Uppsala

Uppsala, a home of Swedish botanist Carl von Linné and the oldest university of Nordic countries. The city has approximately 190 000 inhabitants of which roughly 40 000 students. This forth biggest city in Sweden is located about 70 km north of the capital Stockholm.

The Nordic Africa Institutet, a research, documentation and information centre on modern Africa for the Nordic countries. Since its foundation in 1962, it has promoted research and studies on Africa in the Nordic countries and co-operation between African and Nordic researchers.

These two have made a grand part of my life during past two weeks. Most of the time here I have spent at the Institute working long hours on my MA thesis. Working to that extend I'm starting to be sick and tired of gender, women and HIV/AIDS. And yet I'm sad this experience is almost over - will be heading home on Friday.

It has been great to been able to concentrate entirely on the work without worring about anything else. Of course there's distractions at the Institute as well but mostly they have been those of the nicest kind; Wednesday's joint breakfast, coffee breaks with lussekatter (Swedish saffron buns), seminars with interesting topics.

And even though some of my friends have been forced to put up with my constant moan of a lack of social contact (read pints at the local pub) people here couldn't be nicer. It's great to be surrounded by people who share your interests if not entirely but to the certain extend. At least no one is wondering why on earth I want to work with issues related to Africa. And the weirdest thing must be the fact I have to travel here in order to be able to discuss my thesis in Finnish!

There has been so many great things happening here that only complaint I have (beside that lack of social contact outside the office of course) is related to the weather - most of the time it's been quite terrible. I miss fresh air...But all in all, when I consider the time spent here I really don't feel like going home next Friday!