and then I was a student.

Yesterday marked the our first official day of class. We've set up camp at the

Konsthögskolan Royal University College of Fine Arts, where Jeff (how cool is that... I get to call my Professor by his first name!) lectures us and we do group work. Our first lecture was an overview of Sustainability. We looked at the history of environmentalism, and the indicators of sustainability. Jeff also revealed to us the main points for successful sustainable communities. Some of my favorite points included:

• involved and engaged citizenry
• compact, high density, mixed use
• transit compatible
• walkable, bikable
• balance of jobs and housing
• local food systems

Oh, and in the United States, it takes 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food energy. Similarly, the average meal in the United States must travel a total of 2500 miles. Isn't that some food for thought?

After class, the rest of the day was free to do whatever we wanted. I tried a fried herring sandwich for lunch, and actually found it quite enjoyable. I have no clue how the Swedes figured out that Honey Mustard, Herring and Onions would taste great on toast, but it definitely did! The rest of the day was spent relaxing at the beach. It's crazy how we can be in the city of Stockholm, and WALK to the beach. Everything is so accessible!

For dinner, some of us decided to trust The Lonely Planet's advice and go to Cafe Nero for budget dining. We realized a bit late that the people at The Lonely Planet must be billionaires, because our pasta were about $25 a plate. Our bill's grand total was over 1500 SEK. I should have taken a picture of the bill: it was quite impressive. In Cafe Nero's defense, the pasta was fantastic, and some of the people that tried their Tiramisu will attest to the fact that it is world class and probably the best they've ever tasted.

Even though class is on hold until the "weekend" (read: one day off) is over, I still feel like a student. Stockholm presents a living laboratory for all of us to take in and enjoy. Everything is in the details. The sidewalks have huge setbacks from the streets, giving ample space for outdoor seating and lots of foot traffic. Walk ways are divided for bikers and pedestrians. Transit has islands in the middle of streets for its riders to wait in. The trees and balconies form together as a canopy, yet they let just enough light in. It's all so beautiful.