oslo and copenhagen

So my week since returning from Milan has been going very well. The weather in Sweden is getting colder and greyer. which makes it all the more tempting to snuggle under my covers and not get out of bed. Or take way too many naps.

My parents really liked the jacket I bought in Milan, and my mum liked the murano glass jewelry that I bought so much that she asked if they sold any in Oslo and Copenhagen. Which they don’t. Though I’m really glad she liked it.

I’ve found a wonderful shop that sells hot noodle soups exactly the way they do them back home. On Tuesday I went for wanton mee and today I couldn’t resist and headed back for a steaming bowl of hot meatball noodle soup in beefy stock. They were both so delicious– I joked to my friends that I nearly started weeping. For some reason, I can’t help but feel that the Asian cuisine in Sweden is just so much more authentic than America’s. None of that chinese food nonsense that we get back in the US of A, the dim sum is so much better than what I get in Chinatown, the japanese food doesn’t have weird hybrids like the Golden Dragon roll or something stupid and you’ll never find a place in America that sells noodle soup like the place I’ve found.

You know, coming to Sweden has really opened my eyes to a lot of things– I thought the world of America before I came here. I was rather irritated by what I still see as an American close-minded sense of superiority but I liked the people and I loved Wesleyan. Which is why I’m so surprised to find myself preferring Swedes, Sweden and Stockholm. Here, I’m free to be myself, to explore around independently and no one has formed a preconceived notion of me. Sweden is a nicer place to live–more egalitarian, less poverty, universal healthcare and education, less complicated and frustrating politics. The Swedes are humble and wordly–many have traveled around a lot and are very open-minded, which is much more than what I can say about some Americans. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m not looking forward to heading back to Wesleyan next semester because I know I’ll miss Sweden way too much.

Anyway, back to mundane things. I cooked fried rice for my host family today. It went much better than a few weeks back when I first cooked it for them. I added too much soy sauce and too much salt, not a good combination by any standards. Though they were nice enough to claim that they liked it and told me to do it again. Thank goodness it went well this time.

Also, I have a Swedish test tomorrow but for some reason I can’t bring myself to study hard for it. I need to make sure I don’t bomb any of the papers or exams here-especially after complaining endlessly to anyone who would listen about how bored I am by the classes.

I’m off to Oslo and Copenhagen tomorrow for a whole week with a bunch of kids from my program. I’m uber excited about it, though slightly concerned about group dynamics. Milan and Venice opened my eyes to the wonders of traveling by myself but going in a group is definitely safer and less stressful for my parents. Plus I get to see Scandinavia! So no updates for a week and when I get back, I absolutely promise to get my pictures up somehow!

Toodles oodles!

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