Single palt vs single malt

(Henrik Nielsen)

While the Swedish spend their saturday evening getting deeper into English culture by eating ”palt” - big, boiled, Swedish balls made of grated potatoes and flour with some salted pork in the center – I decided getting deeper into Swedish culture by running down to The Top Brink Pub and eat a wonderful Beef, Guinness and Stilton Pie and drink a Diet Coke ;)

I did invite Felipe – another traumatized fugitive from Swedish home cooking, but he had allready fallen so much asleep that he took a rain check.

 By the way Beef, Guinness and Stilton Pie is a very tasty pie from prime diced beef and creamy stilton in a rich gravy made with draught Guinness topped with a shortcrust pastry lid. Mmmmm it was served with freshly steamed vegetables and crispy chips. 

To get away from my duty at the dishes after ”palt kalaset” I had to promise to fix breakfast alone tomorrow before we leave for Blackpool. 

Tomorrow is our last day in this beautiful landscape. We are celebrating our achievements here at Pleassure Beach in Blackpool with fast food and rollercoasters.

Look at these happy faces when they discovered that tonights menu was palt:

Liverpool - The history of teenage culture then and now

(Henrik Nielsen)
Saturday morning. Everybody tired after a week of working. Breakfast 7:30 to 8:30 and then on our way to Liverpool. Passengers were awfully quiet. Only Camilla woke up now and then and told me to go right and left. Thank God for that.

1½ hours later we floated into the parking lot at Albert Docks. From here we only had to cross the street to visit "The Beatles Story"– or "The Beatles Museum". Our story in Liverpool started with this just as the Beatles in the post-war-years.

Liverpool was heavily bombed during the Second World War. Bombcraters littered the city well after the war ended. There was rationing. There was poverty. The war and its aftermath were foremost in the minds of the people of Liverpool.

This dark and difficult atmosphere affected everyone. But it gave birth to a generation that was ready to break out of the constraints of the post-war years and into a new era. Four of these war-babies were John, Paul, George and Ringo.

I like this museum very much with its extensive information about The Beatles and the persons around them. It is somewhat an interactive experience since you decide the tour pace yourself by pressing the right information number on your ”ipod” whenever you are ready to listen.

The Fabulous Four

I think our students gave it a fair chance and some even liked it. I have an ambition for the open house arrangement at school in Vuollerim the 19^th of April – that is that we will be able to play a couple of Beatles songs for everybody there.

Done with the mandatory feature of ancient culture we unleashed the students and left them to an afternoon as power-shoppers downtown Liverpool.

... and off they went.

Something about Stoodley Pike

Stoodley Pike is a 121 foot monument that stands on the moors above Todmorden in West Yorkshire in Northern England. The current structure was designed by local architect James Greebn in 1854 and the building was completed in 1856 when peace was declared at the end of the Crimean War.

An earlier pike had existed on the site, started in 1814 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon and the surrender of Paris then completed in 1815 after the battle of Waterloo.

The structure collapsed in 1854 following an earlier lightning strike and ongoing wear and tear from the elements. The replacement was therefore – rather wisely – built slightly further from the edge of the hill. During repair work in 1889 a lightning conductor was added. The pike has since been struck by lightning on numerous occasions without any notable structural damage. There is evidence to suggest that some sort of structure existed on the site before even this earlier pike was built.

The inscription above the entrance is worn and covered with lichen but it is legible and reads:

”Stoodley pike a beacon monument erected by

public subscription commenced in 1814 to

commemorate the surrender of Paris to the

allies and finished after the battle of Waterloo

when peace was established in 1815. By a strange

coincidence the pike fell on the day the Russian

ambassador left London before declaration

of war with Russia in 1854. Was rebuilt when

peace was restored in 1856. Restored and

lightning conductor fixed 1889.”

The entrance to the spiral staircase of 39 steps is on the north side of the monument. In 1889 during repairs, a grill was added to the top step to allow light to pass into the gloomy steps beneath, so only six or seven steps are actually in total darkness. There are no windows. The exit from the staircase to the balcony is on the west face. The balcony is approximately 40 feet above ground level.

Now Stoodley Pike primarily serves as an interesting destination for hikers, being handily close to the Mankinholes Youth Hostel and the Top Brink pub.

The Pennine Way (Britains first National Trail, opened in 1965) passes Stoodley Pike.

Throughout it's existence the Pike has been subject to countless folk bringing hammers and chisels and carving their names into the stones. This practice has caused the majority of the erosion to the stonework (the remainder caused by walking boots and the weather). More recently, Stoodley Pike has suffered from more modern and unsightly forms of graffiti, resulting in ”Man City” being scrawled all over the monument for over a month, and various other random messages in varying colours of paint. Perhaps most enduring of all is a 1960's ”Peace symbol” on the north face high on the obelisk. This is still clearly visible today if you step back when sun is not too bright.

In the last couple of years the entrance to the pike has been re-paved and a seat has been provided just in front of the rock face to the southwest of the monument.

The sight is inaccessible due to terrain to all vehicles.

Sheep experiences

(Jessica Mellberg)

Before dinner Elin came and asked me if I wanted to go outside for a walk and I said yes. We brought our cameras to take some pictures. When we had walked a bit, we saw a barn with sheep in. 

I also saw a man standing next to the barn and I asked:

- Who owns the sheep in this barn?

- I do, he answered.

I also asked if we could go into the barn and look at the small and very cute little lamb. He told us we could and we went into the barn. Elin heard a sound in the there. It sounded like a sheep breathing very heavily. In one of the booths a sheep stood and was about to give birth to a little lamb. Next to the mommy-sheep a little, little newborn lamb stumbled by. 

After that Niko came to us, she also wanted to see the sheep. Later on we heard a sound and it was the owner of the sheep coming. He said that he was just going to get some gloves and see if the sheep was going to give birth to any more in there. He put his hand in and he told us that there was two more babies in there! He took them out and they were both alive. We just saw three, small, wet and very, very cute lamb being born.

Now the food was ready. We said thank you for this wonderful experience and went back to Mankinholes Youth Hostel.*

A hike to the Pike

(Henrik Nielsen)

After work at 16:30ish we all met at the parking lot in front of The Milk Bar in Hebden Bridge. Our aim was to walk home from Hebden Bridge via Stoodley Pike to the youth hostel in Mankinholes - a walkers' action of nine british miles. Thomas and Anette provided bottled fresh water and then we were off.

Felipe and Tim soon left us behind even though Bit and I had them in sight for a long time. It was very nice to walk and talk with Bit. You always laugh a lot with him!

Behind us the others also made progress. Olivia found her own trail... went back on the main road and found the "car way" to Mankinholes. Not less of a challenge.

At the Pike St. Thomas the apostle awaited us. He had been driving one car back to Mankinholes. That would make it easier for us to pick up the other car we left behind at Hebden Bridge.

We tried to make a group photo at Stoodley Pike... it is not an easy exercise. Did we succeed... judge yourself.

Accompanying  parents on the trip: Anette and Thomas

It was a wonderful hike. I am more than certain that students, parents and teacher were proud of the achievement.

I have to state here that Marcus and Thomas were the first at the pike already two days ago. Amanda P and Anette on second place being there yesterday!*

Difficulties exists to be surmounted

(Henrik Nielsen)

Felipe, Malin and Niko set out monday morning for Gordon Riggs Garden Centre. We met manager Tim at the front desk, shaking hands and bidding us welcome. The students got uniforms and name tags. Student Tim didn't join this group until tuesday as he was supposed to work at the Spar Supermarket where they unfortunately had no clue that we would be comming. That's what happens sometimes when everything is planned via phone and e-mail. Luckily, managers and business owners in Hebden Bridge and Todmorden are very kind and helpful in situations like these.

On the way to the garden center monday morning the girls were asking if they could have another work experience place in Hebden Bridge. I asked why and was answered with: ”That way we can have lunch every day with the others.” I had to decline. Plans were made, and Gordon Riggs Garden Centre has always been a great work experience place. They areknown by me as a place that really shows the students a proper picture of english worklife. The students work on same terms as everyone else.

At the end of the day when I picked the students up outside the garden center, they complained that the work had been very monotonous. All they had been doing was to plant different flowers into pots for sale. I listened to them and responded that it was too early to start complaining since it was only the first day. The students also complained that they didn't have breaks enough. I assured them that one hour lunch break is very generous and that they at any time were allowed to go to the lavatory or so. Manager Tim also had said on the first day before work started that the students should walk around the store and tell him if there were any departments they would be especially interested in. Neither of them had done so. Also they had not spoken with their contact at the garden center about their troubles. I encouraged them to do so.

Next day, Tim had decided to join the group in the garden center. Faces were not enthusiastic when I dropped them off in the morning. From mid-day our phones began to ring regularly. The students were not satisfied with the planting situation. It was too boring and they didn't get to speak English enough. I told them to endure the day so that we could talk about the situation at home in Mankinholes.

In the evening we had our meeting and I asked if anyone had spoken to the manager or staff about their troubles. The answer was "no". It would have been a great opportunity to speak english though. The girls
did not want to go back, but the boys just wanted me to talk to their contact person and make him understand that they needed some variation in the work.


It is always a balance to listen to the students' troubles and keeping in focus the whole meaning of a work experience. I told them that part of this experience is to learn to communicate and solve ones own problems, not run away from them: First you need to talk to your collegues about your trouble, then if that doesn't work you go to your nearest boss or manager. If you do not talk to the people at your
workplace they don't know how you are feeling. They can't read your mind. If all of this does not work out then come to me and I will help you with the dialogue.

We agreed that they should continue the next day and that I should come and visit and talk to Scott, the contact person there. Scott showed me around and showed me the students' work. I was very
surprised how beautiful their flower potpourri looked. But I could also understand that it really doesn't matter much what plants you are planting – the procedure is the same.

I talked to Scott about the need for variation. The girls would be sent out in front with the customers to be able to speak more English. But Niko and Malin did not want to stay and therefore I gave into
their wishes of finding them a new work experience place each. The only thing I required was for them to finish the day at the garden center and write a letter of resignation to manager Tim at home in the evening. I also demanded that they should finish their log forms for the garden center and fill out a whole new one for the next two days. The girls agreed on this and were pleased.

Thursday and Friday Malin worked at Hartley's Tea Room in Todmorden speaking a lot of English, and Niko worked at the Bear Shop selling organic products, spices and so on, also speaking a lot of English.

I think Gordon Riggs Garden Centre is a wonderful work experience place for teenagers, but of course it is also very important that ”unhappy” students can affect their own situation. I believe we followed a
healthy procedure balancing the respect for the quality of our work experience project, our hosts willingness to social responsibility and the students' feelings of being able to affect their own situation and motivation.

Bad experiences are not always bad. I think we all learned a lot from this. That is the reason why we do this. The girls got two experiences in one – it is a win/win situation.

The Cheese makers

Amanda and Olivia painting cheese at the Pextenement Farm. / Foto: C.S. Warburton.

(Amanda Pettersson)

Pextenement Cheese Company is a company that makes cheese from their own organic milk. The company is a cooperation between Carl S. Warburton and Sandra Evens. Carl makes the cheese and Sandra owns the farm with cows. They started the company in 2008. They make quite a few kinds of cheese. For instance a cheese called Pexommier. That cheese taste of a lot and when you cut it cream flows out of it.

For work experience I think it's a great place to be. It's calm and people there really takes care of you. The view, the panorama is very beautiful from up the and that makes the experience even more calm and beautiful.

I have really liked to be with the cows and I learned a lot at the Pextenement Farm. I would love to come back one day to see if it is still the same as now.

We have been very lucky with the weather all week. Heat and sunshine. The view is wonderful from there. You can see far over hills and houses.

I can without hesitation recommend this place to other students as a place for work experience. If you go there I am almost certain that you will experience things you never thought you would do. You have to be ready to work hard sometimes and it can be difficult but at the same time it is fun!*

Let's go visit some students at work

(Amanda Högström)

Heart Gallery is a shop with art, mugs and jewels. They sell a lot of different things. I start at 10:30 and I am off work at 15:30. Besides speaking a lot of English I also have polished silverware, washed windows and cleaning tables. The shop is very tidy.

The Heart Gallery is a good place for work experience. Everyone there is nice and understand what you are saying. If I don't understand what they say, they just speak slower and clearer.
Nothing is wrong with this place - I like it a lot.*

Bit and Marcus worked at The Alternative Technology Centre (ATC) which is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1999 on the banks of the Rochdale Canal in Hebden Bridge.

It’s an educational resource centre with the aim to make sustainability achievable and simply irresistible by working from a strong base within the local community to provide inspiration, accessible information and advice to improve the quality of life using sustainable means – economic, environmental and social.

The Calder Valley was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution and ATC has among other things  looked at the potential for putting hydro power back in.

Another new project at the ATC is the CYCLE RECYLCE.

Cycle recycle aims to reuse unwanted bikes – stopping them from being put into landfill (or the canal) – and helping people to be able to buy bikes at a reasonable price.

It also hopefully encourages more people to get out of their cars and onto their bikes, get fit and have some fun at the same time.

Among the work Bit and Marcus did was sorting out boxes and painting window frames. They were both very happy with their work experience at The Alternative Technology Centre (ATC) and like the people working there very much.*

(Camilla Karlström)

My work placement B@rplace is a hotel in the centre of Hebden Bridge.
I've met three women who is working there. It is Lesley, Chris and Penny. They're all very nice and polite to me. They are taking good care of me.

The tasks I do there aren't hard. My collegues are giving me small and easy things to do now and then. Some time I spend in the bar drinking lemonade ;)
Examples of what I have been doing: I have been filling small salt and pepper containers, folded napkins, sorted out knifes and forkes, been instructed in how to operate the coffee machine, polished silverware, cut out paper tablecloths. I have also been doing dishes!

Here in in Hebden Bridge the sun is really shining these days and everybody wants to sit outside. That makes B@rplace a little empty and quiet, since we have no serving outside.
This place is very peaceful and I do really like to work here. My working hours aren't too long either ;) I can recommend this place as a work experience place for my schoolmates in the future!*

(Elin Eriksson)

The Milk Bar is a nice place with a happy atmosphere. It is very colourful. No boring grey - no no it's blue and pink!
I work with Harriet. She is really cool.
Some of my tasks are testing milkshakes. Today I tested a new kind called "Skitels." Mmmm it was very tasty.

I have learned how to make milkshakes the best way. Since it is very hot we have a lot of customers who want to cool down.  Now we are out of ice cream. I think we will get more tomorrow.
I have also been working with my work experience log.*

(Jessica Petterson)

Today at the Innovation Cafe I learned how to make salads and sandwiches too.

In the morning Anna and Nigel were there. Liz dropped in just before lunch. A new girl came to work there after lunch. Her name is Ella. Beth came around two o'clock. I found out that Annas real name is Annalise. I think it's a beautiful name.

My job today was to serve the food at the tables to all the costumers in the cafe.

I think that everyone I have met here in England are very nice to me. I really like my work experience place.

Nigel is really a lot of fun, joking all the time. Liz is calling me ”little chic”. I don't mind. I think it is cute!

I am really enjoying my time at the Innovation Cafe.*

(Jessica Mellberg)

Moyles Hotel and Restaurant is very cozy and hygenic . The rooms at the hotel are big and beautiful.
Today we have cleaned a lot of rooms and I have been hoovering a lot.
Yesterday I clean all banisters in the staircases.

At lunch time I met with my classmates at a place called "Deli love food." It took a long time to get the food, but it was worth waiting for. I came back a bit late for work :/  I was cleaning the hotelrooms with a girl called Pauline. She thought that I am American or English. I take that as a compliment! I have also cleaned 222 pieces of silverware. I am vey happy with my work experience place.*