So, let me be the first to introduce you guys to my new home for the next 3 months: Unnaryd. We arrived mid-day yesterday in two cars packed full with our luggage and people. It was only about a 45minute ride from Halmstad on some backroads. Our first impression of Unnaryd was formed as we cruised the mian strip and passed the pizzeria and the grocery store, oh almost forgot and the bank. Then we took a left at the city center (the old city church and graveyard right behind!) we went to the place our design office would be... the Wildlife College! Yeah, I'm not even joking this place is hilarious.
I mean, any available spot they put up horns of some 'prize winning' hog or moose. Even the entrance has a huge moose rack that greets you. We met the 3 swedish principles, each a character, yet each more country than I had ever met in a swede. Complete with missing teeth and rolled up or cut off sleeves. We were walked around the 'computer lab' that can you believe it? has a printer. Yeah, amazing! haha. And luckily I think they just got rid of the 'lisa' mac computers that we used to use in elementary school to play oregon trail on for new'ish' dells.
Then, we walked back to our 'design studio' where we can do with it as we like. Hang up drawings, write on the board whatever!... it is a small classroom about 15 feet by 20. Then, it was time to see where we will live the second part of our time in Unnaryd. The student housing. This, was actually quite good. They are 3 room apartments. One bedroom, one main room and a big kitchen. It will be quite an upgrade from Patrickshill, even though 3 of us guys have to live in one. But it will be Marc, Kevin and I, so it isn't a big deal.
Next they showed us to the workshop. So, we went outside, down the road, across a small field, over a playground, and into a small building and back to the back room, where our workshop is. It is complete with miniture work tables, miniture tools, and shorter stools. Basically, it looks like what I imagined the elves in the north pole having to make toys. Yet instead of us making toys, we have to make products. It should work out just fine, it is just slightly humerous.
Finally, and here is the kicker, we went to see where we would be living for the next few weeks... the campground 5 minutes ouside of the village. You know, this place is actually the perfect place for a wakeboard trip, as it is actually situated on a small peninsula jutting out into a huge picturesque lake. And that lake is surrounded by trees, trees and more trees. We'll be living in small cottages that are painted red and white. They are about 15 by 10 feet or so. 3 of us guys live in each. There is a kitchen and a tv and a table. Oh, and no running water... but there is electricity.
*UPDATE*
So, I got a chance a few days ago to email what is written above to a few people, yet I wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to read a little about where I am living now.
After a few more days of living at the campground I can speak a little more on it's behalf. The first few nights we kept all the windows and door shut at night since there were no screens on the windows. This of course resulted in our small cottage turning into an infamous sauna by morning. Next, we had quite a bit of problem using the kitchen sink since it was a perfectly nice sink... yet it didn't have a pipe underneath it. So, milk, water and whatever else you dumped into it without thinking spilled out into the cabinet below. Finally, we found out that there was a boat that we could use. Excited I ran down to check it out. I ran past a dozen or so small 14 footers with small outboards, all pretty nice, and couldn't find one that matched the description that we got...until I glanced over to the swampy outcropping of the shoreline, where a boat, matching the description we got, sat in mud with just as much water in it as was around it.
So, this is just a few of the things that made the transition hard, that is until a couple days ago. We've now put up nets, with velcro on the window sills so we can sleep without sweating! Next, we put a big bucket under the sink to help prevent spilage when I forget... again, that I can't use the sink as usual. Finally, the rowboat. I talked to the owner, he hooked me up with some oars and some old rickety oar pivot devices and I 'borrowed' a bucket and went to work on the old boat. A little hardwork, some trade secrets from the marina I used to work at, I got the boat back floating and working. It still doesn't look good, yet it works quite well for a quick (or slow) get away.
We also brought our grill from Patrickshill so we've had some good cookouts and good times on that front. Marc, luckly, brought a good ultimate frisbee, so the fields of the campground have worked out quite nice for working on the 'long bomb' throw. I forgot how nice it is to play when you don't have to worry about breaking windows or denting cars.
Ok, well, until next log, hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying their summers!
Note: I will be keeping the rest of the summer's logs under the journal 'The Halmstad Experience' to keep things more simple.
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