I've been spending the last week since Stockholm relaxing and socializing; it's definitely starting to feel like (a) home to me here. Of course, minus many of the things I love most...Crave Princess cupcakes, vanilla lattes, my dogs, and maybe a few people too!! Okay, a lot of people. I'm repeating myself here, but the people are the most difficult thing to leave behind. I'm learning that new routines, foods, habits and haunts are easier than I had assumed to come by (yet those I love at home remain irreplaceable!) but the social networks built of years of a lifetime in one place are impossible to replicate. Nevermind the close friends and family that are so woven into my everyday life! I miss these things a lot! But not in an active sort of way, I mean to say that these new and exciting things are beginning to settle into more of a home and I now am feeling quite comfortable; less of a stranger among the people I see day in and day out, in the grocery aisles and my daily path from school and back. These small things are beginning to feel as familiar as at home. These little things that I thought would make parts of this trip difficult have become nicely routine and the things that remain new and exciting are distracting from missing home too much. My life is in a perfect balance here of adventure and comfort. Although, I should add that the looming return date home is also keeping me from missing home as I'm constantly aware that as at home as i feel; this is all so temporary. I'm relaxed, I'm happy, I'm care free and eating lots of sweets and cookies! Mmm, speaking of which i think one of my most favorite Swedish things (besides shopping) are their sweets! Delicious cream-puffs, chocolate and pastry's everywhere! Its really funny actually, I've yet to be to a pub as there are few to none to be found but I have seen up to 4, or more, pastry filled cafes share a street! If you don't like sweet things, you will here. Its like if you are in florida you don't wear a winter jacket, but you do here; if you don't like sweets at home you will here! There's no cold weather in florida and there are no comparable sweets at home (save for Crave!) Its unavoidable and dangerously delightful :) If i were staying more than a few months I would be in serious trouble thanks to my two favorite Swedish past times... shopping and dessert!
On another note...I went for a run on a new path yesterday and explored a new neighborhood with quite possibly the most adorable houses I have ever seen! More salmons and pastels, but also flowers in nearly every window, stone hedges and big wooden doors. Swedish architecture and homes are truly one of the most exotic things here for me! I've never really seen these styles anywhere else! Tomorrow I am going to take the same path on my way downtown and explore more of the neighborhood...but with my camera in tow so that I can show you all what I have difficulty describing in detail!
As I briefly mentioned before, my social calender has been more like at home for me this week with plans nearly every night and day! Lots of dinners, lunches, a party, a night of board games, shopping, ikea, saunas (another popular Swedish thing!) and baking! Its been really nice. I've become somewhat close with a few girls here over, and have formed a nice little group who give or take a few people I have been spending most of the week with and doing all of the things above with. A definite highlight was yesterday; we all went for a very nice lunch to this really cute sushi place where the sushi was amazing (my valentines gift from my mum!) and then went shopping where I got some beautiful boots (again), had class, and went for a nice long sauna! Tonight we celebrated chocolate cookies and cheap champagne night where we, surprise surprise, baked chocolate chip cookies and drank cheap champagne! I'm thinking this might become traditional here and at home as well. Its great, everyone should try it!
In addition to this...I had the most romantic valentines day EVER on Saturday as you can imagine! With my Swedish boyfriend Caroline, and our new dutch friend Heleen, we went to Ikea and had another popular Swedish delicacy...hotdogs (seriously, they're everywhere! Now i know why Ikea has them!) followed by some chocolate pie! It simply got hotter and more romantic from there on when we went discount grocery shopping and watched the sunset together on the long busride home; (nearly) arm in arm on the crowded bus. For dinner we treated ourselves to pizza and a bottle of gin and made our way to a party at our Swedish friend Anna's house! Okay so maybe not romantic, never mind the most romantic, but it was an unusual way to spend my valentines day and I can't think of a more appropriately Swedish way!
Wellll, I am getting quite tired now and can imagine that I talked (typed?) for a little too long! Wow, and a lot about food as well, how embarrassing! At least you are all caught up now on what I have been up to, and what I have been eating :)
Puss & Kram!!
xoxo
No comments:
Post a Comment