Chocolate

Happy birthday to one of my best friends, Hannah! Baby girl just turned 22. Bring on the tears.

Let me make one thing clear: I have never been a big chocolate fan. From the aftertaste to the guilty feeling that a single bite of candy might forever make you fat and alone (Kate is so going to call me out on that), I've never really seen the big appeal.

I am a converted woman.

Chocolate covered marzipan was something I stumbled upon on accident. In front of one of the many colorful aisles of every chocolate imaginable, I saw something that looked a lot like one of those little pieces of chocolate with sprinkles that inexplicably tastes a little minty, you know? I grabbed a few and threw them into my bag and kept moving. Perhaps the greatest mistake I've ever made. The familiarity of the chocolate as you first bite in, followed by the overly sweet almond flavor of the marzipan, all culminating in the marriage of two of the most incredible flavors known to man...it's impossible to explain. Get your hands on some as soon as possible.

In other news, I've made some pretty amazing friends here. The collision of cultures allows me the excuse of "I'm American" when my true, bizarre personality shines through. So far, I think I've given the false impression that ALL Americans love to yell and hug a lot when they drink, talk openly about their personal life, and constantly complain about how hungry they are. The atmosphere is very inclusive, very open-minded, and very relaxed. I don't want to say too much because I'm sure some of my friends from Sweden will probably read this and it feels awkward to talk about them in the third person. But they're (you're) really awesome people, I got pretty lucky.

I'm currently preparing for trips to Helsinki (this weekend) and Paris (February 8th) and I am EXCITED. Finland is probably one of those places I'd never see if I weren't living right next to it, so I'm so ready to tread the path less traveled. My Paris trip means I get to see my lovely old roommate, Miss Emy Kane, in about a week. Which inevitably means insane clubbing, outrageous conversations, and pasta for every meal. I'm also (kinda) starting to plan a trip to London for the end of March, but it's in the just-a-dream stage right now.

In addition to these unreal adventures, I want to (read: huge difference between "want to" and "am able to") hit up Copenhagen, Berlin, Riga, Amsterdam, Oslo, Palermo, Vienna, Athens, Dublin, and somewhere beachy in Croatia (clearly, I've done my research). I know for a fact that my mom read that list, snorted, and said to herself "keep dreaming, sweetheart". So it goes. CAN YOU BELIEVE I LIVE IN EUROPE RIGHT NOW?!

Oh, and classes are good too.

I've gotten a lot more tolerant of the cold. Partially because I've succumbed to the Michelin Man look, but I'll wear virtually anything if it means warmth when walking to class. It's taken me a weirdly long time to realize that layering pants is actually a good idea. For a girl that's lived in a seasonal climate her entire life, I'm not completely sure why it's taken me this long to not only layer shirts, but also leggings and jeans. Anyways, the weather isn't really a big deal anymore.

Also, I've only talked to a handful of people from Boulder and South Bend since I've been here and I'd really love to change that. Get at me with some personal updates, guys!

Politics

My address here is:

Anna LoSecco

Rackarbergsgatan 34-433

752 32 Uppsala

Sweden

DIE-HARD CAPITALISTS, STOP HERE. You will not like this entry and I'll probably offend you.

After two nights consisting solely of conversations with strangers, I'm a different person. I've discussed Capitalism with Swedes, World War II with Germans, drinking with Australians, and had the pleasure of explaining what "grinding" is to a group of Europeans. I've learned bits of history that have been completely glossed over in American classrooms. And, as dramatic as it may sound, it's like I'm finally emerging from a life underwater and breathing in my first breath of air. Swedes don't love the label "socialists" (and it does seem a little...harsh. Sweden practices more of a soft socialism, if that makes any sense), but this American feels like falling to her knees and crying for joy after learning a little more about the Swedish economy and government. Taxes are high, but so is everything else. Education, healthcare, and safety are among the best in the world, and Swedes are placed as some of the most trusting people in the world. While Americans see a bleak humankind, full of inescapable corruption and greed (perhaps a generalization, but I'm sure you can see the grain of truth in there), Swedes have grown accustomed to...believing in the best. Upon arriving, I asked my roommate whether they wanted me to label my food or keep it in my room. He looked at me and laughed.

"You don't need to label it, we trust each other."

Religion plays almost no role in their politics. In fact, the one party that has the word "Christian" in their name has made a point to explain that their affiliation doesn't extend past the name, and that they are not associated with any specific religion. In contrast to the I-go-to-church-every-Sunday politicians in my own country, it's refreshing. I feel like a lot of Americans base their vote on religious affiliation, which annoys me more than I can possible fit into this paragraph. Politicians here are elected based on merit, and you are often voting more for the party than the specific leader. Proportional representation allows even the tiniest voice to be heard, which allows for a greater variety of views in the government.

I know that I'm representing my country here, and I'm trying to keep an open mind and keep my disdain towards my home country in check. But part of the reason I wanted to study abroad was to escape the American mindsets and experience political views from another point of view (a TRUE other point of view. Not the hypothetical or condescending examples my American classes have provided.)

And I'm in love with Swedish politics. Every time I learn something more about the government, I feel like jumping up and screaming "Yes! THIS is what works! THIS is right!" Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and anyone is welcome to challenge mine. But I can almost assure you that, after 15 years in American public schools, after 21 years as a Jew living in a Christian nation, after the frustration of arguing day in and day out with my conservative high school history class about whether or not bloodshed was a necessary step of progress ("There is no other way, Anna. Think about it."), I'm seeing a new way of looking at things. And, despite the fearful, weak American claims, capitalism is A way of doing things. Not THE way.

Sverige!

Hej!

While I'm abroad, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and keep a blog. Follow or don't follow...it doesn't matter to me and I'll never know either way. But I thought it would be a good way to both stay in touch with friends and assure my mother than I have not yet died on the mean streets of Sweden.

A little background...I'm studying this semester at Uppsala Universitet. It's about 40 minutes north of Stockholm and about twice as old as the USA. Everyone is blond, beautiful, and marvelously warm and welcoming. This is my fourth or fifth day here, and I stopped feeling lonely and homesick about 15 hours in (of course, 9 of those hours were spent sleeping and showering off the two days of planes, trains, and automobiles). I'm incredibly lucky, and I have no doubt that this entire semester is going to be filled with such sweet, incredible, gentle people.

My flight here was pretty dramatic, and the stress culminated in me standing in the train station of Uppsala, completely and utterly lost. I hadn't had internet since Philadelphia and pay phones haven't been used since the 90s. It was nearing midnight as I sat on my 65lb duffel bag in the dark station, waiting for someone to come meet me. I tried asking a couple people for their cell phones, but they were (understandably) weary of the homeless American girl. By the time I had figured everything out, my body was crashing and I had learned a new definition for the word "helpless".

There's a tradition here called "fika", which is a lot like the American version of going out for coffee. When someone invites you to fika, it simply is them trying to reach out and get to know you a little better. I've only had fika once so far, and it was in my roommate's (I have 6: 3 guys, 3 girls, all amazingly nice) bedroom with some tiny biscuits and cups of berry tea. Swedes are very busy, and fika is an easy, cheap, and quick way to meet up with friends, without the stress of having the make an awkward excuse about studying when you want to leave. If you're done socializing, you simply leave. It's excellent for someone as socially inept as me. As soon as there's a hint of an awkward silence, I just walk out of the room and avoid the awkward avoiding-eye-contact-as-you-try-to-laugh-at-someone's-uncomfortable-jokes. And no one is offended.

Sweden is, generally, very very cold. Even after spending every winter of my life knee-deep in snow, I'm unprepared for the biting, brutal temperatures. I've gotten lost twice already, and there is nothing fun about being stuck outside for two hours as the sun begins to set (at 2 or 3pm) and the cold starts to find its way between your 5 layers of clothing. My two-hour wanderings have been extended mostly due to pride, as I know any of the dozens of strangers on the street would be more than willing to help me find my destination...I just really want to find it on my own. On my last visit to the grocery store, I asked a woman to help translate the tea names for me. After explaining almost every tea in the aisle, she kept asking "Do you have any more questions? Can I help you find something else? Where are you from?"

In a way, it's not hard to find alone time...but it is hard to get lonely.

Sweden is also crazy expensive. 65kr (which is about $10) is a very reasonable price for a tiny salad. I found a McDonald's in a shopping center yesterday and a very small coffee was the equivalent to $5. Luckily, I've become addicted to little tea crackers and you can get a roll of 50 for like 5kr (which is under a dollar). The adjustment is shocking.

I'm currently living in the largest consumer of candy in the world, so get ready to see me blow up like a balloon this semester. Their chocolate, and I say this completely seriously, is addictive. I've never been a huge chocolate fan, but I am forever changed by the rows and rows of chocolate covered marshmallows, bananas, peanuts, rice krispies, graham crackers, almonds, and coconut that are found in every food shop in the city.

There's so much I want to say. I don't want to make this too long.

Alcohol is crazy expensive. It is monopolized by the government, which tries to limit drunkenness by pricing alcohol by the alcohol content. For example, wine and beer is cheaper than hard alcohol because it contains less actual alcohol. I'm not kidding when I say the government developed this program to prevent people from getting drunk. Scandinavian history, specifically the Vikings, have always made alcohol a huge part of their lifestyle. The government is trying to change this with the systembolaget (the alcohol monopolization). However, people still manage to drink like champions. I immediately fell in love with their alcoholic apple cider. I feel like they have this in America too, so I'm not going to pretend it's some big exotic drink. But it is delicious and only 35kr ($5) for a glass.

More posts to come. Thank you for reading!