Student Loans and Stumping of the Workforce March 31, 2009

Since I got my first paycheck from my part-time job I’ve been struggling with making the most economically sound and personally reasonably choice. I take out a student loan from the government and because I do, I’m not allowed to earn more than a specific amount of money each year (it has its purposes, but it’s still idiotic since the government should be supporting the people who want work and make money and not stumping their workforce). Anyway, the summers are included into this and thus, I’ll be making too much money if I get a full time job during summer. Thus there were three choices I could make, according to me:

1) Earn all I want and pay back the difference (between the amount of money I’m allowed to make and the amount I do make) when they ask for it, which will be in two years.
(+) don’t have to worry about how much money I make and thus have the economical freedom I long for.
(-) In two I’ll have more to pay back than the regular load I have to pay back just taking the loan.

2) Cut the loan I take by a bit so that the amount of money I’m allowed to earn increases.
(+) Don’t have to pay back quite as much once I finish studying/Don’t need to worry quite as much about how many weeks I have left that I’m allowed to take loans for.
(-) I’ll be surviving on the same amount of money I would have anyway but with the added press of always hoping I work enough hours.

3) Work less during summer so I don’t exceed the max amount I’m allowed to earn.
(+) I get to enjoy summer for the first time since moving to Helsingborg.
(-) I have to get better at saving and planning my spending (since I have to make sure I have enough each “season”)… which I’m shit at.

I’ve been asking everyone I meet and almost everyone agrees that I should work less during the summer… I have to agree. So I’ve finally made a decision! #3 it is! …Besides, I’m not even sure how much work  I’ll be getting enough this summer, despite the fact that the boss says I can pretty much choose how much I want to work. I didn’t get the second job I applied for either (which sucks, I was really looking forward to it). Somehow though, I’m sure it all will all work out for the better.

It’s not like I don’t have enough plans and ideas to fill up my time with! London trip, bicycle trip around Skåne, going up to Dalarna to meet the parents, finish painting the apartment, and attempting to get my drivers licence finally! …And that’s just the stuff I can come up with from the top of my head. Other interests like books and politics can finally come into play and two of my friends will be coming back around May.

All in all, yeah, I think #3 will be the right choice.

Oh! And I’ll get more time for training! I finally got my ass to my beloved Kick n’ Box again yesterday and realized how much I’d been missing it. I should probably start of slow though. Today I’ve been walking around like a zombie. My head’s been killing me, I’ve been having dizzy spells and my arms are as stale as old bread from the muscle pains. Dehydration and a low blood value is my guess but a slow start is the way to go none the less! I’m hoping I’ll get a steady pace going by summer.

It’s amazing how good 2009 has been so far… and I still have so much more to look forward to! The only thing that sucks is the fact that I can’t wait for my apprenticeship to be over. But then again, if everything in life had been fault-free, I’d be getting more than a little suspicious.

Sweet Kisses to all.

Appreciation February 10, 2009

My first day taking calls at my new job. Very nice. Feels wierdly natural! This is the reason why I want to have a job in an office as assistant/receptionist/ect. I like fixing with different stuff and having the phone and a computer as my resources of use. Now all I want (hope this remark doesn’t bite me in the ass now) is a few more calls to let me know that I can handle more than one thing at a time!

I also went to work at UngART today and while there thought I’d take the chance to talk to the principle of the place as I felt that we had gotten off on completely the wrong foot. This was my supervisors idea, and I’m glad I did so, because now I feel quite ok about having my apprenticeship there again. Amazing what miracles talking openly in a humble manner can do. We also ended the day with everyone in class saying something positive about eachother which was a nice little ending to the day. Good habit that more people should take to heart!

…So, I’d like my readers to know that I really appreciate you taking an interest to read what I want to share, and you guys are great for taking the time to comment now and then!

Kisses to all!

Phew! February 6, 2009

Phew, what a week. I’ve been wanting to write for quite a few days now but just haven’t found the time! I’ve spent the days exasperated at feisty students, the evenings trying to get as much done as possible at home, helping the Bear with his report, finishing up my own tiny little report, and fixing with my part time job. Do you guys have any idea how hard it is to work with kids that have hyperactivity problems when you yourself have only had like four hours of sleep? (This has only happened once thankfully).

But I’m not going to complain. This is the way I like it. I can’t remember when I last looked forward to my weekends as much as I do right now. The feeling of having done my best this week and doing many things and knowing that the weekend is the gift that I deserve at the end of it. It’s a wonderful feeling.  

As for the apprenticeship itself: When I’m there I have no idea how I’m going to manage 4 months of it. Once I’m home and distracted myself with other stuff, it doesn’t feel so bad. And the one hour trip there and back? Quite nice actually. Gives me time to sleep and relax because there’s just nothing else to do then. 

Nothing’s perfect, but it’s damn near close… or atleast that’s how I feel about things right now. Now, it’s my first day at my part time job tomorrow so lets hope I do good, yeah? Until then, I need to clean up the apartment and fold some clothes and wash the dishes. The bear’s been taking care of me, feeding me, and taking care of the cats and supporting me through all my decisions throughout this week and I think it’s about time I take care of my part of the deal, don’t you?

Sweet kisses to all!

Ikea Furniture + Social Work = Heart February 3, 2009

First day of apprenticeship I have to say was a lot of work, with a lot of new things to learn. As I was waiting for my supervisor to set me to work I noticed that the once already in place were putting together an ikea bookshelf and I offered to help. By lunch I had put together 4 bookshelves and one office chair and had jokingly become the ikea consultant. Me and the supervisor finally got the time to sit down and write out a contract by 1 pm and when that was done, I was to finish for the day. 

As I said, I learnt a lot today! Heh. But in all honesty it was a good day, I didn’t need more to do because it let me get a feel of the place and the people before things really get started. 

Also, I seem to have gotten a part time job! Now all I have to figure out is how I’m going to balance 2 jobs, make time for driving lessons and at the same time be the housewife  (minus the cooking) that I feel that I am. All of these come high in my list of priorities (well, I don’t like to be the housewife, but it needs to be done so I don’t live in a pigsty) so I’m not sure I’m willing to pass up on any of them. It’s all about planning right? …And willing to go through some bad stuff (like having so much to do the days need to be planned from sun up to sun down) to have some good stuff (keeping busy, having money, learning to drive, ect). I’d much rather stress over time, than and loss of money and possibilities, because the latter is giving me a stomach ache.

Kisses to all.

Promotion! February 2, 2009

I’m officially no longer a socionomy student. I found out today that I am, from now on, a socionomy candidate! Yay Atleast I’m moving in the right direction! To celebrate this promotion I thought I’d look for summer work within my proffession for once and thus hopefully never have to work as a waitress ever again. Oh so tired of it. Ofcourse, I have to manage economically with all my plans until then, so I’ve just sent an application for a part time job that has nothing to do with my future proffession which will hopefully work out.

My apprenticeship starts tomorrow as well, so soon I can finally  start planning other things like my testdriving lessons and when I can go to London to visit friends. I may as well, since I’m still completely drained of energy and thus can’t gather enough of it to go training. More time to do other stuff  I guess, which I actually desperately in need of to be honest.

Oh! And check out the Bears website with his beautiful photography among other things!

Sweet kisses to all!

Welcome 2009! January 8, 2009

Everyone’s been writing so much about the past year which I really don’t want to do. Instead, I want to look into the future because I feel there’s so much good stuff to look forward to.  

Starting this new year in India has made me so much happier, that much more positive, and much more energy. I have for the past years lost myeslf, the person that I was so proud of being… and about a month ago things started making sense to me again. Now, with my depression at bay once again I can think even clearer and I’ve realized there’s so much to look forward to.

To give a few examples I’ve got an apprenticeship in about a month I can’t wait to get started with, a chance to a new summerjob now that I quit as a waitress at dunkers, a very dear friend, the bear and I have quite spontenously decided to travel to london in april or june, and I feel for the first time in two years that I can stop worrying so much about what others will think or say about my behaviour or the way I dress. I don’t know why I started caring so much after moving here, but I did. And theres so much more I can do, plan, and be a part of if I want to.

I’ve basically realized that there isn’t actually anything or anyone stopping me from being all I want. Ah, life can taste so good when one takes it by the horn and dares to do something with it. *yum*

So, dear 2009, bring it on!

Sweet kisses to all!

UngArt December 18, 2008

Awesome! …That’s how I feel about my place of apprenticeship! I’m so excited about this place I’m worried. I mean, talk about the dissapointments I’ll most probably be facing once I start there next year with such high hopes! After a cup of coffee and an introduction of about an hour I was entering super-maina mode (a nickname given to me during my stages of bounciness, taken from super mario) that for the last half hour I was partially impressing, partially scaring the instructor I’m meant to have next year.

In all seriousness, this should be interesting!

Now we’ve also finally bought all the little things we need for the trip tomorrow and in a couple of hours the mother-in-law will be picking us and our cats up for dinner and after that, I won’t be seeing my little babies for 2 whole weeks *sniffle*. 

Among all those little things we needed for the trip that we bought I actually managed to find a long summer dress (I found out that Abu Dhabi, which we’ll be exploring for a few hours before we continue on towards India is not the place to be wearing shorts, which makes sense). This is a real achievement for two reason:
1) It’s the middle of winter
2) I haven’t been able to find a long, easy-wear, every-day skirt or dress for almost 2 years now. During summer or any other season.

This is what bugs me about Sweden (and especially Helsingborg) it’s impossible to find any other clothes than that which is considered fashion or modern. (Wearing swimsuit is apparantly old-fashioned now a days).

Anyway, now all that’s left is packing our bags, going to school tomorrow and then finally heading off to India. Oh sun, how I missed you.

Sweet kisses to all!