Thank you to my loyal readers.

Just a little thank you to those that read my blog every day. :)

I love keeping the site going, and it is one thing that I try to make sure I accomplish each day, even if I don't get to finish all the dishes. :) I know it is important to many people, especially those in the US, to keep up with all that is happening here. (Even if it isn't so much to keep up with sometimes.) :)


Also a thank you about all the nice comments and well wishes that I got when I had my very depressing day last week.

It happens every now and then that there is a really bad day, but thankfully those are usually few and far between.

Of course there are things that bother me with living here:
- Can only call the doctor for an appointment between the times of 09.30-09.35 on Tuesdays.
- The closest ER hospital is 1½ hours away (but of course that is because of where we live).
- Police station closes at 3PM, and isn't open on the weekends.
- Only a few stores are open on Saturday, and nothing on Sundays.
- You're lucky if a store is open until 18.00.
- The entire country shuts down for the month of July.
- Getting a drivers license is more difficult and almost as expensive as graduating from college.
- The food tastes like nothing.
- Schooling takes fooooooooorrrreeevver. (6 years for a teaching degree?? Please.)
- And everything being so excessively expensive.


And there are reasons that I absolutely love living in Sweden. Way too many to name. The annoying things for the most part aren't that bad. Just cultural differences that you have to get used to. But sometimes they can be really, really annoying. :/ :))

Of course getting used to the people is what goes along with getting used to living here. Obviously I'm not doing such a good job in that department. I don't think it is me though. I think it is "them." :/ :)

I refuse to change how I am in order to fit in and make friends. I'd rather not have any friends then have to change how I am. I have tried to figure out what I am doing wrong.. What is wrong with me that people don't want to be my friend..

One of the major problems that Fredrik and I have encountered with making friends is: that we don't drink coffee.
Can you believe that that is a breaking-point on how people treat you?? Silly, isn't it?

It is definitely worse with women than men. Fredrik says his workmates thinks it is weird that he doesn't drink coffee, but they get over it pretty quickly. But the women at the baby cafe... WoW! If someone offers a cup of coffee, and I say I don't drink it, their nose goes in the air, and I get an "Oohh."

It is so frustrating having people judge your conversation abilities on the fact that you don't drink coffee. People seriously think that if you don't drink coffee then you aren't an adult. In Sweden, a person's intellectual capabilities are based on a cup of hot liquid.

No I don't want coffee.
I don't want to turn my teeth yellow, I want to keep my taste buds intact, and I don't want a caffeine addiction.
But I can still have a very intellectual conversation. But no one is interested in talking after they know I don't drink coffee. And once I know that they think I am immature because I don't drink coffee, I become completely uninterested in them if they are going to judge me based on something so unimportant. So then the feeling is mutual.

Ehhh...
I refuse to start drinking coffee, so I guess I will have to be friend-less. :)

I do have family and friends that enjoy my conversation anyways. :) I guess I'll just have to stick with them. :))