There's No Place Like...

Howdy everyone!

This week I’ve been dreaming more about home than ever before… I’m not necessarily home sick, I’m just thinking about a lot of things that are different from here. The other weekend I showed some of my friends how to line dance, they probably thought I looked stupid but it really brought a feeling of home to me. I find it funny that people here find it hard to believe that real cowboys and that ‘redneck’ culture really exist. To that, I put on my cowgirl hat and show them how it’s done!

My friend Caylie is also feeling that want to be home. One thing that we both miss is the good food; from burritos to burgers to hot wings, we are craving American food like crazy! Swedes are not typically fans of hot spices, and that reflects in their food. At home, both Caylie and I are used to putting our mouths on fire with spices, from hot sauce on Mexican food to wasabi on sushi, we like our spices!

On the other hand, Swede's main spice is salt, (pepper is stretching it). If you are a fan of meat and potatoes, then you will enjoy eating in Sweden. Fish is another important aspect to the Swedish diet, along with all dairy products. 

A few weeks ago we went to Copenhagen and ate at the Hard Rock Café, yesterday we made a similar trip to a restaurant- T.G.I.F in Malmö. It might seem kind of silly to make a trip to just eat at a special restaurant, but I see it as fun and spontaneous. I’m glad my friends wanted to go!

T.G.I Friday’s wasn’t too far away from the train station, it’s the second time we’ve lucked out with that aspect of our adventures. We got there kind of late, but that just meant that we were seated immediately and could feast our eyes upon the marvelous menu. It was very strange to be in that restaurant, I felt like I was in America because everything looked about the same and Caylie and I were going fanatic… I’m pretty sure my mouth was gaping as I turned from page to page of delectable food. One of the best things about going there was the fact that when we ordered soft drinks… we go free refills! Have to love that!

After becoming satiated, we briefly walked around Malmö trying to scope out the nightlife but unfortunately, (on Saturdays especially) the age limit to enter bars and clubs was raised up to about 23. Discouraged of finding anything suiting our age, we came back home to Helsingborg.

It’s feeling more and more like spring here. The past few days have been delightfully sunny, and if the wind is absent then it’s nice enough to sit outside and try to soak up the warmth. I know this time of year at home is for Spring Break… unfortunately Swedes don’t have this break, (they just had Sports Break… meant for skiing and such things). Around this time of year I normally go to Florida to visit my Grandmother, and I’m sad that I won’t get the chance to this year.

Another thing that is an obvious difference between my homes is the weather. I come from tornado alley, and treacherous storms are something that just have to be accepted. Recently, horrible storms have swept across America, leaving several dead and much destruction in their wakes. Tornadoes are one of the scariest things I can think of, therefore I'm very happy to be spending my spring and autumn in Sweden. 

I can almost start the 100 day count-down until I'm home again... time flies!