An Alien in Sweden

A blog about my move from England and my new life in Sweden.
Share

Archive for June, 2010

Here I come!

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

I just realised that my blog says that I will be moving to Sweden in 2011.

Scrap that!

It’s now September or October 2010! This obviously means that I have more to do to prepare for the move than I actually have real time. The language lessons are coming along nicely, I no longer sound like a man with marbles in my mouth, yet still have the vocal talents of a four years old (They probably have better writing too!)

My knowledge of Sweden, I will admit, is good. Over the past six months I’ve been researching the history, political setup, geography and of course the culture. But reading this information and listening to all the podcasts in the world can never prepare you for a physical move to a country.

Knowing that it is only several weeks (10 and counting away) I realise that it’s not just a change of location, it’s a way of life. No longer will I be able to do the trivial things in life that I do day in day out. Walking to the shops and buying food without pulling out the old Iphone translator, giving people directions, understanding TV adverts and of course the most important of all, buying beer without being in the presence of my Swedish lady.

But life is never about standing still for me, it’s all about throwing down a challenge to yourself every so often just to prove that you have got the hunger, the passion and the desire to succeed in life. I may not know what goes on a Smorgasbord just yet, but through this choice of willing to move to a country to improve my life, I will.

So hello Sweden, the boy will soon be arriving. I guess I will now consider myself an official adopted Swede. Well, come on we adopted Sven Goran Eriksson for several years ;)

It’s going to be one amazing adventure!

Report abuse »

D-Day

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Well in a few hours I will know if I am moving to Sweden this year or next year.

Wish me luck!

Report abuse »

I am learning to dance like a frog

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Ok so today is Wednesday. On Saturday I will have my first ever Midsummer’s party. Now this is not in Sweden, it’s in London with around 1000 other Swedes so it is not going to be the usual.

I’ve danced around a Midsommer pole before but this was at last years Benny Andersson concert, also in London. I did not know the meaning then but I do now and what it means! My girlfriend purchased me a “Snaps Visor” book a few months ago and I have been frantically learning some songs as no doubt it is going to be a messy affair (I just hope that the power crazy Boris Johnson and his idiots ban alcohol in the park). But there is one thing that I still have to learn and that is the small frog dance.

I have no idea at all about why the dance is done or the meaning behind it but what I do know is that come around 2pm on Saturday I will hopping around a pole, mimicking a frog singing songs that I cannot understand nor ever will.

If anybody can enlighten me on the meaning of why I have spent the last two evenings hopping around my apartment like I would be grateful. It’s going to be a good day and I really hope that the weather holds out as it’s been really beautiful the last few days.

Report abuse »

Make your mind up. Now!

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Some people can just never see the grasp of how something that is important to one person is simply not that important to another. For the past six months now I have specifically told my publisher that I will be moving to Sweden on 17th September. I was told that this would not affect our current arrangement and that the work and writing would continue from there. Of course I would have to make trips back to the UK on a frequent basis but I can live with that.

So I made all the arrangements, got the correct paperwork and the visa was approved. I gave notice on my current home and had even got to the stage of paying an international shipping agency to carry my things over. I thought all was fine, now it looks as though that may not be the case.

I’ve been verbally told that the agreement was solid and that nothing would affect it. Yet when I ask for a contract in writing I now get told “Nothing has been agreed”. They have signed me up to do a lot of work and writing in September but how can I do that if I am not here?

I am going to Sweden on 17th September. End of story. If they want me to carry on then agree it, otherwise I am simply walking away from the deal. Regardless of what financial pain it will bring my way.

Report abuse »

My thoughts on the Royal Wedding

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Wedding

Well the waiting is over and the Royal wedding is finally upon us. It’s been strange to be caught up in this media frenzy and to witness first hand how another country, the country I will soon call home has viewed it.

Now if this was the UK the media would be in overdrive now and it would no doubt be even more popular than the World Cup. I can barely remember when Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married but I can recall the whole country coming to a complete standstill. But that was then and this is now and of course times have changed.

Like the UK, Sweden seems often divided between the royalists and those who think that a royal family is an outdated system that is a burden on taxpayer’s money. My own opinion is that having a royal family is a good thing providing it benefits the country in some way. Here in the UK the Queen not only sits on the throne but also is head of the Commonwealth, albeit with minimal power.

This year has seen The Crown Princess Victoria and her soon to be husband Daniel Westling overcome a lot of adversity and issues surrounding his background and I have admired the way that they have stuck together. Then we have the younger sister Princess Madeleine whose fiancé had an alleged affair with a Norwegian student and there own wedding was cancelled.

It just goes to show that being part of a monarchy does not change who you are as a person. You will still have the ups and downs to deal with in life, still have the issues about being loyal and true to the person you love. So to Madeleine I say “Plenty more princes in the sea”

To Victoria and Daniel. Congratulations and may you have a long and happy marriage.

Report abuse »

Time is running out

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

17th of September is looking like 99% the day I move to Sweden. Blimey.

HELP!!!

I have so much to do, so much to learn and in all honesty I am not prepared at all. This is no longer an adventure, this is a serious life changing decision and quite frankly I need to get my bloody arse in gear!

Ok let’s begin.

Report abuse »

Bright summer mornings and Swedish duvets

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

A lot of people told me about the difference between the Swedish summers and winters but I did not try to listen. Now this was my first summer’s day ever in Sweden (I have only ever travelled in the winter and spring before) and I could not tell the difference.

The days were much like a UK summer, people were out in summer clothes having fun, families were having picnics and all seemed to be as it should be. Yet people were still saying “Be prepared for the Swedish summer”. Nothing seemed out of place at all until that was the following morning.

Looking out of the window I began to wonder how long I had slept in for, the sun was bright the people were out embracing the warmth of this beautiful summers day. Dogs were being walked; the birds were singing and all seemed well with the world. My girlfriend was still asleep so I made my way to the kitchen and poured myself some cold juice. Casually looking up to the clock I took in the time, 7am then went back to my poor translation of the local Swedish paper.

I then looked back at the clock? 7am! What the hell was I doing up at this hour and why was so many people out at this unearthly hour? Were they insane? Anyway as the day went on I forgot all about this and just enjoyed a very peaceful day in Sweden. This morning I awoke and knew I had slept in, the sun was out and that many people were out having fun. I looked at the clock and knew that I would not be caught out by another early morning. Alas I was wrong it was 5AM!

Why is the sun so bright in Sweden at this time? Does it ever get dark in these mornings? People are now saying that daylight begins around 3am in Sweden. So does that mean I will have to sleep with eye masks on in order to have a decent nights sleep, or do Ikea sell black curtains?

All in all I am finding it very hard to sleep on these balmy Swedish summer days so thank god for Swedish strong coffee (Love it!) Yet one question still baffles me. Why do you Swedes roll up two duvets in one bed? Is it so that nobody steals the blankets? At first I thought it was something personal but from conversations with my Swedish friends it appears that this is the norm? Answers to all these questions would be gratefully received!

Report abuse »

Eric Saade – One minute wonder

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

So The Eurovision came and went and congratulations to Germany. In the long standing UK tradition we came last but avoided the dreaded no points (Cheers Ireland!)

Sweden were not there, kicked out in the qualifying stages which was a big shame. I thought that Anna Bergendahl would have done well. There was hardly a contest as the German entry seemed to dominate the contest altogether. So imagine my surprise when I looked at Facebook and Twitter today to see that Sweden’s runner up, Eric Saade, was very popular.

His new found fame was not because of “Manboy” the rather annoying entry that came runner up in the Swedish entry but because of his brief one minute appearance to announce the Swedish vote. Each country had one minute to do this and it seemed that former TV presenter Saade was an instant hit with people. The UK used Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills to announce their results and just went to show that radio DJ’s do not make the best TV presenters.

So Sweden may not have been at this years Eurovision but something did come out of this. People are talking about Sweden at the Eurovision. Congratulations Eric. You have gone from boy to man overnight ;)

Report abuse »