Looks as if you want to adjust, but have a looooong way to go.
Maybe you could learn something from those oh so "white" elderly Swedish dancers whom apparently don't give a crap how they look.
I look forward to your writing from the depths of those long sunless days.
Better buy those therapy lights now.
And don't forget to get your vitamin D levels checked. I'm serious: there's an epidemic of hypovitaminosis D even in light skinned persons at lower latitudes. My Jamaican sister in law developed an osteoporotic stress fracture of her femur during late pregnancy and she only lived at 47° north in. Canada. . Her D level was severely low so watch for it.
Having thought many times about venturing into the expat world, including traveling to many countries I thought might make suitable domiciles, I find it refreshing to read your more realistic perspective about what the experience actually feels and looks like. Thanks.
I jumped from. Canada to Montana in 1988 for work. I stayed. My impression then was that American d Canadian culture pretty similar.
In 2000 I moved to Kentucky & immediately realized there was a greater cultural difference between the two parts of America than in the places I've lived in Canada. Despite its larger area, sparser population & multicultural dynamic, Canadians seem more cohesive as a nation than does this country.
And of course things have gotten much more extreme since the 2008 housing crisis turning point.
Oh my. It sounds like one of those cultural curiosities you'd be interested in seeing once, and once only. I'm sure there must be some kind of Swedish liquor that raises one's tolerance level (or just puts you to sleep). Thanks for the laugh!
As a child in Yugoslavia, I found the Vienna boys choir to be an important new year's entertainment and my family also religously(well, religion was banned, but you catch my drift) watched the concert from the New year's day concert from the Viennese opera a must watch. I would dance to the tunes of Johann and Richard Strauss. Ridiculous, I know.
But my two years in Sweden made me realise also that Swedes were very weird about their ways of celebrating things at different times throughout the year.
That’s a lovely memory. These concerts mean so much to my husband, too. Years and years of memories. I was coming from more of a Super Bowl halftime kind of vibe so those Viennese boys give me the heebie-jeebies. It’s all in the cultural expectations!
Omg the giggles this set off 🤣🤣🤣 I guess all cultures have things the ”outsider ” finds mindboggling at best and horryfying at worst. Nice to see the original poem though I heard the Swedish version since birth more or less. And no eventhough I am Swedish I do not watch the Skansen spectacle as a self determinerat grown-up.
You must go somewhere for an afternoon or evening of folk dance! In California, there was a gathering spot in Los Angeles for some Swedish sailors society - oh wait - was it Norway? I forget! But it was interesting to "feel" their national character through dance! Couples' dances mostly - everyone straight up and down. No sinuous bending at the waist. Very cold feeling. Until! Until a knowledgeable dancer takes you in his arms and SPINS you around the floor! My gosh! The couples hardly touched, and their legs looked like they hardly moved, but I still remember the thrill of that centrifugal force 40 years later!😊💕
Adopted countries have all manner of cringe and annoyance and they’ll only grow more entrenched in your mind if you let them. Approaching it with a gracious heart to understand why something came to be is often the better approach to preserve your mental health and the loving dynamic of your partnership when living in a new country. I often thought who would I be if I was born into that culture and grew up there as a helpful gauge when viewing things through a cynical lens. It’s all well and good to see the comical side of things but when does that veer off into derision?
Looks as if you want to adjust, but have a looooong way to go.
Maybe you could learn something from those oh so "white" elderly Swedish dancers whom apparently don't give a crap how they look.
I look forward to your writing from the depths of those long sunless days.
Better buy those therapy lights now.
And don't forget to get your vitamin D levels checked. I'm serious: there's an epidemic of hypovitaminosis D even in light skinned persons at lower latitudes. My Jamaican sister in law developed an osteoporotic stress fracture of her femur during late pregnancy and she only lived at 47° north in. Canada. . Her D level was severely low so watch for it.
Nonetheless, good luck.
Thanks for reading and for the advice. We take D3 every day and have a happy light, as well.
As I have always said, "Life, even love, is severely conditional!". 😬
So severely!
Having thought many times about venturing into the expat world, including traveling to many countries I thought might make suitable domiciles, I find it refreshing to read your more realistic perspective about what the experience actually feels and looks like. Thanks.
Thank you for reading. Let me know if you make the jump! Always curious about where people are going and why.
I jumped from. Canada to Montana in 1988 for work. I stayed. My impression then was that American d Canadian culture pretty similar.
In 2000 I moved to Kentucky & immediately realized there was a greater cultural difference between the two parts of America than in the places I've lived in Canada. Despite its larger area, sparser population & multicultural dynamic, Canadians seem more cohesive as a nation than does this country.
And of course things have gotten much more extreme since the 2008 housing crisis turning point.
Oh my. It sounds like one of those cultural curiosities you'd be interested in seeing once, and once only. I'm sure there must be some kind of Swedish liquor that raises one's tolerance level (or just puts you to sleep). Thanks for the laugh!
Thank you. It appears certain equal partners in the marriage are no longer speaking to me…
This is hilarious! Thank you! 🙏
Hilarious for you. Suffering for me 😂
As a child in Yugoslavia, I found the Vienna boys choir to be an important new year's entertainment and my family also religously(well, religion was banned, but you catch my drift) watched the concert from the New year's day concert from the Viennese opera a must watch. I would dance to the tunes of Johann and Richard Strauss. Ridiculous, I know.
But my two years in Sweden made me realise also that Swedes were very weird about their ways of celebrating things at different times throughout the year.
That’s a lovely memory. These concerts mean so much to my husband, too. Years and years of memories. I was coming from more of a Super Bowl halftime kind of vibe so those Viennese boys give me the heebie-jeebies. It’s all in the cultural expectations!
The damned fireworks where I am in central Illinois convinced my dog we were under attack. He had to sleep, terrified, right in our bed. Between us.
Poor guy! Hope he’s better today
Omg the giggles this set off 🤣🤣🤣 I guess all cultures have things the ”outsider ” finds mindboggling at best and horryfying at worst. Nice to see the original poem though I heard the Swedish version since birth more or less. And no eventhough I am Swedish I do not watch the Skansen spectacle as a self determinerat grown-up.
More power to you!
You must go somewhere for an afternoon or evening of folk dance! In California, there was a gathering spot in Los Angeles for some Swedish sailors society - oh wait - was it Norway? I forget! But it was interesting to "feel" their national character through dance! Couples' dances mostly - everyone straight up and down. No sinuous bending at the waist. Very cold feeling. Until! Until a knowledgeable dancer takes you in his arms and SPINS you around the floor! My gosh! The couples hardly touched, and their legs looked like they hardly moved, but I still remember the thrill of that centrifugal force 40 years later!😊💕
Not much for dancing, but this is a lovely comment! Thank you for reading.
Thank you for the good laugh. Your piece made me think of what I find cringy in the US, after ten years here.
Thank you for reading!
Keep remembering the words of the song! That’s all that counts in the long run!
Omg the imagery is hilarious. Really interesting to hear what Swedish Christmas is like, thank you for sharing!!
Adopted countries have all manner of cringe and annoyance and they’ll only grow more entrenched in your mind if you let them. Approaching it with a gracious heart to understand why something came to be is often the better approach to preserve your mental health and the loving dynamic of your partnership when living in a new country. I often thought who would I be if I was born into that culture and grew up there as a helpful gauge when viewing things through a cynical lens. It’s all well and good to see the comical side of things but when does that veer off into derision?