I am back in Michigan and have been enjoying people and places I had missed. It's sadly already been several weeks on our summer adventure and we go back in a week and a half. Fortunately for me after living in Sweden for only 10 months, there wasn't that much to adjust to. Although I have to admit I'm worried to go back to my other home, but more about that later.
A lot of people experience adjustments from moving back and forth to different countries. I think the reason it hasn't been too difficult for me to adjust to being back in the US is firstly because it is my home country, and secondly because I was only gone for 10 months. I only noticed a few things I had to readjust to.
In Sweden I do not have a car and rent one when I need one. I find it difficult to drive in Sweden. That in itself is somewhat of a perplexity because Swedes drive on the same side of the road, driving in km is not any different than driving in miles really accept in lengths, and since the speedometer is in km and so are the speed limit signs, it really shouldn't be any harder, but for some reason it is. A lot harder. Maybe it's the rental cars or being unfamiliar with the country. Sweden even has better roads, especially compared to Michigan, who shamingly have the worst US roads of all 50 states. Anyway driving in itself back here has not been strange, but for some reason I noticed when I returned I was driving like a snail, even without Rosa in the car. I think speed limits in Sweden tend to be lower than those in the US, but are usually comparable. Still it made a difference on my driving. So I was amused by that. Now driving has again become second nature again.
A lot of people experience adjustments from moving back and forth to different countries. I think the reason it hasn't been too difficult for me to adjust to being back in the US is firstly because it is my home country, and secondly because I was only gone for 10 months. I only noticed a few things I had to readjust to.
In Sweden I do not have a car and rent one when I need one. I find it difficult to drive in Sweden. That in itself is somewhat of a perplexity because Swedes drive on the same side of the road, driving in km is not any different than driving in miles really accept in lengths, and since the speedometer is in km and so are the speed limit signs, it really shouldn't be any harder, but for some reason it is. A lot harder. Maybe it's the rental cars or being unfamiliar with the country. Sweden even has better roads, especially compared to Michigan, who shamingly have the worst US roads of all 50 states. Anyway driving in itself back here has not been strange, but for some reason I noticed when I returned I was driving like a snail, even without Rosa in the car. I think speed limits in Sweden tend to be lower than those in the US, but are usually comparable. Still it made a difference on my driving. So I was amused by that. Now driving has again become second nature again.
However another problem arose in the car. Rosalind is not a happy camper when it comes to her car seat and being stuck in it in the car. For most American children it's a normal everyday occurrence to take car rides, but not for Rosa. She has been on public busses and trains, but had only a few experiences with being in the car, so unless Ed Sheeran, the frozen soundtrack or flavored puffs are provided, she's not too thrilled to be there. There are sometimes she can be really great, but with every trip is a limit. We will be home soon and while I know she'll miss the US, be she'll sure be happy about not having to be in a car seat!
I look forward to a slower life pace back in Sweden and at the same time, I'm anxious about going back. Will my good friends still be my good friends? Will I ever get to see any of the other moms I loved talking with from baby cafe again? Will I graciously survive Rosalind going to daycare and myself attending SFI classes? Almost certainly not on the last one. At one point, I was very excited to start language classes, but that excitement has turned to dread. I dread the expectations that come along with the classes. Just because someone is an intelligent person doesn't mean they'll be a great language learner. It unfortunately doesn't work that way. I know what you are thinking! Don't give up before you have even tried. Well I will try, but with all this pressure on me instead of loving support or acceptance of timely learning, it's really difficult for me to want to anymore. Do not fear, I know my learning is extremely time sensitive also, which makes my effort an obligation no matter what. I just wish Rosa was older to be the one to teach and talk to me in Swedish.
Well I guess that's it for now. Until our return to Sweden!
