Vignettes

…. Some news.

I’ve gotten final confirmation for my exchange a while ago, while I was in the States on vacation, so as of the 29th of August, I’ll be a student at the Swedish School of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki. I’ll be studying Political Science with Administration (Statskunskap med förvaltning) as an elective

After Simon Nissen, current KU Chairman of Copenhagen, withdrew his candidacy for International Secretary, I was shortly the sole candidate and became junior secretary, after a full year’s training and candidacy, and worrying! Go me! :)

I was in the States for two weeks on vacation, visiting my paternal relatives. We went on a 2500km road trip through Montana, Alberta, British Colombia, Idaho and Washington visiting people along the way. I went with my mom, dad and sister and we had a blast…. and that’s almost where the story ends. I hadn’t been an irresponsible moron, that is… I sort of crashed an ATV by driving it down a hill at high speed. I really got banged up… huge cuts on my back, face, arm, more road rash than I care to think of, dislocated my shoulder briefly, and then five days later got to fly 21hrs. But considering the accident, I was fine.

I’ll post some pictures from the trip when I get around to having them developed

Rome

I’ve been travelling more these last months than I ever espected to in my wildest dreams. This weekend I was in Rome for a European Youth Summit. It was … on one hand great. I loved seeing the city, meeting interesting people, EU-big wigs, having champagne on a terrace of Campidoglio overlooking fair Rome. A guilty pleasure. Normally, I’m not very much against the business-class flight, nice hotels, etc. afforded to politicians and others. It’s comes with the territory and is a perk that replaces pay. Also, nice, comfortable surroundings build a certain image and inspires a certain sense of professionalism and seriosity which can be conducive to the political process. Within certain limits. This was just.. beyond all reason. Too nice a hotel, too much champagne, too large buffets.. Just too much of it all. It must have cost a fortune.

Sigh. Well, there was a bit of politics involved too. I’m not going to get too much into it here. Ask me for the reports I wrote before and after the seminar. Let me just say, every single prejudice about the EU I ever had was confirmed.

And other travels

I was in Finland for their parliamentary elections, and I’ve been in Istanbul for a large Middle East-meets-West seminar. I’ve written an article on it for KU, but it hasn’t been published yet. There’s too much to write as always. I’ll post some pictures at some point.