Okay, my first entry in a long time ... I haven't had much internet access or time recently.
I'm now in Sweden. On a farm, no less. Goodness, life is strange sometimes. On moment I'm trompling the well-beloved streets of Edinburgh listening to Swedish CDs, the next I'm here . . . still not understanding a word.
Oliver, who is seven-and-a-half, was just asking me what I'm doing (in Swedish). At least I think that's what he said. I've decided he's going to be my best help in learning Swedish. He just keeps on talking at me until I understand or else he goes away to find someone more articulate to play with. Everybody else kindly talks to me to in English, which does make it a lot easier for me. :)
Edinburgh feels a long way away now. I had going away drinks at the Waverley on Tuesday. That was really good. It's a very cosy, quiet pub, and it was a nice way to catch up with people and go. Goodbye my sweets, I'll miss you. :(
On Sunday we went to see puffins out at North Berwick. That was a fantastic day out. It's was raining and horrible when we left, but it turned into a sunny and blue day by the tim we were on the boat. We took a boat out around two islands, and saw huge numbers of puffins, gannets and even a couple of baby seals. I'll share a secret with you now, just in case you're a prospective tourist.
Puffins are very small. Yes, it's true. I'd only ever seen the close-up photos, and was fondly imagining them to be the size of penguins. Oh well.
We also went swimming in the sea. My *second* swim of the summer. I lasted about five minutes before it got too cold, but I was still proud. The hardy Irish people managed about 15 minutes, but they were blue and pink fluorescent with the cold for a long time afterward.
So now I'm in Sweden. My heart is so glad (means happy in Swedish, incidentally) to see Patrick again. Yay.
As a result of this, I haven't really hit culture shock yet. I'm sure it will come. . .
Crazy different things so far:
*wooden butter knives
*fil - excellent very sour yoghurt-type thing. An aisle full of it. I'm so happy.
*Really good bread everywhere. Oh my. I may never move back to the UK.
There's other things, but I have to go now. We're going on a picnic by a Viking stone circle. Suraya arrived last night, hurrah, and is here until tommorow. Yay :)