International Farewell Party (3 November)

On Thursday after Linnea had spent the majority of the day at the uni, we were set to go to the International Farewell Party hosted by UoN at the Queens Wharf Hotel – dress code: smart casual.

The party started at 6 pm, and we arrived about half an hour after that. When we arrived after showing our tickets and getting wristbands, we got drinks and started to mingle.

At the party, they had a photobooth so that you could get a couple of pictures with your pals. Linnea ended up getting a couple of them, below are two photos of them, the first one with Svenja and Nadine. The second one has pictures mostly of Linnea’s classmates from Sweden.

Pictures of Svenja, Linnea, and Nadine from the party
Pictures of Svenja, Linnea, and Nadine from the party
Pictures from the party (Photo: Maria Kaldma)
Pictures from the party (Photo: Maria Kaldma)

Apart from drinks, there was food at the party as well, although you could hardly call it food. It was finger food, so it was the smallest of portions and the hungry half drunk students flocked around the servers as they walked out from the kitchen with their newly filled platters.

As the party drew to a close, we got a bit of a surprise. When handing in the wristband that we got upon entering the party, we got a UoN duffle bag in return. A really nice gesture and very useful as the two of us hadn’t brought any duffle bags to Australia.

Outside the Queens Wharf Hotel before going home, the other Swedish exchange students and we had some fun with a couple of helium balloons and sang a few high pitched songs.

Gustav got the opportunity to say goodbye (for now) to his classmate Tanner. But as with most things, it feels likely that they will meet again. The world is not that big a place and either we’ll go to the U.S. in a couple of years, or maybe he’ll come to visit our neighbourhoods in the cold north.

Gustav and Tanner after the party
Gustav and Tanner after the party

The party was a hit. While most people went out to got to other bars, we went to the bus stop to get home before the buses stopped going and to prepare for another day – the last day of the semester (which contained a lecture at the Uni for Linnea).

/ Gustav & Linnea

This is Not Art and going to the beach (2 October)

On the Sunday after getting back from New Zealand, we decided to go into the city to take a look at the art festival This is Not Art, also known as TiNA, as well as go to the beach and meet up with a few friends.

Gustav at The Lock-Up
Gustav at The Lock-Up

Our first stop was The Lock-Up, which used to be a jail but has in recent years been turned into a gallery. In many of the rooms and cells, there were art installations part of TiNA. There was also information about how the prison had been used before. It was striking to look into the isolation cell covered with thick layers of isolation on the walls and on the door with leather as the utmost material.

A single screen showing a video as part of This is Not Art
A single screen showing a video as part of This is Not Art
Art installation from This is Not Art
Art installation from This is Not Art

A few of the art installations were quite flashy and used bright neon colours in excess. Many of them were also made up in part or as a whole of video, like one piece that showed scenes of men shaving or being shaved from different movies.

Nutella milkshake at Three Bears Kitchen
Nutella milkshake at Three Bears Kitchen

After our visit to The Lock-Up, we went to Three Bears Kitchen where we ate lunch and Gustav also had a Nutella milkshake. We continued from there to Nobby’s Beach where we met up with our German friends Sil Ja, Nadine, and Svenja. We took a spot at the beach beyond Nobby’s Head and put our towels there. The German girls only wanted to sunbathe, but we wanted to go into the water, which we did. It was nice. The water wasn’t very warm, but since the air was so hot, it didn’t really matter.

Gustav at Nobby's Beach
Gustav at Nobby’s Beach

We stayed at Nobby’s for almost two hours. The five of us then went to Six Degrees, a restaurant located at the Queen Wharf and the Queen Wharf Tower. We ordered coffees and smoothies. The waiter unfortunately messed up Linnea’s and Sil Ja’s order, but at least the smoothies were good.

After finishing our beverages, we headed to the bus and went back home.

/ G & L