Dissertation Party

We went to our first Swedish party tonight.  It was a dissertation party.  Apparently in Sweden when someone finishes their dissertation they get an awesome party!  During this large fancy dinner party people get up and make toasts and everyone sings songs before taking shots of schnapps.  We had a wonderful time!  Annalise acted so grown up tonight.  She was sitting across the table from me because she wanted to sit where her name card was and next to her was a woman from Spain.  Annalise asked her if she spoke Swedish and this woman said no.  She told Annalise that she was only going to be in Sweden for about nine months and so she was not going to learn any Swedish.  So my sweet and smart little girl decided to teach her Swedish.  It felt good to watch Annalise teach this woman some of the Swedish words she knows.  Annalise has been going through some big transitions lately and honestly there have been some hard times.  I know it is all to be expected but there have been a few moments recently where I have been unsure about whether we were being fair to our daughter. The truth is Annalise is going to have a different life than if we had stayed in Denver.  Not necessarily better or worse but just different.  We have to enjoy the highs (like tonight) and life through the lows.  Tonight Annalise not only had fun but she also made lots of international friends and charmed the pants off of two woman from Spain.  Today was a good day.

Beverly Hills 90210

I am curious about Europe's fascination with this show.   As some of you know I spent a summer in France when I was 15.  I remember the first week with my host family and I was feeling a little homesick and they turned on the tv and there was Beverly Hills 90210.  It is a little silly but I remember feeling a little less homesick watching an american tv show.  I learned in the time I was there that reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 played frequently and that it was a very popular show. Now at that time Beverly Hills 90210 was also a popular show in the US.  People I met asked me how close I lived to California when I was in France and I wondered if they were thinking about the show.
Now, many years later (18 years; I can't believe it!!) I find myself living in Europe and everyday reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 are on tv.  Now it is important for me to add here that there are lots and lots and lots of american television shows.  In fact, Ray and I have noticed that at any given day or time there is about 4 or 5 american shows or movies to choose from. And thankfully these are not dubbed; they just play with swedish subtitles.  Which, by the way, is helping our understanding of written swedish a lot.  We have heard that all the american tv that swedes watch is part of the reason why they speak such great english.  Makes sense :)

The Secret Language

This question is more for the parents out there. How would you like to have a secret language you could use to talk about things in front of your kids without your kids knowing what you were saying.  Wouldn't it be great! Apparently that is how English is used here sometimes.  This is what happened at Ikea this past weekend.  I was on the edge of a play area in the cafeteria watching Lucas and Annalise play.  Annalise was playing with a little girl close to her age and this little girl also loved Lucas and kept giving him hugs.  The little girls dad was standing next to me and we had exchanged a few smiles as we watched our children play together and I had heard him speaking Swedish to his daughter.  I always have to explain to Annalise that the other kids don't speak English and I think he told his daughter that Annalise didn't speak Swedish.  Suddenly his wife walks up and in beautiful fluent English he says motioning to his daughter, "Her meal comes with an ice cream but I don't think she needs it."  I laughed and asked him and his wife if they use English when they don't want their daughter to understand what they are saying.  They said that many parents use English in this way in Sweden.  I think it is so hilarious but also very useful!  When Ray came back from refilling his drink I shared the story with him and he said we could use Swedish in this way but we would not be able to say very much.  Hopefully soon Annalise will be in preschool here and then she will know Swedish.  We keep hearing that since Annalise is so young it will probably only take three or four months for her to learn Swedish.  One thing that has been difficult is that children don't speak English.  Ray and I are having no difficulty communicating.  None.  Everyone and I mean everyone speaks beautiful fluent English; even if they say they only speak a little are lying.  We had been told this but it still surprised Ray and I a little.  The only people that don't speak English are small children.  That means that the little kids we meet at the park and the library that Annalise wants to make friends with look at her a little weird once she opens her mouth and starts talking.  I try to explain it to her but she acts as if her feelings are hurt.  She asked if the kids just don't like her and I told her that is not true but she is only three and some things are hard to understand  Right now she is on the wait list for preschool but it could take up to three months.  We will see what happens....

Pure marketing genius!

Who ever came up with this product name and marketing slogan should have gotten an instant promotion!

We arrived!!

We made it safe and sound to Lund!  Our big journey began in Washington D.C. when we boarded an Icelandic Air flight.  I was helping get the kids settled and all the sudden I realized that no one was speaking English around me.  It was not until that moment that it finally hit me; we were leaving the United States.  We were leaving all our family and friends and everything familiar and safe.  Annalise looked at me and asked, "mommy why are you crying?"  But I only let myself be sad for about a minute and then the excitement took over!
After an entire night or day (depends on how you look at it) full of traveling we flew into the airport in Copenhagen very tired but in one piece.  We gathered our luggage (none of it was lost!!) and we headed towards customs. Since we had already gotten our passport stamped in Iceland all we had to do was walk through some doors.  On the floor there was two paths; one path named "Nothing to declare" and one smaller path named "Need to declare."  Ray and I were stumped.  We certainly had brought lots of stuff with us.  Four big suitcases and two big hiking backpacks and two smaller backpacks contained all of our carefully packed clothes, toys, books, and misc. items we just HAD to take to Sweden.

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Here is Annalise with all our luggage!

I was especially worried about our three computers because we had heard that electronics are sometimes limited.  In addition we had a guitar, bike, and a big stroller.  We stood there and just staring at these two paths and then I told Ray I would go talk to the official.  I walked up to the desk and had the following conversation:

official- "can I help you?"

me- "I don't know if I have anything to declare."

official- "Do you have anything you shouldn't have?"

me- "Like what?" 

official- "Do you have any food or drugs, things like that." (he is getting exasperated with me I can tell.)

me- "I have baby food and medication for my baby but I have a perscription for it."

official- "You have nothing to declare.  Just walk through the doors."
And so we walked through the doors and entered a whole new world.

Everyone has different things that stick out for them.  Ray says he won't forget walking out of the Copenhagen airport and seeing all the taxis lined up.  Apparently they were all Mercedes Benz.  I didn't even notice that.  What I did notice was the wind when we walked out of the airport, it was freezing!  Also it was the middle of the afternoon.  It felt like it should be the middle of the night.  I also remember feeling strong gratitude towards Lars (one of Ray's new colleagues) for renting a huge van and picking us up from the airport.  I could not imagine having to take a train or bus to our apartment with the kids and all of our stuff especially since I had been awake close to 36 hours.

The drive to Lund was sort of quiet.  We chatted a little bit but we were pretty tired.  As we got closer to Lund I started to get excited again.  After getting lost a few times! we arrived at our apartment.  Now this was one thing that I had been pretty apprehensive about.  I really didn't know what to expect and I was trying to keep my expectations cautiously low.  Turns out I didn't need to be worried.  First of all there is an elevator which is good since we are on the forth floor (the top of the building) and I had been worried about getting the stroller and two kids up the stairs.  Our apartment is great and bigger than we thought it would be.  **hint, hint for those of you who want to come visit!** There is a large entryway, a large bathroom, one really big bedroom and one smaller bedroom, a kitchen, an eating area and a big family room.  Apparently the apartment was just renovated.  Honestly it looks like a picture out of the Ikea catalogue.  Most of our furniture is white (except the couches) and we have big windows to let light in.  We also have a nice balcony.  Right in front of our apartment building there is a small playground area with two swings and some climbing structures.  Annalise and Lucas love the swings and it is nice to have a small play area so close!

Hope all is well with all of you and Ray and I will both write more this weekend.  Ray especially wants to blog about a cat food they have here...stay tuned!

Hugs from Sweden!