The White Building

Today was our first official day of homeschooling. We decided to work in the building next door, which is helpfully called "the white building." It's just a stone's throw from our house.

We studied in one of the common rooms.

View from the balcony of the common room.

The white building is mostly dorms for visiting researchers and students. It's pretty empty now, but will fill up as the weather improves. Because it's meant for long-term housing, it has some amenities that we also enjoy.

Laundry room in the white building.

Like laundry. Well, I won't say that I enjoy laundry, but I do enjoy this laundry room more than our little one. Two washers and a dryer (a vast improvement over a drying rack in my living room). There were pictures on the washing machine telling me how to use it, which is the only reason that we have clean clothes now.

The drying room. Why yes, those are my clothes!

Apparently, the Swedes are very serious about hanging clothes to dry. Next to the washing machine room, there is an entire room devoted to drying clothes. There are wires strung across the room and that machine on the table somehow heats up the room? But not really, because it's never really hot in there? I can't understand it, because the sign that explains it IS IN SWEDISH.

Motionsrum, aka the gym, and its excellent ping pong table.

Found in the gym: an old Twisted Sister CD and a mix of "Fidde Cents".

Finally, the best part about the white building. I can't actually believe that this dormitory, with its industrial laundry center and funky old gym, has this and yet... BEHOLD:

What's behind this door?

A sauna!

Yes. The while building has a sauna. How very Swedish! We took the children to try it out a few days ago, and you would have thought we were torturing them. I tried to explain that a sauna is a special treat, part of a spa day, and it's meant to be relaxing. Both girls sat on the floor, to be as low and cool as possible (ok, it WAS 140 degrees in there). There were shrieks and hands over faces when we poured water over the hot rocks. Jeremy and I sat up high on the top step and soaked up the fact that this is a massive perk of living at the lab.

And? This is one of TWO saunas at the Lovén Center. There's another one we haven't found yet, closer to the water. You know, in case you go diving in the frigid ocean and you need to unfreeze your blood again when you get out.

I'm dreaming of sending the girls out for "recess" while I go sit in a sauna. Homeschooling, Swedish style!