Feeling like home

It struck me the other day that the air and and climate in Linz reminds me a lot of Tehran, as corny as it sounds. Linz is an industrial city, so is Tehran. Tehran is surrounded by the mountains of the Alborz mountain chain, Linz is surrounded by plateaus (in lack of a better word). The conclusion is thus that the air is not in motion (as in Linköping, where you always have to fight head wind). Smog can be seen often, and after a few hours of rain, the sky is clear again. Just like Tehran. The industries contribute to the heavy smell, and pollution can easily be tasted as it is a flavour in the tap water.

This is the view from my window in Linz.














This is the view from "Tappe-ye Sa'aadat-Abad" in Tehran (if that makes any sense...). I know that Tehran is a much more polluted city and by watching the picture from Linz, it doesn't look smoggy at all, but it actually is!





It has been relatively warm the last few days. When I first arrived here about eight weeks ago, it was raining constantly and it was rather cold. the last few days I went to the university without my jacket on, only with a polo t-shirt. The sun was really burning yesterday and i skipped an hour from a boring lecture just to get to sit in the sun for a while. It felt as if it was the last days of May back home, that's how warm it was!


My first exam is coming up and I feel good about it. The courses down here differ from how it is in Linköping in regards of pace, workload and scheduling. Everything here is supposed to be made by yourself exclusively, the administrators help you out whenever you end up in trouble (with this I mainly mean overlapping courses). In Sweden you usually don't experience such problems, if you have chosen your major, you will be able to take whatever courses you want without having to fear that they will collide in the timetable. Everything has been worked out in advance so that you can pick one road initially, and finish it without having to change lines simultaneously.

It's Thursday afternoon and I'm hungry. My roomies are cooking so I'll have to wait for them to finish their work in the kitchen. I have one seminar left this week and I must say that these seminars are the most interesting ones I've attended this far of my academic life. The professor is American and knows a lot about our subject (varied aspects of global business). I handed in my first paper to him the other day and I am eagerly anticipating his response. I am curious to know what level I am on and what I need to improve.

Later tonight I'm heading out, a MENSA party (a more brief explanation of this subject is to come in the near future!), but it will most probably be a calm evening for me. I have class tomorrow. I doubt that there will be many exchange student out tonight because many seem to be going to the movies to see Quantum of Solace. I almost feel a little jealous.