University in Borlange

Adventist Church. Hllsjvgen 1, Borlnge
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A 2 hour train ride north of Stockholm, birngs me to the town of Borlänge, in the Dalarna province (almost the same longitude as Anchorage Alaska). I think its about the size of Vernon.  I arrived Monday and met up with the girls from the Aquarium. One of the professors picked us up at the train station then chauferred us to get our housing sorted out. We then met for lunch with another professor and joined 2 more professors on an afternoon tour of the local science centre.

We learned that Science Communication courses seem to be on thin ice with the new university administration which prefers the engineering programs. The profs are visibly concerned and upset by the underhanded way they are being phased out. Our classes are in a portable shared with the Solar Engineering department.

home base for the next week

This member had painted a few of the wall hangings that brightened the walls.
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No class Tuesday so its a day for getting student cards and catching up on email and assignments.

Saturday I went in search for the church since no one responded to my emails about it.  It was located in 1 half of a building with the other half being a private residence. There were 6 in attendance that day. Their pastor visits once a month and attends to 2 other churches in rural Dalarna.  They were going through the lesson since there was no sermon and fortunatly 1 lady spoke English so she translated some of the discussion for me.

This rendition of the story of Zacheus shows Christ and the city of Jeruselem looking very Swedish. The 18th century painter is famous among Swedes and painted many Bible stories in similar style
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After the service I ventured out to explore more of the town to the soundtrack of gospel music I had on my treasured ipod. It reached a balmy +3C today so I soaked in the rays and even left my gloves & scarf in my bag. I met this very sociable dog who would nip at my pant leg when I stopped patting it, and kept looking in my direction when its owner tried to continue on their walk.

As I was thinking about not having any pictures with me in them, I remembered my camera had a timer. But the challenge to travelling alone, is that finding a location where you can balance the camera to accomplish this task is not so easy. So the options for self-portraits are rather limmited, but at least I got a good one at the University's main building.  I am worse than a Japanese tourist, creating a few puzzled stares as I snap shots of everything most here find mundane, like the ceiling of the mall and neighborhood houses!