Why are Europeans so pushy?

Trust me, being an American Ex-pat during the Bush administration was not the easiest thing in the world. People don't find out you are American and pat you on the back and say nice things about you. We take our fair share of criticism and some of it is probably deserved.

But one thing Americans DO that I like (scratch that....LOVE) is respect personal space.

We just got back from a great ski trip in Switzerand and if I have but one complaint, it is about the pushiness of people in mainland Europe. It doesn't matter if you are going to the restroom, getting on a plane, standing in line to get on a lift...Euros don't respect lines and they push to get everywhere. WHERE IS THE FIRE EUROPE?

The US may not have the charm of Europe, but one thing it has is convenience and ability to provide customers with personal space. It has been a long time since I had to litterally push someone back like I was in first grade, but that is what I found myself doing at the airport in Geneva. He didn't really seem to mind...and why should he? Pushing and shoving to get ahead in line seems to be the "norm" over here (I should make a footnote that Sweden does not fit into this category. As a rule the Swedes are far more orderly and respectful of lines than the rest of the continent).

And pushiness is not reserved for the young men...old ladies are particularly pushy. Would it be bad to give a forearm flipper to granny?

I suppose all these populous countries mashed up together causes some sort of "space issues" but whatever the reason, I don't like it.

Yes...Europe is charming and we love our time here, but all these "in a hurry Euros" could benefit from a week long "slow down and learn some manners camp." Americans are often criticized for not being well-traveled. I must say that most of these push Euros have either never been to the US or they find some manners before they come over. I can't tell you without a doubt that if you tried to push your way to the front of the line at the Atlanta DMV or maybe at the Silver Skillet you would get your @ss whipped real fast.

Dudes from Alabama probably shouldn't ice skate

Listen...I grew up in Alabama. I know my limitations. I know almost everything about the history of SEC football, I can hunt, I do like Budweiser, I played baseball with limited success....I grew up with warm weather, water skiing and yes...I like Lyndard Skynard.

So what the hell am I doing on a pair of ice skates? Elizabeth gave them to me for my birthday in November. At the time, I said "thank you" but I really meant, "huh?"

I held them up like a stinky diaper...thinking "what am I supposed to do with these?" Then William reminded me how useful an ice skate can be if you are say...stranded on a desert island in the south Pacific (the mind of a child is truly amazing). Yes...this is true, you never know when you will need to crack open a coconut or rid yourself of a worrisome tooth....so I kept the skates.

Over the following weeks, I could have sworn the skates were looking at me...teasing me, "aren't you man enough to put us on and glide around the ice on us?" I sneered at the skates and out loud told them if they knew what was good for them, they would keep quiet lest they end up being "accidentally" thrown in the trash.

But as the weeks went by and William got better and better on his own ice skating I decided to try. In my mind I was thinking about how I was going to type at work with a broken wrist OR how the doctors were going to laugh at the "Dude from Alabama that was ice skating and almost broke his neck!"

But I gave it a shot and after a few shaky laps around the rink (pitch) I let go of the rail and sailed out onto the ice. Epiphany...ice skating is pretty fun.

Today we actually went onto a frozen lake with the kids and had a blast. William, mom and me were skating and Davis was being pulled in his sled. What a neat experience and I learned you are never too old to learn a new trick and also...yes, dudes from Alabama can INDEED ice skate.

PS - One has to wonder how many people from the deep south have been making laps on a frozen pond in Stockholm, Sweden? Probably about as many as Swedes who can quote the lyrics to "Country boy can survive."

Christmas Card 2008

http://smilebox.com/playEmail/4e6a517a4e444d784e5877784d4459784e444d304f513d3d0d0a&sb=1

Prague

Last weekend Elizabeth's parents were in Stockholm so we decided to make the short flight over to Prague. Elizabeth had visited before when backpacking across Europe, but it was my first trip.

Simply put every good thing you have heard about Prague is true. It is one of the most amazing places we have ever been. It is not every day that someone from Alabama gets to walk across a bridge that was built in the 13th century.

Being in the old town is like an adult version of Disney World. The architecture is awe-inspiring with spire tipped onion dome rooftops dotting the skyline. We have posted some pictures here that will give you an idea of what we saw during our 4-day trip.

Of course all the boys want to know how the beer was and yes..it was very good. I normally don't drink a lot of pilsner-style beer, but this is what the Czechs do really well. It is also the original home of Budweiser which you will be reminded of early and often in the city.

For those interested in history, Prague has as much as any place on earth. Nestled between the old Austrian and Germanic empires it has undergone many changes in regional boundaries, religions and kings. Most recently in 1989 Prague students held a non-violent protest against the then Communist regime. The students gathered in famous Wenceles square and halted their march at the feet of the police. Soon after they were beaten with clubs. While the government run press buried the story, home-made footage emerged the next day and incited bigger demonstrations through Czechoslovakia. Within weeks the Communist regime tumbled and new democratic era began.

I was a student at Auburn University during 1989 and all I could worry about was beating Alabama on their first ever trip to the Plains. No doubt both events were important. :-)

About the only complain I have regarding Prague is the customer no-service industry. In most restaurants the waiters collect your order while speed-walking past your table. An hour or so later they return and throw your food on the table. But the food is cheap and I will never complain about having to pass my time drinking excellent Czech beer!

Enjoy the pictures!

Autumn in Sweden

This free photo slideshow generated with Smilebox

Happy Birthday, Dwight!

Make a Smilebox greeting

SHHHHH. Swedes are eating

Now this is going to sound negative, but let me first say that we love Sweden and the Swedish people. Things that may seem strange or curious in one culture are perfectly normal in another. Additionally, as a typical "loud American" the following may have little credibility...but here goes.

Swedes don't talk when they eat dinner in public. Ok, ok...I am exaggerating a bit. If you go into Stockholm to the places where the younger generations are, it is quite lively and seems pretty normal to an outsider.

However I can't tell you how many times we have gone to dinner as a family and witnessed a room full of people eating...and literally saying nothing. How can you eat without talking?

Most recently we were in Gotland (see Elizabeth's post on Gotland) staying at a hotel by the Baltic Sea. The hotel offered breakfast each morning and we would go down to enjoy some good food. But it does make it a bit difficult to enjoy you meal when all you can hear from a group of strangers is the sound of forks and knives clanking on the plates and piercing the serenity of the morning.

I am quite sure the Swedes that dine with us feel exactly the opposite. They are probably going back to their room talking about the Obnoxious Americans. That being said, why would you go and eat with your partner or your family if you aren't going to say anything?

Hmmm you are thinking...what does he mean by "silent" - by silent, I mean silent...like as in dead silent, middle of the night with everyone sleeping silent...tree NOT falling in the forest silent...funeral silent.

This summer we were in the south of Sweden on vacation. We went into the hotel restaurant and there were approximately 15-20 other people eating. Outside of a few "sighs" I am telling you they was not a word passed between the tables.

My solution? Next time we go to dinner we are buying schnapps (see Swedish wedding) for everyone within a four table radius. Hell I know our family is loud...might as well get some singing going so we can eat.

Swedish Weddings and the role of the Toast Master

Long time no post...Elizabeth has been keeping up the blog lately, but I have been wanting to share some thoughts and experiences we have had over the past months.

Recently we were fortunate enough to be invited to our first Swedish wedding. Our friends Jesper and Karin were married and their one year old daughter Ebba was Christened on the same day near Trosa, Sweden. Trosa is a beautiful little coastal town about 45 minutes drive from Stockholm.

While there are many similarities between American and Swedish weddings, I will share a few differences for fun.

At Swedish weddings the "toasts" or "speeches" as they call them are a big deal to say the least. I have been to countless American weddings where friends and family stand up to share their thoughts, memories and well-wishes. It is always a good time, but I have to say our "shoot from the hip" style is no match for Swedish wedding "speech."

You need to know this before going any further. Swedes don't go to the bathroom without a plan, and the wedding speech is no different. A pre-chosen "Toast-Master" resides over the post wedding dinner. In the case of Jesper and Karin's wedding it was 2 toast masters. The drill is as follows: prior to the dinner (maybe months prior) you contact the toast masters and let him or her know that you plan to make a speech. If the toast master agrees, then you are essentially added to the speech agenda.

(Editors note: Prior to the wedding Jesper's dad stood up and addressed 8 of us at the dinner. In English he welcomed us to the wedding and then kindly informed us that his welcome would be the last thing we would hear in English. From that point on everything was in Swedish. However, he did point out that we had plenty of great food and good wine to keep ourselves occupied.)

From this point forward the Toast master runs the program deciding when and who will speak. They are essentially the Masters of Ceremony ensuring the proper flow and energy are applied. It may sound too formal, but it actually works pretty well. If you have a good toast master (and I think we did) it keeps the evening moving along in an interesting way. Of course they could have been making jokes about the silly English speaking guests and wouldn't have known. We laughed when people laughed and looked sad when people cried. But essentially we took Jesper's dad's advice and drank the good wine and ate the good food!

The other basic difference in the Swedish wedding is that married couples don't sit together. In an attempt to have their guests mingle with other friends and family, you are separated at the sit down dinner. You have a "partner" that you share toast with and engage in conversation within between the speeches (and for all my guy friends that ask if she was "hot" I will just let Elizabeth answer that). I discovered pretty soon that at an all Swedish wedding having a Swede sitting next to you is quite important. They can help guide you through the dinner with a limited number of gaffs (remember I am from Alabama).

The last difference is the singing. It is a curious characteristic about the Swedish people. They are extremely reserved, but give them a few shots of schnapps and they become extremely social...but more than anything they can and will burst into song.

It was a very nice occasion and we had a great time. Unfortunately for us Karin and Jesper have moved to Taiwan. Unfortunately for them, they moved just in time for Typhoon season. However, we wish them the best and hope they come home for Christmas...so they can bring us lots of cheap electronics!

Our visit to Gotland

I fell in love with Gotland. We stayed in a wonderful bed and breakfast right outside the walled city of Visby. It is an amazing medival city that has a beautiful sea wall and then the town is built on a hill.

We took a 3 hour ferry and walked to our B&B from the boat...passing and sampling one of the many ice cream shops. I could have walked around Visby for days - the churches, the flowers overflowing from hanging baskets, the 700 year old wall around the city, the cobble stone streets.

We had some delicious food (big portions which we haven't seen since leaving the USA) and rode bikes every where.

Time to Blog

We enjoyed a great summer in Stockholm with BBQ's overlooking the Baltic and we even ran in the "famous" Midnight Sloppet race. It is in south Stockholm on an island called Sodermalm. There were 13,000 running this 10K race and we started running at 10:40 PM. The race path was lit by candels part of the way and weaved on a pedestrian path and then through a large street in south Stockholm. It was perfect temperature to run and Dwight and I had a blast.














I can not believe it has been almost a month since our last entry. Wow - how time flies when school starts and you have family in town!

William is happily adjusting to school starting and his long summer days ending. His teacher, Mrs Jonsson is wonderful. He has two new students in his class. Another American - Max whose father works for the US Embassy and a
Swedish girl - Vendela who is just learning English.

Below are two photos from our summer trip to the south of Sweden. It was barely warm enough at night for the boys to wear there only matching outfits :-).

My first Hen Night!

Last weekend I joined a group of ladies celebrating a friend's last hurray as a single women - the Swedish version of our bachelorette party. Their tradition for the bride-to-be (and groom-to-be) is to completely surprise the guest of honor. Karin, our friend had been told a myriad of lies to get her to the start of her party and she even had an overnight bag conveniently packed!


As I side note, the stories I heard about the guys version of "surprised" is a bit more harsh. The "best men" usually go to elaborate schemes to throw the groom off by giving them instructions and an embarrassing costume to wear on a bus and sit in a bar only to wait for for no one show up! Then days or weeks later, the real "kidnapping" occurs.

I was on the team to shop for the food for the overnight. We had a detailed list from the team that was cooking the dinner. Did I forget to mention all 8 gals were Swedish...thus the list was in their mother language. I was just given an assignment and off I went in the grocery store. You can imagine my surprise when I was saw that the 8 Sea Breem fish still had scales, fins and eyes that were staring past me.

After the shopping we headed outside of Stockholm to a country club wardhus (restaurant/gathering place) where we SURPRISED Karin and had a wonderful lunch. We then traveled more into the forest to a summer house on the archipelago where we started with the wine and Karin's pampering. We had hired a skin therapist to give her a pedicure and facial. The food was wonderful even if a bunch of ladies cooked whole fish on a charcoal BBQ. I was so impressed with the "chef" and even tried replicated the fish and sauce when I got home. (OK - I admit is when I serve it for Dwight and me I bought the fish filleted already.)

As the night got later we enjoyed sitting by the water and telling stories. One of the girls had a relationship quiz that Jesper (the groom-to-be) had answered so we asked the same questions (again - all in Swedish so I just listened) to see if Karin could guess what her sambo (serious boyfriend) had said.

Several of us woke in the morning for a brisk walk in the forest and then a quick dip in the sea! I was surprise to see that I was the only one to swim in a bathing suit! The water was cold and very invigorating. With the body soap that was a staple on the dock, it turned out to be our bath for the day. We all had bread and veggies for breakfast and then headed back home to our families. Dwight, William and Davis had a fun guy's night.

NEW PHOTOS of the BOYS

After several comments regarding the photos on from the last blog entry, I decided to post a few of my own favorite photos. Yes, you are correct in assuming Dwight was the composer of the previous blog entry and although he's writing is far superior to mine, I tend to believe I am the better photographer. However, my new friend Stacey took these photos and we were very pleased!

William is riding his bike!

POSTED BY DWIGHT

Actually he learned how to ride it without training wheels almost a year ago in Atlanta. However he didn't work on it too much and wasn't "into it."

However he recently caught fire and can really go now.

See the video below.

Also other pictures which include Davis on the back of Elizabeth's bike, William with Darth Vader at Legoland, Davis with his Iron Spindle hat on and many more.

Hope you all enjoy!