I got into all four industrial design schools I applied for! Including my first choice in Umea, Sweden! Feels good knowing that other people see some potential in me, and that I’m not completely out to lunch. Handed in my resignation at work, and I received a whole range of responses from extremely supportive and excited for me, to baffled, to downright negative. There are a few things I can conclude:

1. Most North Americans don’t know the difference between Sweden and Switzerland! I know they start with the same 2 letters and they’re both neutral countries, but I am really shocked that this many (mostly educated) people don’t know the difference.

2. If I plan to do anything that deviates from the norm, it really is best to keep it to myself until it’s underway, as there are a lot of negative people who will rain all over your parade.

The responses upon hearing that I’m studying industrial design in Sweden: “You speak French?” “Uhh…?.” “Or what do they speak there?” “Swedish” “They have their own language?”

“Won’t it be more expensive?” “Some things are more expensive, but some things” “What do they use there, the Euro?” “No.” “Oh, the (US) dollar then!”

“But why would you want to do that?!” As according to some, I already have a degree and a good paying job, so why would I want to do anything else even if I found the work boring? Fun is what your hobbies are for!

“Don’t you have to be creative to do that?” And how do they know I’m not? Because the job I’m in right now, I don’t get to express any iota of creativity perhaps?

“Isn’t it competitive?” Implying that it’s not because I got in?? Pretty insulting.

“Well, what are you going to do after you graduate? Will you be able to find a job in Sweden afterwards?” Wow… so I need to have the next 25 years mapped out like they do? Get job, work at same company until retirement, then die?

But I did get some positive words from a few people, such as, “good on you for going after what you really want!”

Per just left today, so it’s been a busy but amazing month of travel in western Canada which I’ll have to update on later. In the meantime, I have so much to prepare before I move! Per posted some great photos of our western Canada travels on his blog here (including his stopover in New York):

http://www.resdagboken.se/Default.aspx?documentId=81&userId=197319&section=myimagegalleries&journeyId=358519