Swedes at Play and the 2007 SOF Parade

As people begin to ask me "What are your summer plans?," I immediately consider the fact that I have now been in Sweden almost 10 full months approaching an entire year. For a long time I anticipated the possibility of living and working abroad and, all-of-a-sudden, I've been doing that now for quite awhile. So just so all of you Americans know, time flies in Sweden, too.

This weekend was simply spring in Sweden: bright and sunny skies, a little overcast at night, warm and in bloom everywhere, emphatically calling out for gatherings of friends, games, drink, food and a grill. By the way, these days the sun comes up at 4:30am and sets at 10:15pm.

A Swedish spring or summer gathering is not all that different than an American gathering this time of year, except for one thing: Swedes have endured a longer, colder, darker winter and have earned the spring and summer more than most Americans, though admittedly this year's Swedish winter was very mild and didn't compare to the midwestern U.S. So party on, Kansas!

The pictures above capture my weekend:

1. The residents of Colonia, many of the students with whom I have worked throughout this past year, sharing in one last get-together before somehow mustering the energy for one last round of exams and finishing the school year. The Colonia building is making a lot of progress and we will welcome 250 residents this coming August!

2. Julia, Anders, Anton and Marcus enjoy spring.

3 & 4. A group of friends from Ryttargårdskyrkan partake in a classic Swedish lakeside grilling and games-filled afternoon. Another difference between a Swedish and American BBQ is that this gathering, in addition to a lake, was also at a castle (!). For those of you familiar with the Linköping area, we were at Bjärka-Säby today.

5. Today I was introduced to "KUBB," a centuries-old Scandinavian game, credited all the way back to the Viking era of 800 - 1050, somewhat like Bocce ball or horseshoes, at least in athleticism needed and the ideal environment...

Finally, there was a comment from a friend of mine, Kristofer Gustafsson, in last week's entry regarding the Student Orchestra Festival or "SOF" parade, which took place in Linköping while I was in Paris. The students in Sweden hold an annual weeklong themed festival highlighted by a parade of floats that roll through either Uppsala (north of Stockholm) or Linköping for thousands of people to see. This year "SOF" was held in Linköping and the theme, as ironic as this is, was "The United States of America." 6,500 people attended, including many "SOF alumni" who have been attending for decades.

So, for a look at students, Linköping, Swedes at play and the USA (four elements that are very vital to my daily life), please take a look at the very impressive photography of Kristofer at his Flickr site. I recommend the 5-minute slide show format:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristofer/sets/72157600231235776/

A big thanks to Kristofer for covering me on an event critical to any legitimate blog about the Linköping experience.

P.S: Happy Swedish Mother's Day (today-"Mors Dag") to Mom!

Paris

When two friends from Southern California, Jason and Heather Sunukjian (previously seen on Linköpinglivin back in October during a visit to Sweden), called to tell me they would be in Paris and wanted me to join them, I had to think about it for, well, about one minute.

Paris: L' Avenue Champs Elysées, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the River Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Musée d'Orsay, Opéra Garnier, Saint Sulpice, Les Invalides, Tuileries Garden, Pont de la Concorde, Hotel de Ville...


Paris: Déscartes, Louis XIV, Monet, Hugo, Renoir, Napolean, Rodin, Marie Antoinette, David, Picasso, Voltaire, Matisse, Manet, Degas, Joan of Arc...


Paris: Croissants, brie, Bordeaux, baguettes, Café au Lait, Sauvignon, Berthillion glacé y sorbet, crepe nutella!


Paris: Ile de la Cité, Ile Saint Louis, Latin Quarter, Marais, Saint Germain des Prés, Paris neighborhoods 1 - 20 known as"Arondissments"...


Paris: What more can I say?

I'm glad you asked. Oui, Bonjour, Bonsoir, A bientot ("See you soon"), Monsieur, Madame, Comment allez-vous ("How are you?"), S'il vous plait ("Please"), Bon Apétite, Bon Voyage, Les Misérables, Creme Brulée, Merci and Au Revoir.

And after four intense days of exploring, eating, walking, gawking, picnicing, drinking, picture taking, reflecting, prioritizing, talking, metro-riding, spending, and even a little bit of sleep, my introduction (because I will return!) to Paris was over. A special "Merci beau-coup" goes out to Veronique and David, two new French friends who put up with three Americans for the weekend. And a much deserved "thank you" to Jason and Heather for happily letting me interrupt their romantic weekend in the City of Love.

*A special note for Americans: If any of you are under the impression that the French are rude, it's simply not true. I have story after story from this weekend to attest to that. I should have been unable to send any postcards and missed the bus to the airport, but because of helpful French, Parisians no less, neither of these things happened. Just like I have to tell Europeans that "not all Americans have guns," I will always tell Americans that not all French fit our stereotype, in fact, I had a hard time finding any...

*A special note for Linköpingsborna: I was so sorry the timing didn't work out for me to be here for the SOF parade on Saturday, especially considering this year's theme, "U.S.A." Colonia had a float and their work on this was tremendous.

Lastly, pictures above:

1. Self-explanatory.
2. River Seine and Notre-Dame at dusk.
3. Shakespeare and Company, arguably the world's most famous English-speaking bookstore found in Paris' Latin Quarter.
4. The brilliant Eiffel Tower at night, an awe-striking sight.
5. Mona and her friends at the Louvre.

Vive la France!

Euro Pop Culture: Schlager, Melodifestival and the Eurovision Song Contest

Those of you who are laughing at this title and these pictures even before you begin reading must know me pretty well. Rarely does anyone ever catch me even using the phrase "pop culture," much less making it the subject of a blog entry or having any idea what is "cool," "hip" or "hot." My usual attitude toward pop culture consists of dismissing it as artificial and lacking anything of substance that will actually contribute to society, which may perhaps just mask my total lack of understanding and general inability to keep up with it...

...until now.



Before proceeding, you must be familiarized with three European pop culture phrases:

Schlager: Schlager is a genre of music found throughout Europe, but Swedes like to say that the "best" (if indeed that description can actually be uttered with Schalger) is found in Scandinavia. To the novice, Schlager might sound like any other up-tempo European pop music, but indeed it is a particular form of up-tempo pop music that separates Schlager. Schlager songs get to the chorus quickly, are usually only 3 minutes long and the simple goal of Schlager is to get everyone to sing along as quickly as possible. Americans, Schlager is your drive-thru fast food of European pop music: No one claims to, but most love it, at least here in Sweden.

Melodifestival: This is the annual, Swedish, made-for-TV, music competition that gradually narrows down a winner through TV audience voting. The winner of "Melodifestivalen" (this year: The Ark, 3rd picture above) represents Sweden in the...

Eurovision Song Contest: This annual European song contest has been a spring tradition for the past 50 years. Each country in the ever-expanding Eurovision Europe (including Georgia? Armenia?) gets one representative act to perform their Schlager song and, over the course of two nights of heated competition and judging, a winner is determined. Last year, Finland won Eurovision against all odds and therefore, hosted this year's event, which took place last night, watched by millions and covered by some 2,700 journalists.

So now that some of your European pop culture definitions are clarified from a most unlikely source, we can continue with this week's entry...

For someone who proudly proclaims he has never seen an episode of American Idol (or for that matter, ER, Survivor, Lost, 24--I still say that live sports is the best reality TV ever!), I had to chuckle as I started watching this year's Eurovision Song Contest with a group of friends who admirably endured my endless questions as I envisioned a blog entry for all those at home who just wouldn't believe I was watching and, admittedly, liking the Eurovision Song Contest.

42 countries (and increasing every year) entered this year's ESC. 18 were eliminated on Thursday night leaving 24 acts for Saturday night's final. The competition takes place in a jam-packed arena of the host city and is televised worldwide. The judges, you ask? At the end of the competition, everyone is given 15 minutes to call or SMS-text their votes for their top 10. Each country tallies their own votes and submits numbers 1 - 10 with increasing point values. To conclude the evening, each country "calls in" to announce their votes live and eventually a winner is determined.

This year's winner: Serbia, fighting off an impressive display from the former Eastern bloc who took 11 of the first 12 places. Sweden finished a disappointing 18th place, but has won four times (yes, including ABBA, who is credited with the birth of Schlager) third most of any country (Ireland, Great Britian).

What I appreciated most about the Eurovision Song Contest, and why I made a last-minute change to this week's blog entry subject (you were going to learn about Swedish "Colonia", but perhaps another time), was the rarely-seen unity and outright celebration of this grand continent. As countries called in to register their votes, you saw the diversity of locales, languages, interests, tastes and metropolitan backgrounds all coming together as one to celebrate this European tradition and share a sense of continental community. For an outsider-looking-in, this celebration of Europe was unforgettable and even inspiring, especially when you consider everything so many of the countries have come through since the first Eurovision Song Contest 50 years ago.

I still don't care about pop culture, nor will I download any of the songs from last night (if you're interested, I liked Serbia, Ukraine, Germany, Romania and Latvia, and those Russians were hot), but to be here in Europe watching essentially the only event of this kind that brings every European country together (much less gives Moldova as much clout as France or Germany) was a highlight of my time here so far. The group I was with, coupled with the event itself, made for a "fantastik nya svensk upplevelse" (fantastic new Swedish experience).

Pictures above:
1. Eurovision logo from Helsinki. Next year it's on to Belgrade.
2. Great Britian's laughable entry.
3. Ukraine's entertaining entry.
4. The Ark, Sverige!
5. Me with Colonia students in our paintball attire from last week--I promised they would make the blog.

Valborg: A Swedish Welcome of Spring

When you're this close to the top of the world, a place where the sun shines none of the time or all of the time, the seasons take on a different meaning, and intensity. So much so that the Swedish calendar is decorated with holidays that mark the comings and goings of the various seasons. The springtime annual tribute is known as Valborgsmässoafton or "Walpurgis Night."

This Swedish festival takes place in metropolitan city centers, smaller local communities as well as neighborhoods on April 30th, then May 1st is Labor Day so many Swedes will take a couple days off, especially if these dates fall on or near a weekend. Regardless of when or where it is celebrated, the most recognized part of Walpurgis Night is the blazing bonfire, which, in earlier times, was supposed to scare away evil to ensure upcoming growth and agricultural prosperity. These days, however, the bonfire is a symbol of the oncoming warmer and lighter days of Swedish outdoor fun and summertime rest and recreation.

My first Valborgsmässoafton was spent here in Linköping, starting at 3:00pm at the castle near the Domkyrkan where a men's choir affiliated with Linköping University sang the traditional Valborg songs while wearing traditional Swedish hats that are essentially captain hats worn, I believe, for multiple varying occasions and holidays throughout Sweden. In the evening, most of Linköping gathered at the end of the river for more from a choir, the lighting of the bonfire staged safely in the river and concluding with a spectacular fireworks show. The whole atmosphere of Valborg is akin to the American holidays of Memorial Day or Labor Day (despite the July 4th-like fireworks) when the smaller, neighborhood gatherings take place, usually around a grill and other summertime merriment.

Just one of many Swedish holidays that I've been privileged to observe this year, Valborgsmässoafton was a welcomed break from the norm and the Linköping celebration in particular was a chance to celebrate with friends and strangers who share a small town in Sweden. For a worthier explanation of this unique holiday, I refer you to my Swedish-news-in-English online website:

http://www.thelocal.se/3671/

Trevlig Valborg, alla. Vi ses nästa vecka.

The Swedish Model: Economic Observations 101

For those of you who might be completely bored by this title, trust me, I agree. For those of you who have been waiting for me to finally broach the subject of America and Sweden’s, shall we say, “differing” economic approaches, this is your special day.

When I started this blog, I promised that it would not get political, would not be a soapbox for you to listen to my rants about life and generally would not be inappropriately personal—all approaches to blogging you can find on another of the other 40 million blogs out there. The goal of this blog is help those who know me (and have come to know me through the blog) understand a little about my experience of two years living and working abroad. But really, what worth is a blog about Sweden if it doesn’t devote at least one entry to the well-known Swedish economic model?

While discussing varying economic approaches is inherently political, I assure you that I am the last one to make any final assertions or grand conclusions about economic approaches. I am many things, but an economist is definitely not one of them. With that, I will do my best to share some simple observations about the contrasting economic models of my two countries based on my relatively brief stay here in Sweden. Reader awareness of (and familiarity with) the strict capitalism found in the U.S. and the “middle road” between social welfare and capitalism of Sweden is assumed.

The first observation is that, no matter which country you discuss, the preoccupation with and social focus on the economy and money is very similar. Americans love their money and so do Swedes. While materialism (along with the sheer size and amount of things) is higher in the U.S., Swedes are also concerned with the security and image that comes with this material gain. I won’t claim that materialism is “human,” but it’s tough to argue that it’s not the latest religion of the West.

A few blogs ago, I presented an article from The Local, an online Swedish news website in English. It stated that the average Swedish income was roughly 335,000 Swedish Krowns per year, or about $48,000. This is one of the highest average salaries in the world, but the progressive tax scale keeps taxes for everyone, and especially the rich, very high. Just to give some perspective, tax on this average salary is about 33%, as I understand, whereas in the U.S. this salary would be taxed at approximately 27 – 28%. In Sweden, goods and services are taxed at 25% and food is 17%, whereas in the U.S., everything is 8.8%. Please offer your corrections on these all-important numbers if you have them.

In Sweden, the “cradle-to-the-grave” benefits are well known and well appreciated by everyone. Though no one embraces high taxes, most I’ve spoken with are content with the greater good. This blog has already discussed the 12 – 16 month maternity and paternity leave due to all new mothers and fathers. As for vacation time, in July you will see the world-renowned Swedish vacation time employed on this blog (as virtually all of Sweden shuts down for the month) and in the U.S., you have about two weeks vacation per year, depending on your job, because if you don’t like it, someone else will gladly take your place. Tough to argue with the enjoyment that comes with six weeks of vacation for everyone. Retirement is also healthy in Sweden and comfortably supports the average Swede throughout the non-working years.

I read an article in Newsweek this week that stated plainly the importance of attitude in economics. A society’s attitude towards work and achievement is vital to the economic outlook. My observation is that Swedes take pride in a job well done, but one rarely finds the work obsession that you find with many in the U.S. Work is a part of life, but certainly not all of it as is so often the case Stateside.

One of the reasons this “middle road” works here in Sweden is that Swedes are motivated by a “job well done” as well as financial incentives, not just the financial incentives as is common in the U.S. Very broad generalizations here, I know, but applicable on the whole. There are reasons, I believe, that the Swedish model seems to work here and there are reasons why, I believe, it would fail in the U.S. “Job well done” is one reason and another is the trusting society of Sweden. Generally speaking, I’ve noticed that Swedes, presumably since there are so few of them, trust each other more than Americans. Certainly the sheer numbers affect the trust in a society, but this is a reality to consider nonetheless. A social welfare model of any form must be founded on some level of trust throughout society and especially of, gulp, the government.

Nationwide, comparing the quality of life of the two countries is a very tricky process. When comparing economic models, how do you compare 9.5 million Swedes (roughly half the size of Los Angeles County) to 300 million in the U.S? As a whole, there’s no question in my mind that the overall quality of life is dramatically higher here in Sweden. “Cradle-to-grave” benefits for everyone is hard to overcome in the argument of quality of life, even if the highest quality of care may be harder to attain here than in the U.S. due to the numbers of people involved in the process. In the give and take between individual and society, 9.5 million people is much easier to deal with than 300 million. On this topic, I just can’t let go of the 40 million people in the U.S. without what most everyone agrees is a basic right of life, basic health care. That's an astonishing number for what many people argue is the best economic model the world has ever seen...

If you’ve read this far, consider yourself a Linköpinglivin reader Hall-of-Famer. I hope it wasn’t as boring to read as it was to write. Alas, a very important topic. Again, please feel free to share your insights should you be so compelled.

I have spoken with both Swedes and Americans who think their system is the world’s best and I have spoken with both Swedes and Americans who think the other’s system is the world’s best. The debate continues…

For those of you interested, LHC lost in the finals of the Eliteserien, a disappointing conclusion to their best season ever. And last week I attended my first-ever womens soccer game, Linköpings Fotboll Club against mighty Umeå. In a very good game, Umeå finally prevailed 2 – 0.

This coming week, we literally set Sweden ablaze in celebration of spring, so see you next week for a Swedish bonfire extravaganza!

And yes, these pictures have been a shameless attempt to keep the waning interest of this week’s readers. Some of my favorite places in the world: Prague, Copenhagen, Linköping and Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California is as close to the Mediterranean as you’ll find in the U.S., and a favorite locale for my family this time of year.

A Swedish Easter ("Påsk")

After a quiet, calm and relatively peaceful winter, April has proved to be an exciting month so far. "Jätte spännande!" So, two weeks after the fact, I am finally addressing an important holiday in Sweden, "Påsk." (Blog hijackings and visits from Mom have a tendency to interrupt routines and schedules.)

Throughout Europe, and Sweden is no different, Easter is truly the glorification of the almighty egg. In the U.S., Easter eggs are popular and fun and hidden, but in Europe, ornately decorated, ever-present, larger-than-life or smaller-than-a-thimble Easter eggs are everywhere, coming in all forms and containing just about any treasure you can think of from candy to krona to jewelry.

The cultural celebration of Easter in Sweden, in addition to the egg, is centered around the long holiday weekend ("Long" Friday and Monday are "Red Days" or bank holidays), possibly visiting the country cottage/summer house for the first time since the previous summer and, if children are involved, dressing up in witch costumes (The Easter Hag), making paintings and drawings for the neighborhood, then exchanging these creations for, you guessed it, candy. Something similar to our Halloween, but steeped in much more history and tradition.

And, while I didn't personally have any children distributing drawings in exchange for candy, I was able to take in a very meaningful church service and experience a classic Swedish Påskbord (Julbord, smörgåsbord--you should be familiar with this by now) during Easter. And Mom's presence only made this year's Swedish Easter celebration that much better.

We're starting to hit a new season of Swedish holidays. In the next couple months, we will become pyromaniacs (April 30), display yet more flags than we already do (June 6) and dance around a Maypole singing songs and drinking yet more schnapps than we already do (June 23). You have a lot to look forward to here on Linköpinglivin.

The pictures, you ask? Despite an egg in every storefront and on every corner, I somehow managed to miss all of them on my camera, which presents an opportunity to share pictures which, let's be honest, are a lot more fun than pictures of eggs.

1. Family in Prague last weekend sending a message to various missing members...

2. A famous bridge in Stockholm, Skeppsholmsbron, overlooking Kungliga Slottet (The Royal Palace) and Gamla Stan in the late afternoon spring sun.

3. Southern California spring time roses taken in her garden and reminding me of my Grandma Dorothy who passed away in 2000, but not before attending a concert at Linköping's very own Domkyrkan during a tour of Scandinavia way back in 1983, 23 years before her then 10 year-old grandson would begin living, working and having a blast in this fantastic, little town. We know this from her travel diary, which of course means that Grandma would have been a blogger! Go Grandma!

4. My Dad on a recent trip to Budapest with the Danube in the background.

5. For all of you Todd fans out there, this is a picture from when he was dating Sheryl Crow.

"Glad Påsk" and Happy belated Easter, everyone.

Min Mamma Kommer Till Stockholm, Linköping och Prag

Just kidding.

Earlier in the year, after my Dad visited Linköping, I took advantage of the simply summarized weekend to show off on Linköpinglivin the results of my months of Swedish language class. However, this time around, especially as my self-imposed weekly deadline of Monday night approaches, I think English will do just fine.

Since I was successfully able to wrestle my blog back from my brother this week, I can share that a much-anticipated visit from my Mom took place over the last ten days. Arriving all the way from Southern California in time for “Påsk” (Easter) and traveling from Sweden to Prague, Mom made quite the effort and her time included a little bit of everything Sweden and the surroundings has to offer.

After a long flight here and with virtually no sleep, Mom arrived to Stockholm early in the morning, thus only just beginning her day that included a walk around Skansen Outdoor Museum, witnessing the spectacular Vasa preserved ship museum up close and walking the cobblestone and tourist-ridden streets of Gamla Stan. At least the bright arctic spring sun helped keep her awake until that jet-lag reducing goal of 9:00 p.m.

We were welcomed to Linköping with a fantastic Swedish “Påskbord” (Easter table) provided by friends Andreas and Sara. Soon after this, our delightful Swedish spring reverted about six weeks and a Swedish snowfall became a memorable part of Mom’s Linköping experience. Being from Southern California, this was one of the coldest climates she had ever been in, and it was "only" 0 degrees Celsius (32 Farenheit). Finally, among other Linköping adventures, Mom was delighted by Gamla Linköping and even tried a little Swedish at “min svenskakurs.”

Eventually, we were off to meet multiple family members in Prague for a mini-reunion including my Dad and cousins, the Filipek family (Mike, Julie, Ashley and Devin). In addition to the stunning Baroque and Gothic architecture of Prague, this trip included the discovery of Prague in warm weather. This city only improves as the temperature increases as I discovered Mala Strana and the natural beauty of Prague previously overlooked during cold weather visits. Great Czech dinners, National Theater opera, multiple-course European breakfasts, breathtaking views, reading about the incredibly tragic and triumphant history of the people of Prague, all this made for a memorable birthday weekend, in a most unexpected place.

This morning, Mom’s latest European escapade came to a conclusion. While she is currently in the air (probably somewhere over the Midwestern United States at this point), her trip will never be forgotten (especially now that it’s captured forever in blog lore). Thanks for coming all this way, Mom. See you in July!

Pictures above:

1. Mom (Dianne), Dad (John) and I sharing in Prague's best version of a "French" breakfast.

2. Prague Castle across the Vltava River at night.

3. Cousin Devin enjoying the Mala Strana Park view over the old city.

4. Mom and I in Gamla Stan with the wind whipping through the narrow streets.

5. The "Dancing Building" structure in Prague.

Happy Birthday from THAT Brother

To celebrate Sean’s birthday, I, his younger, smarter, taller and better looking brother, Todd, have officially hijacked his blog and given him a week off.

Now that we’ve cleared that up...it’s time to celebrate Sean. And what better way for me to celebrate him and his Swedish experience, than to devote a day to everything that is Swedish in New York. I wasn’t looking for just anything Swedish (Volvos, Saabs, meatballs, etc). I wanted a true Swedish experience. Yes, there are a few Swedish gems in New York if one looks hard enough...and by “looks hard enough” I mean a few hours on the internet and a few miles of walking.

Oh, and before anyone asks...no, I did not go to Ikea. That would have required me to go to New Jersey. Not even Sean’s birthday will make me purposely go to New Jersey.

So, with list in hand and armed with my new t-shirt (“You bet your Smorgasbord I’m Swedish”), I began my trek. Here are the highlights...

Fika, Fika, Fika...Sean loves Fika. And now, so do I. I finally visited the much anticipated FIKA coffee shop. Not being a coffee drinker, I forced down a cup....tasted like any other cup (sorry!). However, I did partake in a KOKOSTOPP....a coconut pastry with a crunchy outside and softer inside. Ok, fine...it was a macaroon...but it was still tasty! My first FIKA experience was a good one.

Next stop...a restaurant called Aquavit. If the restaurant was as good as the bottle of Aquavit that Sean gave me, I was in for a treat. And with only a kokostopp in my belly, I was ready for some Swedish delights. I walked in the unassuming door in my holey jeans, Swedish t-shirt and back pack. Have you ever walked into an establishment...the music comes to a screeching halt...everyone looks at you and there’s e an uncomfortable silence? Welcome to my Aquavit experience...except the screeching music was Swedish. Apparently, Aquavit is a VERY NICE restaurant. I quickly left, but managed to snap this photo...holey jeans and all...before the Swedish mafia caught up with me. I wonder if it was the t-shirt?

Perhaps it was time to re-evaluate my adventure. And what better place to reflect than Svenska kyrkan. No, I did not go inside (lesson learned) and no, I did not take a funny picture with me and the church. Instead I took a picture which is very fitting of New York...the beautiful architecture of the old church, surrounded by skyscrapers towering high into the sky. It’s a great oasis for Swedes in New York as every service is conducted in Swedish. My curiosity has peaked...so someday soon, I will attend.

So...there you go...after a few hours of trekking around New York (yes, it took that long!), my Swedish adventure was coming to a close...BUT not before I enjoyed some of the true gems of the Swedish...including my Christmas present, a mug made from some large animal’s horn. Perhaps I “enjoyed” a little too much.

And a shout out to all Linkopinglivin readers....if you see Sean walking around Linkoping this week (and particularly on the actual day - April 13th), spontaneously scream HAPPY BIRTHDAY. He’ll get frightened, you’ll start laughing and I will have made his birthday all the better...from thousands of miles away.

Grattis På Fodelsdag, Sean!!!

A Linköping Spring: Unlike Any Other!

As hinted at in previous blog entries, and as experienced throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere at this point, spring has arrived. And with spring (Swedish "vår") comes longer days, increasing temperatures, cloudless skies, blossoming flowers, romantic ideals and dreams of upcoming vacations to ocean and lakeside locales as the summer approaches. The month of snow in Sweden has melted and as the seasons change, my heart always skips a beat, and once again, experiencing a change of season in Europe has been just a little extra special than normal.

While Linköping too, experiences the above rites of spring, though the blossoming is not quite underway, there are two uniquely Linköping spring experiences that you don't have unless you are here.

First, there is a subtle, but all-too-clear tradition in Linköping that all Linköpingites wait upon and yet are still caught surprised by, and joyfully so. No one should be shocked that this first unique spring rite is a simple thing. Indeed, it wouldn't be truly Swedish if it was grand, a spectacle or too far out of the ordinary. This is something you stumble upon as you are doing errands, sitting for a Saturday afternoon fika or merely walking across Stora Torget after lunch heading to your workplace. As one contemplates the next task or says "Hej" to a familiar face while walking around Linköping Centrum, this spring tradition hits you seemingly out of nowhere. As you pass by one of many Swedes strolling about town taking in the sunshine and warmth, you notice something:

"What was that?"

"I think they had...."

"No. Could it be?"

"Is it open?"

"Bosse? Bosse, are you back?"

"Is Bosses open again?"

From what I've been told, and experienced multiple times for almost two weeks now, a time-honored tradition and one of Linköping's favorite parts of spring and summer is Bosse. Bosse is our friend because Bosse has a "glassbar" or "ice cream shop."

Bosses Glassbar is just off of Stora Torget and never fails to keep Linköpings snack and dessert dreams coming true, but closes down between October and March. When Bosse returns, it means much more than simple ice cream indulgences to finish off that great Swedish meal. It means that Swedes have survived the winter and that glorious days of sunshine, warm temperatures, never-ending Swedish vacation (relatively speaking) and the beloved Swedish outdoors are on the horizon. The picture below is usually the only obstacle between you and a refreshing reminder of the renewal of spring. Here's to Bosse!

The second sign of spring that you don't have where you live is the Linköping Hockey Club taking the Eliteserien by storm and finding themselves, for the very first time, in the championship series, "Finalen." The championship series starts this week at the Cloetta Center.

This season, LHC finished a mediocre fourth in the world's highest rated hockey league outside of the NHL, but when the playoffs arrived, they kicked it up about 12 notches and have blown away their first two opponents, including the defending champion, a team that finished the season in first and had reached the championship series for the past six years, Färjestads BK. Read all about it, in English no less:

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=298294&page=NewsPage&service=page

"We" Linköpingites look forward to the day when LHC reaching Finalen is as traditional a spring rite as Bosse returning to warm our hearts with his cold delicacy.

Trevlig Vår! Happy Spring.

København

To many of you, ”Köpenhamn,” but to most you, “Copenhagen.”

The capital city of Denmark, often overlooked because of Stockholm and grand continental European mega-cities, is the gateway from Scandinavia to the rest of Europe, lying at the southern-most tip of Sweden and bordering Germany. This marks the second Scandinavian country I have visited and, I assure you, “København” does not dissapoint. Like all Scandinavian countries, the Danes have some cool-looking letters like ”æ, ø, å.” Let’s give them a try…

Spending three nights and three days, especially on a weekend in spring, was møre than enough time to become familiar with the inner city, enough to actually feel at home. Copenhagen is small enough to walk everywhere and big enough to feel like a metropolitan city. There is a warmth and friendliness to Copenhagen that seems to welcome the traveler, something of which Denmark’s favorite son, Hans Christian Anderson, would be prøud. I stayed on a boat in Nyhavn (New Harbor) and, as usual when traveling, met people from all over Europe: Germany, England, Holland, Ireland, Sweden and more.

Perhaps it was the narrow, winding stræts, pastel-colored facades of centuries-old buildings, never-ending spires and towers that hover above a city without skyscrapers (I stopped counting after forty), the harbors and canals or the øutdoor cafes and restaurants embracing spring once again as temperatures hovered in the low-60s Fahrenheit, but one doesn’t need to spend much time here to get familiar and friendly with Copenhagen. I highly recommend this cozy capital, especially as a spot most Åmericans have not visited, but would remember forever.

Some highlights:

Sitting down to my first Danish meal, the classic “smorrebrød” open-faced sandwich of fish, meat and cheese, asking the sweet Danish waitress if she had time to show me around her city and subsequently getting turned down, all within two hours of arriving to Denmark!

Standing atop the Rundetårn (round tower) overlooking the city and continuing to relish this unæxpected European adventure when, off in the distance, I began to hear a marching band playing ”Stars and Stripes Forever.” Doing the equivalent of a triple-take with my ears, I soon saw the Palace Guard parading through the city as they always do when the Queen is in residence for the daily, and made-for-tourist, Changing of the Royal Guard. Apparently, ”Stars and Stripes Forever” is vintage parade music no matter where you are in the Western world. Who knew?

(Picture above) Walking out to visit ”Den Lille Havfru” or The Little Mermaid, Denmark’s national symbol and most vintage ”tourists only” site and, as always, being more entertained by the tourists than the actual reason for the journey. The main character in perhaps Hans Christian Anderson's most beloved tale, The Little Mermaid is always awaiting her prince, but is never lonely. I was there on a chilly Sunday morning in March and saw probably 75 tourists come through in just over an hour. Imagine a warm Saturday in July...

Walking aimlessly around the Latin Quarter, a university-type area just off the main thoroughfare of ”Strøget," stumbling upon a picturesque square and thinking to myself, “Now this is a very cool square. I wonder what the name of this one is.” Looking around I soon discovered that Scandinavian common sense was alive and well in Denmark with the naming of this area, “Kultorvet” or “the cool square.” Nice.

Leaving Christiania, a small section of Christianshavn just east of the inner city, which for forty years has served as a home to about 1,000 residents who are living a socialistic and communal lifestyle (simply put, but not totally accurate, a ”hippie commune”) and meeting ”Thomas, the Gardner” who proceeded for the next half-hour to share stories and familiarize me with the history and philosophy and current challenges of life in Christiania, possibly the most well-known living environment of its kind in the world.

(Picture above) Walking quickly through the "Statens Museum for Kunst" Art Museum, really just wanting to get to the Rembrandt area, but stopping for famous Danish painters and discovering a painting with a child that looks exactly like my brother when he was about nine years old (the one on the left). This painting, Still Life with Fish by Carl Bloch, was finished in 1878. An uncanny resemblance, minus the hat. I had to break the museum rules and snap a photograph. Our family will treasure this picture for a long time….yes, that brother, the one that makes all the blog comments and yes indeed this is one way of me “responding.”

Checking my møbile phone’s internet each morning and discovering my NCAA tournament teams (see last week’s entry) had won!

(First picture above) Strolling Nyhavn morning, afternoon or night, just embracing the newly-arrived springtime with all the Danes and tourists. Outdoor cafes, ice cream cones, sunshine, boats in the harbor, a nice bræze--a Scandinavian spring will be truly grand.

Some of you may be wondering, "What about Tivoli?,” the famous amusement park in Copenhagen? Closed until åpril. However, I do have a seven-hour layover in Copenhagen on my way back from the U.S. this summer where I plan to experience Tivoli for a few hours…

The other picture above is Rosenborg Slot, a castle that is full of Danish Royalty items worth a whole lotta Danish kronor and a fine-looking castle, too.

And, almost as soon as it began, my Danish experience had ended. A great weekend getaway and a great way to welcome a new season to Scandinavia. If you're headed to København any time soon, let me know. I will be very tempted to join you.

Finally, don't look now, but "LHC" is storming through the Eliteserien playoffs. Yes, hockey season is in full swing and the Linköping Hockey Club caught fire at just the right time.

Go UCLA.

Go LHC.

Go to Copenhagen.

Amerikansk Basketboll, March Madness and Following American Sports Abroad

As winter turns to spring and we're in between Swedish "red days" (holidays), America is experiencing the college basketball madness of the month of March. As I've been abnormally preoccupied with all things America this weekend, I figured there was no better time to share how I am surviving "without" my American sports scene--big quotes around "without."

Quick explanation for the Swedes:
"March Madness" is the affectionate term for the 6-round single-elimination college-level basketball tournament played every weekend throughout the month of March in the United States. American football and basketball at the college level is adored in the U.S. largely because the players are not paid in astronomical salaries as professional players are, which helps the common person relate to and appreciate the players a bit more than professionally-paid players. This college basketball tournament never fails to provide edge-of-your-seat excitement as favored teams lose to lower seeded teams and previously unheard of players, coaches and schools receive their one shot at tournament glory. The championship game is always played on the first Monday in April.

Upon hearing of my imminent journey to Sweden for a couple years, many people who know me well immediately began wondering how I might cope without my American sports. As stated in earlier blogs, I'm particularly fond of American football, basketball and baseball. Well, in this age of technology, for better or for worse, one simply does not need to go "without" these public, media-provided, social and cultural events. The better question for me is "How is Sean coping without his American sports...at the most ideal time of day?"

In a word, technology. The internet not only makes up for the distance with regards to news and sports, but due to ever increasing options and affordability, my following of various games and events is more thorough and enhanced than ever. If I was in the U.S., I would probably not purchase the internet coverage of events and would miss out on various advantages found through the net. All weekend I have been able to choose the game I watch with the click of the mouse, whereas on a U.S. television, one is left to the discretion of the television provider. That's a long explanation to say that, whether it's single games such as the Super Bowl or other games, or long series that cover a week or a month, most providers now have an internet option that allows those of us abroad the chance to see our games happen live. It's cool. There's only one drawback.....

....time. While events are understandably timed well for the U.S. audience, rarely is the time of these games suitable for normal viewing in Europe. In order to see my games live (and who wants to see games delayed these days anyways?), I need to be awake at all hours of the night. Sweden is 6 hours ahead of the east coast and 9 hours ahead of the west coast of the U.S. Anything that starts after a 2:00pm-west coast time, is pushing the boundary for me to have any kind of decent night's sleep. This inconvenience definitely reveals which games and events are the most important to me. I've learned that I will stay up to see my Bruins play a second-round NCAA tournament game, but I won't stay up to see St. Louis and Detroit in any of the World Series games (baseball, October). As seen in early February, I'll stay up for the ultimate American sporting event, the Super Bowl, but when Florida played Ohio St. in the American football national championship, I was only up because of jet lag, trying unsuccessfully to sleep.

A legitimate question at this point could be, "Sean, you're in Europe. Don't you have better things to do than follow American sports, which will always be here?" All I can say to that is I had naive hopes that I could leave some of these admittedly superficial things behind for a couple years, but when you're actually living in, and not just touring, Europe, life tends to settle in.

And while living here will never become normal for me, I have allowed myself a few of these guilty pleasures yes, even while living abroad and experiencing the adventure of a new country and culture--speaking of which, Linköpinglivin will be coming to you from another country next weekend.

See you next week to find out what new locale is next on the agenda.