Schedule:
Free Morning @ Sparta 09:00 - 11:00
Today I had a little more free time to play with, so I did what any responsible adult does and did my laundry! (You know you're becoming lame when you're excited to do laundry...) Check out my master post on everything you need to know about doing laundry at Sparta here!
Buying a Secondhand Bike Through Facebook: 11:30 - 12:30
I'm well-too-aware of scams and people who sell faulty goods through Facebook. I posted an add on Sell/Buy stuff in Lund with a clear and specific description of what I was looking for -
Secondhand Bike MUST be fully functioning and include:
- Lights + reflectors (compulsory for all bikes in Lund to have)
- Hand breaks (most bikes have pedal breaks but I'm more familiar with hand)
- Seller must be willing to let me try the bike with no guarantees of sale
- Priced between SEK600 - SEK1000
Anything else is a bonus, but according to my mentors you shouldn't pay more than SEK1000 for a secondhand bike. A few students who went to secondhand bike shops paid between SEK900 - SEK1500 for a bike with varying inclusions of lights/locks/breaks.
A seller sent a direct message including a picture of the bike and a description of what else the bike included on top of my wish list; 3 gears and a basket, originally priced (secondhand) at SEK1200.
My love, my bike <3
Tip: meet somewhere in Central Lund where there are lots of bike shops around! The seller and I met at Lund Cathedral. She noted that the bike tyres were a bit flat and walked with me to two shops with bike pumps and showed me how to pump up the wheels again.
It was fairly embarrassing (I fell over and also pushed the bike over with me) but she also taught me how to ride the bike - it's been a few years since I've ridden a bike (on a tarmac road) and I also never really grasped the "proper" way how to ride a bike. The correct (and most efficient) way of riding a bike is to have your legs fully extend when you cycle - the saddle or seat should be at hip height and your feet should not touch the ground. I always learned sitting on the bike already, rather than pushing myself up onto a bike to cycle properly.
The seller and I walked together to a quiet street after pumping the tyres and found this car park for her to teach me different ways of getting on and off the bike.
How to ride a bike (the correct way) step by step guide:
- (I prefer) to stand on the left side of the bike. Adjust the right pedal of the bike (by lifting the back wheel and pushing one pedal with your foot) to be higher than the left.
- Hold the handlebars of the bike with both hands. Swing your right leg on top of the right pedal and push (to get some movement / speed) and then vault your butt onto the seat. Your left leg/foot should naturally reach the left pedal.
- You're cycling woo!
- To slow down either pedal backwards or use the hand break (on the left side. The hand break is quite strong and sudden).
- To get off the bike, slow down and slide forwards on the seat (the first few times I veered off to one side like normal but this is very unstable and the risks of you falling, landing uncomfortably or just in general uncomfortable). And place one foot on the ground for a smooth transition. I'm still a novice so both feet plonk me on the ground and I slide off quite suddenly but it works!
- Well done! You now know how to ride a bike the proper way :)
Exploring Lund... by Bike!
It is soooooooo freakin' good to bike around Lund!! I can't believe I considered avoiding purchasing a bike for the semester just because I didn't feel confident riding around. But honestly, it's so easy to slip into bike riding and it's so much more fun than walking!! Zipping around on a bike gets you places way quicker too which is a godsend!
The streets really are cobblestone wonders!
Finding My Classroom:
For the most part of exchange I'll be in the LUX Building. Since I've got class starting at 09:15 it's a good idea to get familiar with where the buildings are, where to park your bike, which room you're in and nearby toilets! (Although Lund's signage game is on point).
I swear Sweden or Lund at least is obsessed with revolving doors. ICA has them and so do the classrooms!
Seriously how cute are these signposts?? I'm obsessed with their signposts! It's like... the urban version of a hiking (going to class) in the Swedish woods (university campus).
Trendy cafe area for study + socialising in the LUX Building
SUSA Seminar 17:15 - 20:00
Today's SUSA class was on word ordering in Swedish sentences - speaking 100% honestly I didn't take a lot in today, but I did learn a few new phrases:
Translating to:
- Ar du gift? (Are you married?)
- Ar du forlovad? (Are you engaged?)
- Vad talar du for sprak? (What languages do you speak, A: Engelska och lite svenska, English and a little Swedish)
- Tyvarr (unfortunately)
- Just det (that's right)
- Ingen orsak (you're welcome)
- idag (today)
- imorgon (tomorrow)
- igar (yesterday)
- ikvall (tonight)
- nu (now)
I also learned the origin of the days of the week:
- mandag - Monday, day of the moon and heavenly realm. Named after the god Mane, one of gods of Germanic mythology (more commonly referred to as Norse gods)
- tisdag - Tuesday, named after God Ti (also known as Tyr), the brave god
- onsdag - Wednesday - date of Oden, he wandering God amongst people
- torsdag - Thursday, day of Tor/Thor (the origin of thunder)
- fredag - Friday, day of Frej/Freja, the viking god and goddess (siblings) of fertility
- lordag - Saturday, from the old Swedish word "loga" which meant "to wash [the body]". Today the term is tvatta
- sondag - Sunday, after Sol (god of the Sun)
We also learned a traditional song (Swedish: sang) called Gesallvisan (The Journeymen Song)
Mandag gor jan ingenting,
Ingenting, ingenting
Tisdag ser jag mig omkring
mig omkring, mig omkring
Onsdag gar jag ut och vankar.
Torsday sitter jag i tankar
Fredag gor jag vad jav will.
Lordag stundar helgen till.
Translating to:
On Monday I do nothing, nothing, nothing
On Tuesday I look around, around, around
On Wednesday I walk out and wander aimlessly
On Thursday I sit immersed in my thoughts
On Friday I do whatever I want
On Saturday the weekend is approaching
(There is no Sunday because during the period in which the song was written Sunday didn't exist!)
Highlight from SUSA: listening and singing the Journeymen Song with my fellow classmates
Highlight of the day: riding my bike around Lund, exploring a new area and riding home from SUSA - trading a 12 minute walk to a 3 minute bike ride!
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