Fika- an old tradition, new to me

One of my favorite Swedish traditions, that I will most definitely take with me where ever I am living, is Fika. Described to me by my Swedish host Ewy, fika is a coffee break with sweets or a snack to take time to stop and enjoy friends. In search of more information reguarding the history, I found:

Fika is both a Swedish verb and noun that roughly means "to drink coffee," usually accompanied by something sweet.

Fika is a social institution in Sweden; it means having a break most often a coffeebreak with one's colleagues, friends, date, or family. The word has quite ambiguous connotations and can mean anything from taking a break from work or other activities, to going on a date. This practice of taking a break, typically with a cinnamon roll or some biscuits or cookies, or sometimes a smörgås or a fruit on the side, is central to Swedish life, and is regularly enjoyed even by the government.

The term which hits home for me personally is "social institution." Fika isn't about the food or beverage choice, it is the people with which we choose to share our time. Ewy has made sure that we've had Fika every a day and even when we are out exploring different villages, cities, or the countryside of Sweden, she either had fika packed in a picnic basket with us, or we've stopped at a cafe to take a break to talk and enjoy each other's company. You can see us pictured here at the Power Big Meet, stopping to to take some coffee and a snack (including the seafood spread mentioned in the recipe post) and some music, thanks to David and his new guitar. The picnic basket, cooler, and blankets were "fetched" from the back of Ewy´s car and spread out for everyone to socialize. It is, afterall, a social institution. The picture below was taken yesterday at an old town between destinations. We especially enjoyed entering a hundreds of year old house, choosing fresh baked goodies, and either coffee or some other form of beverage. I was adventurous and tried a Swedish drink which tasted like a sweet gingerale. I especially enjoyed my coconut cream cake, too. Paul's snack was flavored with cardimum, which was a little unfamiliar for us but yummy nonetheless. Trying new things is half of the fun of visiting new places!

I treasure the moments that we've intentionally stopped to talk, simply slowing life down and enjoying the moments as they pass. Some days fika consisted of coffee and cinnamon rolls, others were more elaborate and traditional- expanding to homebaked goodies, coffee, tea, juice, and invitations for other friends and family to join us. Today Ewy showed her culinary skills once again by baking a currant pastry (locally known as red wine berries, which she picked at Farfar's house. Farfar is literally translated Dad's dad but is used to designate which grandfather you are referring to.) There was also a vanilla creme sauce to accompany the pastry and of course a plentiful supply of hot fresh coffee. Coffee doesn't get cold or stay warmed on a coffeemaker here at the Jonsson's; someone jumps up and puts on a new kettle of water to start the process of brewing the pot again. Ceramic dishes with sugar cubes, cream, and dainty coffee spoons with which you stir create a unique and special atomophere that makes coffee feel like the event of fica. Benga's brother and sister-in-law were invited, as well as everyone here (Benga, Ewy, Evelina, David, Paul, and Nikki.)

As I'm sitting here trying my best to put what fica is to me into written word, Farfar has just invited everyone to his house tomorrow for fica, of course at the traditional time of 15:00, 3pm. I am excited to experience his version of fica tomorrow. He is very traditional and, as Ewy describes him, "likes the old way."

We also had fika one afternoon with Mormor (as you can guess, Mom's mom or grandmother). Evelina made a freshbaked chocolate cake which reminded Paul of brownies as well as cinnamon rolls. That particular afternoon at fika, we enjoyed the company of Benga, Ewy, Evelina, David, Ida, Henrik, and Mormor. A great opportunity to sit down and chat with some of our new Swedish family! =) Mormor´s advice for the afternoon was to enjoy the moments that we are having now as well as the ones we are planning for the future, because when you get to be her age, you don´t know how many days you have left. Simply put, Carpe Diem.

From visiting the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, I learned that the roots of fika are in a much older Swedish tradition of hosting tea and coffee parties, where women were expected to have a minimum of seven homemade baked goods, ranging from cake, softer cakes, cookies, and biscuits, and served in a very specific order. Of course in fika today, one is not expected to fresh bake all of the goodies, or serve a minimum of seven types. As few as a couple of generations ago, however, women were held to the expectation of fresh baked treats.

Reguardless of the history, or expectations previously held, the part of fika that I will carry with us is the idea of slowing down, stopping for at least a few minutes, and spending time talking over a cup of coffee or tea. We owe it to ourselves and our friends and family deserve that much from us. We can take the time for loved ones. Viva la FIKA! =)

Puddle Jumping

With Paul, Benga, and Ewy out enjoying the road rally race, Evelina and I were left to wake ourselves. After enjoying our opportunity to sleep in uninterrupted, and lazily moving about the house beginning our day, we were shocked with the realization that we had less than half of an hour to catch the bus to go into town for shopping (the tentative plans previously made for the day). For many of you that know Evelina and me, this is quite a monumental task to complete in half an hour! We inhaled yogurt and cereal (here they enjoy cereal with thinner, pourable yogurt instead of milk and it is very yummy- I normally always choose the strawberry to go with mine), and got dressed enough to be presentable before we were out the door, headed on the short hike to the bus stop. Evelina explained that I could ride her bike and she would just speed walk (her legs are longer than mine, thus allowing for longer steps and faster walking) where we would make the bus on time. After hopping on Evelina's bicycle, I was quickly confronted with the fact that her legs are indeed longer than mine and I had to either sway my body back and forth to reach each pedal or stand up on the pedals without sitting on the seat. Standing on the pedals, holding onto the handlebars, wind flying through my hair, I felt like a child again- enjoying the breezes of forward motion, with the sun on my face while racing to catch the bus. What a nostolgic moment!

After stashing the bike in a small clearing of the woods, Evelina and I reached the bus stop with time to spare. We were soon to arrive at our shopping destination! Boarding the bus, it was easy to see that the use of public transportation here is much more efficent and common than any place I've lived. Buses, trains, and subways all regularly transport locals to and from home, work, and outings. Enjoying the opportunity to take advantage of such a system, I am left with a small pang of jealousy over the efficiency, ease, and enviornmental consciousness of such a system. One can't imagine the quailty and cleanliness of the pulic transportation in Sweden if you haven't seen it for yourself. The only city buses I have seen, or the New York City subway requires one to be fully alert at all times, with hand sanitizer at quick disposal. The Swedish buses and trains that I've experienced are clean, up to date, spacious, and of good quality. They offer comfortable rides and friendly drivers. The other passengers are different, some tourists like myself, but mostly locals making their way around their hometown. Sweden definately has the right idea with their public transportation system!

After our short ride (in charter-bus style seating, but choosing the seats that are facing one another for ease of conversation), Evelina and I arrived for our afternoon of purusing the local goods, looking for stores with a great "rea" (or sale for those of you not familiar with Swedish), and souvenirs for loved ones. We meandered through the first street or two, moving from boutique to store...when without warning the skies darkened and opened up, pouring their contents onto the two unsuspecting consumers. Ok, fine...we should have checked the weather or perhaps brought along an umbrella, but our time management that morning didn't allow for those luxuries. Sticking closely to storefronts, sheilded by the building overhangs and awnings, we made our way to several stores in search of an umbrella for sale. A local sporting goods store proved to be our savior with a small display inside the automatic doors housing a few black umbrellas. Forty-nine crowns (or about $7) later, I was the proud owner of my very own defense to nature's discouragement of my afternoon browsing the storefronts outdoors. Why I didn't forsee the future possibility of a turrential downpour instead of the "Swedish summer" shower (as so called by the locals), I'm not sure. Maybe optimism isn't always the best option. Oh, well. =) Perhaps next time I will consider the more pessimistic option and purchase two umbrellas, one for each of us. This was not the case today.

With our purchase opened and in hand, Evelina and I braved the weather and continued to our destination of the Old Town Shops through the streets and park, arm in arm, jumping over puddles, and pausing several times when the rain became especially bothersome. About midway through the park, a large tree was our reprieve at one point, leaving an area about the size of two feet across for us to escape the rivers decending from the heavens. With Evelina's arms and my back still caught in cascading streams, we huddled closer, laughing, with Evelina pulling me forward to escape the cause of my now soaked back. Two girls under a small umbrella, beneath a large tree overhanging onto the semidry spot on the sidewalk, caught in a downpour in the middle of a fresh green and luscious park. I wish now that someone could have taken a picture from afar, capturing the moment in time somewhere other than merely my memory. We had to have been quite a sight, attempting to stay merely damp, although failing miserably, yet laughing our way to our destination. We devised a plan to best pursue our course, attempting at first to walk arm in arm and steer around obstacles. Our arms ended up soaked, her left and my right. We adapted our strategy to Evelina holding the umbrella and walking directly behind me, with the umbrella in the middle directly between our heads. This made it difficult for her to hold the umbrella and for me to know which way to go, with her in tow. The handle also kept hitting the bun my very damp hair was curled into, making it even more difficult to hold steady. Finally, we were most sucessful with a modification of all of our previous attemps, me leading the way with Evelina behind me, a little diagonally to the side, the umbrella resting on my shoulder in the center of the two of us, and her arm around my shoulder keeping us tight and together. For any of you who find yourself in such a predicament, we recommend this procedure, although to begin walking, you have to decide on which foot to start because the inner leg for each person needs to work simultaneously as one. We even discussed the possibilty of entering (and of course winning because of our experience) a three legged race. "Start with your right, my left...one, two, three..." escaped between laughter. At crosswalks once we heard the signal to walk, we leapt between the solid fat white lines, mostly avoiding the valleys between them filled with water. Of course, I was the one mostly leaping with Evelina stretching her legs and making it in one stride. We only experienced a few mishaps, one of which was when we were not connected and I choose the path to left of an exceptionally large puddle, Evelina went to the right side, and the umbrella ended up in the middle of us, in essence covering the puddle. We both were able to soak up some cool, fresh rainwater with that manoeuver. It did, however, provide an opportunity for us to once again dissolve into giggles about our situation and decisions. Soaking wet or not, we were having a great time.

At some point through the journey, I realized that the afternoon and our purserverence wasn't merely for the trinkets we were purchasing along the way. Evelina and I had the opportunity to spend time with one another and relish the hours together. Of course, as is par for the course with the two of us, these hours were filled with problems to be solved, obstacles to overcome, more important than anything- good humor, friendship, and laughter. Evelina and I love to go puddle jumping together- metaphorically and literally. When one happens upon a puddle with a friend, it is best to link arms, laugh at the situation, and jump over it together. We did.

Swedish Recipes

I thought I would share a few international recipes that we've really enjoyed from Ewy and Evelina's Kitchen:


Swedish Pancakes (dessert, breakfast, or fika)

5 eggs
500 ml flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 liter of milk
pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp sugar (optional)

Beat ingredients together with a mixer or whisk. Add butter to a hot skillet and pour in enough batter to coat the bottom of the skillet, you can pick up the pan and swirl it to fully coat the bottom (the mixture will be thin and you only want enough for a very thin pancake). Flip to brown both sides. Two options for toppings are butter and sugar sprinkled on top (my favorite) or whipped cream and jam (paul's favorite). We made a whole platter of pancakes and because they are so thin, prepare at least 3 per person for a meal.


Chicken Evelina =)

100 ml cream (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika powder
2 tsp Dragon-Estragon (teragon)
1-2 crushed garlic cloves
100 ml cornflakes (about 1/2 cup)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place thawed chicken in a glass dish, pour mixture over chicken. Bake until chicken is ready (depending on size and kind of chicken, until the juices run clear) and serve with brown rice.


Seafood Sandwhich Spread (think Tuna Salad)

cooked Salmon or tuna
2-3 teaspoons caviar
diced red onion
creme' fresh or yogurt
1 tbsp mayonaise (optional)
small cooked shrimp (optional)

Add ingredients to taste and texture. Spread on a baguette and enjoy with cucumbers, lettuce, onions, or your favorite toppings!


Ewy's Orange Sauce

Turkish yogurt
Ajvar Stark Relish
Sambal Oelek (paste made from hot Chillies, use only a very little)

This is Paul's favorite thing that he has eaten so far, and he asked me to write down the ingredients at least 4 times before dinner was over! =) I'm HOPING that I will be able to find these ingredients. As for the quantity of each, you just scoop some of each ingredient out depending on how much sauce you want, mixing to taste. Served cold on the side of grilled steak, chicken, or fish.


Tzatziki Sauce

2 cucumbers, grated with peel
1 quart Turkish yogurt (can use Greek)
2 small cloves crushed or minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Grate cucumbers with peel into a colander. Sprinkle heavily with salt and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Press cucumber with spoon to drain liquid off. Mix remaining ingredients and add cucumber after it has drained. Best if prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge.

Örebro, Sweden

Our Swedish "family" lives in the countryside of Sweden, down a meandering gravel road through a small forest that opens into a clearing for their home and outbuildings. Evelina, 18, just graduated from high school in the closest city of Örebro. There are a few villages a little closer, but as a bigger city, Örebro was our first destination during our stay.

Örebro is a town that has been active since the 13th century, receiving its city privildges around 1404. The cultural depth of the city is present as you wander the cobblestone streets and marvel at the magnificent buildings - awed by several breathtaking churches that rival some cathedrals I have seen as well as the centrally located charming yet functional castle. It is a little surreal for me to actually be at a castle, these type of buildings or living history simply don't exist in the United States. I continually keep reminding myself these aren't replicas or something new that is made to look old. The Örebro Castle is the same castle that King Gustav Vasa expanded in 1560, the walls are the exact stones and bricks that millions of people before me have seen throughout the last five hundred years! Mindboggling is putting it mildly. I know Paul shares similar sentiments, probably even more so because of his love of history and the medieval era. He probably even puts the locations, names, buildings, artifacts into a better context than I because of his extensive knowledge of European history. I appreciate the profound perspective he sometimes shares as we absorb each location, capturing these moments- desperately trying to store the immenseness and aura of each location in our memories. Ready at my side is my Cannon Rebel, freezing moments in time and digitally documenting each location. Hopefully through these avenues, Örebro will be saved in our hearts and minds, a little piece of Sweden we can hold and carry with us forever.

There are so many quaint and charming details of this city it is difficult to portray our experiences in written word. While walking through town, a burbling river flows allowing rowboats to float past and little blonde children to fish. Waterfront homes are colorful and picturesque. Can places like this exist outside of our imagination? Are these postcard images actual homes? As if turning the pages of a beautifully illustrated picture book, we walked through the images and enjoyed not only the beauty and imagry, but the feelings they evoke within ourselves. We realize that there are castles that have hundreds of lillypads with dainty yellow flowers in the water surrounding it. Gravel pathways actually encourage a stroll through a centrally located park, adjacent to the castle, abundant with flora and fauna in bloom and whispering their secrets on the breezes that lead wanderers to the next delightful location. Making our way through the imagery of the park, we happen upon statues surrounded by carefully tended flowers, fountains spurting cool, clear streams, and reflections of native plantlife in rivers and ponds that are as beautiful as nature itself. In the midst of the green lushness, a small pathway opens into a private area- a secret garden of sorts- exploding with a bounty of roses in every shade and type imaginable. Blankets with couples enjoying tea or coffee amidst the roses or families sharing a picnic lunch under the shade of groupings of trees dot the landscapes as we pass. Our storybook setting gives way to the pages of a history book, bringing us to the old town in Örebro filled with red houses and shops. Warm rich red wood, painted from the abundance of the color from a byproduct of mining, welcomes visitors through small doorways to step into the past. Charming woodshops with skilled tradesmen, lovely pottery and ceramics, and enticing cafes encourage patronage.







Noon was announced with tolls of a tower clock, reminiscent of a coo-coo clock with a window at the top of the tower opening to display a spinning menagerie of Swedish characters with each toll. Lunch was taken in one of the hundreds of years old house (including low ceilings and original fireplaces), beside an open window housing a pot of geraniums, overlooking the town square. Pickled herring, salad with fresh vegetables, a variety of breads, roast beef with new potatoes, and seafood casserole with potatoes and dill comprised our traditional Swedish options. Of course, the meal was completed with pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries (very similar to our breakfast pancakes but with less flour and more egg, making them thinner and not so fluffy but just as sweet) and coffee or hot tea.
Quaint and charming keep coming to mind to describe Örebro, a mix of old buildings and history with current trends, technology, and fashion.

Hospitality, Swedish style

I've had the opportunity to blog about the flight from America, but not one of the most important part of our travels. After picking up our luggage, (thank you Paul for choosing the line that we later find out offered the service of the customs officer in training to stamp our passports, it only took like 20 extra minutes, lol) we exited the passenger only section of the plane and found the open arms of Evelina waiting for us! Even though a year has passed since she returned to her native country (I chose the term native country very carefully here...origionally I typed "home" but I hope that she considers being with us in America a little like being at home too), it felt like nothing as we reunited with each other in English amongst a variety of Swedish conversations swirlling around us as others were reunited with family, friends, and loved ones.

Happy to be together again! =)

After a couple of hours in Benga's car- a trip I barely remember and think I was either comatosed or zombified for because of the change in time and lack of sleep for the past few days (yes, Jetlag is a very real concept)- we passed the cities of Örebro, Frövi, and finally reach our destination of Stråghagen. View of Örebro from the "mushroom" watertower

Evelina's family's home is at the end of a charming gravel lane, between a plentiful supply of birch trees and a variety of pines. Their house is best described as charming, gray with wonderful details painted in fresh white paint, reminisant of the old farm house it used to be and the new they've modernized. Ewy is an amazinger gardener and her flowers seem to thrive along their newly designed sidewalk and flowerbeds. One of the most impressive sections, however, is the abundance of storage and garage space that wrap around the driveway, enclosing a common area infront of the house. They not only have the guest house that we are stayin in, there are multiple garages to house their 11 American classic show cars, a garage for fixing the cars, an indoor bay for washing them, and a variety of space including horse stalls that are merely used for storage.

Inside our guest house is furnished in a modern retro style hotel room including a wall mural of Route 66, a conversation area with four comfy chairs and table, and a bed which Paul remarked after laying on it "is going home with us." It's a private, comfortable space that we've enjoyed not spending much time in. =) At least we have a great place to sleep!

Breakfast seems to be my favorite meal here, even though I never eat it in America. I'm not sure if that's because of the time difference and my body is hungry at that point or if I just really enjoy the options that we don't typically have at home. Every morning the table is full of a variety of breads and hard breads (which we would consider like big crackers), butter, spreads including liver paste and caviar, yogurt in a couple of flavors, several kinds of cheese that you slice off of the block yourself, fresh vegetables including cucumbers, tomatoes, and red bell peppers, juices, water, and coffee. And that's just the options that I enjoy. There are also a couple of kinds of sliced meat that Paul and Evelina add to their toast. It's fun to figure out what the Swedish words are for items that we are familiar with, even if I don't really pronounce them very well or remember them for much more than a few minutes. =) We decided this morning that we need a round table with a lazy susan on it where we can just continue spinning it for everyone. The family most recently has included Evelina, her parents Benga and Ewy, her sister's boyfriend David, and of course Paul and myself. I'm pretty sure there are many options that Paul and I will add to our normal breakfast routine!

So far, our hosts haven't let Paul or I lift a finger or pay for anything when we've been out, reguardless of our attempts to do so. Their generosity and hospitality is wonderful and welcoming. The vast majority of family and friends that we've met so far have been extremely friendly and willing to speak in English to include us in conversations. Occassionally, when someone does speak Swedish, one of the others will turn to us to translate and relay the story or conversation. Children are a sometimes a little more nervous to speak in English but understand what we're saying which is extremely nice and something their school systems should be proud of. The Swedish people we have interacted with have a very good grasp of my native language and are willing to use it to make my trip more enjoyable. I appreciate their effort and accomodation!

Our vacation has veen overwhelming pleasant and enjoyable. The Swedish people, landcapes, and culture have made it so. I don't honestly know if all Swedish families are like this, but ours is. =) I only look forward to the days to come!

Flying with SAS

*Note: I am typing this blog from Evelina's laptop in Sweden, so not only are there additional letters on the keyboard ( like Ö Ä Å €), some of the keys are in unfamiliar locations, and since the computer is spell-checking in Swedish, all of my words are underlined in red. Please forgive any misspellings or typos until I return home to fix them! =)

An uneventful short hop from Louisville to Chicago prepared us for our international flight to Stockholm, Sweden. This leg of our trip was booked through Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). After our quick 4 hour layover in Chicago (syncing flight times is sometimes tricky when you are flying internationally), we were checked in and ready to head to Sweden! After boarding our flight, an extremely nice lady whom I later realize is the head flight-attendant (who knew there was a ranking system among flight attendants!?!?), comes back to where Paul and I have settled into our coach class seats. She very kindly smiles at us, and in an adorable accent, asks if I am the one who requested a vegetarian meal. (Just for your reference, I'm not really vegetarian and I don't think it is morally wrong to eat meat. I just would rather eat fish, seafood, or vegetables. I just really don't like red meat. Chicken is okay, but honestly I often prefer whatever the vegetarian option is. As you can see, it is a little difficult to explain and when you are purchasing tickets online, there are only two boxes to choose from for your preference in meals: regular and vegetarian. So vegetarian it is!) I smiled and nodded, not wanting to go into too much of an unneccesary explanation. Her next question, which would prove to be monumental unbeknownst to me at the time, was if I could eat fish. I love fish, so I told her that would be great. I hadn't intended to cause a big deal with the meal, when I registered our preferences online I assumed it would be like a wedding where the catering staff has a different option they can hand you. I felt a little guilty...am I a vegetarian imposter? This company was very accomodating and I hoped I wasn't taking advantage of their hospitality. The flight attendant smiled and nodded at us, handed us two newly printed tickets and explained that she changed our seats where I was sitting where the fish was an option. A little confused, not quite understanding what she meant, we followed obidently- all the way to an upgrade! She lead us past the other coach passengers, past the red curtain divider which separated comfort from coach. =) As I realized the seats we were handed had nearly double the amount of legroom, pillows and blankets with real fabric instead of the cheap disposable paper pillowcases, and a reclining back with attached footrest that came up as you recline I no longer felt guilty...this was great! Later, we realized that we had our own specific flight attendants and our meals were served on trays with dishes and real silverware instead of in paperbags with plastic silverware. I now understand the purpose of the curtain, as always a coach class passenger I never really knew the distict differences between the pricing for seats. And trust me, I was much happier as a coach class passenger not knowing. As I settled into my new comfortable seat, infront of me was my own personal tv with remote control and game controller with free access to DVR style movies, tv shows, and music. Alongside the emergency exit instructions, nestled in the seatback pocket was a bottle of water, earphones for my tv, radio, and games, and a package neatly wrapped and titled "For your Comfort". After unwrapping, I was delighted to find earplugs, a scented sleep mask, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a shoe bag. Previously being in coach, I know these little perks were not in the pockets of coach. Several minutes into the flight, the stewardesses came on the intercom and instructed us to take off our shoes and get comfortable but to please use the shoe bag provided to keep them secure during turbulance. Wow! They encouraged us to be comfortable to the point of taking off our shoes! I LOVED the upgrade and I love SAS!! When dinner was served, we were given trays with real dishes, real silverware, a chilled glass to pour our beverage in, and our meal including grilled tallapia, mashed potatoes, steamed mixed vegetables, orzo pasta salad with shrimp, brie cheese with crackers, a hearty bread roll with butter, cheesecake and fresh strawberries. Amazing, and this is airline food! I came to the realization, relaxed in my comfortable chair, after sleeping reclined for nearly 4 hours of the flight whilst wearing my sleepmask to block any light, that I never want to be exciled to coach again. How am I going to afford to fly now with these expectations? =) More importantly, how can I possibly get an upgrade for the flight home?!?

NeW cAmErA! :)

Paul and I struggled for a while with whether or not to splurge and purchase a new camera, mostly due to the fact that there is nothing wrong with the camera that we currently use. It's amazing, actually...waterproof, shock-proof (you can drop it from 6 feet and not harm it), freeze-proof, etc...but it really is just a point and shoot. The picture quality and the ability to take artistic, clear, detailed photographs is limited. After enlisting the help of our friend Nick, we decided on one of the less expensive SLR cameras, a Canon Rebel T1i EOS with interchangeable and image stabilizing lens. One major bonus of this SLR camera is that it also takes HD video as well as holding the same size memory card as our current point and shoot camera. :)

Paul and I decided that we just couldn't let the next few months pass by without documenting them with quality photographs and we can't continue begging Nick for the use of one of his cameras, although we greatly appreciate how generous he has been about that. Anyway, on the way home and in our yard last night, I was playing around with our new "toy". Here are a few of the results!


The picture of Paul reminds me of his favorite poem by Robert Frost, which was the inspiration for yesterday's blog post. :)

Although this daisy is from an arrangement given to me by my friend Susan nearly two weeks ago (and the reason for some of the more brown spots on the petals), I love the lighting and shadows on this photo. One of my favorite pictures already!

I literally had Paul pull off into a parking lot where I could take this picture of the sun and clouds, it seemed perfect to try out my new camera! :) The picture below are some leaves growing beside our house, they look like bright green hearts, so I captured this little bit of Kentucky summer for all of you! lol If you look closely, you can see our hose hiding beneath the leaves.

And tomorrow, we're off for Sweden and France! We will return on July 28th! Hopefully I will be able to maintain the blog posts, but if I'm MIA for several weeks, it's because I'm touring around Europe and don't have internet access. Enjoy your next several weeks of summer, where ever you are! One thing I've found is that no matter where you are, there are great experiences awaiting if you have the right attitude! :)

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Happy 4th of July!

While America celebrates its freedom today, and more accurately, enjoying a long weekend with picnics, spending time outdoors, and fireworks, Paul and I are busy preparing for a momentous trip! We are exercising our American freedoms to travel abroad and enjoy the world in which we are all citizens. We'll celebrate our independence as we soak up Swedish culture and the Jonsson's hospitality! It's been over a year since we've seen Evelina and we can't wait to catch up in person! So, as the holiday technically passes today, Paul and I choose to put our celebrations on hold until we reach a higher altitude and latitude. We'll let the 4th slide by while packing sunscreen, socks, and sweaters (apparently we might still need one in Sweden?!) in preparation for our celebrations of the values honored by the American 4th of July- independence, freedom, and choice- that will all be experienced during our vacation abroad. Happy 4th of July! It is our sincerest wish for each of you that you exercise your rights of freedom, choice, and independence and fully participate in a life in which you truly enjoy. :)

We greatly appreciate the commitment, service, and dedication of all of our armed service personnel. Thank you for keeping freedom as one of your top priorities. Everyone has their role to play in our global economy, and we celebrate yours today! Sacrifices such as the time spent away from your family are great, and we appreciate your service- personally to my cousin Stephanie who does an amazing job in two of her roles in life, mother and solider.

The Attestation Process

After finishing up our medical paperwork a few weeks ago I was sure that the seemingly endless "process" of attaining a work visa in Abu Dhabi was complete. For this reason it was a surprise when I received an email saying "thanks for getting your medical forms completed so quickly, please begin the attestation process". I'm sure that my initial reaction was very similar to what you are thinking as you read this...confusion. After a few hours of squeezing all the info out of Google that I could, it was time to get the process underway.

Basically the "attestation process" is what the name implies. In order for a foreign government to recognize documents they must be "attested" as legitimate. Easy right...

Step 1: Have all education documents notarized.

The first step in the process was to obtain copies of our transcripts and "degrees" and have them notarized. As I drove to the registrar's office at UofL I felt that this small task could be handled in less than an hour. After around 40 seconds in the registrar's office I hit the first road block, the notary was on vacation. No big deal, I knew that banks and credit unions usually have a notary on staff and that there is a credit union in the student activities center. After a brisk five minute walk in the beautiful Ky weather I arrived dripping sweat and ready to get my documents stamped. If you are a notary please take note, you look rather foolish when someone asked you to notarize a document and you have no idea what they are talking about. After trying to explain to the notary that her job was very simple, put my documents in the the little stamp she was currently using as a paper weight and push the lever, I was forced to give up. She simply would not do it. Perhaps she felt the documents where not legit or maybe the pressure of notarizing a document issued by the university she is employed by was just to much. At this point I'm sure many people would have thrown in the towel, I however chose a different plan of attack. I went back to the registrar, laughed with them about the idiocy of the notary at the credit union and was then informed that the University Presidents secretary was also a notary. After a 10 min walk and a mild heart attack I arrived in the presidents office dripping sweat and ready to grab the notaries stamp and run for the door. As luck would have it this notary actually understand that the large silver paper weight on her desk served a second purpose. Within minutes my documents where stamped and I was out the door.

Step 2: Have the county clerk of court verify that the notary was indeed a notary.

The next step in the attestation process went much more smoothly. After picking Nikki up we drove to the clerk of courts office, parked at a meter and began trying to find our way into the Jefferson county court house. This is a very impressive building in downtown Louisville. The interesting thing about old government buildings in Kentucky is that you never enter through the front door. No, here in Kentucky we use a much more logical system of gaining entrance. One simply wonders around the outside of the building until one is lucky enough to stumble across the most obscure door possible. In this instance the entrance was in a ally running behind the courthouse. If your reading this Jerry, a sign or two would be nice. Once inside a very nice lady looked at the notary stamp for all of 1 second, never checked it against any type of record or database, then placed her own county seal and certificate onto each of our documents for the small fee of $8 each. I was baffled, how did she know that the notary was legit?? Regardless I was one seal and certificate closer to completing what could be the best example of bureaucratic BS I have experienced.

Step 3: Have the Kentucky Secretary of State verify that the county clerk of court was really the county clerk of court.

You guessed it, after a good nights sleep it was off to our state capital to verify that the Jefferson county clerk of court was really who they claim. At the capital we found the Kentucky tradition of entering government buildings from the most obscure door possible strongly in place. After exploring the building and seeing our tax dollars hard at work constructing the largest rubber band ball I have come across, and a large area under the rotunda featuring statues of both Lincoln and Jefferson Davis (only in the south LMAO) we found the office of the state secretary of state. We asked to have the state seal affixed to each of our documents. After about a second of scrutiny per document with absolutely zero cross checking or actual verification the state seal was affixed. Again I was left thinking...what was the point in that?? I just drove 45 minutes and paid $10 per document to have yet another sticker and certificate stapled to each document with no actual verification actually carried out. It was actually worth the drive to see a rubber band ball the size of a basketball on a government officials desk and a statue dedicated to the memory of the president of the confederacy in a government building. The only thing missing was a rebel flag or a sign mentioning the "war of northern aggression".

Step 4: Have the State Departments Office of Authentications in D.C verify that the Ky Secretary of state is really the Secretary of State.

Rather than wait the 25 business days or pay an internet company to handle the process for us Nikki and I decided to pick up my parents in Ohio and take a road trip to D.C. We rented a Grand Marquee and hit the road Sunday afternoon at around 4pm. After picking Mom and Dad up around 9pm we began our 8 hour sprint through the night to arrive at the D.C office as soon as they opened. After driving into some spectacular lightening the monsoon began and I discovered that the drivers side windshield wiper did not actually touch the windshield. Thank you budget rent a car. The drive did however provide plenty of time to enjoy the company of my parents which was nice as I do not get to spend a great deal of time with them.

We arrived in DC around 5am enjoyed breakfast at IHOP and then jumped on the Metro for the 40 min commute to the office of authentications. We disembarked from the subway on the campus of George Washington University, walked 3 blocks to a strip mall and walked into what appeared to be a homeless shelter. As we sat in the office it dawned on me that everyone in the room was not homeless, they were the representatives of the various online companies we encountered online offering to handle the attestation process for a very large fee. Once our number was called a very serious man behind some very thick glass inspected the documents and their numerous seals and certificates at the government prescribed pace of less than a second each. He then affixed the Federal Seal and signature of our Secretary of State with no actual verification and returned them for a very small fee of $8 each.

Step 5: Deliver the Attested Documents to the Embassy of the U.A.E for final verification.


This was the most interesting part of the trip for me as I have never been to an embassy. After wandering around the block we finally found the correct embassy, surrendered our identification in exchange for a visitor badge, paid the $30 per document fee and were back out and on the street in around 5 minutes.





To summarize the attestation process in a shining example of a pointless task that had to be completed in order for one government to trust another. The irony is that neither government actually checked anything they claimed to be checking. The only good thing to come from this process was a chance to spend time with family and explore our nation's capital.

What makes a Happy Marriage?

Celebrating our ten year anniversary, participating in a friend's wedding last night, having a friend from high school get married last week, and congratulating another friend on his engagement today has my mind swirling with thoughts of weddings, marriage, happiness, and how we make it all work in the craziness and excitement that is life.

According to U.S. Census data, about 70% of people (a little higher for women, a little less for men) were ever married and 20% of people have been divorced. Without dealing with too many statistics or having to figure out what these percentages even mean to the average person, it is obvious that not all marriages last. I can't help but wonder how many marriages that don't end in divorce are happy and fulfilling for the couples? How do we make it work for ourselves? What makes a happy marriage?

There are any number of factors that can effect how spouses interact with each other and the satisfaction and happiness each receives. Finances, children, jobs, income, location, and other responsibilities can all effect a marriage. When I think carefully, though...happiness in my own marriage is overwhelmingly dependent on how my husband and I treat each other. The things that make my marriage work are unconditional love, kindness, humor, respect, honestly, forgiveness as needed, and holding each other to high (but realistic) expectations. These are all things that we can give each other free and endlessly, without regard to others, not affecting financial situations or other commitments. Paul and I choose- daily- to work together to create a marriage that we are both happy in. We make decisions together, considering what is important to us immediately as well as long-term. For any two people who are married (or together, however that works for their situation- regardless of age, sex, race, or religion), there are endless possibilities of what will make each couple happy. Undoubtedly, love is the greatest factor for us.

Truly loving someone and choosing to spend the rest of your lives making each other happy in a fulfilling marriage is one of our own ultimate goals in life. Being loved, and loving, gives us purpose and happiness in our ever changing world.

Congratulations Susan and Brian!

Congratulations Wendy and Brandon!

Congratulations Nick and Rebecca!

We wish you many years of wonderful marriages and hope you enjoy the process of exploring what makes each of you happy as much as Paul and I have. Good luck and lots of love!