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Published: September 26th 2010
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New Liu sweater + world
This is the map I use to mark all the places I've been. Hopefully soon some more little 'X' marks will be popping up on it! Hello Beautiful Blog Readers!
So I'm back to discuss other Swedish lessons I've learned since I've been here- and there have been many!
First are those I've learned in my Swedish language course. Not having any prior knowledge of the language I'm finding the whole thing a tiny bit difficult. I find it totally humiliating to say any of the words out loud because of how bad my pronunciation is which really doesn't help because my Swedish friends want me to say things I've learned in class and I don't want to. Every Wednesday when I come home from class grumbling over how hard it is my one roommate makes me tell him a new phrase I learned so that I have to practice it. Mean. During my complaints about Swedish class this particular roommate stopped me after I told him the teacher made us stand in a circle and speak Swedish to the person next to us in front of the whole class. Total humiliation!! She does this every week!!! My roommate couldn't stop laughing...I thought he'd stopped breathing at one point his face was so red. Apparently, the Swedes did this exercise in kindergarten. How nice. Onward
Liu Sweater
I'm official!! and upward I guess. I can't be in Sweden for a year and not learn the language! Below are some basic Swedish phrases I've learned so that you may enjoy the torture with me... (okay the English translations are rough but you get the point)
1) Jag hetter Rhianna--> My name is Rhianna
2) Vad hetter du?---> What is your name?
3) Vi ses---> See you!
4) Ha det bra!---> Take care!
5) Ursäkta! ---> Excuse me!
6) Hur är det? ---> How are you doing?
7) Tack bra och du?---> Fine thanks and you?
8) Tack för hjälpen!---> Thanks for the help! (one of my personal faves...pronounce 'hj' as a 'y')
9) Va?---> What? (I hear this one a lot!!)
10) Jag kommer från Canada---? I'm from Canada
This concludes our Swedish lesson for this post....
I'm also excited to report that I made it out to a bar on International night and made soo soo many new friends! I met people from Germany, Russia, India, France, Italy, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, and.....CANADA!!! I don't know why it's so insanly exciting to run into a Canadian or two when you're in another country but it is. I met a girl from Russia and mentioned to her that I'd met no Canadians since I'd been to Sweden. She was immediately on a mission. I guess she knows a bunch of Canadians here so she went around trying to find them to introduce us. Since I arrived I've heard so many things about "steve from canada" I was starting to think everyone had heard that Canadian beer commercial that's like "No I don't know Steve, Larry, or Jim. I don't live in an igloo or have a pet polar bear". Low and behold there really is a Steve from Canada and I'm happy to report we are now facebook friends. The first thing they said when I met the two Canadian boys was "It's so nice to hear a Canadian accent!!!" I still wish I understood what that meant...
I think the funniest thing I've encountered while interacting with other exchange students is that I'm terrible at being an exchange student. Everyone here seems to like to party a lot (A LOT) and like techno music (which I hate) and find the swedes mostly unfriendly or standoffish. I have somehow managed to make friends mostly with Swedish people so that at the international night everyone was asking me for "my secret". I find the majority of Swedes very pleasantly laid-back and also very willing to share amongst one another (although I'm told this is mostly a student thing). I believe it is true that many are very shy or private but not unfriendly. I was keen to learn even more about Swedish culture by using a program my school has that matches you with a Swedish "adopted" family but the family they matched me with is apparently taking a break this semester....great! A friend of mine from Germany was paired with a lovely older couple and she told them I am without a Swedish friend family so I may be adopted by them on some occasions. Their daughter is apparently dating a man who is originally from Canada so they are particularly interested. At 65 she said they hike, bike and kayak like they are young. I love how active everyone is here it's fantastic!
Fun fact of the week: Swedish Berries are not called Swedish Berries in Sweden. I think they may be called godishallon which translates to "Raspberry Candy". Hmm how weird.
Ha det bra!!
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