Norrland / Locations..

[NovembersDirge]

Hej alla-

I'm going to be studying in Umeå, Sweden next year and I was wondering how close that is to where Hedlund is actually from. It's just a curiosity. Partly because I decided to learn Swedish after hearing Vintersorg/Otyg for the first time and partly 'cause I've always been curious as to where good folk metal comes from in Sweden.

 

[vargatron]

Hej alla-

I'm going to be studying in Umeå, Sweden next year and I was wondering how close that is to where Hedlund is actually from. It's just a curiosity. Partly because I decided to learn Swedish after hearing Vintersorg/Otyg for the first time and partly 'cause I've always been curious as to where good folk metal comes from in Sweden.

The distances from Umeå to Skellefteå is about 129km.
So it's not so long

 

[FrostbittenGrimness]

Lycka till!

 

[Johanna]

Welcome here! what will you be studying? Just swedish? And where are you from?

 

[NovembersDirge]

Thanks for the welcome! I'll be studying at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Umeå. Unfortunately my Swedish will not be at the point where I could take courses in Swedish since I have just begun (literally 5 weeks ago) taking the language. I will, however, be taking intensive Swedish courses and living in student housing (and I will insist on not living in international housing, I want to live in Swedish housing). My goal is that I will try to take one course in Swedish second semester and hopefully I will be far improved after my year there.

There are three reasons I want to do this.. Firstly, Sweden actually has a huge volume of research on Sociological and Psychological material that is excellent but never translated. Not only would I like to have access to this stuff, but I'd like to work for one of these institutions someday. Secondly, I want to do my doctoral work on a cross-cultural linguistic study of poverty between the US, Sweden and Brazil. Obviously, in order to this I need to be skilled in Swedish linguistics. Finally, I would like to move to Sweden somehow.. whether that be getting married or getting a job or whatever. As a sub-note, I would also like to start a metal band.

I'm originally from Minnesota, but now I live in Wisconsin and I go to the University of Wisconsin - Madison (north of Chicago for those of you with little geographical knowledge of the United States). It is through this Uni that I will be studying for my undergrad degree here.

That was a lot of information.. Where do you all live?

 

[George]

Awesome dude, good luck with that. Sounds exciting.

 

[mevyhetal]

That's going to be awesome! It's cool that you're applying to house with Swedes... the international students here are all in one building and are supposedly shy for the most part... there's like 45 of them, but I've only met one so far :\

I'm looking into studying abroad as well... there's a 3-week Scotland/England program here at my uni for biology majors, I'm looking into it.

I looked at a program offered by Univeristy of Minnesota for biology studies in Reykjavik, Iceland, but I doubt I'm elligible, since I don't go to that university... Iceland is an interesting country, especially it's geological layout and people.

Regardless though, I hope to study somewhere in Europe! I haven't been on that side of the Atlantic in like 18 years hehe

 

[FrostbittenGrimness]

That sounds awesome man.. I know you'll like it, and sure, Swedes are shy. There's a saying/joke that goes

"Two Finns, Two Norwegians, Two Danes and Two Swedes are stuck on an island. The Finn's are chopping down trees, The Norwegians have gone fishing, The Danes have started a coop company and the Swedes are waiting to be introduced to everyone "

Big stereotypes, but stereotypes aren't made for no reason. Just make sure you have fun, and try to impress them with your however limited Swedish skills

 

[Johanna]

Ok, I hope you will enjoy it here then! I live in Umeå and study at the university so thats why I was curious.

 

[NovembersDirge]

I plan to try to force everyone to speak Swedish to me. While certainly my Swedish is mediocre (poor at this point, really.. but I just started) I think it will be a difficult and painful experience with a lot of "Vad betyder ...?" and "Hur säger man ...?" and so forth. However, I am determined that I will not be an irritating bilingual American (and that I will not only become [as close to] fluent [as possible in a post-pubescent individual] but use it to my advantage as an Academic).

I have no computer at home right now, but I plan to keep coming back here and hopefully make some connections before I move. Being an American metalhead in Sweden is going to be an interesting experience, I'm sure. In that time I'll just listen to all the Swedish-language metal I can get my hands on and watch as many Bergman movies as I can (since those are the only Swedish films we can get over here..).

On a side note: Johanna, what are you studying?

Actually since this is kind of an introduction post, I'll say: I've been listening to Vintersorg since I heard Till Fjälls and Ödemarkens Son since I first heard them in 2000. I have since bought every album when it came out and I love them all. I've been looking forward to a new record for a while now (and I am QUITE depressed about the passing on of Otyg). The Borknagar stuff is OK but it just doesn't hold me over as it should.

 

[FrostbittenGrimness]

Seeing as though you don't have access to a computer at home, if you have some spare time and cash, I'd recommend getting Vera Croghan's Teach Yourself Swedish. It comes with or without a tape but I'd recommend getting the version with the tape as it gives you access to alot of different dialects and accents. Which you'll probably be hearing at uni heh.The tape version can be a little pricy, so if you can't afford that just go for the book which is great just by itself

 

[Thidrek]

A good way to learn the Swedish language is to watch swedish tv or listen to radio. There are some reports and stuff on www.svt.se and radio streams on www.sr.se. try it!
I can only understand fragments of what Vintersorg or Swedish metal bands in general sing about but when I was in Sweden this year, it was absolutely no problem for me to understand stupid pop songs. Maybe they are crap but it's a good way to get started.
(Alright, it was a torture but for a good cause )

 

[Johanna]

I plan to try to force everyone to speak Swedish to me. While certainly my Swedish is mediocre (poor at this point, really.. but I just started) I think it will be a difficult and painful experience with a lot of "Vad betyder ...?" and "Hur säger man ...?" and so forth. However, I am determined that I will not be an irritating bilingual American (and that I will not only become [as close to] fluent [as possible in a post-pubescent individual] but use it to my advantage as an Academic).

I have no computer at home right now, but I plan to keep coming back here and hopefully make some connections before I move. Being an American metalhead in Sweden is going to be an interesting experience, I'm sure. In that time I'll just listen to all the Swedish-language metal I can get my hands on and watch as many Bergman movies as I can (since those are the only Swedish films we can get over here..).

On a side note: Johanna, what are you studying?

Actually since this is kind of an introduction post, I'll say: I've been listening to Vintersorg since I heard Till Fjälls and Ödemarkens Son since I first heard them in 2000. I have since bought every album when it came out and I love them all. I've been looking forward to a new record for a while now (and I am QUITE depressed about the passing on of Otyg). The Borknagar stuff is OK but it just doesn't hold me over as it should.

Im studying to become a teacher, Im in my second year now. If you want some help with swedish or just want to know something about Umeå just drop me a line

 

[NovembersDirge]

Im studying to become a teacher, Im in my second year now. If you want some help with swedish or just want to know something about Umeå just drop me a line

That's cool! Like a grade school teacher? Or a specific type of teacher...?

I'll be sure to do that. Tack so mycket.