Swedish colours of my Happiness

SWEDEN. New destination: new feelings, new thoughts, new perspectives on life too.

Second time I step foot in this "God's own country". The reason: my dear Johan. And what a great reason! ... and the country doesn't stay back.

To contrast (probably the most extremely possible) with my most recent international experience [India], in Sweden:

- the air and tap water are the freshest;

- the forests (mostly with pines) and lakes are at every corner; all the urbanism and infra-structure that covers no more than 30% of the territory were themselves stolen from forest;

- recycling is institutionalized and their general behaviour as to anything that matters environment is in a generalized manner very responsible;

- everyone seems to speak English;

- everything, in every corner that you may take a peak at trying to find the fault that proves the rule... everywhere all things seem to be exactly in their place, neaty and organized as only in a very planned, efficient and thought for society as this one;

- people have individual space, vital space for themselves in the interior and exterior spaces;

- swedes do actually go out for walks and runs and ride their bicycles on a regular basis;

- the houses are the best I´ve seen when it comes to combining aesthetics and practical sense - I can say MY DREAM HOUSE IS DEFINITELLY A MIX OF THE MANY I´VE BEEN SEING IN SWEDEN.

- they have a very practical and efficient sense in all their activities.

... For some reason Scandinavia is considered the peak of Civility (the opposite of what I felt in India). I had the luck to visit Finland 3 years ago too. The life quality and the life style here are definitelly above average.

By both life quality and style I mean literal quality, not quantity, not unpurposeful wealth, not unestimated acumulation of belongings, not excess of consumerism, not only - in one word - money.

I see more CONSCIOUSNESS in people as individuals belonging to colectivities.

If this is good for the environment, peace on the streets, silence on the alleys, conviviality in public spaces, even for people's health habits... it's not so much so for their sense of tightedness, of control by the macro-structure, and their passiveness and resigned contentment as they are rocked by a soft and all-mighty condescendent paternal government.

Can't be perfect if the highest rate of suicidal attempts and successes is registered here, 50% of married couples end up divorcing and it's raining and grey, close or bellow 0 degrees celsius and there are below 6 hours of light... something like: 9,5 months per year (no wonder the depression).

IT´S BEEN LOOKING PRETTY PERFECT TO ME THOUGH (lucky I came in Summer ;) ). And these details... these features... are not what I wanted to focus on anyway.

I wanna paint the colors of my happiness here. Check out what I've been up to in the past 3 weeks:

- Early dinner barbeques outdoors, walks after dinner through neighbour small forests - always beautiful lakes and sunsets in our path

• the best one? Friday, when me, Johan and Pontus took a boat and navigated and fished through a lake that brought us to a lost castle in a far away foresty island. Johan had fished a fish, the meat was in the bag, salad's ready and bathing suits on. We had put on a fire just on the steps of the lake as the rain came: we persisted, took clothes off to feel the rain and blew the fire hoping to keep it burning. As the sun came down and the 2 full rainbows had gone it was past 21h30 in a beautiful rose-purple sky just behind the mountains we faced. We ate, my feet on the water and a feeling of wildness in the soul. Later I even got to sing out loud - free and sound as I like, still in my bikinis, wandering around the castle amidst the vegetation and the echoing on its walls - this was when Johan found small strawberries: the tastiest concentrated flavour! The night ended with a lot of playing with the fire (no, I heard of no one wetting their beds later :P ) and an engine that didn't want to work as Johan rowed back home in an almost pitch dark lake (me, no worries, I was roled in a towel and trusted that it would go fine - so it did).

- visits to family in the most varied villages: always beautiful though: mamma Anna, cousin Linda, pappa Kent, granny & granpa, Adam, Sara, etc.

• one to remember? sunbathing in a fluctuating peer outside Kent's future house in Ulricehamn, eating salad and watermelon with Johan and sis' Sara and meditating standing on a warm lake rock.

- always great food: really tasty to my senses. Not to forget the variety of groceries in the supermarkets... and their proud summer delicacies: fresh potatoes and strawberries. Not so rare to me but still an infinite pleasure among Johan's family, especially accompanied with gravy and ice-cream (respectively :P ).

• unforgettable? FIKA with Johan, Karin, Mikael, Mina, granny, granpa, 2 uncles, 1 aunt and 3 cousins around grandparents' table, with tea, coffee, kakor (cookies) and kaka (cakes) prepared by granny.

- sports activities: from basketball in Växjö to fishing in Skirö to jogging in Vetlanda, from riding horse to jumping in elastic mattress to power yoga with Sarah and muscle personal coaching with Johan.

• one of the nicest? walking in forest paths with Anna, Johan's mother, in a sunny early evening, here in there reaching the shining lake, here and there catching tasty mushrooms, here and there identifying birds and trees.

- I´m learning Svenska :D yay! apparently a fast learner. not an easy language at all though.

- I took part in traditional Midsommar festival, dancing with children around the traditional flower pole and eating traditional dishes among family.

- And the most suprising probaly: the first 2 weeks welcomed me with a shining warm sun that gave me a brown envy-worth tan. So sun-bathing in courtyard, lake peers, lake-sides, varandas, gardens, and still sometimes adding cold swims in far-sighted lakes... that has been something! There's even a beach served by the second biggest lake in Sweden, in Jönköping, with young people hanging around in the back gardens - great!

In the meantime, I've been being very warmly integrated among Johan's family, especially Anna, Karin, Sara, Kent and Johan of course - TAK FÖR ALLT guys!!!! :) I am taking care of my love... and looking for my next job opportunity. Pray for me!