- Hello, hello, hello... is there anybody in there?... -

(Title inspired from Pink Floyd)

Hello everyone in France, finally an update by a swede! Why?... I'm bored, I guess! And curious if anyone's still reading this blogg? Oh, well!

The summer's been great up here in Umeå, with lot's of sun, heat both in the air and in the water, such ñ such! Quite hard to imagine I reckon because of all the snow that were here when you last visited us, that it's just melted away now huh? Well, we swedes/scandinavians in generall need a break from all the snow every now and then!

Don't want to go in too deep on what I've been up to lately, mainly because it's so boring, I promise! But I enclose a picture of the Beach Volley Ball field that were set up right in the middle of the town square, were I saw the final yesterday (but the picture is probably from last year or even the year before that or so).

Anyway, I guess I can say as well how much we liked it to have you guys here and, well, drop by soon again! Au revoir!

//Johan Karlsson (no longer in 9em)

Hello Swedish !! ♥

Hey Swedish !!! it's Olivia and Maxime !!!
Your Photos are very very beautiful, we miss you a lot. We will post the trip's photos soon !!

We promise.

We will pass the baccalaureate in two weeks ( 20 to 24 June).

XOXO
♥♥♥♥♥

CAPTAIN JONES REPORTING SIR

Hanna froze..

HELLOOOO!!!! Here are some pictures from our trip to Gothenburg with our class. Vamos a la playa! Från towalicious & thebestandonlylovisa

"I'm so fucking tired, and vice-versa."

In only 8 days, we'll quit school - IM SO HAPPY!!
It will be so awesome to have a big break from school, too bad I will have to work half of the break.

After the summer i'll start at Minerva with 28 of my other friends, 10 of them is only from my current class.

Oh, and check out this new purse christoffer bought;

Håw itt iss in Swiidän att thö mååmänt! (How it is in Sweden at the moment)

Hey, what's up guys?

Just goin' to tell y'all 'bout the situation up here at the moment. We've only got a few test left (physics, french for some and an art-assignment) and then we're done with the school! ...well.. we still need to go the last days... but still! The last day of school is just 8 days away now, so it's very "taggat"! After that we've got two and a half months with sun, ice cream, football (not soccer, that's americanish) and bathing in the sea! What's typical for you to do on the summer break?

And so far the weather's been awesome and maybe we can go to the beach this weekend with the wonderful water tempature on 7 degrees! Lovely! *Sarcasm*  But we do take baths on the winter when it's around 0 degrees! *Not sarcasm*

So yeah, just a little/tiny/midget/short/small/petite/liten update 'bout the situation!

Best wishes!   // Johan K, Paul, Pontus

Hello france.

How are you doing? we are doing good here in Sweden, the weather here is really nice now. Around 20 - 30 degrees. Our cars is running good. We will finish school soon, in 1 week.

HEYHEYHEY!

'Sup in tha hood?????? Chillin' in tha summa weatha??? No, we are just kidding with ya!;)
Next week on Wednesday, we are going to graduate from Grubbeskolan (our school). Everyone is going to start at different high schools (lycée), which is really sad and we will miss everyone in our class! :'(

We miss you a lot, and hope that you are going to have a wonderful summer!

/Linnéa, Magda and Hanna

hey

we were in gothenburg, we ate a lot of burgers. it was kinda tasty.

What the hell?!

It's a blue effin huge ball!!!

The sweeeds says hi!

Hii! Long time no see!
How are you guys? We miss you a lot. When you guys left, the school became normal again and that sucked pretty much. Believe it or not but all the snow is gone!! But instead, it's raining like all the time. We're in the home economics room right now and doing.. nothing haha. We have done a cake which turned out really good.

Next week, we're going on a little trip with the whole class to Göteborg(Gothenburg). It will be awesomeeeee and really fun. We're going to stay at a hotel and it will be greaaaaaat cause the breakfast is so good. We are going to Liseberg, which is a amusement park (like Disney Land but muuuuuuch smaller). We don't really know what else to write so we will show you guys some pictures. ENJOY









the pictures are to wide,kill meeee!!!!!!!!!!!!
HUGS from Towa, Lovisa and Hanna♥

Since we left, we have...

Personally, I've done nothing but a "normal French' school day", really.

What I've done that were more... "uncommons", are ... stuff like going to DisneyLand Resort Paris, or Parc Astérix... (Maybe you know who are Astérix and Obélix ? 1 little blond boy, and a big redhead ;), and his dog, Idéfix). I had a lot of fun :)


Don't know what else to say.. Maybe I could tell you that the scientists will pass the French Baccalaureate, just the French Baccalaureate, in less than 2 months (the 23 or 24 of June). I don't remember what the "non-scientists" persons will pass this year, they'll probably tell you ;)
A bit stressed so.. ;)
I think that the L (Litterature section) will pass the biology too ? And the ES (Economics and Social section) will pass Maths too ? I really don't know, and I wouldn't say craps...
Mmh... What else... Haha, maybe our BEAUTIFUL weather : The sun shines, shines, and shines, it's every day something like 24°C... So that's very hot ! You must take sunglasses ;D I love France for that !


But I really miss Sweden, :) It was a very very good pleasure to have fun with you all. Don't mind, I'll come back before I'm 19 ! ;) Haha I want to annoy you again ;P


Haha ! See yah !

Maxime

since i came back to france, i  really miss sweden and hate the French school system more than it's possible. I  think of Sweden every days and also i dream every night of it. When they speak about it in the news, I am more interested than before because now i like this country, also i  am more enthousiastic to go to the English lesson.  I'm still in contact with my swedish family's. That's great !

One month later...

Since we came back to France,we've got tests and orals exams 
The life continue : the sun shine a lot, the weather is very good  !!! We are like in the summer.We study,learn,read books everytime .

A day in a Swedish school, a day in a French School

A day at Grubbeskolan:

When we come to school, we put all our things in our locker and get our book. The first lesson of the day is reading, and after the lesson is over we have a short break of about 10 minutes and then we get our things and go to the next lesson. We have about 3 lessons in the morning before lunch, which we have sometimes between 10.30-12.00. After the lunch we have 2-4 lessons with short breaks between. We end the day at either 14.15 or 15.15. Then we get our jackets and books that we need to take home from our lockers and we go home.

 

Sweden	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:15-9:10	Reading	Reading	Maths	Reading	Reading
9:15-10:10	Swedish	Nat.Sci		Swedish	Maths
10:25-11:20	English	PE	Spanish	Maths	English
11:25-12:20
12:25-13:20	PE	Hamdicraft	Spanish	Spanish	HomeEco
13:25-14:20	social	spe.English	Social	Social	Nat.Sci
14:25-15:20	Nat. Sci	Social	Music
15:35-16:30
16:35-17:30

A day at Joliot Curie High School:

First, to enter the school, students have to show their school identity book. The first lesson begins at 8.15, we have to stay in the class and we have to be concentrated. We have 2 lessons before having a break of about 15 minutes at 10.10. Then, we have 2-3 lessons before lunch which we have between 12.25-13.20 or between 13.25-14-20. After lunch, we have 2-4 lessons with a break of about 15 minutes at 15.20. We finish our school day at 17.30 or even sometimes at 18.30 if we aren’t very lucky. Then, we go home after a very tiring day.

France	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:15-9:10	PE	Physics	English	Biology	History
9:15-10:10	PE	French		Biology	Maths
10:25-11:20	History	French	Eng.Histo	Physics
11:25-12:20	French	English	Maths	Physics
12:25-13:20	French	Maths	Maths
13:25-14:20				Spanish	Spe.English
14:25-15:20	History	Physics		Spanish	Spanish
15:35-16:30	biology	Physics		History	English
16:35-17:30	Biology			Maths

Sport in France and Sweden

The most common sports in France are:
1. Football, 2. Tennis, 3. Skiing

The most common sports in Sweden are:
1. Football, 2. Gymnastics, 3. Golf.

Football is the national sport in both Sweden and France.

In Sweden, a bit more than 600,000 people practice football.
In Frace, a bit more than 1,850,000 people practice football.

France are rated 18th in the world on the FIFA ranking and Sweden are rated 30th.

The French national football team (starting 11)

The Swedish national team (whole squad)



Swedens most famous footballer is Zlatan Ibrahimovic who plays for AC Milan.
France has many famous footballers, some are: Franck Ribery (Bayern Münich), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) and Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Karim Benzema

France and Sweden has played each other 17 times through the years, France has won 8 times, Sweden has won 4 times, and 5 matches has ended with a draw result.

SWEDEN vs. FRANCE! (2 Swede’s against one Frenchman)

What do you usually do in your spare time?

Sweden: Hang out with friends.

France: Hang out with friends.

Youth in general- what is most common doing?

Sweden: Sports activities like football or floorball and such.

France: Sports activities like football and such.

Tell each other about your family? Where and how do you live? Do you have any siblings? Do you have an own room and how does it look?

Sweden: Dad, mum, little sister and a dog. Live in a row house. Beige walls, wooden floor, TV, bed and windows both on the walls and on the PC!   /   I have a mom and a dad and an older sister. I live in an apartment and have a common room with a crappy PC…

France: Big family with sisters and brothers and live in a big house.

What can you do in the area where you live?

Sweden: Have a tennis court and a football field nearby. For the younger kids there’s a playground.  /  In the area where I live there isn’t that much to do. You can run in a running track and you can play in a small park.

France: Go to the park, swim in the public swimming pool, play on the football field and go to the commercial center.

Can you stay out as long as you wish?

Sweden: No. On weekdays to around 21 - 21.30. On Fridays and Saturdays to around 23 – 23.30.  /  To 21 in the weekdays and 12 on the weekends (except on Sundays).

France: No.

Is it expensive to live where you live?

Sweden: No.

France: No, it depends.

A typical day when you are on holiday!

Sweden: Longer holidays I go to our summerhouse on an island with beach and stuff. Shorter ones I just hang out with friends.  /  On a small weekend I may stay home and be with friends and on the big holidays I’ll be with my family.

France: On the summer holiday I go to the sun. I swim in the beach I go out with my friends:

Describe a typical day at school

Sweden: Reading time at the beginning, lessons, lunch, lessons and finished around 15.10-15.15.

France: A typical day at school is to go into the school and to have lessons.

How big is your school?

Sweden: 450 pupils, so around average.

France: Big school, around 1200 pupils.

Where do you usually have lunch? Do you have to pay for school lunch?

Sweden: At the canteen. NO!

France: Eat at home and if you eat at school you have to pay.

What is your favorite subject at school? Why?

Sweden: PE (I like physical contact…) and English (like the language).  /  Handicraft (I like to work with my hands and wood…) and PE (I like to move it, move it!)

France : My favorite subjects are maths,chemestery and physics.

Are your school materials free or do you have to buy books?

Sweden: Free unless your loose one of them. Then it will cost you around 10 euros to get a new one.

France: The books are lent by school though you have to pay for your pencils; your copybooks,etc …

At what age do you start going to school?

Sweden: At the age 6 you have to go in a pre-school-thingy and when your 7 you’ll begin’ the first class.

France: The same as above.

Do you have a lot of homework?

Sweden: ABSOLUTELY-POSETIVETLY-EVERLY (!!!)…. not…

France: It depends of the teacher.

Difference between Sweden and France

                                      Difference between Sweden and France

Family: In France a breakfast is at 7:00 clock, we eat bread and butter and jam. In the weekends we eat croissant and pain au chocolate and we drink juice, coffee, tea or hot chocolate. We take a lunch at 12:00 usually we eat an entrance, a main course, a cheese and a desert. And we take a dinner at 7:00 or 7:30 the dinner resemble the lunch but it is more light.

Family: In Sweden a breakfast is around 7:15, we eat yoghurt or sour cream with cereals. Or sandwich with milk or juice. In the weekends we often eat eggs, grapes, hot chocolate. We eat lunch around 11:00-12:00 in school and on the weekends we usually eat around 1:00 PM. We eat diner around 5 or 6 PM.

School in France: The school starts at 8:00 clock and finish at 5:30 PM and sometimes 6:30. We have a lesson all days of weeks and sometimes Saturday morning. We have a late note and a ringing. In a classroom we have the shoes and it is forbidden listen music. We have the autumn holidays, Christmas holidays, winter holidays, spring holidays and summer holidays, We finish school at end June at the begin July and we start new year at  beginning September.

School in Sweden: The school starts 8:10 sometimes later. We finish school around 3:00 PM sometimes earlier. We are free Saturday and Sunday. We have autumn holidays, Christmas holidays, Sport holidays, Easter holidays and summer holidays. We are allowed to listen to music and you can eat candy sometimes at the lessons, it depends on teacher and the lesson. The school ends in June and starts again in the end of August.

Society in France: We are major at 18 and we can vote, drive. Our political system is composed a president elected to a French people, then he choose a Prime minister who choose his minister, The president is elected for 5 years. He is allowed to do2 mandates.

Society in Sweden: When you are 18 years old you can drive and vote (and you have to be a Swedish citizen). We vote for a party. The leader of the party with most votes becomes the prime minister.

Comparison of Christmas in France and Sweden

Typical Christmas in France

The whole family and relatives gather at someone’s house then they eat and talk for a long while, maybe between 12:00 and 15:00. After that the adults continue talking and the children play with each other. After a while (maybe at 20:00) they eat again and talk more and more. Typical food is: Foie Gras (liver from goose), Turkey and Swiss Rolls for dessert.

Gifts are put under the tree during the evening and opened next morning on the 25^th, the children typically don’t see Santa.

       

Foie Gras

Swiss Roll

Typical Christmas in Sweden

The Christmas Eve mornings are different from family to family; but one thing that’s common is that you eat something called “dopp i grytan” to lunch.

Dopp i grytan is thin hard bread which you put into pork bouillon for a half a minute, then you put butter on it and a thin piece of pork.

Then at 3 o clock most families watch The Donald Duck show on TV, it contains Disney and most of them are only shown in Sweden at this time.

After that most families prepare the “Christmas table” which is our Christmas dinner, it’s “all-you-can-eat” style and contains for example: pork, meatballs, potatoes, smoked salmon, short sausages called Prince Sausages and peas.

After the dinner Santa comes with gifts and after that you open them. Usually it’s the dad or grandfather in the family who dresses up like Santa, a common excuse for the disappearance is that he needs to buy the newspaper or milk. Later on you often eat rice pudding.  

Christmas Table

The differences between France and Sweden

School – In Sweden school is free, but in France, the school is free too but the material and food cost money. The schools are also, in general, much bigger than in Sweden. The average school in France takes about 1000 students, and about 140 teachers. In Sweden the schools usually take about 500-600 students and the schools employ far less teachers.

In France you can also have school in Saturday, and that day is usually about an hour. Their usual school-days are between eight o’clock and five-six o’clock.

Society in general – France has a president and Sweden has a prime-minister as well as a king and queen.

House prices: The prices for properties are far higher in France, mainly due to France being a much bigger country.

The weather: In France the weather is much warmer than in Sweden, usually 30-35 degrees in the summer, and around zero in the winter. In the Swedish summers the temperature is about 20-25 degrees, and in our winters the temperature can drop to as far as -35 degrees.

Sport-Football and Rugby are

may be the sport the most important in France whereas in Sweden,it´s floor ball and hockey

Holidays: Easter is different, in France the Easter isn’t a very big occasion, and it’s mainly a commercial event. In Sweden we get “eggs” of candy from our parents, and the little children dress up and knock on doors, begging for candy. We also hang up feathers and “Easter-rice”.