Swedish lingonberries. How delicious! I prefer this version that you cook yourself or get in nicer restaurants to the jam you buy in jars.
These particular berries accompanied giant meetballs and creamy mashed potatoes. It was served in a tiny restaurant at a beach in Sweden, on the warmest evening this summer. We met up with repatriated expat friends and talked about “old times”. Me? I had Moules Frites. But also a spoonful of lingonberries.
lingonberries is “lingon” in Swedish
Learning a language it is beneficial to listen to and sing along to music in that language. You learn new words but more importantly you get a sense of the rhythm and intonation of the language, as well as learning pronunciation.
Below is a link to a popular summer song in Swedish, by Tomas Ledin. It is called “Sommaren är kort” – summer is short.
To learn the Swedish language by listening to music you need to pick up the words in the song. I have made a Sommaren är kort – glosor translating Swedish into English.
Sing along!
Dala horse
The classic Swedish dala horse comes in a lot of colors these days. When will we see the neon colored ones?
Are you looking for Swedish private tutoring? Time to sign up to get going when summer is over! Contact charlotta@globatris.se.
Read more on Swedish classes here
I’ll help you with your Swedish studies whether you are new to Sweden or not, or (still) living abroad. 1:1, 2:1 or small groups learning Swedish, in person or via Skype, are the classes I offer.
Looking for tailor suited tutoring for your employees? Contact charlotta@globatris.se for info.
Moving abroad means a whole new world of experiences. You will learn not only about new cultures but also about yourself.
This is a favorite quote to keep in mind!
Remember to schedule a debriefing before you go – it is wise to inform yourself what to expect in terms of cultural change and adapting.
“A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his
or her developmental years outside the parents’ culture.” Third Culture Kids – Growing Up Among Worlds by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. van Reken
Sociologists Ruth Hill Useem and John Useem coined the term “Third Culture”, in the 1950s. They spent a year in India with the purpose of studying Americans living and working there. After having met not only expatriates from the US they noticed that the lifestyles of the expatriates differed from home and host cultures. It made up a culture of its own, shared by other expats. Useems labeled culture of origin as first culture, the host culture the second and the “shared commonalities of those living internationally mobile lifestyle” as the third culture (p 14, Third Culture Kids – David C. Pollock and Ruth E. van Reken, 2009). While John Useem focused on the adults Ruth Hill Useem took an interest in the young expatriates. She referred to them as Third Culture Kids.
Most people who are TCKs are unaware of it. I constantly stumble over new twitter connections revealing they have just found out about Third Culture Kids and that they actually are one – or rather ATCK – Adult Third Culture Kid. It is very often followed by a sigh of relief; that’s why I’m me! When I talk about TCKs in my workshops I rarely meet people who are familiar with the term; even though they are expats.
Three days ago I found an article on the funny yet true side of the TCK story – 31 statements along the line “You know you’re a TCK when …” . Tons of posts and pages of this kind can be found on the Internet, but this post is really worth sharing!
I tweeted it, put it on Facebook and Google+. Here is the link if you’ve missed it!
Feel free to add in the comments if you think of more signs!!
With this picture of a Swedish “gräddtårta” I want to wish you all a happy summer! I will continue giving Swedish language lessons during summer. Since I use Skype my students can travel all over the world for their vacation and still call in for their tutoring!
Workshops related to moving and living abroad, TCKs and cultural awareness will be back in the fall. Individual assistance via Skype is available though. Contact charlotta@globatris.se
Travel. What comes to your mind when you hear the word?
Beaches, faraway places, exploring? Relaxation, delicious food and adventure?
Or galloping through an airport to reach the next gate on time, sleepless hours on a fully booked plane, entertaining children on an oversea flight? Struggling with jet lag, endless waiting and a sense of disorientation?
Well, adventure for sure. Question is; does it have a positive or negative ring to it? Regardless if you are a frequent traveler or not, long distance voyager or short, travel can be rather stressful.
Preparation is the answer. Unless you are the type that seeks the adventure in the unfamiliar, preparation goes a long way in reducing stress and making traveling enjoyable. Below you’ll find some reminders to help you reduce stress when flying.
Do not pack last minute. Packing too early however makes you forget what you already put in the suitcase.
Make arrangements for transport from destination airport – pre book rental car, find out about bus/train/subway/rental cars.
Make a reservation for a hotel if needed. At least for the first night so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to sleep if running late/high season.
Set an extra alarm to avoid the restless sleep the night before an early flight. You are then less likely to worry about not waking up on time. If you travel with children be sure to have plenty of time for unexpected (or expected) mishaps and behaviors in the morning.
If possible, check in on-line – but not last minute before you are about to leave the house.
Check for possible flight delays. It is better to wait at home.
Keep in mind the rush hour traffic. Stuck in traffic is a real stress booster.
Arrive to the airport on time. Allow plenty of time for parking, bathroom visits, check in or just finding your way around in an unfamiliar airport. Perhaps a light meal before boarding is needed. Time enough to not rush things is key when you want to reduce travel stress.
Set your watch to destination time as soon as you are on the plane. Focusing on the new time zone (if any) helps in taking your mind off coping with jet lag.
Wear comfy clothes. If traveling with kids don’t forget to pack not only spare clothes for the little ones but also for the parents. You do not want to sit the entire flight through with a t-shirt that happened to be the target of an upset toddler stomach.
Be prepared for waiting; bring entertainment/work. Try to get some sleep on the flight if possible.
Eat lightly and drink water!
Be prepared – not for the unexpected but for the fact that unexpected things do happen sometimes. I know.
Travel with a positive attitude and be open!
Happy traveling!
