9 Steps to Doing the Laundry in a Swedish Apartment Building

Come along as I do the laundry...Seriously, who shares like I do?

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/27/9-steps-to-doing-the-laundry-in-a-swedish-apartment-building/

Would you go down these stairs to do your laundry?

December is TV Time in Sweden

It's TV time in Sweden...Find out what's on the tube...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/22/december-tv-in-sweden-a-sacred-tradition/

Family watching TV in 1958. This image is in the Public Domain.

A Chat with "Re-pat" Kate

My latest post...Interesting to hear from all other expats...even those who are now, er, "re-pats."
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/19/a-christmas-treat-interview-with-repat-kate/

Kate works in Washington D.C. at the Swedish Embassy… a chance to continue her relationship with Sweden. Photo: Kate Reuterswärd

Falling Ice and Other Sidewalk Adventures

Sidewalk Adventures...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/16/beware-the-falling-ice/

Don't be fooled by this picture...this is a super slippery sidewalk!

Call 112! Call 112!

Latest post...Those crazy emergency shows on Swedish TV and why cursing in a foreign language doesn't go over over well...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/14/swedish-emergency-shows-and-a-segue-into-cussing-in-a-foreign-language/

Swedish Ambulance. Photo by: Henrik Sendelbach (CC BY 3.0)

Outdoor Scouting Fair in Uppsala

The Scouting Fair in Uppsala...Frigid temperatures and warm neighborly faces...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/09/scouting-fair-in-uppsala/

Spinning the wheel to see whose number will win...

Cool Elevators in Stockholm

Ode to the Elevator in my Stockholm Apartment Building...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/07/charming-elevators-in-19th-century-stockholm-buildings/#disqus_thread

The doors to the elevator in my building...

 

Getting Ready for Christmas in Sweden

Latest post...Christmas decorations in Sweden...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/05/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas/

Swedish Holiday TV Tradition Returns

Time for the latest "Christmas Calendar"- a holiday tradition on Swedish TV

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/12/02/time-for-the-christmas-calendar-on-tv/

Last year's "Julkalendern" on DVD

Dogs in Sweden! The Facts! The Figures!

Read my latest post over at the Swedish Institute's site..Interesting facts about dogs in Sweden...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2660

The EU pet passport...

Stockholm Supper Club

Cool Thanksgiving dinner with the Secret Supper Club in Stockholm...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2642

Photo by: Jakob Fridholm/imagebank.sweden.se

Come Along On My Walk to Work in Stockholm

Walk to Work With Me in Stockholm...lots of pics!

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2611

One is for cyclists and one is for pedestrians...but which is which?

Santas Compete in Northern Sweden

Getting ready for Jul...Santas fly to Lapland to win the title "Santa of the Year..."

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/11/22/santa-of-the-year/

Photo by: Minna Ridderstolpe/imagebank.sweden.se

The Swedish Word "Jantelagen"

Find out what "Jantelagen" means...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/11/18/jantelagen-means-humility-and-restraint/

Jantelagen discourages standing out from the crowd. Photo by: Carolina Romare/imagebank.sweden.se

Lagom--a Distinctly Swedish Word

Latest post...the meaning of "Lagom"...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/11/15/lagom-means-everything-in-moderation/

This moose probably knows what “lagom” means. Photo by: Maria Emitslöf/imagebank.sweden.se

Shopping for Food in Sweden and The Great Wall of Candy

My latest post concerns food shopping.

...Doesn't sound that sexy but "The Wall of Candy" is not to be missed...

...I mean, unless you typically avoid carbs/want to live a long time/want to skip the onset of diabetes...
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2549

The Great Wall of Candy can be found all over Sweden.

Tires! Tires! Tires!

The Stockholm streets are alive with the sound of....snow tires...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/11/06/the-sound-of-winter-tires-that-is/

Photo by Kantor.JH at de.wikipedia (CC BY 3.0)

Don't Curse the Darkness...

Blogged today about the Festival of Lights in Uppsala. 

"Light a candle rather than curse the darkness!"

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/11/04/let-there-be-light-in-uppsala/

Cultural Trainer or Relocation Consultant?

Latest post...My gig as a "relocation consultant"...
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/31/cultural-training-on-both-sides-of-the-pond/

Dalahäst. Photo by: Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

Swedish Sexuality

My take on Swedes and Bodies...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/28/swedes-and-bodies/

My Year in Sweden

Check out my latest post over at Sweden.se...

15 Impressions After Living Nearly One Year in Sweden

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2395

"Rabbit" enjoys a Fall Day in a Stockholm park.

Every Dog Gets its Day in Stockholm

On a cold October day, Rabbit and I strolled over to check out "All Dogs Day" at the mall.
Read more here: http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/21/all-dogs-day-at-the-mall/

Adventures in Swedish Banking: The Card Reader

New post...

"My Two Cents About Personal Banking in Sweden"

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/17/my-two-cents-about-personal-banking-in-sweden/

My bank issued me this card reader. I found it quite complicated in the beginning to use!

The Swedish Radio & TV License Fee

Family watching TV in 1958. This image is in the Public Domain.

Check out my blog post over at Sweden.se...It costs Swedish citizens approx. $311 per year for a mandatory Radio & TV License... 
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2348

How to FInd a Job in Sweden

Check out my latest post over at Sweden.se. 5 Tips on Finding a Job in Sweden...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/14/5-tips-on-finding-a-job-in-sweden/

Photo by: Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

Germaine Greer...Almost!

I'm still blogging over at Sweden.se.

Check out my latest post "Famous Icon Lectures at SFI and I Was There…Almost"

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2325

The entrance to the Swedish Film Institute. Photo by K.Lund

Rock & Roll in Sweden

See my Expat in Sweden Blog...Rock & Roll in Sweden. No, not really...this is an ode to the Stockholm landscape...glacial rock and the archipelago... 

blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2304

Photo by K.Lund

Busting Yoga Moves...in Sweden

Find out what it's like to take a yoga class...in Swedish!

Check out my blog over at the Swedish Institute's blog site.

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/10/05/yoga-swedish-style/

Yoga Swedish-style. Photo by K.Lund

Rabbit the Dog Rides the Swedish Rails

Check out my adventure taking the train to Göteborg with my dog, Rabbit. It's posted over on the Expat blog at Sweden.se

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2281

Rabbit gets tired of sleeping on the carpeted train floor. Yup, that's my Kindle in the shot...

I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Bergman

Latest expat blog post:
Lights! Camera! Action! I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Bergman.
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2261

A Bolex movie camera Bolex movie camera. Photo by Glen Edelson (CC BY 2.0)

Different Tastes in Different Countries

New post to my Expat in Sweden Blog "Eating Foreign Food in Sweden" 
http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2228

How to Keep a Californian Dog Warm in Stockholm

I just published on Sweden.se..."Shopping for a Winter Jacket" or  "how to keep a Californian dog warm in Stockholm")  http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/09/23/shopping-for-a-winter-jacket/

You should see the one I returned! (Check out the photo at the link above.)

“Winter is Coming” to Sweden

Stockholm City Hall. Photo by: Anna Andersson/imagebank.sweden.se

Please read my recent post "Autumn in Stockholm...“Winter is Coming”" over at Sweden.se

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/?p=2177

"Rabbit" the Dog Learns to Ride Escalators and More

Read more about how "Rabbit" is learning how to navigate the Stockholm subway system...

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/09/15/navigating-the-stockholm-subway-with-my-dog/

Stockholm Subway. Photo by Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

A Vital Tip for Expats Invited to a Crayfish Party

I just posted "A Vital Tip for Expats Invited to a Crayfish Party" on the Sweden.se Expat blog...Check out what you need to know!

http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/09/12/a-vital-tip-for-expats-invited-to-a-crayfish-party/

Crayfish. Photo by Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

A New Voice Joins Sweden.se's Expat Blog

Please read my newest post A New Voice Joins the Expat Blog

at: http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/2012/09/10/a-new-voice-joins-the-expat-blog/

Riddarholmen, Stockholm. Photo by Ildikó Lukács/imagebank.sweden.se

Switching Venues For Awhile

Dear readers,

I wrote a blog for 6 months for the Swedish government about what it was like to come to Sweden for work. Now I have been offered the opportunity to blog for them about being an expat. This basically covers what I write about here on my private blog. (There are a few exceptions...things I can't write about for them that I can write about here but we will see...).For now, please switch to reading my posts at Sweden.se.

Read the expat blog at http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/.

You can subscribe to it at http://blogs.sweden.se/expat/feed.

I expect to return to blogging here when the Sweden.se blog is finished so please don't cancel your subscription here. For those of you who find it more convenient, I will also  post links to the Sweden.se posts whenever they are published.

Thanks for being such loyal and interested readers! 

- Kristin Lund

Swedish Women's Soccer Gets a Boost

A little over a month ago, I wrote on this blog about my undying passion for Women’s Soccer. More specifically, I was discouraged by the challenges of watching the Olympic women’s soccer matches on TV in Sweden—especially when it wasn’t necessarily the Swedish team playing. I love watching the US women play and they did, in case you missed it, win 2012 Olympic gold.

Pia Sundhage

I also mentioned how wonderful the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) coach, Pia Sundhage is. I admire her enthusiasm, her soccer knowledge, her fun and calm attitude and of course, her winning record with the US team. To quote Sports Illustrated, "In just under five years with the U.S., Sundhage compiled an 89-6-10 record, winning two Olympic gold medals and finishing second at the 2011 World Cup."

Pia Sundhage, as I mentioned in my last post, is Swedish.

And now…

She’s just announced that she is stepping down as coach of the USWNT and moving back to Sweden to become the head of the Swedish National team.

Whahooo! This is great news. I am not the hugest fan of how the Swedish national team currently plays and I think Pia will bring great energy and new ways for the team to come together and play great soccer. (Note: Nice slide show of Pia on the Swedish page linked above. It's written in Swedish but just click the small blue box nearly half way down that says "Visa bildspel.")

Marta

Marta Vieira da Silva (known simply by her first name like all the Brazilian greats), who many say is the best female player in the world, comes from Brazil. She played in the professional league in the US and I saw her play many times for my home team, FC Gold Pride in the Bay Area. (now defunct league…don’t ask…painful subject). Marta previously played professionally for Umeå in northern Sweden. Why am I writing about Marta? Well because Marta also decided to move back to Sweden a few months ago and she signed with Tyresö FF here in Stockholm.

Awesome, Ted! (What? You never watched “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”?)

Two last points...

* Please don’t fail to notice that I am a trailblazer…both these women made their decisions after I moved from the US to Sweden.  (lol)

* Birthdays (I'm just saying...)

• Pia Sundhage: February 13
• Marta: February 19
• Kristin Lund: February 21

The Viking Gift That Keeps On Giving

These are Swedish scientists at Chalmers in Göteborg. You'll have to imagine British ones. Photo by: Jan-Olof Yxell/imagebank.sweden.se

Have you heard about the Viking artifact they found in Britain many years ago?

It is, in fact, a Viking turd.
 

Here's what went down. (Yes, these jokes just write themselves...)

During excavation prior to construction of bank vaults at Lloyd's Bank in York, England in 1972, archaeologists found a mineralized Viking Age human stool or “coprolite.”

Analysis of the find produced knowledge about what they euphemistically refer to as “the producer of the stool” on the Archaeology of York website. Scientists discovered that the Viking had eaten “cereal bran and other unidentified organic matter. ..[that]confirms other forms of evidence which suggest that diet at this time included meat, fish, shellfish, cereals, fruit and nuts.” 

On a more “ooh, gross!” note, they could also see that the individual had a good amount of intestinal parasites. You can find out more using the links below.

Here’s a list (in pictures) of significant finds in York.

Here's more information about the coprolite.

But wait, the story gets even better! 

The coprolite (don’t say I never taught you a new word) was accidentally dropped and broken into pieces during a school visit to York's Archaeological Resource Centre. Read about this titillating event on The Guardian Newspaper’s website.

Still with me? All humor aside, check out the tiny writing tablets they also found in York. Very cool!