09.01.07
Going on hiking
Hi,
We will go in the mountains tonight, sleep by a lake and climb a ridge tomorrow. We saw a beautiful land in Bar sur Loup today, and I’ll upload the pictures here tomorow evening.
Hope you’re having a nice weekend!
08.25.07
A land with an architected villa
Today we went to se another land in Grasse. The address is 314 Route de Saint Mathieu. With this land it’s both strong pros as quite strong cons (för- och nackdelar). Our general feeling is good. Anthony likes it a lot, me a little bit less, but I definitely can see me living there.
Price of land: ca 255 000 (when septic tank, water and taxes are paid).
Price of house: 250 000 with the key in the hand, meaning we can get it cheaper if we build the inside ourselves.
We made a personalized map on google maps where you can see the approximate borders of the land. We found the post on Seloger (link goes to the land).
The size of the land is 2500m2. That’s big, but the third which is closest to the road is very steep and there is not possible to make something on.
The photos are on the photo page under the 4th land. There you can also see the house itself. Before selling the land the owner laid an architect to draw the house. Because that we would have our own septic tank, the living surface is limited. They said 225 but we think it’s with garage.
The outside of the house is fixed but we are allowed to change the room layout inside. However the architect have made a solution possible to extend. There can be one more room added on the top floor, and the cave has windows so in there it can be rooms as well.
Pros:
- The land is ca 100000 less expensive than land 3
- Beautiful view
- Quite a lot of sun even with the bad orientation
- You don’t see the road below
- You don’t see other into other houses, and they don’t see us
- The bottom part of the land is forrest, fun for children
- There are houses on left, right and behind = no surprises
- Funny and personal house done by architect
- Possibility to change room layout inside house
- Lots of windows giving an open feeling inside
- Possibility of swiming pool (not included in house price)
Cons:
- Orientation is north-west
- Noise from road below
- The house is small
- Outside of house fixed, not possible to change
- No football field for children (they wouldn’t like football anyways)
- The road up to the house is turning sharp and dangerously small
- We would have to drive children everywhere (as for most lands infact)
08.24.07
Dreaming…
Hello friends! Sorry I didn’t write you for so long. Time goes increadably fast when working.
Here are some friends from work. Ruben, Raul and Maggie (much more complex name in Polish, but I’m still not able to remember).
But now I have something funny to tell! Me and Anthony are beginning to think about buying a land and building a house. It’s something very big. A big engagement for us, but a dream we both had since a long time.
We have just began to look at what is possible with our budget and today we visited the first lands for sale. No, infact we saw one yesterday too, but it’s too expensive and out of scope. On monday we will see a company constructing houses to see what will be possible to get for the money that will be left over from buying one of those crazily expensive in this region.
On my photopage there are photos from the three lands we have seen. It’s the third one we are really in love with, both of us. The second and third lands are here: Google-maps
Look and enjoy!
07.29.07
The beginning of the rest of my life
I’ve done one full working week. The first week in my life. It’s a new feeling this weekend, a feeling of freedom. Sure, I was free for six months. But now I’m free in another way. I’m independant! I’m working, I’m able to save money, to make up plans, to start my life.
I enjoyed my first free day with Anthony, we went shopping: a bike! I planned to buy one next month but we found a really good second hand bike for almost half the price compared to what I had planned, so then it was in my budget to buy it this month. Then we went to Cap3000 to look for shorts for Anthony. We didn’t find any since it’s the end of solds, but he came with me to the ladies department and helped me try out a new brah (bh). I’m so impressed by Anthony, he didn’t complain the least to go there and help me, the opposite. I told him there is not a big percentage of men that are able to do such a thing for their girl.
In the evening we had a bbq at home with friends, we were seven and the evening was really great. It’s the best time, the time with friends, laughing together. And, you know what? I understand what they’re saying! All but Jerome who speak far to fast for me.
An especially funny memory from this bbq is when the watering system went on. We have a powerful water canon for the grass which turns, and this time it happened to start in the very direction of the grill. Anthony screamed and ran the fastest he could towards the place to turn it of but crashed into a chair on the way and the water went over the grill twice before stopped. Luckily we have a grill with a big round cover which was on at the time. Puh, I don’t want to imagine the meet all wet.
Today (sunday) we went for a bike trip just after breakfast. We tried the way to Amadeus, and in fact it was not too hard for me. It took approximately 50 minutes, but then we had some short pauses on the way as well. A very beautiful road, small, through the forest all the time, and at one place following a small water streem.
On the way back we had different choices of path, long, same, physical, technical. I choose the technical one and was surprised how easy it is with this kind of bike, a VTT (in french), mountain bike in english. It does everything on it’s own, it’s more like riding a horse than a bike. The path was sometimes full of rocks, sand and sharp turns and it was really fun to go.
At one place there was a sort of stair going down, with wide steps so it was possible by bike. I had made a small fall with the bike just before so I was walking down most of them, but Anthony said I could try at least the last one, to see that they were in fact easy to take with this kind of bike. I backed to start on the beginning of the last step and went up on the bike, but… with to little control. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I think I lost the pedal with one foot and with the hands I was only holding the handles, not the breaks, which resulted in that I took the stair too fast, and in a little bit of panic I was reaching for the breaks… you know what happens when taking the front break with full power? Flying. I flew over the bike, and the bike after me down on the ground of rocks. When Anthony heard me and turnd his head I was having the bike over me on the ground, and he run back to help me up.
I was chocked for a long time, almost so that I had to throw up and I had to lay down on the ground to rest. I was not to hurt, I will be blue on one leg and one arm but nothing really bad.
Next time I will bring two more things on my bike ride: helmet and water.
The rest of the day we stayed home, taking it really cool, cleaning a little. AnnCharlotte and Petter are coming tomorrow.
Now I’m ready for my next week of work. It’s a lot to learn now in the beginning. I’m so happy with my team and what I will do. The way of developing software is close of what we were doing at Chalmers so I feel at home. The atmosphere in the department is really nice, relaxed and friendly. It couldn’t have been better. And I know all that time, all the time since I got to know what e-travel and SEP was that it was there I wanted to go. I was so right!
Summer-visit in Sweden
We had a great time in Sweden, me and Anthony. There was lots in the schedule for the four days we had but in the end we managed to do almost all.
Priority one was to meet my grandparents. They were all so happy to have us there, and they really liked Anthony. It wasn’t a big problem that they couldn’t speak.
But before doing anything else, we stopped by at Ellens place on the way from the Airport when getting Anthony. And we put him on a chair to have the hair cut. He was a bit surprised, but it was a funny start.
The result. Good, isn’t it!? I really recommend Ellen.
Since it’s been raining a lot the woods were full of blueberries. We spent some hours picking and with the speed of one kilo per hour and person we soon got a lot. Anthony made blueberry jam and we could bring some with us back home.
On the day with the best weather we went out on the sea with my parents in my grandparents boat.
In the beginning it was a bit cold but when the wind mojnade = stopped it was becoming warm and nice.
We had brought the fishing material to try a bit and to our joy there were lots of fish to catch.
There was a seal comming really close. I know the picture is not showing so much, but if you look carefully you can see it’s head.
We got around seven of them, plus some that managed to get of the hook just before they were in the boat.
Anthony showed us a talent I didn’t know about, to empty the fish of the bad things. He did it really well, it’s because he learned of his dad who was working in the fish part of a food store some years early in his career.
The fish was fried with dill = aneth (don’t know in english) the way we always do and it was sooo good. On the picture is mum and Anthony preparing the fish.
The next day we met my friends and went to the medieval days in Kungälv, a city between Göteborg and where my parents live. It’s an old castle with an interesting history and lots of people had come there, many dressed out in clothes from that time.
Here is Henrik and Karin, in their beautiful home made clothes.
And here is the gang, my friends from Chalmers.
After walking around a couple of hours looking at people and the things to buy, and buying some herbal tea, we went to see the tournament.
I was so happy to see horses. It was the first time I saw a tournament and it really impressed me, they had a super control of their horses, and you could se that the horses was having lots of fun them too.
Even though I love acrobatics I wouldn’t be in the place of the man with blue pants.
When we came back home we had kantareller = girolle with us and Anthony made a delicius pasta gratain with them.
07.09.07
I’m going to Sweden
Last friday I finally signed my contract for Amadeus. I guess you can understand how relieved and happy I am. It’s two weeks until I will start and I will spend them in Sweden, starting from tomorrow. And from next wednesday Anthony will join me. It will be so fun to have a chance to show him how beautiful it is back home in summer!
07.04.07
Amadeus
Today I finally got a job offer proposal from Amadeus. As said in Swedish in the previous post I did all tests and interviews with Amadeus yesterday afternoon following a hectic morning when I was called on the airport on my way to Sweden… and just had the time to get my checked bag back of the plane and return to Sophia Antipolis.
A contract with Amadeus will be ready for me to sign on Friday, and I will start the 23rd. I will take a flight to Sweden Tuesday the 10th and return Sunday the 22nd.
I think this is the final end of my long and irregular journey. A good end.
The rest of the time until friday I will spend under our avocado tree, reading a book. I’m half way through “Et, si, c’etait vrai” by Mark Levy. And then I should go to the library and borrow me some more films, because Anthony is going on climbing vacation with Thomas tonight and will not return until sunday. I already feel lonely.
07.03.07
Hectic Tuesday
Aningen chockad för tillfället.
Det har varit en händelserik men snabb dag. Dagen började i morse med att Anthony körde mig till flygplatsen. Jag skulle äntligen komma hem och träffa familjen och vännerna. Ellen skulle klippa mitt hår och jag skulle pärla med AnnCharlotte och Katarina.
Efter att jag checkat in mitt bagage gick jag genom kontrollen och satte mig att vänta på att gå på planet. Jag var nervös hela morgonen och på flygplatsen försökte jag fundera ut varför. Var det för att jag glömde passet den där gången när jag skulle med mamma till Skottland och var tvungen att åka en dag senare? Jag var i god tid på flygplatsen, passet var med, väskan inte för tung, mamma skulle hämta mig på Landvetter. Inga jättestora orosmoln, förutom att Astek skulle ringa mig under dagen och tala om att det nu var färdigförhandlat med Amadeus. Men det visade sig snart att jag inte var nervös i onödan…
Amadeus ringer. Jag svarar och de förklarar att de inte kan ta mig som konsult då jag gjort mitt internship där, det är beslutat nu och de vill att jag kommer på intervju hos dem. Idag. I eftermiddag. Jag tittar på klockan och får en klump i halsen. Jösses. Fan fan fan säger jag högt innan jag inser att jag sitter bland en massa svenskar. Jag ringer Astek och Amadeus om vart annat i en kvart och förhandlar. Astek vet inte om att beslutet var taget. Igår rådde de mig att åka till sverige även om det var lite struligt med Amadeus, det skulle ordna sig. Men efter några samtal sa hon mig att ärligt talat borde jag gå på Amadeus intervjuer, bäst att inte göra dem arga.
Jag fick tag på en flygplatspersonal och fick fram att jag skulle förlora jobbet om jag inte stannade. Hon såg på mig att det var allvarligt: kunde ju knappt prata och hade tårar i ögonen. Hon lyckas få min väska av planet och jag tar mig tillbaka genom säkerhetskontrollen och kan hämta ut min väska i arrival-zonen.
Jag tog bussen till Sophia Antipolis. Mathieu (en vän från Amadeus och klättring) var på bussen, vilket sammanträffande. Det var skönt att prata med någon. Anthony bokade bord på hamburgerrestaurang och vi åt oss proppmätta, sen tog vi en promenad i skogen. Vi hittade en jättekotte med ett sånt där tall-frö i som man äter på sallad och blev jätteglada för vi har båda letat länge för att hitta vilka kottar de där goa fröna kommer ifrån.
Halv tre träffade jag Benedicte från HR (human resources) på Amadeus, som jag haft kontakt med sen i April. Hon förklarade schemat för dagen som började med två test vid dator. Ett test där man ska tyda olika grafer och svara på hur många procent Volvo förlorade under 2005 jämfört med 2003 etc. Sen var det ett test där man ska läsa små texter och svara på påståenden om texten. Utsläppen är större i förorterna utanför HongKong. Sant, falskt eller framgår ej av texten? Vet fortfarande inte hur det gick för mig på testen.
Sen var det psyko-test = prata en stund med en psykolog. Hon frågade lite om mina intressen och varför jag vill jobba på Amadeus. Hon var snabbt nöjd och glad och skickade mig vidare till nästa intervju som var med en manager i den avdelningen jag ska jobba (SEP). Managern hade inte hört min historia om Amadeus så jag berättade den, sen frågade han lite frågor om min cv och vilka programmeringsspråk jag kunde, sen var han också nöjd och glad.
Sista intervjun var med ännu en manager i SEP. Han kunde min historia för det var han som hade satt igång problemen när jag väl var anställd av Astek. Han hade sett på min cv att jag gjort internship och då frågat sig varför jag inte blivit direktanställd och tagit reda på allt som hänt. Sen hade han pressat HR att försöka ta mig från Astek.
Han var jättetrevlig och vi pratade lite om vad jag gjort på Chalmers och vad jag vill göra på Amadeus.
Nu ska jag åka hem och göra ett test som jag inte hann med under dagen, det är ett personlighetstest man gör online, det skulle ta en timme. Och i morgon ska jag prata med Benedicte igen och få reda på om och när de vill anställa mig.
Ringde till Astek och de gav mig en tid att komma in till dem i morgon och avsluta mitt kontrakt med dem. Synd, jag som var så glad över att ha skrivit på med dem och med min lön. Dock tror jag inte lönen blir så mycket sämre i Amadeus.
Antagligen blir slutet gott, allting gott. Men just nu känner jag mig väldigt trött.
Benedicte lovade mig på telefon på flygplatsen att Amadeus betalar en resa till Sverige, och det sa hon igen när jag träffade henne så det ska vi ordna med i morgon. Jag längtar hem. Tur jag har Anthony här, han stöttar och coachar mig otroligt bra.
06.25.07
Yippiii!
I got a job, I Got a job, I got THE job!
Incredibly how fast things can happen when they at last start to…
All this time I didn’t turn to the contracting companies because I was waiting for Amadeus to take me directly. And they said they would, if only they were hiring, if only they knew how much people they needed, if only they knew where to send my cv. It has been a long time, almost six months. But finally I got a no from them. They didn’t want me. Ok, I told all my friends and prepared myself to send out my cv to the contracting companies. But there was one other opportunity, which was to go in product definition in Amadeus. I was accepted to come for interviews, but when they took over two weeks for just getting me a time for those interviews (in fact there had been a misscommunication in who was supposed to do that… not the first misscommunication I had to deal with, rather the fourth or fifth) I decided to send out the cv anyways.
Less than two weeks ago I started to send out the cv and the contracting companies responded directly. I got lots of interviews. The whole last week I went to Sophia seveal times and even for an interview in Monaco, which felt really far if I’d have to go there each day.
In the end of last week there was a fight between GFI and Astek. I was so close to sign for GFI, I really liked the way I felt welcome there, but in the end I decided to go for Astek. I signed on the thursday, same day as our concert, and allready on the friday I had an interview for Astek with Amadeus. It was for a position as developer in java, which is exactly what I wanted all the time, but couldn’t get earlier since they were not hiring people just until two weeks ago in this department.
Amadeus called back Astek 40 minutes later and said “Yes, we want her, she can start in two weeks”. That’s what I call a good midsommarafton!
Today is the first day of my new life, I’m getting payed! I’m not outside of the society anymore!
The first thing I will buy is a nice bike. It takes about 25 minutes in the forest to go from here to Amadeus. Perfect.
A happy Tess!
06.04.07
Städ-måndag
Hej hej där hemma,
idag har jag städat järnet. Skönt nu när det börjar bli klart. Jobbigast var fläkten ovanför spisen som droppat konsentrerat fett i flera månader, har inte sett nåt smutsigare och den täpte igen diskmaskinen… men det fixade jag sen.
Jag har jag just klippt klart gräsmattan, och gissa vad jag hittade på vägen, det första mogna hallonet! Det var gott. Och under mullbärsträdet åt jag lite mullbär när jag körde förbi.
Nu sitter jag och övar in fiolsolon inför konserten den 21 juni, fête de la musique, de spelar överallt i hela frankrike den dan. Och så äter jag popcorn.
Jag ska försöka blogga också ikväll, har så många härliga bilder från Karins besök!
Hoppas ni har det bra!
01.22.07
Monday morning
It’s Monday and I should be shopping in Carrefour. Instead I’m sitting here. Reason: the car didn’t start.
Last Thursday we were in the garage to fix Anthonys’ car. On the way back we had two cars. At one point Anthony stopped and I drove up beside him to give him his money before going out on the highway. I rolled down the window on the passenger seat, threw out the money to him, and then, when I wanted to get the window back up, it broke :-/ Just like it did half a year ago. It was a bit cold in my car on the way home…
But, we also ordered the new sofa that day, so in the end it was a very good day 
On Saturday we fixed my window, so much easier this time since Anthony has lots of tools for fixing things.
This morning I realized that the key to the car was still in the car since we fixed the window, and that the lamps had been left on. That’s why I’m sitting here now.
Our Saturday was a true fixing day. We finished installing spots in the kitchen which now makes a big difference! We bought curtain rods for the bed and living room and put them up. And we cooked a fantastic meal, as usual when Anthony is cooking.
The Sunday was a climbing day. We met up with Sylvain and Emelie in the Carrefour parking as last Sunday and went one hour to the west, to the Var. I had to be very careful with my foot, I can walk but it still hurts if I hit it just a little bit on the side. I didn’t think I should be able to climb but it turned out to be ok as long as I put down the foot with care each time. Me and Anthony went up on a three section route, which means that Anthony first climbed the first section, waited for me to come after, then he continued up, leaving me on the middle of the wall to secure him from there. The whole route was about 70 meters high. A great view but a little bit scary.
Yesterday evening I was very tired from being out in the fresh air the whole day so we just stayed home and watched a film. It was a French film and I don’t remember the name, but I saw it in French with French subtitles! I had to ask Anthony a few times when I missed something I thought was important for the story, but in the end I actually managed to understand the film! Of course I missed lots of things they said, but it was possible! I’m so proud!!
Today Thomas, the bas player in our jazz band, wrote an email and said he will quit and join another band. I’m so sad for this L I really hope we will be able to find another one. It is the only thing I’m doing on my own down here at the moment, everything else is with Anthony. Which I like of course, but I think it’s important to meet other people as well…
I found an advert for French lessons in the vegetable store, maybe I should call and see how much it is per hour. Could be good if it is in the neighborhood so I don’t have to drive all the way to Nice to see Celine. I didn’t have any French lesson since I came back, but I have begun to ask Anthony about words and sentences and I’m trying to make him speak French to me, and that I can answer in English, as a start.
Now I should try to get something done before Anthony come home, he promised to come and eat lunch with me and use the cables to make my car working.
12.24.06
Civilingenjör!!!
Today it’s Christmas! Usually this is a day when I’m on Christmas holiday from school and am enjoying a lot, but today it’s even better, I’m not only free from school over the holidays - I will not have to go back to school AT ALL!
After 18 and a half years of studying I have finally become a Civilingenjör i IT, which translates to a Master of Science in Software Engineering. I ended my internship at Amadeus on the first of December and had my presentation last Thursday. A couple of years ago I would tremble just from thinking of standing alone infront of computer science people, talking about some programming subject in 45 minutes and to do it in English. This time I was just nervous some hours before the presentation and during the presentation I felt calm.
On my last day I brought croissants to the people I got to know at Amadeus. Lots of people showed up, I think it was around 20 people on the terrasse this morning. Closest to the camera on the picture above is Gregory and Eric, my dear supervisors
Here is the view from the terrasse. Unfortunately it is a little bit foggy over the mountains this day, but the mountains in the background are up to 3000 meters high! There are more pictures from this last day of work on my photo site.
View from the airplane on Monaco the climing site.
When we left Nice it was warm enough to just wear a t-shirt, it was green everywhere and the sun was shining on the palm trees. When we arrived at Landvetter at 4pm it was allready dark, it was rainy and foggy. What were we doing there? The best with Sweden this time of year is that one can be inside without feeling guilt. And I like being inside, having candles on the table and eat good christmas food.
Johan and his ipod
Christmas tree and presents, I wonder which are mine, and how heavy they are… (not so much space in my suitcase).
Charlie thinks it’s a little early this Christmas morning.
11.26.06
En vacker söndagsmorgon
Efter en varm söndagsmorgon dush ligger jag invirad i handuken med huvudet vid fotändan av sängen och tittar upp mot det öppna fönstret. Det kommer sval, frisk luft ner i mitt ansikte. Utanför myggnätet är det klarblå himmel och solen gör skuggor på nätet med lövträden utanför fönstret. Det är lustigt men det känns precis som på Litserhult, farmor och farfars land, när jag som liten var där på sommaren. Allt är tyst och det känns som om hela världen tagit sommarlov. Och så är jag i Frankrike och det är i slutet av november, nästan vinter, helt ofattbart!
11.24.06
End of internship
I have now exactly five days left in Amadeus. Strange that six months could go by this fast!
Today I finally booked the flight back to Gothenburg, and I will arrive at Landvetter 16.00 on Friday the 1st of December. I’m very much longing for the cosy Christmas feeling, candles and for snow! I will spend all December in Gothenburg with family and friends. Then over new year I will go to the north of France to visit the parents of Anthony, my new boyfriend. But that is another story I’ll tell you more about another day 
I’m writing on my thesis report, lots of pages left, but I like to do it, to sit down and analyse what I did, why I made this and this choice and what I could have done differently.
I have some pictures on my computer that waits for being published here. The other day we went around in Valbonne, the village where Anthony lives, to take pictures of the beautiful autumn colors. And yes, it is autumn here now, just begun a cuple of weeks ago, and before that it was summer! When it was minus degrees in Sweden we had 25 degrees here in the days and walked around in a small top, skrit and sandals!
10.28.06
Photo album fixed
Finally I took the time to fix my broken photo album. Now it is working again and I’ll try to add some new photos for you!