17 years in Sweden, today. 17 years of lagom and fika and myskväll. 17 years of eating mazariner and semlor and kassler and köttbullar. 17 years of taking my shoes off when I come in the house. 17 years of speaking and thinking in and dreaming in Swedish. 17 years of trying not to complain about the weather and being glad every time I see the sun. 17 years of meters and liters and celsius. 17 years of missing family and friends from the States, but 17 years of making new ones here, both friends and family. 17 years of midsommars and julbords and crayfish parties and Walpurgis Eve bonfires. 17 years of having to repeat my name to Swedes or give up and say “Elizabeth alltså“. 17 years of Melodifestivalen and Så ska det låta and subtitles on all the films and shows. 17 years of not knowing the tunes to the snaps songs but singing along with them anyway.
When we moved here, we didn’t know it would be indefinitely. We never had plans to stay here for only a few years and then move back or move on; we just moved here knowing we wanted to give it a try. Even though I’ve had 3 different addresses since I came to Sweden, I’ve never been so long in one place, or so long in one house, for that matter.
I love it here. And even though I STILL miss my friends and family and many other things, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else right now.
So, here’s to 17 more!