favour of NY's resolutions is that it provides mental exercise for the great many people who would otherwise not make time for introspection.

My second semester at KTH started three days ago. The month-long winter recess was about one week too long, and the new stimulus is welcome. It seems most of my courses will be more implementation-based and less theoretical than those of the previous semester. Only 6 months remain before I start in earnest on my Master's thesis. I can hardly wait.

The weather continues as cold as ever. Apparently this winter is one of the colder ones: in Russia record minimum temperatures for this time of year are being recorded, with about -35 C in Moscow and -58 C in Siberia. As I type, the temperature is -12 C outside (mild to bracing), the skies are clear (I expect the temperature to drop to -18 C tonight) and the waterways in Stockholm are frozen over. I will try to take some pictures tomorrow, and see how thick the ice is ;)

I discovered a ski slope at Hammarbybacken (1 Km south-east of the city) which is accessible by public transport and a short walk. I went there three days ago with some friends, two of whom are Belgian and can snowboard well (I don't know if these are related attributes). I did not snowboard, as the shop had no boots in my size (47 SE, 12 UK), and traipsed up and down the ca. hundred-meter-high slope, observing my friends and freaking people out with my balaclava'd terrorist appearance. Fortunately, I remembered to remove it before entering a 7-11 on the way back to the Tvärbanan (tram system).

Things I haven't become used to:

• The accent of the recorded announcement system voice on the Tunnelbanan (subway) train. It sounds vaguely ominous, although I'm sure it's not meant to be. It puts me in mind of a female AI attempting to hide a grudge.
• Cold fingertips. Even though I wear gloves, after 40 minutes in -10 C my fingertips start freezing.
• The social habits of some of the international students. There are definite and glaring cultural gaps, especially where the definition of politeness is concerned. Everyone seems to get along by keeping to their own cultural groups as far as possible, and these are as usual: European and North American, African, South American, Middle Eastern, and Far Eastern, with some minor subdivisions. As far as I can see, it's all about frame of reference: students from ex-European colonies usually relate to European values and habits, while students from other groups experience some difficulty trying to do this (on the occasions when they bother).
• The excessive cost of alcoholic beverages.
• People's impression that I'm Swedish (until I say something).

I have become used to the long nights and twilit days. Sunrise is at 08:30, and sunset at 15:30; the days are becoming longer and the sunlight stronger. My insomnia has been absent for the past three weeks, since I started taking vitamin B and D supplements (eating fish five times a week was not sufficient). According to internet sources, the three month period between my arrival and the onset of my insomnia symptoms is typical of vitamin D deficiency: the body does not store the resource longer than that. I spoke to several students and all said they experienced similar symptoms, occuring within 3 months +- 2 weeks from their arrival. I don't know how or if they managed to shake this syndrome off, but none of them looked particularly happy at the end of last semester.