Routines

I haven't been inspired to write much here lately, mainly due to the fact that I've gotten really busy with school and work, and everything seems to have settled into a predictable routine.  Now that my Swedish is at a passable level and things don't seem so foreign to me it's not quite as exciting to write about as it was when everything Swedish was fresh and exciting and strange and funny.

It's also not my favorite time of year weatherwise...although I'm thankful we've had some bright sunny days and plenty of snow to cover up the gray and mud...it's still COLD, COLD, COLD.  Sometimes I feel like I'll never be warm again and the need for hot sun on my skin feels worse than any pregnancy food craving.  The days are getting longer though, and I just have to remind myself that it does actually warm up here eventually.  Although when people say, "The cold just makes you appreciate the summer more," I want to snap back, "I DO appreciate the summer...I appreciate it so much I'd be happy to have it ALL THE TIME."

Anyway, I've started a barnskötarutbildning course at our local adult-ed center, which will give me a license to work in Swedish preschools.  There always seems to be a need for more preschools here and since I've been around little kids all my life it seems like a good fit.  The preschools here are kind of like a mix between daycare and school...the kids are 1-6 years old and there are lots of fun activities for them.  I take one full day of classes per week along with 3 full days of working at the preschool with 1-3 year olds.  They're hilarious and adorable and fun, although I seem to have forgotten the vast quantities of the boogers and poop that come along with young'uns.  My coworkers at the preschool are wonderful and it's great for my Swedish to be speaking all day.

Since I was homeschooled I don't have the best point of reference to compare the Swedish preschool to the ones in the US, but I can say that the quality of food here is amazing.  All the kids eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day, the meals are made from scratch in the kitchen (mmmm, fresh baked bread), and I have yet to see a single sugary item served to the kids.  I also like the fact that Swedes seem to emphasize teaching kids at an early age to do everything themselves instead of our US mentality of "Wait, you're too little...let me help you."  Even the tiniest of kids serve their own plates of food, help clean up after themselves, and participate fully in the elaborate process of putting on and taking off winter clothes.

In addition to the preschool I'm still teaching English to older school kids three times per week, plus taking Swedish as a Second Language B.  This is the last step in the free Swedish classes that we immigrants are allotted, it's a distance class that's pretty intensive and mostly centered around reading and writing about ancient literature in Swedish.

I also need to upgrade to a Swedish driver's license by April which is nothing short of a gigantic and expensive pain in the ass.  The Swedish system is a little strange when it comes to foreign driver's licenses....I'm allowed to use my US license for the first year that I live here, but once that year is up they don't seem to recognize the fact that I've been regularly driving a car for exactly half my life.   I have to start from scratch and take all the tests and lessons from the beginning.  Luckily I have driving theory books in English, but I also need an eye exam, slippery driving course, and a drinking and driving course before I can take and pass both practical and theoretical tests, all of which cost a pretty öre.  Hopefully I've gotten started early enough in the game to take each step as it comes and not try to get everything done at the last minute, we'll see how it goes.

My little viking in the oven seems to be cooking up nicely as far as I can tell...my queasy days have subsided and the only symptom I've been having is a weird taste in my mouth all the time...super annoying.  We have an ultrasound next month but we're not finding out if it's a boy or a girl.  I think it'll be fun to keep it a surprise and hopefully a little extra motivation to get the little bugger out when the time comes in August.

M has been away at sea for the past six weeks but is returning home on Wednesday.  He and his brother are starting their own boat company this summer which will also be an exciting new project in our lives.  

So that's my life right now...work, study, eat, sleep, repeat.  Not too exciting, but I have a feeling I should be thankful for these calm and semi-monotonous days while they last....