So far Sweden has physically been much like Alaska. However due to the warm stream coming from somewhere things are warmer here than they would be on the same latitude in USA. Stockholm is slightly more northern than Juneau Alaska which is very close to my current location.
Of all the places Ive been in the world (including Juneau and my most recent trip to Costa Rica), Ive never knowingly had a frog in my shower until I come here. Yesterdays cleaning routine was more interesting when the frog wouldn't leave. I didn't want to get soap on it, but it kept getting under foot. Much like a dog or cat that winds itself between your feet. Eventually I shoo'd it out and finished my cleaning.
On a slightly more complicated note, the exchange and transparency of information in this country is interesting - you can look up anyone's license plate number and get all sorts of information about that car's mechanical history as well as some basic information about the person who owns the car. No flipping people off and having anonymity while doing it. Not only can you get personal information from a license plate, but you can look up anyone's phone number and find their address. The ramifications of this transparency - how would that work in USA?? Don't know if it would. Socialist economy I guess?
In concert with this is something they call a Personal Number. This is a number that you can't do anything without. I can't get a bank account, get into social security, get retirement, buy things on line in Sweden, buy a car, buy a home, get drivers insurance, get to be a functioning citizen in the country...Even register at the university I currently work for...well, technically Im not working for them without it. If you are here less than a year, you do not get a number. I am going through issues because my VISA was only issued for 1 year at a time, and they issue the visa from date of application, not from arrival into the country. This number is generated and overseen by the equivalent of the IRS called Skattavarket. We all know how wonderful it is to deal with the IRS - well, that is similar attitude here.
Today, I tried to heat up some milk. Yes, its low fat milk, but Ive never had a microwave "cook" the milk to the point where it completely separated and created cottage cheese? yogurt? whatever it is, its solid and clumping swimming in clear-ish liquid.
Lots of things here run on timers. To turn my stove top on, I first have to turn on a timer that allows power to the stove tops. If your cooking requires longer than 60 minutes, you have to be there to return on the power. The oven I get to borrow in the student kitchen only runs for 15 minutes at a time. Talk about being tied to the kitchen!
Taking off your shoes is "common" - not sure how far out this extends and if its more of an expectation - basically how strict is it?? Even to come into my office place, I take off my shoes. Everyone has different shoes that they leave in the office or they just walk around in their socks. They have slippers you can borrow if you don't want to walk in your socks. My feet get cold at my desk so Im glad I brought my crock's!
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| This is the type of frog that visited me in the shower |
On a slightly more complicated note, the exchange and transparency of information in this country is interesting - you can look up anyone's license plate number and get all sorts of information about that car's mechanical history as well as some basic information about the person who owns the car. No flipping people off and having anonymity while doing it. Not only can you get personal information from a license plate, but you can look up anyone's phone number and find their address. The ramifications of this transparency - how would that work in USA?? Don't know if it would. Socialist economy I guess?
In concert with this is something they call a Personal Number. This is a number that you can't do anything without. I can't get a bank account, get into social security, get retirement, buy things on line in Sweden, buy a car, buy a home, get drivers insurance, get to be a functioning citizen in the country...Even register at the university I currently work for...well, technically Im not working for them without it. If you are here less than a year, you do not get a number. I am going through issues because my VISA was only issued for 1 year at a time, and they issue the visa from date of application, not from arrival into the country. This number is generated and overseen by the equivalent of the IRS called Skattavarket. We all know how wonderful it is to deal with the IRS - well, that is similar attitude here.
Today, I tried to heat up some milk. Yes, its low fat milk, but Ive never had a microwave "cook" the milk to the point where it completely separated and created cottage cheese? yogurt? whatever it is, its solid and clumping swimming in clear-ish liquid.
Lots of things here run on timers. To turn my stove top on, I first have to turn on a timer that allows power to the stove tops. If your cooking requires longer than 60 minutes, you have to be there to return on the power. The oven I get to borrow in the student kitchen only runs for 15 minutes at a time. Talk about being tied to the kitchen!
Taking off your shoes is "common" - not sure how far out this extends and if its more of an expectation - basically how strict is it?? Even to come into my office place, I take off my shoes. Everyone has different shoes that they leave in the office or they just walk around in their socks. They have slippers you can borrow if you don't want to walk in your socks. My feet get cold at my desk so Im glad I brought my crock's!
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