ღ LisaAngel ღ

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1. What did you do this year that you’ve never done before?  I’ve had chocolate muffins with chocolate chips in for breakfast… O.o
2. Did you keep your new years eve promises? Don’t even remember mine ^^
3. Did any of your friends become parents this year? Not that I know of, but both my brothers got married :) 
4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thank Go… I mean thank goodness :P
5. Which countries did you visit? US
6. Is there anything you miss of 2009 that you want from 2010? The beautiful Swedish fall ;)
7. Which date from 2009 will you always remember?  Aug 4-8
8. What was your biggest accomplishment during 2009? Moving abroad alone
9. Best friends this year? Everyone I’ve met, everyone I miss <3 
10. Have you been sick or physically hurt? To quote my sister who I got this test from “No hospital”… 
11. Best shopping? Smoothies forever <3
12. What did you spend the most money on? American High School (how sad is that?) and Exchange student program
13. Did anything make you really happy? Yes, most recently to play in the Pacific Ocean
14. Which songs will always remind you of 2009? Oh, the list is long.. Summer job=Sweetest Girl. Crow and the Butterfly has some significance too. And all musicals…
15. Were you happier or sadder this year than last? Both. Sad sometimes because I miss people back home, but happier because of everything I experience
16. What do you wish you had done more of? Sailing
17. What do you wish you had done less of? Waiting for Solveig to be done with her homework ^^
18. How did you spend Christmas? Watching my hostdad fall in love with my homemade Swedish meatballs xD 
19. Did you fall in love this year? Yup, and out of
20. Favourite show on TV? Swe: Medium, House, Midsumer Murders, Desperate Housewives. US: No TV
21. Best book you’ve read this year? Can’t recall all of them,,,
22. Biggest musical discovery? Kiddin? I’ve never been around so many musicals in my life.. Hahah
23. Something you wished for, for your birthday, and didn’t get? My own house on Galapagos Islands..? ^^

24. Something you wished for and got? I got the boots I wanted for Christmas :)
25. Someone random you’ve met this year? Gaby from Denmark <3
26. What did you do on your birthday 2009? Turned 17, had a party with all my best friends, cried of happiness
27. Is there anything that could have made your year even better? Guess there could be…
28. How would you describe your way of life during 2009? ”In America!” xP
29. What made you happy? Random ways that people show that they care
30. The 3 best things you got for Christmas? Loved it all ^^
31. Who did you miss? Where do I start..?

Tomorrow's New Years Eve!! Happy New Year everyone <3

Christmas morning for Sweden. Now. Merry Christmas to you all :)

I just recently came back after driving around in Hurricane dropping off Christmas presents for people with Solveig and Ingela. It was nice, we were like Santa's little helpers ^^

We also dropped off Laura, after her spending the evening here. It was really nice, she's so sweet and she helped us clean and then go to Krystal and exchange presents, and then we made meatballs which turned out... Well the first ones ended as a pile of black coal hahah. The second round was a meat-mess of pieces. The third round fell apart some, but at least the fourth round stayed pretty cute and small and round :D And we (me and Solveig) are finishing up the rest tomorrow, making some more. Laura got better and better at making them heheh ^^ Also tomorrow, we're making Janssons Frestelse and Apelsinsallad and stuff... It will be awsome :) But first thing in the morning (like 7 am) I'm gonna watch Donal Duck (huuuge swedish tradition thingy on TV) over skype with my family. It's like the biggest death sin ever to watch a recorded version of that Donald Duck thingy, so I have to see it live ^^

Thank you thank you thank you wonderful Laura and Krystal for your cute presents!! From Krystal I got a dog looking teddy bear with angel wings, so fuzzy and sweet. From Laura I got a chocolate orange (amazing things, I've never seen them in sweden but anyway they're like a chocolate ball in paper, and you hit one end of it against something hard and it cracks open like an orange, in boat-size thingys.. Anyone get what I'm saying?) and some chocolate that will make a yummie breakfast tomorrow. Also, I got a swedish version of the Book of Mormon from her. I'm not mormon or even kristian, and she knows that, but I think it was very sweet of her to find it in swedish and even have my name printed on the cover. Thank you Laura! Even though we don't share religion, we will forever be friends, I know for sure <3 love you girly ^^

Now I'm gonna go to bed. Or something. I can't help but being restless when I know that my family back home are awake now and grandma and Helmut will arrive any time soon and they will be eating all my favourite food and then it's time for donald duck and then presents and Karl Bertil Johnsons Jul... It's called homesickness, and everyone tells me it's worst around Christmas time. Everyone's right. But it's more of a "I wish I could do both, I wish I could travel in time"-type of feeling than just "I want to go home".

Yesterday we pretty much spent the day saying goodbye to Selena. It was very sad, and I feel sorry for her having to move to Missouri (apparently it wasn't colorado anymore) on the day before christmas eve.. New town, new hostfamily.. everything just before christmas. So sad.

I finished my christmas shopping yesterday, buying christmas presents is hard...Today I'll have to wrap them all up in wrapping paper.

Tomorrrow's Christmas Eve!!!

Now I'm gonna get up and help cleaning more, and hopefully see Laura later today :D

Soooon...



...Christmas!

After working on our dresses friday night, me and Krystal got to bed quite late and slept for long. We then cleaned some in the house, and went down to Hurricane with Solveig. We went shopping some while Solveig went to see Damon who'd come down from up north, and then all five of us (me, Krystal, Solvieg, Kayla and Damon) went shopping and it was tons of fun =)

We got back home late, and were too tired to do anything really. But me and Krystal had decided that we were gonna be reckless teenagers for once and so we had gotten blond hairdye and well.. it was fun x)

My hair's not really blond, but I started out with the dark colour I got earlier this fall so it kinda went back to my original colour but slightly lighter.. we will probably do a second round any day soon so we'll see how that works out ^^

Today I've been on skype with Sweden for about 2,5 hours and it was waay fun. I even started playing card games over skype with Elsa, Sara, Anna and Emelie ^^ Love you guys... <3

I'm so jealous though, because they have so much snow there!!! And we have non at all...

Anyway, now I'm off to see "the Princess and the Frog" with Solveig and Kayla.. :)

Looove

(What others say about the Swedish)
1. People ask you if you have polar bears on the streets and you try to spread the myth further by saying it is true.
3. You don't get why Non-swedes think it's odd that the sun stays up for about 24 hours in the summer.
5. You think that Sweden is constantly in the news abroad and are surprised to find that this is not the case at all.
6. You seriously want to HURT Non-Swedes who ask 'how's life in SWITZERLAND?'
8. People refuse to believe you're actually from Sweden because you're not platinum blonde with a Sven-Göran Ericsson accent.
9. You tell them your surname is Larsson and every Non-Swede automatically assumes you are related to Henrik Larsson.

(Misanchellous)
1. You have a summer house in the countryside. It has no running water or flushing toilet, but you can't understand why none of your non-Swedish friends want to visit.
8. You get chills down your spine thinking about the "Flour-tant".
9. Your parents pay you every month for not eating sweets for a year (or so).
11. You have been or know someone who has been an exchange student
12. You are amazed to find that other countries are not familiar with winter tires and 'halkbanor'.
13. You know an entire catalogue of “Bellman”- and “Norge” jokes.
15. Everyone owns at least one mobile phone, but there's no longer land line phones in all homes.
16. You think that v70R is the ultimate sportscar.
17. You know the population of your hometown quite accurately.
18. At the age of ten, you knew all twenty five counties of Sweden by heart, including every town with approximately more than five people in it. In other words, you’ve have had a good geographical education.
21. You go to McDonalds & the staff work as elite models in their spare time.
22. When you tell Americans that you're Swedish and get thoroughly annoyed when they say "Me too!"
23. You get surprised and slightly annoyed whenever someone says (after you’ve told them you’re Swedish) how cute your accent is.
24. You secretly consider Finland a part of Sweden and can't understand why they don't.
31. You unfortunately realise that everything on this list is true.
26. Someone in your family or someone you know has a ping-pong table in their country house.
27. You find it normal to have the kitchen lamp hanging from a cord/string over your table instead of being attached directly to the ceiling.
25. Your queen is from Germany.

(Traditions)
1. You thought Christmas was cancelled when Arne Weise retired.
3. You know what a “Julbock” is and don't find it strange that a goat brings you presents at Christmas.
5. You don't find it at all strange or unimaginative that the day after Christmas day is called "another day Christmas, and the day after Easter is called "Another day Easter"
10. It is considered a sin to record Donald Duck on the video at Christmas.
9. You know you are from Sweden when you associate 3 pm on Christmas Eve with Donald Duck, and vice versa.
13. You don't mind waking up way too early during the first twenty four days of December in order to watch fifteen minutes of TV's annual Advent Calendar.
15. During one day in June, you sing and dance around a giantic up-side down penis dressed in flowers and then proudly call it a Swedish tradition.
19. You really want to attend the Nobel Prize Dinner.
22. When you associate Thursday with pea soup and pancakes.
23. You think it's normal to get on the back of a truck or convertible car and drunkenly shout and sing for hours at passers-by just because you graduated from school.
24. You are attending a New Year's Party that suddenly takes a break when it is time to watch “Dinner for One” (Grevinnan och Betjänten).
29. You look forward all year for August when you get to gather your friends, put on silly paper hats, drink Vodka, sing and eat crayfish.
30. Easter means decorating some twigs in a vase with coloured feathers, eating herring and painted eggs.
34. You try to explain who “Näcken” is to Non-Swedes and they look at you funny.
35. You eat minimum ten buns with almond paste and whipped cream on “Fettisdagen” and claim that it just doesn't taste right if the lid isn't triangular.

(Behaviour)
5. You don't mind walking instead of taking the car.
6. You put toilet paper on the seat in a public toilet and double fold it neatly.
7. At cafés, you find it completely normal walking all the way to the counter to order and then carrying it yourself to the table rather than being waited on.
10. You don't mind sharing the toilet cubicle with all of your friends to save 5 SEK.
11. You would happily catch the tube to the suburbs at 3am or walk alone through a park at night, but you'd NEVER ride in a car without your seatbelt on
12. You find it difficult to breathe if your internet shuts down, even just for a little while.
15. You know at least 10 Abba songs by heart.
16. You are prone to stand in line without complaining.
18. Whenever discussing international problems you always, without exception state that "why don't you do it like we do it in Sweden?"
19. You take your shoes off when entering a house, and don't get why non-Swedes find that funny.
27. After having realized that someone is standing on your foot in the underground, you think that the best idea is to not say anything at all or maybe cough or nod a little in order to attract the attention of the person standing on your foot.
31. Everybody applauds when your flight lands. What we would do if it crashed? Boo, perhaps?
33. You call yourself a Christian despite the fact that the only time you ever went to church was the last day of school in the summer.
40. Everytime you see a swedish Brand/actor/company/phone/car/furniture store you feel compelled to point that out to your Non-Swedish friends (with barely hidden pride in your voice).
41. You get annoyed by people standing to the left in the escalator.
43. You get up from your seat one stop early; the train might leave before you're off!
45. You insist on convincing people that the Vikings were the first to discover America.
48. Living with your partner and having kids together without even planning on getting married is perfectly normal.
51. Living abroad, you wanted to put up a Swedish flag outside your flat but were told not to by your neighbors and friends, and even when you wanted to put up a little blue and yellow banner they still told you not to, and you never got why it was a really bad idea.
52. You get really stressed and confused at the post office abroad when they don't use “the thing that you take the numbered ticket from that tells you when it’s your turn”.
53. When in other countries you sigh about all the official paperwork that needs to be done, since it's so much easier in Sweden.
54. You spend most of your summers in the park playing a game with wooden sticks, and when telling confused Non-Swedes about it you insist that it's the best game ever.
57. You refer to your age by stating the year you were born.
58. You refer to people from the capital by stating the first two digits in their phone number. (08:or)
59. You are never too old to get happy and excited when you hear the sounds of the ice cream van.
61. You answer the phone by saying your first name.
62. Your non Swedish friends take the piss out of you speaking Swedish on the phone because every second word you say is "bra".
63. You end your phonecalls with 'pusspuss' and then don't understand at all why the english-speaking people around you looks at you like you're a retard or a pervert.
64. You consider your pet a proper member of the family, and speak to them not with a baby voice (which most nationalities do) but as one would to your average person.
68. You are always apologizing, even if you don´t know why.
72. You start a subscription of a magazine just to get hold of the free gift. Then, you quit your subscription.
78. You catch a bit of blue and yellow out of the corner of your eye and look to see if it's the Swedish flag or something with the Swedish flag, preferably a football shirt you can wear during the next World Cup.
79. You find it annoying that you have to tip in a restaurant outside of Sweden.
80. You think it's normal to get your post delivered through a hole in the door
82. You don't drink or eat anything that is one day past its “best before date."
89. You think it's perfectly normal to go out and party every weekend from the age of 13.
90. You openly discuss taboo subjects like sex and politics at the dinner table or parties or with strangers.
91. You call your parents, and even your grandparents, by their first names.
92. After eating at a café/restaurant, you think it's completely normal to tidy your table, collect all your stuff onto a tray and carry it over a trolley so that the staff doesn't have to do it.
93. You feel awkward using a lift with people you don't know, so you desperately try to find a spot somewhere to focus your eyes until you reach your floor. Then you feel a sense of relief and joy.

(Common sense/attitude)
2. You know it’s a sin lifting the top layer in the Aladdin chocolate box before it's empty.
3. You find people from other cultures generally being rather loud. With the exception of the Finish.
5. You get guilty conscience from throwing things in the dustbin that could have been recycled.
6. You don't consider a congregation of trees being a "real" forest unless it takes at least 20 minutes to drive through it.
7. You use the metric system and really don't get why there are people out there who don't.
17. You feel bad if you're not outside on a sunny day.
21. You consider Volvo and Saab the ultimate family cars.
22. You ONLY eat sweets on Saturdays.
24. You can actually see the logic of “klämdagar”.
25. You think thats its ridiculous to build houses from bricks. Wood is the real deal!
27. You don't think a farmhouse is actually a farmhouse unless it is red or yellow with white trim.
28. You don't find "bananer i pyjamas" to be a bit sexual.
29. You realize that five ants are more than four elephants
30. You hate keyboards without “å, ä, ö” with a passion.
32. You know they are the same, but you just don't trust ibuprofen and paracetamol the way you trust Ipren and Alvedon
33. You, in pure disgust try to tell your fellow peers that it’s basic human behavior to shower after PE and they look at you like you come from a different planet.
34. You can’t believe that you have to pay for your disgusting school lunch.
43. You know, but don’t really get why and how Sweden "tronar på minnen från fornstora dar, då ärat dess namn flög over jorden.”
44. You find it hilarious that the Polish sing about the evil Swedes in their national anthem.
47. You analyse EVERYTHING way too much.
49. Making fun of Norwy is a national institution. And vice versa.
50. You systematically accuse the Germans for stealing elk signs.
51. You think that everyone is allowed to walk in any field or forest. And when people abroad tell you it's private land, you don't understand and say "But, what about Allemansrätten?"
56. You fully believe that walking on "a-brunnar" gives u bad luck.
59. When the only school grades you know are "pass", "fail" and "high pass", and don't understand why others have grades like A, B. C.....
63. You still believe it’s free to visit your doctor even though, in fact it’s pretty expensive, but you keep spreading this myth of the free health care system to the rest of the world.
65. You understand the unspoken war between Stockholm and Göteborg.
67. You were never patriotic about Sweden when you lived there, but once you moved out, consider Sweden to be some sort of paradise where everything is perfect - unlike your new country of residence.
68. You don't see why people are so upset about bringing in ID cards - because you've had one since you were twelve.
69. You think every country could do with "personnummer" to make things run more smoothly.
73. You really can’t see why anyone would ever call it Gothenburg, since it makes Non-Swedes think that’s where Batman resides.
74. You constantly complain about the United States doing horrible things in the world and not taking its responsibility. Still, you are tempted to go, live, or study there.
76. You think five weeks of vacation a year is way too little.
77. You have a nervous breakdown unless “things” are in their right compartments and properly labeled.
78. You are baffled because the concept of “tvättstuga” does not exist in all countries.

2. You know that there must be some sort of difference between “Plopp” and “Center”, since they´re both made by Cloetta, but you can´t figure out what it is.
3. You don't consider small, round fluffy things stacked over each other and served with syrup to be actual pancakes. Real pancakes are thin, taste better...are served with jam and sometimes whipped cream - just like the ones Pippi Longstocking makes.
4. You eat pancakes with jam, not lemon and sugar like the English.
5. You consider Non-Swedish cinnamon buns a failed attempt to mimmick the 'original' and become annoyed everytime you bite into one because it tastes nothing the real thing.
6. The notion of pouring the closest equivalent to “filmjölk” (buttermilk) over your cereal doesn't sound odd...in fact, you'd probably go out and get some berries/fruit to blend with the cereal.
7. You know that a sandwich consists of only one slice of bread.
8. You find the ads for Coca Cola during Christmas completely useless since no one would consider drinking any other soft drink than "julmust" during Christmas anyway.
9. You know that it is not true, but you like to believe that there is a massive difference between the taste of "julmust" and "påskmust".
10. Making the cheese look like a ski slope is a mortal offence.
13. You love O’boy to pieces and know that there is no way the Nesquick powder can ever replace it.
15. You think it's ridiculous to sell milk and yogurt in anything other than Tetrapak.
16. “Tallriksmodellen" pops up in your head every time you serve food.
19. You could survive on just fish and prawns, and still manage to have a different dish for every meal for a month, even put it in cake.
21. You know that the most common cars in Sweden are not Volvo's or Saab's, but “Ahlgrens Bilar”.
22. You can debate for hours the difference between the taste of the pink, the green and the white car in a pack of “Ahlgrens Bilar”.
24. You have been asked by Non-Swedes, 'You eat reindeer in Sweden don't you?' and answered in the affirmative, reinforcing their beliefs with a conversation ending - 'Yeah, the bloodier the better.'
26. You call cupcakes “muffins” and argue that your way is right.
28. You actually miss “Knäckebröd” when you are abroad but never eat it in Sweden since it's too dry.
29. You insist that Swedish chocolate is the best in the world, despite what the Belgians and the Swiss might say.
32. You know that there is a massive difference between “gravlax” and smoked salmon, and differences in opinion on which tastes the better has led to many arguments during family dinners.
33. You get really defensive when people think “Smörgåsbord” simply means a variety of something and can't grasp the concept of one.
34. You need to explain the concept of "Smörgåstårta" to someone, and you have to point out that “no, it's not a cake, it is food”.
37. Gravy just doesn't cut it. “Gräddsås” is the shit!
39. You try to get non-Swedes to like smoked salmon and pickled herring.
40. You feel that "kladdkaka" tastes better than normal chocolate cake.
43. You have a craving for at least one litre of milk a day.
44. You can name at least seven different kinds of jam, and produce four of them in your own kitchen.
45. You are abroad and “lösgodis” (pick n’mix) becomes more desirable than cigarettes.
46. You have never ever heard of either “Annas gingerbread” nor “Mrs Elswood's cod roe spread - product of Sweden” nor “Swedish glace” nor “Swedish fish” nor “Swedish Berry Candys”.
47. It annoys you that the hot chocolate powder abroad doesn’t mix with cold milk.
48. You ask a visitor from back home to to bring you “Långa Fina”-bread, “Kvibille Cheddar” and “Herrgårdsost” and all those other everyday luxuries you miss.
51. You try over and over again to explain to a Non-Swede what a "semla" is.
53. You put salt and not sugar on your popcorn (and think people who eat sugary popcorn are totally wierd).
54. You die a little inside if you don't get your weekly ration of "Mamma Scans Köttbullar".
55. You love "Blodpudding" and love the disgusted faces of your non-Swedish friends when you explain what it is.
62. The best cake is "Princess Tårta" and you know that any other cake is rubbish.
65. You can eat anything as long as it's served with lingonberry jam.
66. The first thing you have to do when you get home (to Sweden) is ordering meatballs, mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam at Sibylla.
67. You say “Huh?” when you hear about KFC and admits to never eaten at Kentucky Fried Chicken or even seen one.
70. You really don’t get how anyone can eat peanut butter with jam on their toast
72. You eat every meal with a knife and fork.
73. You are living abroad and you are slightly lost because there are a number of dishes in your repertoire you can't make anymore, because you can’t get hold of “falukorv”.
74. You happen to come across a Swedish food product in your local supermarket and just HAVE to buy it because it's food from back home.
76. You scream 'pata lul' while having macaroni and cheese with macaroni in the shape of wheels.
79. You think that singled packed slices of cheese are a stupid waste of resources.
83. When you have lived abroad for a while and a single “Ahlgrens Bil” is enough to put you in a state of silly-eyed, open-mouthed bliss for at least 15 minutes.
89. You know that there is no way there is any correlation between Swedish and American cheescake.
90. You consider "Surströmming" to be proper food, not toxic waste.
91. You eat ice-cream in the winter.
92. You've never seen a Starbucks and find it terribly “exotic”.
2. You just love to 'fika' and know that it is an activity that is meant to last for hours and is NOT the equivalent of going for a coffee.
6. You pronounce Mtv “mtweee”.
8. People ask you if we speak English, German or French in Sweden.
12. You don’t get the fact that there are two different sounds for “V” and “W” in English.
13. You have a tendency to not divide words when you write in English, since "särskrivning" is a sin.
19. You just don't "orka"...
20. You think you understand Danish.
21. The Danish think you understand Danish.
22. Ultimatley, when spoken, you don't really understand Danish.
24. You thought you understood Norwegian since you can understand Jon Skolmen in "Sällskapsresorna" and it was a brutal awakening when you realized that you can't understand a single word of what they actually say.
26. You have often wondered how to tell the English that you are “kissnödig” or “bajsnödig”.
27. Joo lajk to talk svänglish witt jår fränds jöst bekåse itts såunds såh riddkiulös.
30. It's raining and you hear yourself say your grandmother’s wise words, "There is no bad weather, just bad clothes".
34. You find it OBVIOUS that a mile is 10 kilometres.
37. You end every phone call with "puss puss" and don’t get why Non-Swedes laugh at you.
39. You actually know how to pronounce “smörgasbord”.
41. You’re always stuck trying to explain what "fil" is...unsuccessfully.
42. You have to explain the wonder that is "snus" while everyone around you is about to vomit.
43. You understand the phrase "fjortis" and suddenly don’t miss being a teenager anymore.
44. You know what the term "dansband" refers to, but know that it is a losing battle explaining to Non-Swedes what it is.
46. Non-Swedes say your name in fifty different ways, but no one can get it right.
49. You see your non-Swedish friends utter display of confusion when you answer 'there is no danger on the roof' in response to their comment of not having any money left on their bus card...
50. You have, with some measure of success, spoken “rövarspråket”.
54. You get frustrated when people don't understand the differences between "juice", "saft" and "nektar" or why we drink "juice" with pulp.
56. You say something was "very funny" when you really mean "it was a lot of fun"
57. You find it hard to explain the concept of “tomtar och troll" in English.
58. You read something in another language and they use the words "ombudsman" or "smorgasbord" you get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
59. You've tried to teach a Non-Swede to say "Sex laxar i en lax-ask".
60. You find that teaching Non-Sweds the Swedish alphabet makes your day.
64. You say “oj” before sorry; “Oj, sorry!”
67. You say “Yes, thanks” instead of “Yes, please”.
71. You think that the response: "garden and garden" is a perfectly normal response to the question "Do you have a garden?", or "car and car" to the question "Do you have a car?"
74. You think the english word "synopsis" is funny and giggle due to all the sexual associations you get...
76. You speak English with an American accent rather than British, even though you live in Europe, although you do mix American and British vocabulary.
77. You say embaressing things like "I have two pricks in my name" or "I'm a fart freak" because you think all Swedish words can be translated directly to English
78. You think that "restrooms" are used for relaxing.
79. You innocently say “F**K” at completely inappropriate times when talking English.
80. You have found yourself trying to explain to Non-Swedes why on earth K is sometimes pronounced “SCH” or “CH” Like “Kärlek”, “Kök” and so on.
82. You tell people to call “Polia”, after having asked if they need help.

(IKEA)
1. You trust IKEA more than your government.
2. IKEA is home away from home.
5. You know the names of a multitude of IKEA items.
6. You know how to pronounce these names and sigh when Non-Swedes don't.
8. You rarely visited IKEA when you lived back in Sweden but once you are abroad you think visiting IKEA is a small trip back home, that makes your eyes damp and feel even more home sick than before.
9. Going to IKEA abroad, you end up loitering in the Swedish Food Market, buying more food than furniture.
10. While on one hand you praise the Swedish Food Market, you feel betrayed since the “Svenska bullar" they sell are clearly not anything like what you had back home.
12. When living outside the borders of Sweden you panic when IKEA has sold out of “julmust” before Christmas.

(Shopping)
1. You find it normal to have to go to a special store that is owned by the government, that's only open during daytime to buy a bottle of wine, or other alcoholic beverages.
2. You feel uncomfortable when the cashier asks you "how are you today", because you assume she really wants to know and expects a thorough answer - isn´t she being a little bit too private?
7. You get a nervous breakdown if the person in front of, or, behind you at ICA doesn't use the next customer stick on the grocery belt.
9. You're about to pay in any shop and wonder where you get your ticket to stand in the queue
11. You feel uncomfortable with the cashier packing your bags for you, and secretly you consider this to be very inefficient since he/she should concentrate on helping the next customer.
15. You prefer to buy food at ICA instead of Netto or Lidl, just because of principles and the fact that it looks neater at ICA. No matter how expensive it is.
17. You don't feel ashamed jumping from last place to first in the queue at ICA when someone opens a new cash till.
18. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12 etc. really confuses you.
19. It's completely normal for you that all newspapers are stapled together and you can't handle non-Swedish newspapers, that are not.
22. You actually count your items before going to the max. 10 items cashier.

(Litterature)
1. You thought Astrid Lindgren was immortal and were shocked and cried your heart out when she actually did die.
2. You think that everything Astrid Lindgren ever wrote, sums up all the good things about being Swedish.
3. You secretly believe you'll come to Nangiala when you die.
5. You get REALLY annoyed when people outside of Sweden do not know that Pippi Longstocking is Swedish.
6. You know what "sockerdricksträdet" is and you wish that you owned it.
7. You know who Nils Holgersson is and you know it was Selma Lagerlöf and not Astrid Lindgren who wrote the book about him.
8. Even though jumping into hay bales is really gross you still do it and love it only because "Bullerby Barnen" did it.
10. You know who Bamse is, and love him with all your heart and got surprised when you were told he’s not famous elsewhere.

(TV/Film)
1. You think the best moment in Swedish film history was when Stig Helmer tried to get orange juice from the stewardess call-button.
3. You are likely or very unlikely to admit ever having watched a full episode of “Allsång på Skansen” but feel the fact they broadcast it every summer is soothing and a notion that things remain in their normal state.
4. You were devastated to learn that neither “Skurt” nor “Televinken” were real people.
7. Quoting Elin from “Fucking Åmål” was part of your everyday language when you were a teenager.
8. You know that the only parts Swedish people get to play in movies are when there is supposed to be a stupid blonde in the scene.
10. You know the catchfrase "FÖRGRYMMADE UNGE" and your parents have used it on more than one occasion when you were naughty as a child.
11. You know all the words to the “Emil i Lönnerberga” theme song by heart and as a child he was your hero.
12. You know what a "stänkare" is and what movie series the expression got famous from.
13. “Iprenmannen" haunts your nightmares, although still, you find yourself humming the song in the shower.
14. You got thoroughly annoyed when Peter Harryson was replaced on "Så Ska Det Låta".
16. You have seen all the "Sällskapsresorna" and know the story by heart.
17. You get sentimental hearing the intro to “Björnes Magasin".
18. You try, unsuccessfully, to explain the concept of "Björnes Magasin" to bewildered Non-Swedes.
19. You know who Björne is, and can identify at least Snigel and Hugo.
20. You know that no children’s TV show theme will ever amount to the anthem that is "Bolibompa bolibombompa bolibompa bolibombompa HAR NI SETT KANAL ETT!"
21. You've learned something from “Hjärnkontoret” during your pre-teenage years.
22. You enthusiastically force your shocked non-Swedish friends to watch a YouTube clip of "Kalles Klätterträd" while proudly showing off that you know every single word of the lyrics.
24. You spell “Morden i Midsomer”: "Morden i Midsommar"
26. You watch "Svensson, Svensson" 's annual christmas special, even if you've seen it a thousand times. You laugh every time as if it was the first time you saw it.
27. You get into hysterics when you find that SVT have made new episodes of "Svensson Svensson" and rejoice when you discover you can watch them right there on the website.
29. As a child, it was almost a religious thing to wake up at 9 a.m during the summer holidays in order to watch "Sommarmorgon".
30. You have at one point or more, during your childhood, attempted to fabricate something that you learnt how to make from watching "Hajk".
31. While fabricating the thing mentioned in the previous point, “things” went terribly wrong.
32. Despite the mayhem caused by the failure of the previous point, Bengt Alsterlind will forever be your hero.
33. You have seen "sommartorpet" with Ernst Kirchsteiger and gotten a summer feeling inside.
34. You say ''it's almost as low as Glocalnet''.
35. You watch an English/American film and get upset that all swedes are called Inga,Ingrid or Sven when you know these are not common names in Sweden.
36. You hate the TV-show "Joelbitar" with a passion, but know the theme song by heart.
39. You find the censorship on American TV, radio and magazines extremely annoying.
40. You turn on your TV just to check out what's happening to Stig, Sonja and Ulf in the latest “ICA” advertisment.
41. You’ve repeatedly had very emotional discussions about the new "Bolibompa" dragon and how much better the old one was.

(Music)
1. You consider "Schlager" being a proper music genre.
2. You only listen to “Schlager” once a year.
4. When you giggle when singing the second verse of “Ja, må han leva”.
5. You feel the need to apologize to people for the Crazy Frog since a Swede invented it.
6. You know the lyrics of "Man ska ha husvagn..." and every now and then it pops up in your head.
7. You think the song in the “Blossa” advertisement is a proper Christmas carol.
9. You believe that GES "När vi gräver guld i USA" is the best song about football ever. EVER!
10. The voice of Per Gessle brings back memories from every summer of your life.
12. You force Non-Sweds to listen to Gyllenetider during the whole summer even though they cant understand the beauty of it. it is not because of your lack of trying. You have in fact tried to translate all the songs for them and tried to convince them to learn to sing “Sommar tider” in Swedish.
13. Even if you normally hate ABBA, Ace of Base, Roxette etc. you still LOVE it when you're in a club abroad and they play something Swedish (you'll probably even ask the DJ to play it…).
14. You’ve always believed that Cornelis Wreeswijk sang a song called "Hejsan Morsan, Hejsan Stabben", even though it’s really called "Brev från Kolonien")

(Sports)
2. You don't really care about winning as long as the Swedish beat the Norwegians and the Finish, no matter what the game/contest is.
9. You get into an argument explaining to non-Swedish people that Zlatan Ibrahimovic ACTUALLY IS from Sweden.
10. You find it perfectly normal to exercise by doing the Nordic Walking (“stavgång”) which means taking a walk with two ski sticks and no skis.
11. You are stuck in front of the TV watching curling during every Olympic Games.
14. You know that Björn Borg and Börje Salming are not just famous athletes but also have their own underwear collections.
15. You consider finding red and white markers in the forest, only with the use of map and compass a pastime, not a cruel and unusual punishment.

(Famous people)
1. You find it hillarious that Bo G Eriksson is E-Type’s father.
2. You think that Robert Gustavsson is the funniest man alive; Period.
3. You know Carl Larsson captures the atmosphere of a 'stuga' perfectly.

(Travelling)
3. The first thing you ask when coming back from a trip abroad, is how the weather was while you were away.
5. You are abroad and ask for "Swedish coffee” at the hotel.
6. Apart from what’s mentioned in the previous point, of course you do also use other quotations from "Sällskapsresan" when going abroad.
7. On vacation, you have no problem getting up at 5 a.m to "save" your familys seats by the beach with towels.
8. You take a picture of yourself (on your crappy mobile phone camera), lying on the beach abroad when it's winter in Sweden, and send it to all of your friends (especially the ones you don't like).
14. You call Mallorca "Mallis".

(Partying/drinking habits)
1. The thought taking shots of “snaps” without singing has never occurred to you.
2. It doesn’t matter if it’s “snaps” or not, you love singing “snapsvisor” while drinking anything.
11. You do, to some extent, consider cider being a children’s soft drink. 

(Fashion sense)
2. You don't find it wierd at all to get undressed in a locker room with unknown people.
3. You knew what crocs were two years before the rest of the world
4. You are dying for crocs to become constitutionally banned as they are “soooooooo last season”.
5. You know Swedish guys not necessarily are gay, only their dress code seem to have that effect on Non-Swedes.
8. You always follow the latest fashion trends since you are afraid you won't "fit in" if you don't.
10. You have a closet full of clothes from H&M
11. Talking to a Non-Swede you get hurt and pissed off if the person you are talking to doesn’t know H&M is Swedish.
12. You actually know what the H and the M in H&M means and consider it shocking that no one else does.
18. You think it’s really weird that when you go shopping for a swimsuit outside the borders of Sweden, the bikinis come with tops.

Wonder if ANYONE made it all the way through..? What was your favourite one?? ^^ I personally looove this one:
"You think the best moment in Swedish film history was when Stig Helmer tried to get orange juice from the stewardess call-button." x'D I also love: "During one day in June, you sing and dance around a giantic up-side down penis dressed in flowers and then proudly call it a Swedish tradition." Hahahaah

Hi there :) Sorry I've been kinda invisible, my computer had som problems connecting to the network and I didn't have any internet for  a few days..

The guitar concert Wednesday was kind of a disaster. I did pretty good, improvised some on my solo but well I got through it without stopping constantly like some (most) people. Then Secret Agent man was great. Thursday after school we (the family and Kayla) went to Tuacahn High School's performance of White Christmas. It was very sweet, a nice show but wooh creepy how much the male lead looked just like Fredrik in Sweden. Woaah. Almost scary.

Friday, was the B&B cast party. It was tons of fun, really I think everyone there had fun. There was a pool but I didnt swim because (1) I was kinda sick still and (2) I didn't get to know about the pool until I was in school and I didn't go to Apple Valley between school and the party.

We had lots of unhealthy food, and danced. Then we played LapTag forever, and screaming and laughing because almost everyone joined and it was waaay fun. I'm gonna teach that game to everyone I know in Sweden when I come back! Then we had the Talent Show and me and Laura sung (with movements) a swedish song that I think some of you recall from the Scout Camp at Vindalsö... "Lille Ole i skogen, mellan tuverne vandre. Och så plötsligt så möte, han en kämpestor björn. Ååååh, Holl La La Tchi Hi, Holl La La Tchi 'bear sound', Holl La La Tchi Hi, Holl La La Tchi 'bear sound'....." etc. Anyone? It was so much fun and we got almost everyone to do it with us :P

Also, we showed our awsome choreography to "Home" that we did every night of the show, backstage. Rich loved it ^^ I love Laura so much, she's amazing <3

Btw, did anyone see this article in the newspaper? Well here's the online version:
Here's the article

Today, or actually yesterday since it's past midnight, we spent the day i Las Vegas with the Vasa Orden, celebrating Lucia and christmas. Guess what? I bet I was the only Lucia in all of Vegas ^^ I had a train of little "tärnor" and "stjärngossar" behind me, and me and Solveig sung a few songs in Swedish. Afterwards, lots of people came up to us and told us how wonderful we'd been, the two Swedish girls :P And We even heard that some of the older people who hadn't seen real swedish Lucia for so long, but been to the Lucia celebration in Vegas every year, they'd started to cry when they saw us because they thought it was so amazing to see "real Lucia" and hear the real songs in swedish and I'm glad they all loved it :) Steve took pictures so I'm gonna put some up here as soon as I get them off the camera. Also, I have glittery stuff now to have in my hair on Monday (no one will know why but well it is Lucia and so whatever).

Solveig was such a cute glittery-girl (tärna) and I had a real crown of metal with alive candles. It was soo heavy!

The evening I've spent watching the DVD from the show (Beauty and the Beast) that we finally got. It's amazing. I just love it! And all the cute moments like Laura's amazing bread dive in the middle of the fighting scene, or Jenny's joke about Mrs Potts and baseball...

But now I'm going to bed. Next week is the last week of school, and then it's Christmas Break!!! :D Wohoo!!

Did I forget to mention earlier that it's 2nd Advent today? Oh I guess I did. Well it is =D

Light two candles all Swedes! Oh wait. it's already Monday morning in Sweden... Darn it..

Here are the two choirs in the State Capitol Building =)



And here are some people making funny faces ^^



And heres two of the songs that the chamber choir sung and two of ours. I have it recorded and filmed when we sing in the huge hall of this building (above on pics) but I've gotta upload those on youtube before I can get them on here.. So you'll have to wait. Enjoy these for now!

Chamber Choir
Run to Bethlehem
Still Still

Ladies Choir
Children go where I send thee!
Candlelight Carol



Good night!

There is something magic about December 1st. I can't help it, it's the start of the Christmas Month and therefore kind of the start of Christmas overall... In Sweden, the Christmas Calendar starts in both radio and on TV (not that I watch it but it's nostalgic just to know that it starts). In Sweden, I would start my Christmas shopping by now soon. Here, there's not much called shopping. Apple Valley has a Gas Station, and that's as far as I can get by my self. Hurricane has a pathetic little mall, and Wallmart of course.. And all the unhealthy fast food places :P
St George.. Well let's just hope I get there some time before Christmas. And also, I'm going to SLC this weekend and there might be some shopping possible there :D

Anyway, in America this is just an ordinary Tuesday. We're finally done with the dance project and will focus on the dances for the showcase this spring. We'll start by learning "Bye bye blackbird" or something...

Happy December 1st or whatever you wanna call it ^^
Love