Guest Blogger

I was asked to be a contributor to a food blog! Here's my introduction post.

The Upside

Last week I had a night out at the nations in Lund (nations are for another post, but they're student clubs that are sort of like co-ed frats). I read the bus schedule wrong and at about 12:30 realized I was stranded in town without my bike and without any buses until 6am. I could of course walk, but alone as a female? And probably an hour+ to get home? No thanks. I broke down and got a taxi.

I got to talking with the driver, who said he had been living in Sweden for 12 years but was originally from Kosovo. I told him I was American and he said, "Ooh! I love Americans! Your country helped us so much during the war!" I told him I was surprised, that most people don't like us OR our country. He said absolutely not, he thinks Americans are the best! Halfway home, only 80 kronor later (about $12) he stopped the meter and gave me a 50% discount. WOW.

I tipped him generously, but for once there's an upside to being American!

Exciting!

Here's a fun announcement: Dan and I have chosen a wedding venue, a date, and have even made deposits! Our "save the date" cards will come out before Christmas. Get ready for an awesome wedding!

A few changes to the blog

Living in Sweden has become quite routine. How could it not? We've been here 10 months now, and the "one year" mark is looming large. I have bouts of homesickness, and sometimes I get a little shocked that I actually live here. That said, I want to expand my blog to cover some new topics since writing about just Sweden is kind of tough. I want to be able to blog about cooking and well, uhm, cooking. I've been working on creating a really healthy multi-grain waffle that might be interesting to tell you all about someday. I've also been on quite a fitness kick that might be interesting to talk about. So don't be shocked if I don't write just about Sweden from now on.

Full-time Student

I just finished my first week of school. It feels strange to be reading academic literature, studying in University lounges, and listening to lectures while taking notes. I enjoy it though. The structure suits me, I like knowing what is expected of me and knowing what is coming next.

So far it doesn't seem too difficult. Maybe I'll be eating my words later in the semester, but right now I don't have that crazy-overwhelmed-thisisn'tpossible feeling that I had during almost all of my undergraduate career. We have one course at a time, so while you have plenty to do, you're not juggling multiple syllabi at one time. The reading load is formidable - you have to sit down every day and work towards it, but if you're smart it's completely possible (unlike so many grad programs where people say the readings just cannot be done). It seems like there will be a group project every week, but I sincerely like my co-students (as Dan calls them) and I don't mind working with them.

At this point, I'm glad I made this decision. My closest friends tell me there aren't good and bad decisions, just decisions. But right now this feels like a good decision not just for my career and future but for my current activities. Ask me again when I'm writing another thesis and we'll see what the real verdict is!

Meet: Kodak and Kompis!

In May, Dan and I became parents to two cats - Kodak and Kompis. We adopted them from Katthjälpen in Malmö. They are 1.5 year-old brothers. Silly, crazy, and kind of naughty, they keep us very entertained.

Kompis

Colors: Black tabby with white paws and belly

Personality: Meow-y, hyper, super cute

Skills: Leaping high, could potentially catch birds

Bad habits: Chewing on expensive laptop cords, sleeping on the counter-top

Cuddle style: Under the blankets

Kodak

Colors: Browns and blacks, sort of a tortoise/tabby mix

Personality: Too cool to be pet, sweet at night

Skills: Chasing fake mice, running fast

Bad habits: Sleeping in the middle of the bed

Cuddle style: On my chest with his face in my face - I can't roll over!

The kitties with my Mom when she was visiting. They can smell any fish or meat you cook and they get very excited!

First Day of School

I just got home from my Welfare Policies and Management masters program informational meeting. This was my first program-specific meeting - we met the program directors, a few professors, and all 20 of my new colleagues. I'm a little overwhelmed. My mind is swimming with textbooks to buy, school supplies to assemble, readings to find and print out, and just how I will do another thesis next year.

I can't believe I'm starting grad school. I always knew I would eventually study further than my bachelor's but this is a bit sooner than expected. The program is a bit like what I imagine a Social Work and Public Policy degree might be at the University of Minnesota. It includes courses on economics, political science, sociology, social work, and tons of research methodology.

The way the program is set up - and I think some of this is typical in Sweden but I'm not sure - is that you have two semesters per year. Just like in the US, there's Fall Term and Spring Term. BUT, during each term you have two "courses." The first "course" runs from August to late October, the second October to January. So at one time you focus on only one "course." However, each course is very broad. For our first course, "Welfare Regimes in Transition," we will have 3 professors and 500 pages of reading. Then onto Research Methodology in October. We have only about 8 hours of class per week, which seems pathetically little to me, but I've heard that there is quite a bit of group work.

I hope I enjoy the program. It may not necessarily be my very first choice in all the world. Yet Lund is very highly rated in the EU and the world. It is by far the best University in Sweden and it's quite prestigious. This degree program is new and interdisciplinary and very interesting. I hope that I made the right move to transition from job hunting to grad school, all the while improving my Swedish to make me a better job candidate down the road (and for fun of course!).

When I think of these things - Did I make the right decision? Should I have done this? I remind myself that I admire people whose life story is interesting, with twists and turns and time for exploration. I admire people who take chances and really live the journey rather than focus exclusively on one singular goal down the road. This quite from Steve Jobs sums up my life view right now:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future," told Standford University graduates during a commencement speech in 2005. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

The End of Summer

The short-lived summer is nearly over for us in Sweden. Today is August 7th, and I know that our sunny days on the balcony won't last long.

The other indicator of the oncoming autumn is our last set of summer visitors! Dan's parents arrived last week. We spent our first few days in Lund, letting them get over the worst of the jet lag and catch up with Dan. We did sightsee a bit - one of the perks of having visitors is seeing your own city and region in a different light. In Malmö, the nearest big city, we were able to do a nice boat tour of the city's canals. We've enjoyed lovely outdoor lunches and leisurely dinners as a family.

Then we flew to Norway! We began in Oslo, which was far more beautiful and fun to be in than I expected. The restaurants are good (although painfully painfully expensive), the people friendly, and the sights clean and safe. I keep saying that Norway is Sweden prettier more friendly cousin. The languages are so similar I can understand most Norwegian, but people seem to be a little nicer overall. Better restaurant service too!

From Oslo we took crazy train rides and multiple boat rides into the fjords. Today we're in Balestrand but getting ready to head to our final destination, Bergen. We have hiked and canoed and had a bit of a relaxing time. I'm really enjoying myself, and enjoying getting to know my future-in-laws as well.

Once we get home, I'll jump back into Swedish classes and also into my masters program!

Living Abroad

I've been spending a lot of time on internet discussion forums. It's something I haven't done before, but for the time being I'm enjoying it. One of them is a wedding forum on TheKnot.com, and another board is on TheNest.com that is for people living outside of the US.

This question was posted today (slightly adapted): Has living abroad made you more certain of what you want in life or less certain?

Here's what I answered (slightly adapted):

That's a really fascinating question... For me, it's a mixed bag. Being away from the US has definitely shown me that the States is my home. I don't think I could retire anywhere else. I even question if I could have kids away from my family without the constant support and familiarity. On the other hand, I see very clearly the problems in the US with healthcare, retirement, family policy, etc. I worry for my future there. So I think being here has given me a different perspective.

Career wise, I think I know what I want to do - I just can't do it here. So I have this idea of what I'll do someday. On the other hand, I've always admired people who are "wanderers," who can go with the flow and go where life takes them. I am not that person (way too type A), but being here has forced me to work less, to give up productivity, to think about what really makes me happy day-in-day-out, to create a mini-family with my fiancé. I imagine it has been character-building for me. Who knows where it'll lead.

/end post

I realize I didn't really answer the question, but it's a hard one for me to pin down. It hasn't made me more or less certain, but it's complicated my future, given me a strong relationship, and provided me important experiences.

Much Needed Update

It's been over a month since I've blogged. I don't have much of an excuse. For a while I was SO BUSY. In fact, I feel like since we moved here 8 (!!) months ago, I've been slammed and unsettled. But lately - wow, I am so bored.

After my parents left, I had about 3 weeks of Swedish for Immigrants. At the end of those 3 weeks, I took the test to get out of that level. Luckily, I passed! That was a big accomplishment. Since then, I haven't had any class! The next level doesn't begin until August 15th, so until then, my days have been open and painfully underscheduled.

In addition, my work has really dried up. My substitute personal assistant job needed me a lot in the past - unfortunately when I was busy moving and getting ready for our guests. Since I've been back, I haven't been called very much. Somehow my babysitting and cleaning jobs have also disappeared. The people who really needed me before just... don't. It's weird.

I spend my days wedding planning. For some reason, I got the bug. I think it happened one night when Dan and I were out with some people from the American Women's Club. Someone asked about my engagement ring, then asked when we were getting married. I explained a bit about the difficulty of figuring out a wedding that sounded fun, wasn't mad expensive, and also wasn't overly complicated due to our great distance from the US. The ladies had some great points of view. They reminded us to do what we want, and provided some ideas I hadn't thought about. After that Dan and I talked a lot about the direction and did some research. Details forthcoming, but I'll say we're close to choosing a venue.

The last piece of news is that I'm going back to school for a masters program in Welfare Policies and Management. It took me a LONG time to come to this decision. When I applied in December, I wasn't gung-ho on the idea. I figured if I HAD to I'd go back. I was accepted in March, and at that time I (supposedly) had decided that I wouldn't go back because I was working and had some possibilities for full-time work in the future. But as time has gone on, I've pulled a John Kerry and flopped back to wanting to go. I've reserved my place, I've told my employers (Lovisa if you're reading, I'm still laughing about that...), and I'm ready to go. What a crazy turn of events.

So I'm on a home-vacation until July 28th with Dan's parents come, then August 26th it's back to school!

A Tour of the New Apartment

Finally I feel as though my apartment is finished enough (and clean enough) to take a few pictures for you all to see - especially those who haven't/can't make it here!

Let's begin:

This first picture is what you'd see when you walk into the house. On the right is the kitchen, on the left the dining room, and in front the living room and then balcony.

This is our kitchen! It has just enough counter space and plenty of storage. On the left is a huge refrigerator and freezer.

This is our dining room - I love the huge solid oak table. Big dining room tables feel so formal and are great for guests. Nothing on the walls yet! Most of the walls in the apartment are concrete. We're renting a special drill this weekend to do some installation.

Here is one side of our living room. We like this couch because it folds out into a surprisingly comfortable bed, and there is storage under the chaise lounge. Mom sent us the gold leafy-pillows and we really like them!

If you were sitting on the couch, you'd see our TV stand - without a TV. We chose this because it gives us a great space to show off the things we bring home from our travels.

Bedroom! On the wall which would be to your left is a huge wall-to-wall-to-ceiling closet. Why is it that Dan has 2/3rds of it?!

Here is our small second bedroom. We have a futon here with storage underneath. I'd keep things there, but the cats can crawl in through the back and they hide there, especially when I'm vacuuming.

Bathroom! Includes a nice washer and dryer.

Hope you've enjoyed the tour!

Our New Home

Monday, 5 days ago, was our big moving day. Since I had been working the entire weekend, Dan did a little more than half the packing (thanks!), and the run up to Monday was intense. On Monday we got up early, rented a HUGE van, and came to the empty apartment for a walk-through and key swap. It was so clean! Then the lifting started. And went on. And on. And on.

I'm used to having some parental help with moving. When I was in college and moving all the time, they'd come and we'd have a blast. We'd all ride around in the old stinky truck (now sold off), do errands together, Mom would put things away while Dad put things together. There'd be a Bruegger's bagel run in the morning, and it wasn't so stressful. So when I think of moving, I usually imagine that kind of fun.

There was of course the move OUT of Dan and I's shared apartment in St. Paul. That nearly led to my emotional unraveling, but that move was of a different caliber. Some things were sold, some were stored, some were shipped, and some were packed away. We had two of everything - beds, tables, bikes, snowboards, mixing bowls. Of course we were moving to Sweden, to make it a little more crazy.

I suppose I would rate this move as 40% less stressful than the St. Paul -> Sweden move, but it was no piece of cake. This time it was incredibly physically exhausting because it was just us for a solid 12 hours. So many times I had to set things down after 5 feet because my wrists (prior injury) just couldn't handle it. I wish I'd hired someone, I sincerely wish I had. Next time we will, mark my words.

But we're in now, and despite my crazy working schedule, we've both worked hard to get things in place. Dan has been backing me up 100%, putting things together when I'm gone. At this point, we still have a TV stand to put together, and it's going to be quite a project. We actually don't have all the tools for it. We still have tons of boxes that we can't unpack until we have more bookshelf space. We have the massive amount of bikes and other sports gear that we need to figure out what to do with. But at least the living room, bedroom, and kitchen are looking pretty good.

So far we love it. It gets lots of light, it's in good condition, we have good reports on the landlord, we like the furniture we've chosen (maybe minus the coffee table which is a little too big for my tastes), we have plenty of space, and there's the possibility of cats (which we should have news on soon). We still need lighting (only the bathroom and kitchen have provided light), all sorts of storage units, and some gear to hang up pictures. It'll take a while to get fully settled, but since we have an open-ended lease, we don't feel any rush.

Ch-ch-changes

I write to you from a very comfortable new chair in our new apartment. It's been a crazy few weeks. Everything I had hoped for in Sweden happened in one short time, which has been exhausting.

First of all, I have been given an amazing job opportunity. About a week and a half ago I was very suddenly hired as a substitute "personlig assistent," which best translates to a personal care attendant in English. That means that I work one-on-one with a specific person who has physical and/or mental limitations. I help them to meet their basic needs, as well as go to work/school, meet friends, etc. I can't really say more because I've signed a confidentiality agreement, so I can't say who I work with or the exact things that happen. The substitute part means that I don't have set hours, and I'm paid hourly rather than by a salary. It seems as though quite a few of my hours I'll know ahead of time, but that when someone is sick I will also be called to come in. For now, this is really good for me. It could of course be an opportunity for full-time work later if I so choose.

I have been working really hard for this. I've applied for countless jobs, pushed myself in Swedish as fast as I could go. But really this came down to a friend (now boss) who gave me an opportunity. She let me shadow her on the job a couple times since she knew it was in my field; then when they needed someone, she trusted me enough to take the chance. Yeah, my Swedish is on the edge. People do need to speak a little slower with me, because thick accents throw me off. But it's a lot of luck that this happened so quickly, and it feels really good.

The Swedish part has been a blast though. All the training and work is of course in Swedish, and I've been able to understand it all and of course communicate back. After 8 hours of that, the strangest thing happened last week. I came home to Dan and everything I wanted to say to him, I first thought in Swedish. It was bizarre. It was like a little reflex. It only lasted an hour after that, but WOW, what an interesting landmark for my second language journey. I've never come this close with German or Kiswahili.

Already I'm fully trained in. Today, Thursday, is my first day on the job alone.

Tomorrow, more on the move.

Paris Part II

For Dan, our time in Paris was a series of bizarre and gross accidents. The first night I arrived, we got a restaurant recommendation from our hosts for dinner. The communication was rough. The French people don't seem to have great English, just enough to get by. The waiter had a difficult time understanding us, and we didn't quite understand the procedure. Finally we had literally pointed out what we'd like to eat without any idea what most of it was.

Dan was daring though, he saw escargot on the menu and jumped for it. Yep, snails. I get weirded out by shellfish, so I had no intention of trying escargot. When the food arrived, Dan was two utensils he was unfamiliar with. One was a poker, presumably for pulling the little guys out of their twisty homes, and the other was probably a holder-gripper-dealie. Dan, trying to fit in and be proper, tentatively attempted to grasp the snail. It immediately went flying out, bonked off the plate, and bounced down his dressy button-up. I stifled inappropriately loud laughter while he grabbed it. There was butter and pesto from the sauce all down his shirt. He pulled his napkin up awkwardly high to hide the obvious stains.

But that was just the first day. The second day we had another lovely dinner without any sacrifice of a shirt. As we walked home we got a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower. At the top of every hour, the whole tower lights up and the lights sparkle. It's so gorgeous. We stood gazing at the sparkle, and shared a romantic kiss. In the middle of this lovely moment, Dan looks down and proclaims "I'm standing in shit!" He had stepped in a fresh pile of dog poo. From then on his shoes stayed outside the apartment.

Yeah there's more! The NEXT day, we were on our way to do a little bit more sight-seeing. First we got some lunch, then we started walking along a path. We were feeling good because there were flowers all over, and our meal went really well (communication is improving, so is our French!). Then suddenly I hear a plop and Dan is looking stunned. He's searching himself, and he finds bird poop all down his leg. He wiped it off with leaves, and we continued on our way.

Despite the messy mishaps, Paris was lovely and we had a great time. I wish I could live in that city for a year and learn French. The ambiance is just amazing. Our next trip will be around Sweden with my parents in May, then to Norway in July with Dan's parents!

Paris Part I

I write to you all from Paris! Dan had a conference here, so he flew out on Thursday then I followed on Saturday. We are just spending a long weekend. Luckily the weather has amazing: high 70's and sun. We were even a little too warm, wishing we had brought shorts and sandals.

For this trip we decided to use airbnb.com (air bed and breakfast) again. We used it in Rome as well and had a great experience. The deal is that you're usually staying in someone's apartment. It's cheaper, and you get to meet a local person, get their advice on what to do, and just generally have something more personal and local than a big hotel. We've enjoyed it this time as much as Rome, cementing the fact that we LOVE using the website.

Yesterday we had a very relaxing day. Since both Dan and I have been to Paris before, we feel no obligation to climb the Eiffel Tower, visit the Louvre, or take a bus tour. So when our airbnb hosts invited us to a picnic with their friends in the Louvre gardens, we were quick to say yes! They helped us pick out delicious pates, some fresh baguettes, the best cheeses, and of course some wine. We lounged in the sun most of the day. After that, we met Dan's life-long friend Tim, having a drink and mulling around with him and his girlfriend. It was a perfect day, with lots of outdoor time and good food.

Speaking of food... The dinners we've had here have been delicious. For a reasonable price of 20-30€ per person, you can have a three-course dinner including dessert. Everything we've had has been so good and so well presented. For example, last night I had shrimp, spinach, and a cheese fondue on a savory puff pastry for the first course. The second course was a salmon fillet in an almond butter sauce with potatoes. For dessert, a berry sorbet with vanilla-bean whipped cream. I of course had absolutely NO idea what I was ordering, but whatever came out was good!

I'll write more soon on the language barrier, and of course a funny story...

On the Road in Sweden

I am utterly exhausted. My knees ache, and I even skipped Swedish class. Not only have I taken up running (again), but yesterday Dan and I rented a large moving van in order to pick up 3 loads of furniture in preparation for our move.

Why pick up furniture ahead of time? Well, in March Dan and I found the ideal couch from a lovely Slovakian couple so we sprang for it. When we realized we'd have to (expensively) rent a van in order to move it, we decided to find as much great used furniture as we could and pick it up all in one day. That day was yesterday.

I was definitely nervous about driving in Sweden. I had driven a bit before for a babysitting job, but it was in a normal car in a very small quiet neighborhood. Now I had to drive to Bjärred, Lomma, and Malmö. There are huge roundabouts here, with multiple lanes many "exits" that I tend to lose track of as we go: "Third exit? How many have we passed?!" (Don't worry, you can always go around again!)

It was raining, but all of the pickups went smoothly. Dan navigated, I drove with minimal confusion, and we got to our locations safely. We picked up the sofa (lovely!), a coffee table, and bed frame, and lastly a huge table. For the table, we stayed at had a late-night "fika" (coffee break, usually with something sweet) and compared American and Swedish politics. Coincidentally the very friendly couple we were picking things up from had lived in the US for many years (the guy was a professional football player!) and it was fun to get the dual-perspective. They also threw in a free dresser and some vases!

On the way home though we finally got epically lost, as I am wont to do and which really we should've expected. We somehow went the OPPOSITE direction for about 25 km. It took us way too long to realize it. But there was no yelling or complaining and we got ourselves turned around.

We returned the truck 10 minutes late and with an extra 100km than we were supposed to have driven. For our offenses we were charged an extra 830 kronor (a little over $100). Then I bought a hot dog and they were out of ketchup. I was a little crabby on my bus ride home. I reminded myself that this is an investment: we are getting a "home," a place we can stay as long as we'd like, a place to finally have cats, and furniture that doesn't smell funny.

But when I got home I immediately perked up because Dan had rearranged the living room in order to set up our new couch. We now have the most populated living room with an awkward - but remarkably comfortable! - amount of seating. It'll be cramped living quarters for us until we move in May.

I can say that the experience was good. We met such nice people, and I again showed myself that I can do some unexpected things (tackle roundabouts with confidence!). Next up - maybe I'll learn to drive a manual car. Sweden, watch out!

All Around Malmö

I think it's safe to say that yesterday was quite the adventure for us.

My day started with Swedish class as each week day does. But this time I knew that I had to give a little report on a meeting I went to. To give you the background, a couple weeks ago I was voted "class representative" of my Swedish class. I did not run for this position; I didn't even want it. But I was voted in so I didn't say no, probably because it stoked my ego. The position means that you help out the new students in class every Monday; the students report to you if they can't attend; and you attend monthly course representation meetings. Now back to the original point: I had to report what went on in the meeting. I didn't plan ahead at all, I just spoke straight out, in Swedish of course. It went quite well - people only looked mildly confused.

I had to leave class a bit early because Dan and I had a full day running around Malmö. First we had an appointment at a homeless cat shelter. The bus dropped us off, and we had about a 20 minute walk in the typical Skåne wind, which quickly made both of us a little crabby. And the building we were going to, for whatever reason, didn't have an address so we just had to scope out the street and find it. We found a milk factory, a car factory, and weird old farm buildings. After knocking on some doors and stumbling across a doggy daycare, we found the cat home.

While there we met the 3 main volunteers who run Katthjälpen (literally The Cat Help, or maybe The Cat Helpers). They showed us two pairs of adult cats. They didn't have any kittens in the joint, and many of the cats had been there for years. Their conditions were good though; they had room to play, a small outdoor area, and large kennels that they slept in at night. As we left, Dan really liked one pair of kitties and I really liked another.

After that we went across town to a foster home affiliated with Katthjälpen. A sweet young lady met us at the bus stop (so considerate of her!) and then let us meet her adorable 1 year-old kitties, named Kodak and Kompis. Kompis was a real ham, playing and running and pouncing. He is a brown tabby with white feet and neck. His brother is a unique pattern, sort of tabby-tortoise combination. Kodak was much more shy but he introduced himself and even sat on Dan's lap for a few moments.

As you can probably guess, we fell in love with these cats. We made an offer to the agency to adopt them, but we're worried. They have to do a home visit before the adoption can be approved, and we won't move until May 2nd, so someone else could take them! Noo! So we're waiting to hear what they'll say. (To quell any questions, yes we realize the difficulty of moving kitties but we intend to keep them forever.)

The adventure continued! The foster mama was so sweet as to give us coffee then drive us all the way across Malmö to our next destination - a meeting with a family selling a table. Turns out this family had lived in the US for many years and they were happy to chat with us for a while. We bought the gorgeous huge solid oak table, then they walked with us and showed us where the train station was. Again, amazingly sweet people!

All in all it was a good day. With the purchase of the table, it feels as though the apartment details are coming together. It's been surprisingly time-consuming to search for furniture. You have to find a thing you like, then contact them (I do this in Swedish now, yay!), then set up a meeting, bargain, etc. So far we have bought (all used) a lovely couch, a bed frame, a coffee table, and of course the dining room table and chairs. We have tons of little things to get yet, and I'm sure it will take a while to get settled. Exactly one month until we move!

Taxes Part II

[Late addition 3/15/11: Please view Liz's comment at the end of this post - it provides more good insight into the Swedish tax system and method of spending!]

I have two additions I'd like to make to my last post "Swedish Field Journal: 4th Edition."

First, there is a tax I hate. A tax that I am subject to that drives me absolutely nuts. It's colloquially called the "TV Tax" and it's administered by Radio Tjänst, which is the Swedish equivalent of public broadcasting. This tax is mandatory for everyone who has a TV receiver (your laptop counts) or radio. Even if you don't use it, even if you don't want TV, even if you don't pay any other taxes, you are required to pay about $25 per month(!!!).

It starts with a letter. You'll get one in the mail, saying you owe them a ton per year and you can set up a payment plan (oh yay). Eventually they'll come to your door and demand it. They will chase you down and make you pay. So you might as well.

---

My second addition is an answer to my Uncle Dave's question. He wanted to know, and I paraphrase: "How can the average Swede afford an expensive car like a Volvo, which is supposedly the national car of choice? Do they use the good transportation system?"

Here's what I know: Swedes tend to have very nice cars. I don't see many old rusted broke down junkers. There are indeed many Volvos, and a lot of Audi's, Mercedes, Saab, etc. To be fair, I live in a fairly affluent University town, and I imagine bigger cities are a bit different. But average families do appear to be able to afford a car.

I think part of it is that carrying personal debt here isn't considered bad when you don't have your retirement to worry about. I also believe that your taxes get slightly lower with debt - correct me if I'm wrong on this people. I've heard that it's pretty easy to get credit, although when we tried to get a home loan here they said no (different situation when you're an immigrant). I think it's also important to remember that their costs are lower. They're not paying for health insurance, health care, or education costs. That frees up a lot of money from what I understand.

One last factor is that I think that most families just have one car. I've heard differently from different people, so I can't be authoritative on it, but if you just have one that helps. And the public transportation system is indeed awesome, so you don't necessarily need a car, which is how we've decided to live.

Anyone who has been here longer and has more info and insight, feel free to comment!

Swedish Field Journal: 4th Edition

Four months. It's easy for me to keep track of how long we've been here because people ask me about it so frequently. I'm acutely aware that the 8th of each month is a sort of anniversary, another point at which I can look back and assess my adjustment and how my feelings about living here have changed.

I often have to remind myself that I live here. I live in Sweden. And this isn't study abroad, this isn't an extended visit. I have to consider this my home for the time being. If I look ahead too far and imagine myself two years from now, still in Sweden, it's easily overwhelming. It's not that I don't like it here, but living away from home for so long can be daunting.

But I find myself adjusting more and more. My Swedish is improving quickly, and that makes it easy to communicate and figure stuff out. Since Dan and I have found an apartment, I'm looking forward to a place we can make a home. I have a routine, friends, even some work. Things are looking up.

---

For this month's cultural notes, I want to talk a little bit about taxes: what you pay, what you get, and my assessment of it. Because I haven't been here that long, I don't know even close to everything and I will probably get some details wrong. But here's what I've gathered:

When you work a typical job here (not babysitting and not a post-doc), a large portion of your money is taken straight from your paycheck. It's different based on your income, but with a decent income they'll take 50% percent, a slightly lower one 40%. In other words, the government takes a ton of your money.

But what you get back is significant. Medical expenses are almost completely paid. Daycare and schooling is paid for from "dagis" for the youngest to college for the oldest. Masters and PhD's are paid for as well. There is no such thing as private schools or college that I've ever heard of, so it's not like you can opt to pay for more. Your retirement is guaranteed, without the fear of the government being unable to pay it back (Sweden has NO debt, NO deficit. They're secure.). If you become unemployed, you are well supported. If you want to start a business, you are well supported. Parents get monthly stipends for their children, as well as a wicked amount of parental leave: 480 paid days per child split between the parents as they wish. Interestingly, the leave can be taken until the kid is 7, so I've heard that some moms take Fridays off for a while, for example.

In my assessment, I'd rather have the money taken straight away and not have to worry about all the things you'd have to worry about in the US. In the States you can keep a lot of your money, but then what if you get cancer? What if you become disabled? What if your kid wants to go to Yale? Will you be safe in retirement? And what if the economy crashes and you lose your job? These worries aren't as significant here.

But to me, the big difference between the United States and Sweden is trust in government. Clearly, Swedes almost blindly trust their government to take their money and do what's best with it. (It seems to be working fine.) This kind of system can't even be IMAGINED in the US because the people (justifiably) don't trust their government to do the right thing. A high-tax high-return system just would not work in the US. In my opinion, it never will.

I want to very briefly touch on two other huge differences that allow this to work in Sweden: 1st, Sweden, up until recently, was a fairly homogeneous society without a significant wealth gap. This makes it easier to have the government take money and maintain the status quo of everyone getting the same generous benefits. Secondly, Sweden believes deeply in parity and equity. It's not cool to be better than your classmate, and it's not cool to be flashy. You don't want to stand out, you want to fit in and be like everyone else. (For example, it's not smart to brag on personal letters here because thinking you're the best is unattractive.) This also allows for people to be more confident that having a government that aims to equalize wealth (and takes a bit more from the rich) is the right thing to do.

With the United States history of slavery and multiple waves of immigration, in addition to a growing wealth gap, I don't think that a tax system of Sweden's strength would go over well with voters - especially the rich ones who can afford to pay for health insurance and college, and don't want to give that up to even out the wealth gap.

Sweden's lookin' pretty good to me from where I stand, with the United States' budgetary and economic issues.

Radio Silence

My apologies family and friends! I have been MIA, I acknowledge it. My good news of having a bit of work has made me ridiculously busy. I kid you not, I have been booked 6 out of 7 days for 3 weeks straight. And I am not so good at saying no. But it feels good to be helping out in the form of 10-15 hours per week.

But we have more good news! Dan and I have been on the hunt for an apartment. The market here is insane. Many large leasing companies have 6-year queues to be given the option to rent (a client of mine reported she was on the list for 6 years before she got a place with the largest company in Lund). Many students who come to study at Lund University end up returning home because they can't find a place. They camp until it gets cold, then they exhaust their funds in the hostels, then each year some go home. It's that bad. Even Swedes say it's hard for them.

So understandably we've been really nervous about what our long-term housing situation would be. Our current apartment was set to be a 6-month lease. But since that would've put us out at the end of April, and we hadn't found anything, we were starting to worry. We did indeed convince the University to let us stay a full-year if we needed it but we knew we should keep looking anyway.

For us, there are two big factors that we were taking into account during our housing search. First, we have both moved so much in the past few years. I have moved more than one time each year for the past 4.5 years. And Dan has moved a lot as well, although luckily he had a place in grad school for 4 years. Nonetheless, we're at a point in our lives where it'd be nice to settle down a little bit. Yes we may be lovers of travel and adventure, but you need a good home base, especially when you're so far from family, friends, and Bruegger's.

The second factor is cats. Ever since Dan and I fostered the adorable and irreplaceable Yuki and Ayira, we have talked almost daily about having our own cats. I can't put into words how much happiness it would bring us to have kittens to keep us company.

One complicating factor here is the idea of first-hand or second-hand leases. In Sweden, many leases are sublets, or even sublets of sublets (second-hand and third-hand respectively). That means that a) the price is jacked up because each person who is subletting their apartment out is lining their pockets a little; b) you will probably just have 6-month or 1-year leases, without the security of being able to stay as long as you'd like. But first-hand leases are exceedingly rare.

Okay enough with the background. So Dan and I have these good friends Michelle and Allen who are both Americans and we all hang out quite often. They're the ones who we usually go to when we don't understand things or can't find something we need. So Michelle tipped us off that there were some empty apartments in her complex and gave us the contact of the leasing company they live with.

I called the company and the woman asked if I could send her an email telling her about myself, ie where we're from, why we're here, kids, jobs, etc. I did of course, right away, honestly thinking I wouldn't hear a single thing back (like the other apartment complexes we've contacted). But the day after the sent the email, she called me and told me she had an apartment for us to look at. We viewed the apartment two days later.

Let me tell you about it! It's on the north side of town about 15 minutes from the center on a bike and also right on a bus line. There is a huge balcony facing south-west. It has two bedrooms. There's a washing machine IN the apartment. It was built in the past few years and it's in great condition. They allow cats, and it's a first-hand lease. It seemed honestly too good to be true; Dan and I were giddy.

The only down-side is the cost. The base-rent is the same amount Dan and I pay here, and that is one of the reasons we sort of didn't want to stay here a full-year. It's feels outrageous by American standards, but we're not in Kansas anymore... On top of that base amount we'll have to pay for electricity as well as internet. Additionally, we have to furnish the place ourselves. So that was an ouch, but, for the stability of a place we can stay in long-term and the ability to comfortably host our families and friends, we decided that it was well worth the cost.

We just found out two days ago that we can indeed have the place. We sign the lease Tuesday. We move May 2nd or 3rd. We are so happy, so relieved, and so excited! We will have a home and two kitties to fill it with.

Good news!

When I came to Sweden I always figured I could find some sort of work. It has indeed been harder than I really understood, but I am making some progress! I sent out an email to the entire American Women's Club after deciding that I should stop worrying if I would annoy everyone. I said that I had been here just a few months and that I have extra time, so I am available to babysit, clean, or just help out in whatever way I can.

I have been flooded with responses. The first couple days I could barely answer them all! I was shocked at the demand. I really thought I'd get zero responses, and I remember sort of praying if I could please just contribute something financially to the household I'd be so grateful. In that first week I worked about 15 hours.

At this point, I can confidently say I have 3 families I will be working for. There are other families that I have plans to meet with, and there are a lot of people who contacted me for more information but that I haven't heard from since.

It feels so good to be contributing something more concrete. I know that I help out a lot by cooking everything so that we're not paying for meals out, and that my work can allow Daniel to focus on his work. But to be able to make us even a little more comfortable means a lot.

Swedish Field Journal: 3rd Edition

The third month in Sweden! I've said it before and I'll say it again, it feels like so much longer. When I meet people and they ask how long I've been here, I surprise myself by saying only 3 months. I am still one of the newer members when I attend AWC events. But after three months I can report a few more interesting tidbits about Swedish society.

When you come into a house or apartment in Sweden, you can always find the bathroom. It's always in the same predictable place: right by the front door. I don't know why this is, but when I go to my bi-weekly lunches with a group of international women affiliated with Lund University, I never have to ask where the "WC" is. Just find the front door, and it'll be the closest room.

On a more serious note, I'm learning a lot about the way that unpaid volunteering and interning is viewed here. It's not what you would expect.

When I decided to come here, I figured I could satisfy my inner-over-achiever with a volunteer position. I would at least be padding my resume and career experience by helping out at a women's shelter. Since I have arrived I have sent out cover letters and CV's to the shelters in Malmö that I have discovered. They were met with no reply. I called each to follow up, and left messages with the appropriate individuals. No response.

Unpaid positions here are almost non-existent for a number of reasons. First of all, the state provides for far more services than the American government does. For example, instead of some shelters being privately-funded (think Mary's Place in Minneapolis, or organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International), the state provides all of those services. They have a near monopoly on social work. Because non-governmental organizations (like the ones I mentioned before) might have funding issues, in the US (and in Kenya from my experience) they thrive on volunteers, often people in situations like me. Now if it's a government-run organization, they probably don't need as many.

But on top of the social justice-related organizations being well-funded and able to afford employees, there's also some sort of stigma surrounding volunteers. I was told a story about an individual who was visiting a person in an old folks' home. Apparently the individual was taking the elderly person out to lunch or something similar, once a week. Community members were unhappy with what he was doing; I think the argument was that he could be taking away jobs. Whether I'm getting the particulars of the story correct or not, the message was clear: volunteers are taking work away that could be giving someone else a job.

All of these factors make volunteering uncommon, which is the reason I attribute to the lack of response I've had when I have offered myself up to help an organization for free. Perhaps the person receiving it thinks it's weird that I would want to do that.

Next month I hope to write on the broad and complicated topic of how the social system works here, i.e. how much taxes are paid and what people get in return!

The Hotel

I alluded to the strangeness of our hotel, The Continental Hotel of Barcelona, on Facebook. I mentioned first that it was all pink. I kid you not, the walls, the bed, the chairs, the curtains, the tables: pink. the only exception was old and kind of gross green carpet that reminded me of the hallways of old apartment buildings. To be transparent, we paid 80 Euros per night for our hotel (including wifi, taxes, breakfast), a steal in a large European city. Rick Steves recommended it, so it has to be good, right?

We were also lured by the promise of a 24-hour free buffet that included an ice cream machine, wine, beer, and other snackums that could potentially save us money. When we got there, we scoped it out, and it was mostly weird. I kind of liked the ice cream machine, but the wine was definitely skunky and the food was probably previously frozen or at least a little old.

The room at first didn't seem that bad, but there were some things that grossed us out. The bathroom had mold on the pipes and the tiles' grout. We found a couple dark hairs on the sheets. And again, I didn't want to walk barefoot on the carpet.

Maybe I'm not the same adventure traveler that I used to be. I remember staying in a hotel in Lamu, Kenya with my good friend David that had a bathroom with no door or ceiling (hilariously awkward for us as a non-romantic duo), bowed mattresses, and concrete floors. To be honest, the same hotel might freak me out now. The lock could've been easily broken, and I read too much about bed bugs in the news to not check my pillows. But the $8/night rate decidedly did not freak me out just two years ago.

Anyway, one episode at this hotel pretty much made up our minds regarding the bad review we plan to give it on Trip Advisor. [Warning: if you're eating, or if you don't like gross stories, you might want to skip this paragraph.] As we were walking down the stairs to exit our hotel, we came upon something disgusting. There was, in the middle of the corridor, a giant pile of shit. Yes, shit. There was a big turd, and a smearing of nastiness surrounding it. There may have been toilet paper too, which is quite hygenic of the pooper considering what they did to the stairs! One flight down, there was a puddle of pee.

Even though we were on our way out, I took the elevator back up (no need to see that twice) and alerted the woman at the desk to the mess. She looked mortified, and as I walked out she picked up the phone to make a phone call. I do believe it was the first she heard of it.

Okay, fine, a gross mess probably by a drunkard in the hallway. But the next day when we came back, IT WAS STILL THERE. It had been at least 12 hours, almost certainly 24! I again, went upstairs and alerted the same woman working the night shift again. She said that they had called someone but they couldn't get a hold of them. This was unfortunately Sunday.

But seriously people. I have had to clean up similar messes at my jobs in housing facilities. It sucks, but with a good pair of gloves and an impromptu face mask, you're solid to do the work that needs to be done. I would've done it for $50, maybe even 30. But this hotel couldn't rally enough to clean up something that made them look like trash.

Hilarious but gross, I will probably remember this for years. It will only be funnier with time.

Barcelona Part II

Sunday morning we woke up with aching feet and legs. I felt decidedly less energetic, but there was more to see. Unfortunately the forecast was rain, so we packed umbrellas.

We headed to the Casa Mila, another Gaudi building that was originally built as apartments then renovated to a museum. This was my least favorite sight, mostly due to crowds. But the rooftop view was amazing and we enjoyed the sun on our faces (despite the forecast!).

We then began a long walk that would sweep us past other notable Gaudi facades and then into the large Citadel Park. We started getting hungry, which can quickly translate to crankiness for me and perpetual indecisiveness for Dan. Most everything seemed closed, which is the norm for Europe outside of decidedly tourist areas. We walked past a place that was assumed was Chinese, and figured, what the heck. We're hungry, it's open, and other people are eating there so it can't be that bad.

As soon as we walked in we knew we wouldn't regret it. Turns out the lunch option was an all-you-can-eat buffet of sushi and high-quality Chinese food. And there was a dessert bar. It does not get any better than that in my world. But I ate so much of it! We figured if everything was closed that night and we were forced to eat Burger King, all would be okay due to the sushi.

We continued walking all through the city (five hours total of walking that day), ending our touring with a furnicular ride high in the sky overlooking the sea and ending on a large bluff/mountain before taking the train home. We didn't see a drop of rain.

After another rest (and an epic nap for Dan), we left the hotel for dinner. We walked up and down Las Ramblas, the popular and touristy pedestrian boulevard where our hotel was located. We found dinner, and settled on having a few more tapas, as well as seafood paella (Mom, you'd be so proud of me eating all those creepy crawlies) and the regional wine, rioja. We had seen all we wanted to see and eaten all we could eat. It was a perfect cap to an amazing weekend.

Barcelona Part I

Barcelona agreed with us. Oh, did it ever. The sun was shining, the food was delicious (and reasonably priced), the sangria was sweet. I have much more to say after only two full days in Barcelona than I did after two weeks in Italy. Italy did not capture our imagination. The sights and history were certainly amazing, but the city and the atmosphere didn't put any spring in our step as Barcelona immediately did.

The first day we tackled the city with more enthusiasm than our feet were prepared for. We went to the Picasso Museum, the Xocolata Museo (chocolate museum!), three cathedrals including the Sagrada Familia, and a Gaudi's Parc Guell. We had a lunch of pinxos, or little open-faced sandwiches. That lunch included deep glasses of a strong sangria with oranges and lemon slices. Oh, so delicious! As we ate we people watched on a popular street.

Saturday was a lucky day as well. When we reached the Sagrada Familia, possibly the most well-known sight in Barcelona, the line stretched around two city blocks. We checked the guide book and saw that entrance was almost $15 per person. I crabbily asked Dan, "Do we really want to spend $30 to wait in line all day for one church?" While I waited in an incredibly long bathroom line at KFC (no we didn't eat there), Dan asked a police officer if there was a special event that was causing the line to be so long that it was closing down streets. He informed Dan that today, entrance was free! So we waited in that gigantic line, and it moved faster than we expected.

Spaniards were downright friendly. We received smiles, if you can believe that, and lots of patience towards our elementary Spanish we remembered learning in middle and high school (despite other languages being spoken in that region, everyone knew Spanish). To top off all this praise, I can report that the public transportation was simple, clean, and we never waited more than four minutes for our train to come.

Barcelona, to my untrained eye, had considerably more modern architecture than any of the other places I've been in Europe. Perhaps this is due to the influence of the architectural genius Gaudi, who was alive until 1926. There are of course a wealth of traditional buildings, but also wavy modern ones and quite a few businesses with facades worth gazing at.

Dinner on Saturday included more sangria and tapas, with amazing dessert afterwards. Thank goodness we had an afternoon nap, because the typical dinner in Spain is, at the earliest, 9pm. We were back at the hotel and ready for a good night of sleep around midnight.

A Quick Update

There are a few interesting pieces of news:

First, Wednesday was Dan's birthday. We kept it pretty low-key but had a great time. First we opened presents, then we went out for sushi, then we ate a home-made ice cream cake! It's rare that we go out to dinner just the two of us, so it was very special. And the cake was delicious! He said it was a good birthday, even though we're away from our families.

Both of us are starting Swedish for Immigrants classes! In fact, Dan started on Tuesday. He is so ridiculously excited. He interviews me now, asking me where I'm from, if I'm working, if I'm studying, if I'm married... He has quite a few sentences under his belt after attending class twice this week. He even learned some words I never learned in my first month of class!

I start my own SFI classes on Tuesday, but mine will be Monday through Friday from 8:30am-11:30am - very intensive! But I am greatly looking forward to the structure and purpose the schedule and classes will give me.

The last piece of news is that Dan and I are going to Barcelona for the weekend! We're leaving today (Friday) and coming back on Monday. We found very cheap flights and a decent hotel. This is one of the main reasons we moved here: the ease of travel!

I hope to update during the weekend while we're in Barcelona! Adios!

Swedish Doctors

I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago (spoiler - I'm fine) because my eye lids had been twitching for over a month. It was getting a little worrisome and annoying, so I decided to attempt the inevitable confusion that would come with trying to visit a general practitioner.

First, I went to the place next to the grocery store I frequent. They turned me away, saying there was a place I was "registered" at, and I could only see a GP at that location. I had no idea where it was. When I tried to call, I could not figure out the automated phone system. I printed a map, walked in, went to two wrong reception desks, and finally found the right place. I made an appointment and had the following exchange with the nurse:

Nurse: Where are you from?

Me: The USA.

Nurse: How do you like it so far?

Me: I really like it; we can walk everywhere and it's a really good quality of life.

Nurse: Yes, but the malls here are not open as late ! And here they are so small. You must miss your malls.

I mean, I guess I kind of miss a few stores IN the malls, but I'm alright overall.

On the day of my appointment, I waited in a very comfortable waiting room. It looked like a living room, without looking tacky. Jazz played on a small stereo, and everyone hung up their coats and bags on the coat hangers. It didn't feel like the typical doctor's office to me.

That taken care of, at the time of my appointment I was called into a doctor's office. She didn't check my weight, temperature, or blood pressure. She didn't take notes and she didn't open a computer program to register the appointment. She simply sat across from me, with no desk in between us, and asked me very sincerely, "What can I help you with?" She proceeded to listen so attentively, asking me all sorts of thorough questions. She even asked, "Why does this worry you?" but not in a condescending way. When she asked me, "Is there any particular disease that you are worried this could be related to?" I told her that I wasn't afraid of a disease, but perhaps a neurological issue. She took me completely seriously.

To be fair, I have a serious bias against doctors. I have had weird issues like daily stomach issues or daily hives and rashes, only to have doctors tell me there was nothing wrong with me or that it wasn't worth investigating. I have had bad experience after bad experience. To have this woman take me seriously felt so good.

She did a full neurological exam on me, testing my reflexes, vision, and all other sorts of pokes and response tests. She then consulted with a colleague while I waited, and delivered the diagnosis: I was probably just a little stressed, and I should relax if I could. And I believed a doctor for the first time ever, because she had been so patient and attentive.

I can't say for sure if she is representative of an entire Swedish system, but I have to say, that at this point I am starting to believe that it's better than America's.

The Goings-On of Stephanie, Part II

In November, I wrote about what I would be doing in Sweden. The basics haven't changed, although how I view my life has shifted a bit.

Unsurprisingly, I am still unemployed. I have gotten more into the swing of applying for jobs and try to apply for a few each week. I registered at the Arbetsförmedlingen, aka the Unemployment Office, and got a job coach there. He is quite sweet, and thoroughly and kindly reviewed my CV and personal letter (Swedish version of the cover letter which is way more personal than an American letter would be). Additionally, the job coach suggested I apply for personal care attendant jobs here, because the person who wants help chooses the assistant, and so I might have more luck. This is what I am focusing my efforts on now.

As I mentioned before, Swedish is really the key to working here, as well as the key to fully integrating into society. Accordingly, I try to keep it a top priority. I finished the Folk Universitet class, and now I have signed up for the free Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes. I have to wait for a spot to open, and they don't tell you how long that will be. It could be tomorrow or six months from now.

It is definitely hard at times for me to have my time be so unstructured. I don't think I have ever had so much time that was just open - I can do anything and everything with it. Of course, there's a blessing in there somewhere, but it's hard to harness. I have to be very motivated to stay busy, but when I keep myself occupied, I'm happier and more fulfilled at the end of the day. The temptation is always there to watch TV all day, but most days I write letters, cook, see friends, apply for jobs, read, etc.

I can gladly report that socially, I am doing really well. I am in a bookclub with the American Women's Club, and there are potlucks, sushi nights, and all sorts of other fun gatherings through that group. I try to be outgoing and invite people to get together any chance I get. I've already met people I consider solid friends. Additionally, I found a great group of people called "Lund University Foreign Friends." We get together every two weeks at a different member's house to talk and share experiences. This is a fun community that I really look forward to spending time with. There are people from the UK, Japan, the US, France, China, Denmark, and plenty more.

The longer I am here, the more I think I will go back to school in the fall, as long as I am accepted. My application is complete and submitted now and I should hear sometime in March - I am very optimistic the University will accept me. Whatever masters program I choose, it will help me in Sweden and anywhere I go. It's probably a social goldmine as well.

It's hard not to think a lot when I have all this time for it. It's led me into the inevitable train of thought that goes something like, "What is the meaning of life?!" or more specifically, "What makes my life meaningful and what makes me happy?" After some brainstorming I have tentatively settled on these components: First, I want to have something to look forward to each day. It could be the adventure of learning to make my own bread, which I've always wanted to do, or it could be waking up for Swedish class, or the goal of running a 10k by summer.

Secondly, I also want to somehow be contributing or to have a purpose to my activities. This one is harder, because the typical American notion of contributing has a lot to do with working or volunteering in public life, both of which are giving me trouble here (no response from any women's shelters as of today). But for now I satisfy this requirement by applying for jobs, searching out new opportunities, and trying to keep myself busy and happy.

For now, the challenge is to live the life day-to-day that I want to, by not settling into a boring routine, but by doing the things I imagined myself doing when I was in the US, working, stressed, and contemplating moving here. I imagined days where I would have a slow pace, take great care of myself and the love of my life, learning to cook and do paper art, and finally reading any book I can get my hands on. On to another day of working towards that goal - cheers.

Swedish Field Journal: 2nd Edition

Just this past week was the two-month anniversary of our living in Sweden - realizing that was mutually surprising for Dan and I. It feels like so much longer! We are starting to feel like we're integrating. In the past week, we've seen four people around town that we knew. That's a good feeling.

With another month comes another set of cultural observations. Interestingly, being in Italy illuminated some of the cultural hallmarks of the Swedes and their country. Allow me to compare:

Italy was not what we expected. The country could be labeled a "2nd world" country for a number of reasons. It's quite dirty and stinky (at least in the cities, to be fair), things are very unorganized, there is graffiti on every conceivable surface, the trains and buses are very difficult to understand, etc. The sites we saw were amazing - the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, artwork in Venice; but the nature of the cities was so different. I think Sweden has spoiled us.

Swedes are very organized. I have mentioned the way that people are directed to take a number and wait patiently for everything from the deli at the grocery store, to the bank, to the pharmacy. There are trash receptacles everywhere, the trains are in great condition, and any public spaces are well maintained.

The people are polite but not too forthcoming. For example, at the grocery store, the person checking out your items will say hello, and that's it. But if you say something to them, they are sweet and happy to talk to you. But I don't think they ever would start small talk themselves. I cannot recall a time that anyone was rude to me here, but I am told that Swedish people might not want to be in your business. I think this is where the stereotype of the "cold" Swede comes from. They might just be shy! (Quite a sweeping statement for a country of people, but I am trying to generalize here.)

Another interesting cultural note for Sweden is the liquor laws. Any and all liquor (except for very very light beers that you can't get a buzz off of) is sold in ONE store, called the Systembolaget, that is owned by the Swedish government. Their hours of operation are quite strict, closing at about 6pm on a weekday evening, 2pm on Saturday, and completely closed on Sunday. They only accept Swedish ID's and passports - I have been turned away, despite my Wisconsin Drivers License. There is a sign that you see, as you check out, that says: "Systembolaget, the Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly, exists for one reason: To minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive."(Taken from systembolaget.se) The upside is that the people who work there are specialists who can perfectly pair your wine to your dinner, as well as order in any liquor that you may want at no extra charge. Still, the prices are painfully high due to taxes. It's an interesting system.

Furthermore, when they change the rules about how they sell liquor, the government thoroughly studies its impact. Just a few years ago the Systembolagets were opened on Saturdays. Then they studied the amount of drunken driving, saw that it did not increase, and now it continues to be open on Saturday.

This is socialism, perhaps at its best and worst. Limited hours, high prices, but good services and perfect availability. It irks my default-American-capitalist mind, but I am trying to be open about it.

As for cultural notes, that's all I have for now. Being in Italy made me realize just how similar Sweden is to the US, or at least the American Midwest. I feel very comfortable here, much more so than in Italy which felt more foreign.

More on Italy in a further post!