To vote or not to vote.. for change?

To cast a vote in an election is a right you have been given. Not everyone has got this right. It is not an obvious right to everyone around the world, so we should definitely use it, and make sure that we are to keep this vote as an individual right, a human right.

On 6^th of May the British nation will vote. I predict for a change. I would prefer a change, but not to the total opposite. I would prefer a change where to parties were to work together, forming a coalition and through this new (unique as it would be first time ever in Britain) way the decisions being made would have to be tested even harder by more than one party and its policy to actually become a part of Britain.

Change.

That’s what they are all talking about. How to change Britain, for a brighter future. And then in the next second, instead of explaining how and why this or that could be changed, they start playing the naughty political blame game, cause it’s so much easier to point out what the other parties are doing wrongly to prevent a positive change for Britain than it is to encourage the audience, the voters in a debate concerning what the party itself actually will do to achieve this change within society.

Change.

I am not a British citizen. Therefore, I am not allowed to vote in the general election. What I find a little bit weird though is that even though I cannot vote in the general election, the law finds me important enough to vote in the local election. And I just can’t get my head around it. Yes, I can understand that as a British citizen you are not eligible to vote in the general election, but wouldn’t this suggest that I should not vote in the local election either? After all, a vote is a vote, maybe not for the bigger scale, but still a vote, from a non British citizen in Britain. On the other hand, hey, I pay the £3.000 tuition fee each year, to study in Britain, and isn’t that more of a contribution to the country than many other British citizens do?

I am not arguing for a vote really, I just find it really interesting how so many things, such as paying taxes in Britain, tuition fees and so on, is done every month even though I am not a citizen, but when it comes to an election where I could possibly affect my taxes, tuition fees and student loans, I cannot take part in it...

Change.

If I was allowed to vote, I would cast my vote. For change. But not for the complete opposite of what Britain is today. I already mentioned a coalition. And I would prefer seeing Labour and the Liberal Democrats in it. I do not agree with David Cameron’s policies, they feel as if they would actually make my life as a Swedish student in Britain harder than it already is, and to some extent Liberal Democrats seems to walk a bit along the same route, but not to the same extent...

Daily, you hear people complaining about the economy. About the recession. How badly Britain has been affected and so on. But honestly, I think Labour has done quite an alright job getting out of the recession with a Britain that has survived it better than many other countries around the world. This recession was always going to happen. No matter whether Clegg, Cameron or Brown would have been in power, so I do think it’s wrong to fully blame Labour for it, I mean from the sounds of it their still trying to tidy up what happened with Britain’s economy years and years ago.

I am not a 100% follower of Brown, but I have always been more of a lefty. I do not like everything Labour says, but then again, no one can be fully satisfied with a party’s manifesto. I do think though that the only way forward, only way leading to a change, is a proper change. And if I could vote my vote would probably go to Labour.

So, even if I can’t – you can. And you should.

Thursday 6^th of May.

You decide Britain’s future.

Make sure you make your voice heard.

I know I will, in Sweden, on September the 19^th.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

It is actually snowing in Britain. A lot. And I love it!

It is quite interesting though what a difference a little bit of snow and a few minus degrees make. Since I’m from Sweden I’m very used to over snowed ways, icy slippery roads, snowballs flying around my head and so on, but here it is so completely different. You walk down the road to find everyone walking around with snowballs in their hands, ‘cause it’s cool! You see the ‘cool’ people standing in their usual ‘cool’ place with snowballs in their hands, ‘cause it’s cool! Drunk late 20ish something males running around the beer gardens of pubs here and there with snowballs in their hands, ‘cause it’s cool!

You turn on the radio in the morning and the first thing they tell you is not to die from snow. Telly let us know that no traffic should be out on the roads ‘cause of snow. Not on the railways or in the air either by the way. School kids running around outside, playing in the snow ‘cause school and college is not on today. Not tomorrow either. ‘Cause of snow. Even people who works stays at home, due to the risk of breaking your neck if walking outside, ‘cause of snow.

Then I talk to my mum who kindly tells me it’s -28 degrees back home, and that they’re expecting a record cold weekend with around -40 degrees a couple of hours north of her place. She sends me a few picture of the metre high walls of snow that covers the roads where cars drive around like they have always done, and the pavements where kids are skipping along for school that is on as usual while their parents stress around to get to work in time, ‘cause it is just another bloody day – like any other.

It is interesting, but very, very different to what I am used to. But that’s life, an experience in itself!

Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

I really can't get into that Xmassssssy mood that I usually tend to find weeks and weeks before it actually starts. But this year I can't find it. I've got a tree. With lots of red and black and gold and green in it. It's not real cause I manage to kill everyting that is alive within my flat - kudos to Rich who's still alive - so it was decided last year that we keep a tree that can be stuffed under our bed year after year.

Maybe I have not been able to find the festive spirit due to the really stressful time I've been through with Uni. Don't get me wrong, this semester has been the best one ever and I cannot remember last time I enjoyed going to school or Uni as much as I've done. Working our butts off with all different kinds of practical ways to learn how to be journalist have been brilliant. I have not only managed to get lots of new contacts, explored areas I have never been interested in before and gained new knowledge when it comes to technical devices that earlier in my life have scared me more than anything else. All I have been able to do previous to this is play video games and write emails, now I feel as a pretty decent editor who can actually puzzle together quite a nice little package in not very much time at all.

Today when I got back from Uni I realised that it's actually only two - TWO - more Uni days before I go back to see my dear family in the snowy country Sweden. Should be absolutely great. And, I think snow might do the trick. Snow, xmas carols and glögg (kind of similar to mulled wine but not quite, get some from IKEA now and enjoy with gingerbreads).

The best things about Christmas this year are that I will be celebrating it in Sweden with my family and friends and my Rich is coming over with me to see how a Swedish (real) Christmas is celebrated (don't worry, you won't miss out on it, will add photos here as soon as possible). All the lovely food, the stupid traditions (such as watch Donald Duck and the other epic Disney classics at 3pm on the right Christmas day which is the 24th!), listening to awful Christmas carols that everyone seems to love during a few days every year and eating my mums gorgeous rice porridge. I know, it sounds weird but it's looovely! Yummy. Worth waiting a year at a time for!

Anyway, I'm gonna try to finish off my critical reviews before the holidays so that I can fully enjoy spending time with my loved ones in a couple of days time:)

Oh and by the way, I want a mince pie. Anyone? Please?