NOT in Oslo

Now, you may be wondering why that is since I was supposed to be on a bus this morning to the Airport so I could meet up with dad. Turns out snowstorms in the states have got the planes out of sync, so dad missed his flight to Oslo.

I found this out sometime this morning, or last night, just after Midnight when Mom called me.

So now I'm flying out TOMORROW morning, same time.

God, I hope things go all right.

REALLY bad day.

The following is an edited version of the series of events I sent in a letter:

This is one of the days that you just shouldn't leave the house. Really. Forgive me if I sound a bit bitter, and perhaps part of it is being in an unfamiliar place, but today was a day I do not want to repeat again.

Things went all right until lunch. Then, I decided I needed to get my food subsidy money cashed and my graded papers from the University, since it looked like I wasn't going to get to a museum or to do anything really productive.

A quick internet search later, I left armed with the different locations of the Nordisa (I know that spelling is wrong but we'll go with it) in my pocket, and determination. I got on the subway and started heading to the nearest one. I went there, and they informed me that I needed to have a Swedish person with me because they could not know if I was the person on my passport. Ok. I get frustrated, but that's all right, they're probably being strict so I'll just go to the next bank. After all, I know I CAN cash at check at Nordisa, I did it in Visby all right. So I get on the subway and head to the second location. It turns out just to be an ATM kisok, after I walk about half a mile. OK. Great. Excersize. That is good considering I've been an invalid for the past four days.

I go to the next place. Oh, they're relocating. Wonderful. At this point, I'm close to the University, so I go and pick up my papers and stuff. Then I turn around. I'm frustrated, it's cold, and it's getting to be almost three o'clock- banks close at four. I get on the subway... and happen to notice a sign for the Mika concert I'm going to. Except... wait a moment. It says the 9th. That's the day I'm leaving to go see Dad in Oslo. But I thought the concert was on the 8th... Well, I just happen to have the tickets with me, I'll just take them out and look at them and... SHOOT.

I have the wrong day.

Now, take note, these tickets have caused me some trouble, being more expensive than I was first quoted, then the girl that was planning to go with me having to cancel, (so now I'm saddled with two tickets and she never paid me for hers), so then Anita offers to go with me, and now, wonder of wonders, I've got the wrong day. I've been functioning thinking that the concert was on Thursday, but no, it's on FRIDAY. And I'm going to miss it. Because I GOT THE WRONG DAY.

Of course, because I'm on the subway, I now have time to think of the repercussions of my actions, and the fact that Mom is going to be furious with me because she already gave me the talk about keeping my spending down while I'm in Sweden (because when I first got here I got the conversion rate wrong AND I didn't know that there was a service charge on my credit card... I asked and the people SAID there wouldn't be). And now, I'm being frivilous about money because I've just sunk 100 dollars into tickets to my first ever real concert and in EUROPE of all places and Anita thinks she's going with me on Thursday but it's not Thursday it's Friday and well, SHIT.

So I stew all over this while I go to the third Nordisa bank, and they flat out tell me they won't cash my check because I don't have an account with them.

I go out of the bank and cry.

I then proceed to go back home and cry to Sam who tries to be supportive but I'm having none of it because all I have in my brain is thinking about looking really really stupid in front of Anita and telling my parents and them being FURIOUS.

Narrator intervention. I then proceeded to rehash the whole argument, which, unless you were there, was not very interesting other than both mom and I loosing our tempers, me getting off the phone and crying. I also spoke to dad before speaking to mom; and dad was a lot calmer.

A while later I get back on the phone with them again, and we figure things out so that I can go a two days earlier, on Wednesday. And now, on with the excerpt:

I'm happy I'm leaving earlier, but I'm also emotionally wrung dry, and I keep ocliating between wanting to cry and just feeling ambivalent.

So... yeah.

I'm still smarting from everything. Gabe's delighted about the tickets, now that the show's on Friday he can go, and take a friend if he wants. And I need to be packed and leave the apartment by... 5:15 am tomorrow morning. And I have no clean Laundry, because that was what I was planning on doing tomorrow. That is, I have clean laundry to go, but I'll have to clothes to wear when I come back.

Joy.

Just a quick note

Today Hokön and Marian showed us around where are family lived... some of the old churches and farmsteads. It was amazing, I have lots of video and photos, but I can't do anything until I get real Internet. Just wanted to say my mother, grandmothers and I are having a great time and living the Swedish life.

More on Wednesday when I get back to Stockholm.

Mom's Weekend Syndrome

I can't write long because I'm using the hotel's computer, but I just wanted to give a quick update. I met up with mom at the trainstation no problem, and it was so AMAZING to see her and my grandmothers! Then we drove to where Marian is... our realitive who is also our connection to this area.

She was a sweetheart, although bossy in the way that only old people can be. She spoke to me as much as she could in Swedish... which was helpful, but also confusing because she has a different accent than all the other ones I've encountered. But when she slowed down and said what she said again, I could normally get the gist of what she was saying. I'm trying to pratice as much as possible.

She had baked a whole bunch of baked goods for us... trying to outdo her cousin who hosted my mother and Grandmother when they were there last. Incredible swedish treats... I enjoyed them a lot, and am dreading looking at the scale when I go back on Wednesday. I'll just have to do a bunch of walking to work it all off.

It's funny though, I find myself being at the same time overjoyed to see my mom, but at the same time weepy. I feel gald that she's here, but also angry becuase... I feel like she's interfering with my independence. I feel like I've done so much here, but at the same time, I haven't done enough. She's dong nothing to make me feel that way, but I reconize the feeling... I get the same feeling during Mom's Weekend at camp each year... still.

I complain, am alternately clingy and wanting to show her everything I've done. I'll wonder if she approves.

But for once, instead of just pulling all this stuff, I sat down with her this morning and told her ahead of time that I was feeling this way, and I was trying to deal with it.

Meanwhile, my crazy grandmothers are having the time of their lives, letting mom and I do all the organizing ('cause they can't read maps) and driving. We had fun last night going through all the pictures on my computer I took and also playing with my Swedish Language program I got, which I LOVE!