School is Cool!

     Well, here I am again! How about that! 

     The Svenska För Invandare aka SFI. This is where foreigners are taught Swedish and the government pays for it. Nice! I've spent hundreds on taking Swedish courses in the past. Even though I had very great instructors, I still don't speak much Swedish. So now that I am living in Sweden, I decided to step up a notch and train harder. I attempt (as my instructor suggested) to study additional 3hrs after class by using Memrise.com watching Youtube tutorials in Swedish. I also attend SFI class 3hrs a day Monday to Friday. I feel I have gained a better understanding of learning Swedish. It's starting to click in my brain, I am noticing voice inflections for pronunciation or "uttal." My vocabulary is picking up and my confidence is growing. I'm a little brain fried but, now starting to think in Swedish. My word order is switching to Swedish format, so now my English is sounding rather odd. 

     I don't mind it and am trying to be gentle with myself with the thought that these things take time to master. Rome was not built in one day, so Linda will not speak and learn Swedish in one day. 

     My classmates are from all over the world. They come from Thailand, Syria, Serbia, Bulgaria, Russia, Zambia, Nigeria, Senegal, Iran, Iraq, Hungary, Spain, Australia and Eritrea. So it is fun to learn a little about everyone's motherlands. Surprisingly,I believe I am the only American(possibly in the whole school)and I don't mind that one bit. Helps to keep the stereotypes and politics about the US to a minimum.

     Well, time to go study. I've been slacking the past 2 days, my brain needed rest. Until next week "Hej då!"

Comments and suggestions on this and future posts are welcomed! So a lady some love and let me know what you think. 

Tack så mycket!

Time to Dust the Ol' Blog and Get to Bloggin'

I haven't posted much, because I am a slacker, yeah I said it. I always think of things to write about but then think, Nah! it will take to long to sit at the laptop and by then I will lose the thought and feeling of what I wanted to share. I've been Pinteresting like a mofo' and kept coming across Pins about blogging and I took it as the Universe telling me to get back to blogging. I do have things to share and say, just haven't felt so blog savvy to share them. So today I will make a pact with  myself to try to blog....drumroll please!!!! weekly. It may not seem a big feat to some but for this introverted woman it is grandiose.

So out of the blue after reading my dear sweet cousins blog, I decided why not again. She shares her passion for surfing and she's a Grandma, but she is far from being old. Surfing Grandma of the OC is her blog and it's fun and fresh like her. I too am a Grandma, but my grandson calls me Lola, which means grandma in Tagalog, my mother's mother tongue of the Philippines. As of late he started calling me Mom since my daughter calls me Mom during our Skype sessions.

So now onto my new life in Sweden. It's not so adventurous as I had envisioned, but then again I am a big daydreamer living in an introverts mind and body. So the big adventure kinda fizzles when it comes to doing it.. So things have gone quite slowly since our arrival, which makes for a not so adventurous adventure thus far. The highlight of my last week was I started SFI (Svenska för Invandares) or Swedish for Immigrants. I've only attended one class but it was nice and different.

I will tell more about it next week as not to make this post too long and uber boring.

 The Womping Willow I call it that is one of a few outside the school grounds, yeah I'm a HP geek if you didn't already know it. I love the knots and odd shape to these trees.

And my version Hogwarts, known as Vallbacksskolan, kinda impressive eh? Where the magic of learning Swedish happens. Haha!

So let's see how well I can keep to my pact of blogging next week. I will ask my instructor if there are any policies about picture taking on school grounds as I'd like to share my classroom and inside of the building. The introvert in me cringes at the thought of anyone seeing me take pictures but the daydreamer in me is all for it. Until next week!

Hej då!

This blog post I read today really sang to my heart. I wanted to share it with you as it is about something we all need to give ourselves...Permission!

You Have Permission (Right NOW!) | Leonie Dawson - Incredible Business, Incredible Life.

The Bitterest Pill is Hard to Swallow and so are Goodbyes...

I wrote a post about re-homing my pets because I'm unable to take them to Sweden for financial reasons. I was just about done with it and messed up while inserting photos and BAM! it was gone. I take that as the Universe saying I got what was heavy on  my heart out, but it wasn't necessary to share. I will however take a moment to share my Furbabies photos and let the world know I still love them even though they are no longer mine. I am grateful that there are people out in the world who take their personal time and help pets who need new homes. You are truly Earth Angels to the four-legged, furry kind. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

                                                    Zorro the first night we brought him home.

                                                          Zoe in her puppy days.

                                                     Zoe and Zelda

                                                                    Invader Zim

                                                                         Gir

Now a tribute to my furry loves....May they be loved as they deserve.

Counting down to the Big Move!

Well, my dream if finally becoming reality in exactly 3 months and 2 weeks, this Cali girl is boarding a jet plane to her next destination in life...drum roll please! Ah no fair you guessed it! Sweden! Yay me! My second biggest dream coming true. As for the first, she was born August 3, 2011. But that's a different story to be shared at a later date.

My Swede and I, have talked about moving to Sweden after he has lived here in the States at least 5 years. Well, he's had his 5 years and now its my turn.  We plan to live in Sweden for at least 5 years, depending on how we adapt. I know I will love it. However, my 12 year old will also be moving with us and we will see how she adapts to life in a foreign land. She's been there twice for vacation, she loved it and is excited for the life adventure.

I'm glad for that! There will be a draw back to the move, missing my other 3 grown children and my grandson. Thank the Universe for Skype and Facebook! We will be able to communicate and keep up with each other for virtually no cost other than our internet connections.

So I have started my countdown and now must manage packing, working and visiting my near and dear before we are off.

I will share more later on what this move will mean for me and my plans once we have arrived. Oh yes to be exact our flight leaves December 6th! Woohoo!

Snow and lots of trees! The weather should be similar when we arrive!

Return to Blogger Land

Well, I've found my blog again and decided to dust it off and share what I've been up to. I solemnly swear that it has been good, contrary to my tattoo.

I stumbled upon this site one day and wanted to share the "goodies" that got me hooked! Do you remember the movie A Little Princess? Well, I loved this quote from it:
 
 " All women are princesses. It is our right." - Maya   
                                           
  Guess what? All woman are Goddesses as well!
 So this is what I've been up to lately, click the link and check it out!

http://leoniedawson.com/affiliate-redirect/?p=LAPettersson&w=goodies

Starting over when you laptop crashes....Grr!!!

I started my bloggy thing and was so gung ho about it and then "poof!" my harddrive decided to crash and I lost everything that I didn't get a chance to back up. So I had some cool winter photos from my November trip to Sweden and I hope and pray they are still in the SD card of my camera . I wanted to show my personal meeting with the local Gävle Winter celebrity the Gävle Bock. I snapped a few pics with my hubby on a very cold, snowy evening, so if I can find them I'll upload soon.

I have other things to blerb about but for the moment my mind is drawing a blank. My dear cousin has a blog that I checked out today and felt the bloggin' spirit and just had to post something. Michelle you re-inspired me!

Well, TTFN!