Representing America... wait, ME?!?

So yesterday I went to speak to Magnus’s class about being an American. *rolls eyes* As if I actually know something about being an American. One of the major things that makes me apprehensive about being in Sweden is I'm worried that someone is going to assume that I'm a "typical American." It’s interesting, because I don’t particularly consider myself representative of what an American is, although since I’ve come to Sweden I’ve noticed that in values and in ways of looking at the world, I’m more American than I thought.

But anyway, I opened with a brief geographical lesson, and a little bit about where I live and what my family’s like, and then I began answering questions. Magnus had the students write out at least one question on a piece of paper so that I wouldn’t be functioning in a vacuum- as like most high school students it took most of the class for them to warm up enough to start asking questions.

I think the experience went well, and I tried to keep the conversation from straying too much to politics, just because on so much I’m not quite sure of where I stand or how to defend it. Also, since our ways of looking a the world are so different, they gave me very strange looks when I told them that you vote not only on a politician’s stand, but also on how you perceive them morally… for instance, evaluating if you think they will actually try to do what they promise to do, or do they have a hidden agenda that is different from what the politician is saying.

We talked about food, how Swedish pancakes are strange because they are flat, and sports. One of they guys asked me if ice hockey is really as violent as it seemed on TV. I said yes, or at least, my perception of it was the same as his. Another one of the people asked me if I would prefer to raise my children in America or Sweden, and I truly had to think on that question, because I’m not quite as sure as I would have been before I came here.

They asked about my perceptions of Swedes, the differences in schools in America and Sweden, and dress codes. I explained to them that it’s not always the adults that promote dress codes, and in some schools the demand for dress codes comes from the students. I then confided that personally I could see the merit of uniforms, even if I didn’t particularly want them myself.

It was an interesting experience. As a closeout, I gave them all my blog address, so that if they were interested they could take a look at it. I also gave them the web address for The Swedish Program, so that if they ever wanted to host a study abroad student, they had the information. Some of the people seemed genuinely interested.

Magnus thought the whole thing had went well, and I’m inclined to agree with him.

And now, I must get working on my essay, which is due at noon tomorrow and which I don’t have very much ready to hand in yet.

Mixing Cultures... and Pancakes

So the apartment was empty last night when I came home- the boys were off celebrating their father's birthday, Anita is on a weekend spiritual retreat, and Magnus was helping with his friends put the sailboat up on land. I actually got quite a bit of work done last night- I decided to go home early and just sat and read and wrote and worked. It was nice 'cause I could blast music out of my computer without worrying about bothering anyone. Just very chill. AND I even went to bed at a decent time!!!

Today it was just Magnus and I in the apartment, and I was kind of worried because of all the people in the family, sometimes I feel a bit of disconnect with Magnus. The funny thing is, I think it's because of his height. I just haven't ever really gotten to know someone that well that was that tall, and it unnerves me to look up to him while I'm talking all the time.

But today was nice. He had grading to do, and I had reading, so we shared the living room and both worked. Then Magnus went out for a run, I took a shower, and then when he came back he suggested that we make pancakes and try out the Maple Syrup that my mom had brought as a gift when she came to see the family. I was all for it. I've been eying the bottle all week, really wanting to have some but thinking it would be bad manners to be the first to sample. Maple syrup and I are good friends, and along with apples they are the two foods I probably miss most when I'm at college. The Maple Syrup you can buy at Davidson just doesn't taste the same.

But this was real, Massachusetts boiled and made MAPLE SYRUP. (which, I will admit, even tastes better than the Maple Syrup you can buy in NY) So Magnus is like, why don't you make the pankake batter while I go take a shower (because he's just come in from his run). And I'm like, "Sure." Because I sure as heck wasn't going to be like, "There's a reason I haven't offered to cook for you guys thus far, and it isn't because I don't want to, it's because I have no clue how to bake anything using the metric system and I feel too silly trying to because I still haven't figured out where everything is in your kitchen, even if I do snoop through your cupboards when nobody's home and try to read the spices on your cabinet even though EVERYTHING IS IN SWEDISH AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF IT."

But some of the panic must have shown in my face, because Magnus pauses and is like, "Ah, but you wouldn't know how to use the metric system. Here, let me get a recipe out." And, THANK GOD, he not only gets out the recipe out, but even gets out the measuring cups I need, because everything is done in deci-liters, yet depending on the recipe they still use teaspoons and tablespoons (or also the metric system), yet the teaspoons and tablespoons use the Swedish version of abbreviation instead of the American.

And then he leaves me.

Well, there was one tense moment where there were these strange lumps in the batter, and another moment where I was like, did I add three or four cup- I mean deciliters yet, and another moment where I was like, surely the batter is too thin, this looks nothing like the batter my mom makes for pancakes and I added just a tad more flour, but overall they seemed to turn out well. Swedish pancakes, I've found out, are very flat (almost like crepes), less cake-y and more just... solid. They also, in my opinion are a bit more bland. When you eat them you roll them up, and then cut them, or at least that is what Magnus did.

I've decided that I'm going to be brave, get my mom's buttermilk pancake recipe, convert it to metrics, and make them blueberry or raspberry or chocolate chip pancakes, because apparently Magnus and the rest have never had that type.

But the good news is, the Maple Syrup was GREAT on them (even though they didn't seep into the pancakes like they do with American ones)- but then there's no wrong way to eat Maple Syrup, I don't think. Unless you try to do it through your nose. Or some other extreme thing.

And the other good thing is, Magnus and I had some bonding time. We talked about mannerisms and I told him some of my funny stories about when I first came to Davidson and had a crash course in Southern Manners (or how to be on the receiving side of Southern Manners). We talked about how different cultures have different ways of speaking and subtle unspoken communication differences.

It was fun.

Tonight I'm meeting up with a friend I made at dancing, and we're going to go have a fika (a Swedish meeting to have coffee or some other hot beverage, though most normally coffee), and then I'll probably come home, get some more work done, and go to bed. But for now I need to head out.

Until later!