Why so many posts?! It must be the joy!



I've been wanting to try and make mulled wine for just under a year now and today got the chance. Half an apple, three quarters of an orange, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ginger and allspice each, 6 cinnamon sticks and 10 cloves. Also added a 1/4 cup sugar. The wine would have been more 'commercial,' so to speak, with more. What we wound up with had a stronger taste, which ultimately we decided that we liked better. Later we were joined briefly by Ludvig, swedish co-inhabitant number three.



Manon preparing for the mulled wine feast. In Sweden, a similar type is quite famous, called glögg.






Earlier I went out to class in the morning, but arrived to find it canceled. So Kyle and I went for an epic three hour fika at Cafe Őfre Slotts. This was very interesting and our conversation was extensive. Among other things we talked about our general understanding and experiences of study abroad so far. And this was very interesting - almost two months have passed, which may or may not be the half-way point of my time in Sweden, depending on if I return in January or not. We both understand that the trick is to use the time in some way, that is, to be open to the possibilities it presents, without fitting it to some preconceived notion of study abroad. There's a line in this genius poem by gorgeous-amazing-woman-number-two (Alix Olson, co-awesome with Chris Pureka, god-dess), where she says, "these lifetimes choose the ones who will educate us and I guess that's how it always it." And although she's talking about something quite different the idea is the same - whatever one takes from time away from home, particularly in a different country, will not be a clear-cut thing. That is to say, it can't be looked for or anticipated because it will reveal itself both during and after the experience. I do not know what I'll think I will have accomplished here - the notion of generalizing the experience from my superficial understanding is pointless. Right now, I only know little things - I will miss this incredible fall, the closest of these friends, places like Gamla Uppsala, days like yesterday. Besides, bound to a home/academic situation in America that is inevitably about something (or many things), why make this time about something before I even run into it?

So these are the thoughts running through my head. Interestingly, I find myself thinking a lot about America as a country and myself as an American. Although I don't think I fit a European's stereotype of an American and although don't see myself as a typical American either, I understand myself a little more as a product of a certain country with a certain social tenor. With a left-versus-not-so-left-but-kind-of-still-yeah-left government, roughly homogeneous society and (compared to the United States) moderate to low class distinction, Sweden is a country of significantly less social conflict than America. Needless to say, the kind of environment that this creates feels like, and most likely is, an extreme contrast to volatile American society. There's a lot more nervousness, aggression (whether it's emotional, intellectual), fierceness (none of these necessarily bad things), contradiction, in America. In many ways I've come to see America as an enormous identity crisis, a thing struggling with itself and hindering itself. To a certain extent it must be like this in any country - but for some reason - size, diversity, character - America seems to make conflict stand out. Who knows.

After fika, trip to systembolaget to get the wine. Then I wound up wandering around Uppsala on various errands. In a resebyrå the clerk mistook me for dutch - yes! Victory! Manon was very, very proud of me. Just over a week until I head to the Netherlands! UUhhh soooo exciitteedd.

Goodnight!