In the beginning...
M and I got married in Sweden in 1997. It was a cold and snowy winter. I remember the apricot light of the Nordic sky. I remember the crunch of the snow. I remember learning Swedish. I remember learning what to eat first when you are invited to "fika".
Learning to live in a new country is a unique experience. It isn't like being a tourist. What you figure out today will make life easier for years to come. What you DON'T figure out, no one will tell you. What you do wrong, you will remember longer than they will. Trial and error. Forgiveness and a good sense of humor. Figuring it out, and then figuring out if you can really LIVE with it!
Actually, learning to live in a new country is a lot like getting married... or being a parent... Nobody is perfect. You need to figure out a lot in the beginning. You make adaptations to your lifestyle accordingly. Some things are a relief when you discover that mysterious difference that caused so much anxiety. Other things you wish you could have YOUR way so that you don't HAVE to change yourself!
Hmmm. I am much better at accepting changes to my lifestyle based on what country I'm in than based on what my husband or kids need. That is something I'm going to have to think about. I'm pretty sure I'd be more pleasing to God if I'd put others first. He said so, didn't He?
Have a good week. Summer is back in Sweden after taking a 2 week break to remind us to be thankful for warm sunshine. Tomorrow is the 4th of July... American Independence Day. Most people here don't seem to know that America was once fighting to be a country. We will invite a few neighborhood friends and make American flags, grill hamburgers and hot dogs, and make baked beans and coleslaw. Brownies and ice-cream for dessert.
WELCOME to my world.
Learning to live in a new country is a unique experience. It isn't like being a tourist. What you figure out today will make life easier for years to come. What you DON'T figure out, no one will tell you. What you do wrong, you will remember longer than they will. Trial and error. Forgiveness and a good sense of humor. Figuring it out, and then figuring out if you can really LIVE with it!
Actually, learning to live in a new country is a lot like getting married... or being a parent... Nobody is perfect. You need to figure out a lot in the beginning. You make adaptations to your lifestyle accordingly. Some things are a relief when you discover that mysterious difference that caused so much anxiety. Other things you wish you could have YOUR way so that you don't HAVE to change yourself!
Hmmm. I am much better at accepting changes to my lifestyle based on what country I'm in than based on what my husband or kids need. That is something I'm going to have to think about. I'm pretty sure I'd be more pleasing to God if I'd put others first. He said so, didn't He?
Have a good week. Summer is back in Sweden after taking a 2 week break to remind us to be thankful for warm sunshine. Tomorrow is the 4th of July... American Independence Day. Most people here don't seem to know that America was once fighting to be a country. We will invite a few neighborhood friends and make American flags, grill hamburgers and hot dogs, and make baked beans and coleslaw. Brownies and ice-cream for dessert.
WELCOME to my world.
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