Sweet and Sour Experiences

This week I have enjoyed the evilness of force feeding my fellow colleagues with Salted Licorice ("Djungelvral"). Oh God, what pure entertainment to see the faces of the poor English sweet-tooths when they got the ammoniac chloride (it's a type of salt, often used in North Europe candies) on their Cadbury-tongues. Heheh. Interestingly, bringing Mr Germany to Stockholm for the weekend proved a lot of similarities that I didn't think of. For example, he loves pickled herring and knackebrod and all other strange fish-dishes we serve up there. And he passed the Ammoniac test too. Hehhe. Germany -- England 1-0.

Ordnung musst sein?

"If this is now the most expensive area in Europe more or less, could they not try and clean it up a bit??". Walking through the bohemian and beautiful Notting Hill in the February sunshine with Mr Germany, I realized the differences in views from Germans and English people. The English love and cherish the scrubbyness, the originality, the relaxed and the soulful. Quite often Germany is regarded as polished and boring. I think I can see the benefits of both sides, I love the relaxness of the English but can feel I miss the organized societies that Sweden also is.

Very pleased that I can mix both worlds. Freelancing as always.

Is Europe my oyster. Really?

Somedays I wake up thinking I am on top really. Previously this would mean that ANYthing is possible. Should I fall in love with a bush-man from Africa, I would sure as hell more there. Most likely, the possibility-thinking involved falling in love with Australians. "I will love it down there, no problem at all. "

This "window of opportunity" has shrunk some and these days (mainly after my NYE trip to Aus when I realized how insanely far away it is) I happily shout out "as long as I live in Europe, I am happy. Europe is my OYSTER". "As long as all flights are only 2-3 hours, it will all be easy."

But some days I wake up thinking that wouldn't it actually be nice to live home in the Motherplanet, with closeness to family and old friends? To not having to always be the outsider and the different one, to be able to joke about children-programmes from the 70-ties and old hits from Svensktoppen. Or at least stay in this acquired new home-land where I am anyway a little bit integrated already instead of mixing in any new nationalities (for instance a German date).

I really don't like those days. I like it when I am full of energy and everything is fun and easy and uncomplicated. I think I will stick to that. Being lazy or a coward never took anyone further in life.

Europe IS my oyster.

Hidden Humourist?

Perhaps it's not so much about Hidden Agenda. It's most likely more about hidden signals. I don't know how to otherwise describe that I constantly feel that I am entertaining my colleagues? To start with I think they just felt I was a plain whacko, but now they laugh openly. And it feels a bit weird since I am not sure really what is so enormously entertaining but I join in their laughter, just to show I am actually not completely nerdy. Which is probably only proving the contrary. I think it's what I say, how and express and my pronounciation of things.

Easy being a comedian these days.

Fanastically Friendly or Sarcastically Superficial?

You tell me. After nearly 4 years in this country, I must say I have hardly met any other place where people do take pride in such as simple and sweet trait as being... friendly as here in the UK. I spoke to my lovely Colleague (English) about this the other day. She looked at me with obvious scepsism and probably wondered what expectations Swedes have on the world if they think London is friendly. And perhaps she is right, perhaps it's because the great North is a bit more shall we say harsher that I just love it when people say hi to eachother in the street, when doors are held for other people, when seats are given up in the tube for eachother and that people actually communicate and smile to eachother. I also love it that the TFL (transport for London) even has a campaign "Together For London" out now with cute cartoons instructing their customers/passengers how to behave. Gorgeous. I the Stockholm underground you are happy if someone says "sorry" for standing on you.

But back to my colleague again. She lives what we would perhaps call an "unconventional" life, in many aspects and she says she would never ever live in the countryside of England. She means that they might seem friendly, but deep down they are just covering up for their various screwed up views on all sorts of minorities.

I don't know. I doubt that will ever live in the countryside, and I must say that I love the politeness and the respect of people I find in London. And I hope it will stay this way. TFL is anyway doing theirs to encourage it.