Sleepy Thursday
April, 03, 2008, 16:11 Filed in: Education
Well, even in Sweden, waking up early can be hard to do on a grey, rainy morning. Dave also had a sleepy issue to getting to school on time. LOL. I needed three cups of STRONG coffee just to get going! This morning started a little slow, as you can imagine by my description. I completed some personal internet-based items -- like bills, email, work email, setting up iChat video appointments, etc, but struggled just to do that much.
I finally got into a small rhythm and followed Dave and Tommy into the school's new Body Shop area. There was a class going on with 6 students putting a school van back together and working with Tommy in straightening out the frame on a 90's Mazda Miata. These students were in the Junior year (they call it 2nd grade at VTC), but they had a lot work to do. I took some interesting video and pictures.
I think I have about 16 minutes left of video battery (I have no charger, and British Airways still has not given me back my luggage and claims that over 15,000 lost bags were shipped to Milan, Italy to be sorted). Go ahead and read the article and come back to this blog.
After fika, Tommy, Dave and I went to visit our paired students among different places in Östersund, where they went to work for the day; not school, but actual jobs in different places. Robert and Stefan went to a Vehicle Inspection Center, where all people have to have their cars thoroughly inspected twice a year -- brakes, tires, etc -- and the drivers get quite nervous about their potential results. I let Robert take the video camera and give his own description. The pride in his explanation was impressive. Nate and Christoffer went to a special garage for electrical work. Part of the VTC program is to get students experience in the workplace for a day, week, or two weeks, then bring them back for more school. This goes back and forth in their later school years.
Dave and I then took a drive to where I am staying to get more wires for my computer system. I actually gave him correct directions and then he found his inner-GPS and we went to Tommy's house a different way -- a scenic, relaxing drive. On the way, we picked up Kokosbollar treats -- those in Auto Shop, ask Dave about it. It was a nice little tiny one room house with the honor system built in to buy this candy. I have not seen one of these since my trip to an Ostrich farm in Almond, Wisconsin a number of years ago.
When we arrived, Tommy was taking a power nap and I finally met his delightful and enthralling family. [PAUSE]
Time for Auto Shop to visit with the teacher via internet video!
Returning from all the video iChats and dinner... I helped Tommy secure his wireless network and update one of his computers. I also demonstrated the full power of iChat to everyone via Mrs. Urbz and Garret -- not just video, but slideshows, remote access, audio, etc. It was quite the demonstration on our end here. Even Pete Ferrera looked me up via iChat from Wood Shop. For Dave's video session with his Advanced Auto Shop combined with my Networking Management class, we sure had a crowd on our end of the camera. Sofia made all of us incredibly delicious waffles. Garret and Todd saw them over the iChat and were drooling. Well, let me tell you, everyone who has cooked for us have been nothing but great chefs! We all finally had one final fika break and yes, I walked away from my computer stuff, even though I did not finish. Spending time with people is more important. This is something I must continue to work on for myself. No?
***
My 2nd period TV-Production class.
Faith always looks sooooo happy (left corner).
***
This weekend, there is a car show where Tommy and Dave are taking the dragster. Lennart is taking me and some of the students snow-mobiling in the mountains. Dave Nygren is due out here at the end of the weekend, and a whole new week begins. I am taking tomorrow off to just enjoy the day around the apartment. I will walk around and just breathe the crisp, clean, air. I will work on Lennart's DSL network (a switch died), and I will try to create a temporary wireless network for myself. (Oh, you know I have to find SOME technology to fix!) But most of the day will be one of simplicity, eating of cheese and buttered bread, and drinking of more coffee.
Ja.
I finally got into a small rhythm and followed Dave and Tommy into the school's new Body Shop area. There was a class going on with 6 students putting a school van back together and working with Tommy in straightening out the frame on a 90's Mazda Miata. These students were in the Junior year (they call it 2nd grade at VTC), but they had a lot work to do. I took some interesting video and pictures.
I think I have about 16 minutes left of video battery (I have no charger, and British Airways still has not given me back my luggage and claims that over 15,000 lost bags were shipped to Milan, Italy to be sorted). Go ahead and read the article and come back to this blog.
After fika, Tommy, Dave and I went to visit our paired students among different places in Östersund, where they went to work for the day; not school, but actual jobs in different places. Robert and Stefan went to a Vehicle Inspection Center, where all people have to have their cars thoroughly inspected twice a year -- brakes, tires, etc -- and the drivers get quite nervous about their potential results. I let Robert take the video camera and give his own description. The pride in his explanation was impressive. Nate and Christoffer went to a special garage for electrical work. Part of the VTC program is to get students experience in the workplace for a day, week, or two weeks, then bring them back for more school. This goes back and forth in their later school years.
Dave and I then took a drive to where I am staying to get more wires for my computer system. I actually gave him correct directions and then he found his inner-GPS and we went to Tommy's house a different way -- a scenic, relaxing drive. On the way, we picked up Kokosbollar treats -- those in Auto Shop, ask Dave about it. It was a nice little tiny one room house with the honor system built in to buy this candy. I have not seen one of these since my trip to an Ostrich farm in Almond, Wisconsin a number of years ago.
When we arrived, Tommy was taking a power nap and I finally met his delightful and enthralling family. [PAUSE]
Time for Auto Shop to visit with the teacher via internet video!
Returning from all the video iChats and dinner... I helped Tommy secure his wireless network and update one of his computers. I also demonstrated the full power of iChat to everyone via Mrs. Urbz and Garret -- not just video, but slideshows, remote access, audio, etc. It was quite the demonstration on our end here. Even Pete Ferrera looked me up via iChat from Wood Shop. For Dave's video session with his Advanced Auto Shop combined with my Networking Management class, we sure had a crowd on our end of the camera. Sofia made all of us incredibly delicious waffles. Garret and Todd saw them over the iChat and were drooling. Well, let me tell you, everyone who has cooked for us have been nothing but great chefs! We all finally had one final fika break and yes, I walked away from my computer stuff, even though I did not finish. Spending time with people is more important. This is something I must continue to work on for myself. No?
***
My 2nd period TV-Production class.
Faith always looks sooooo happy (left corner).
***
This weekend, there is a car show where Tommy and Dave are taking the dragster. Lennart is taking me and some of the students snow-mobiling in the mountains. Dave Nygren is due out here at the end of the weekend, and a whole new week begins. I am taking tomorrow off to just enjoy the day around the apartment. I will walk around and just breathe the crisp, clean, air. I will work on Lennart's DSL network (a switch died), and I will try to create a temporary wireless network for myself. (Oh, you know I have to find SOME technology to fix!) But most of the day will be one of simplicity, eating of cheese and buttered bread, and drinking of more coffee.
Ja.
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