I'm alive, I'm fine, I'm happy! And I need to update since my friends actually yelled at me for visitng my blog every day without anything to read. But starting to work means big change and new habits, and I've barely opened my laptop for weeks... However, to the important thing: I LOVE it! I love the office, the people, the architecture, I love to just be there and take it all in. So far so good. I have already been taking part of interesting meetings and projects, I got to go on an ArchiCAD course and even got to go on a study trip to Hamburg. I really look forward to the rest of this one year long chapter of my life. It sounds corny, but I feel in love. You know, when you can't stop smiling and think that everything is just amazing. And for the first time since... can't remember when... I go to sleep early and wake up early, because I can't wait to go to the office. Now I know it has only been three weeks and everything is still very new, and I am probably going to get tired of it more than several times, but I promise myself to never stop appreciating that I get to work in a profession I love. And as long as you appreciate and value that, it's hard to not also be very happy about it.

My 50th birthday present to mom was a day together at Yasuragi Spa. It was perfect. Few people, very hot baths, yoga, Japanese food, and mother-daughter time. Great way to end the summer holidays and my mother was more than satisfied. My dear, precious, mom.

In recent years I have been from one end of the world to the other, but there's nothing like motherland. It was two years ago since we were in Sarajevo, and yet it felt like an eternity ago when we stepped into the apartment and ate our first portions of home delivered cevapi. A very special feeling. Unfortunately, a rainy June is not quite what we are used to and the summer feelings was still not there, but we still enjoyed everything we've missed so much.

Time for a new half-hearted attempt to revive the blog and upload my holiday photos. I really want to, but it's hard doing anything, whatsoever, when I'm in my lazy vacation mode. Except going on vacation. I would not mind going back a third time. Like now, right away. It's the first time in a long time that I've come home and not missed Stockholm, although it has never been nicer and hotter (what's up with the heat?!?). It's like I've missed summer in Bosnia and Croatia extra much and want to make up for not going last year, I can't get enough. How can you ever get enough of the Adriatic sea, the food, the people? Conclusion: Never ever spending a summer without that again.

HELLO BLOG READERS! It's amazing that you're still there! I kind of disappeared without any heads up because I had a lot to do before I went on vacation, and I have thought about just not updating at all as long as I am in my vacay mode, but the blog deserves better. It's when you've had a lot to do that life should get documented!

I came home from my stay in Bosnia and Croatia a few days ago. Have never gone as early as June 14th to Bosnia, and will probably never do it again because I now have way too much free time left until I start working on August 18. Can you have too much free time during the summer? Yes, you can. When all your friends are either working or have left the country, free time gets really boring. The only solution I see to this "problem" is to go back, and that's exactly what I'll do in a week. Spontaneously, wonderful and very wise if you ask me.

More about my vacation in future posts. With pictures of course. After school ended one thing happened after the other - birthday parties, my brother's graduation, finishing school, exhibitions - and suddenly, I was on a flight to Bosnia. It was only after a few days in Croatia with proper rest that I relaxed completely and realized that I'm on vacation for real. Now it feels so strange to be at home with nothing to do...  I need another round of vacation.

I have ignored the blog to avoid having to deal with this "long time no see"-post. How do I start it? How do I summarize the recent month? Do I even remember everything? Should I just ignore it forever snd stop posting? - No! I'll deal with it now, and start updating more frequently again. I have, after all, a lot in stock. Here we go:

Long time no see! As you know, the reason behind my absence has been my final project, and now it's finally over! This day seemed so far away and suddenly it's here. But not without blood, sweat and tears. It's only now that I've been sleeping properly for several days and become accustomed to the feeling that there are no musts or stress that I feel like myself again (note to self: never stay up for whole nights again) but I still can't grasp that the third year is almost over and that I basically have a bachelor's degree in architecture. BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE! It feels like I just started yesterday! Am I supposed to suffer from separation anxiety now? The new architecture school on campus is scheduled for completion 2015, when I return after my year of working, which means I've spent my last late night in this old building. No, I still haven't realized it yet. 

As usual, during an intense period at the university, it feels like I've been in a weird bubble and afterwards I have to wake up from that state and jump back on the train called real life. I've been trying to keep up with other things during the project as well. The floods in Bosnia has been a big distraction, which also gave me perspectives and reminded me that the project is the smallest problem in the world. While it has been heartbreaking to follow the situation through media, it has also been incredibly moving to see how people engaged, spread the word, donated money and supplies and helped to each other to help. Like a small bandage on a huge wound, a bandage that is too small to heal the damage but symbolically gives some sort of consolation. Bosnia is still in great need of help and will be for a long time. In addition to people's property and infrastructure being destroyed, now there is also the risk of diseases spreading and landmines from the war that have been moved from secured areas by the water. I don't really know what I feel about going there in two weeks. Although Sarajevo was spared from the floods it feels awkward to go there on "vacation". I must do something, but whatever I do it doesn't feel enough. And I don't really know much about the state and atmosphere in Sarajevo right now. It remains to be seen.

Something else that has been stealing my attention is the political situation in Sweden and the EU elections. I hope you voted. And if not, I hope you now realize how important it is to vote after so many racist parties received growing support across Europe. The Swedish Democrats' numbers doesn't shock me, however the rest of Europe scares me the more. Still, I've begun to feel a little apathy towards the population that votes against humanity, it's like I've become tired of getting upset because it feels hopeless, like I don't even take them seriously anymore - which is very dangerous. That is why I am so happy and moved that I constantly get reminded of that there still is a much stronger power against them, and the socialist and humanist parties are growing in Sweden. I 'm still surrounded by ethnic Swedes that gets more upset than I am over the racist parties successes. You are my cure for hopelessness and you still make me feel safe in my beloved Sweden. Thank you. And now, in September, you have to vote, vote, VOTE!

I wonder if I can squeeze in some more heavy topics in this post, when I'm already going. But this is what has been on my mind lately, might as well get it out. I have actually had time for some fun stuff too the last month, despite all the work, but that I will bring up in future posts. I'll finish this post by pointing out the obvious: It has become summer!

The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was bad before, now it's catastrophic. Flooding in the country and the rest of the Balkans has destroyed buildings, roads, bridges, knocked out electricity and some people have drowned. Help is needed. The best I've found through social media so far is to donate to Djeca Djeci, but you're welcome to come with other suggestions of organizations and initiatives undertaken to help the victims. Since many of us are going to Bosnia soon it would be helpful with info about what can be done on site too, no matter how long you're there. Where do you turn to help?

You can also support the Red Cross that are in place in Bosnia and Serbia, text AKUT to 72900 to donate 50 SEK.

Just one more month and then it's over. I only have a few weeks to get everything together, both in and outside of school, and then I can breathe and dance barefoot in the grass. Or not, because the pollen is killing me. If you are one of the lucky ones who have not noticed, it has been extremely high levels of pollen recent days, which for me is a bit of a death sentence. I've given up on the idea to lay in the sun because it ends up with me needing an inhaler to breathe. Right now it's raining though. God bless the rain.

The summer has never been such a questionmark as it is right now. It's the first time since I turned 16 that I will not work a single day the whole summer, and yet it's the first time I don't have a proper vacation planned. I have a one way ticket to Sarajevo which I bought in January, and that's about it. Maybe I will stay only a week, maybe more. Maybe I'll go somewhere else later or chill at home in Stockholm. Who knows, maybe unplanned works fine for me too? Ha ha.

I'm very bad with a camera these days, which is particularly noticeable in the absence of new folders on my computer. I discovered that I had neither a folder for March nor April, which is strange for me, who couldn't go outside the door without a camera in my bag. Don't know if I should blame it on the iphone use or my less frequent blogging where daily life has almost been ruled out, but for my own part it feels kind of sad, so now I'm making an effort to gather some images from the recent past. In no particular order.

I took this picture right after I signed the contract of employment a couple of weeks ago. It was cloudy and gray but I felt so much happiness during my little walk towards Slussen. This view of the Old Town, which looks like an old postcard, will be what I see every day on the way to work after the summer. So amazingly wonderful that I can hardly wait.



Every year I take pictures of the same flowers, but that is only because it is always as wonderful. I have already eaten my first ice cream at the Royal Garden where cherry trees had started to bloom, but I will soon make a return when they have bloomed properly. Will never be missed.


This weekend I was in Uppsala to see Dina receive her much deserved master diploma in science of law! We are very proud of this amazing girl. It's always wonderful to witness that moment in friends' lives, especially when it's such a nice ceremony like they have at Uppsala University *jealous*.



A number of café meetings a month (week) with friends is necessary for survival. The one in Uppsala after Dinas exam takes the prize in both cozyness and pastries. Where in Stockholm can I get it this nicely served? Tell me, please.

Uppsala again, but since this is the place of my project, theres a lot more of Uppsala in my everyday life than usual. Behind the boats is the site for the art museum that I will design. 



There hasn't been a lot of partying lately, but the after work event Out of Office was the most fun in a long time when it comes to partying in Stockholm. Crazy atmosphere! It didn't matter that it was still light outside, people went crazy. And the best part was that it ended early so I could go to bed on time without feeling destroyed the day after. Fun 22-year-old girl.

Hong Kong at night is amazing, not only because of the neon lights and the illuminated skyscrapers, but also because everything is open very late and there is a huge variety of dining and nightlife options. It is really too bad we didn't have time to experience more of the nightlife. I wanted to visit more clubs and more skybars.

One of our trips was to Macau. Like Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region in China, and was also a colony until the late 90s. Unlike Hong Kong which was a British colony, Macau was a Portuguese, and the traces of colonial times is more obvious here. Looking at the picture you will find the houses and squares in Portuguese style, signs in Portuguese and other elements of the city such as a lot of mopeds. Macau is in general a very strange mix, not only is it a mix of Portugal and China, but throw in some Las Vegas in the mix too. Yes, Macau is the Las Vegas of Asia.



The ferry, or whatever it is (to me it mostly reminded me of a huge jet-ski that flew over the water) takes about an hour from Hong Kong, and you have to go through passport checks like you're visiting another country. 

Not only that, I feel that the work with the candidate project finally is going well after having a bit trouble. Don't know if I've mentioned it before but we had four options to choose from; a bathhouse, housing in Tyresö, a preschool in Södermalm or an art museum in Uppsala. I chose the art museum. I have realized that it is not the easiest thing to draw a whole museum of over 3,000 square meters, but it's fun. It's so fun and satisfying that every day I feel so grateful to have chosen architecture as profession, I never want to do anything else.

As much as we complain about Sweden's dark and cold winters, we must admit the positive with the seasons, and it's that wonderful anticipation as winter turns to spring. Even if you are drowning in work, it is easier to endure. Right now I am busy with the candidate project. We had mid critisism yesterday, already! Today I took a day off, it was needed after a lot of hours of work and a few hours sleep. 

After Ngong Ping, we took the bus to Tai O, one of the last South Chinese fishing villages on poles. This trip was truly an experience, I've never been in a place that is so different from what I'm used to. The first thing we did was to take a boat trip between the houses, but unfortunately we didn't come far into the village since the water was very low as you may see. We saw more by just walking around afterwards. Recently Instagrams own account added a picture from the same location as the picture above, but with sunset and high tide. A bit jealos, but whatever...

We went to Lantau, the largest island located west of Hong Kong Island. Very mountainous and beautiful scenery but unfortunately we were not lucky with the weather. Almost every day we were there it was very foggy, as was this day. Too bad because we certainly missed out on stunning views. But we saw a lot else! We took the train to the island (the airport is also here so there are good connections) and then the cable car Ngong Ping 360, which took us over the mountains to Ngong Ping.