So today my friend Sabrina tells me that her boyfriend was told
"Fiona is on the tv!! Quickly, put it on!!"
So, they rush upstairs to see if I was interviewed walking around Stockholm or maybe I had saved the life of a young child from a rabid dog.

Instead they see the film Shrek.

Hence, the name of the blog.


EUUUUUGH

This week...

This has been an awesome week! Nothing really amazing has happened, it's just been a really easy going, sunny (but FREEZING) week :)
Earlier in the week I had to help out at an after school Cubs group, the oldest boy wasn't too happy having his au pair in class meeting all his friends! It was fun though, we were given games to play then score the groups...  the kids that did my games were given a lot more points that the others...

I haven't had to work too much, but tonight I'm babysitting the boys while the parents are off to a Scottish Dinner! They even wore Tartan things.. So tonight we're watching Harry Potter and eating sweets. Well, they're eating sweeets and I'm eating a chocolate sandwiches! It is the weekend after all..
Talking of food, last night I ate mussels for the first time. It was soooo good, and 2 weeks ago I was eating wild mushrooms... And I'm still alive! Mum, when I get home guess what we're having for dinner...

Yesterday I went and saw my last boss and her parents in the city. It was so nice to see them again, even though Anna was "not happy at all" that I was with an English family so I can't learn Swedish easily. I told her I'm taking the Intensive Swedish lessons from the 14th, so that made her happy! This week I'll have to practice my Swedish and go over notes from last year as Ive forgotten so much already. BUT I did watch an awesome Swedish film today, but with English subtitles. Getting a bit frustrated about how little Swedish I'm seeing or hearing daily... but when I take the lessons I will have to make the effort to speak it more in shops etc. Also, during the week met up for Fika with some au pairs which was nice. And since some of them have learnt Swedish I will be speaking it with them when I can! Even the fact I can't watch Swedish tv in the house really makes it difficult... but it IS nice to see Eastenders whenever I want.

Also, looking to do something fun this month since I can get time off if I ask in advance. So a boat trip (the party boats) to Finland is an option, but you have to be 23 which is a bit steep... Will have to find a way around that! And also look for some awesome gigs or something.... before the four bust weeks from the 14th!!!

Okay, all for now. Better go and make more pop corn..

Hej då!

Immma go buy trainers. To run in the snow.
Have to keep up with all the jogging 50 year olds... fingers crossed I haven't broken anything by the end of today.

Nice day to roam around Djursholm..

The sun was shining for the first time in days, so I got up early and walked around most of Djursholm until lunchtime. Then walked around town for about 6 hours for no reason. So now I'm pooped.
bye!

Week number 2

Ahhh this week has been tiring! Last night I was in bed by half 9 and slept like a baby. I'm turning into mum...

I'm trying to take pictures of pretty Sweden, but it aint so pretty at the mo, Jack Frost can't make up his mind so one minute its a toasty (I've started using this word a lot lately, mainly because Swedes have never heard of it..) -1°C and the next all the huge puddles of water and slush are frozen solid so the world is slippery again.

It's also tad scary when you look up at the roofs and here are huge slabs of ice ready to fall onto your heeed. So you see a lot of pavements cornered off, then a whistle blows and then people on the roof chuck off the slabs. I'm always convinced Ill walk underneath and not pay attention. There were some huge ones (about a foot thick) hanging from our roofs just where we walk past the house. So scary! Their down now, and I can tell ye' you'd be a changed guy if those bad boys hit ya on the noggin.

My walk to the subway, at laaast there is a pavement to use! Since I arrived here I've been slipping and sliding my way along like a baby deer learning to walk, but in less graceful or cute manner.

Today I went to get the forms for my Sweden residency and personal number which would also mean I get free Swedish lessons. Tomorrow I'm meeting Sab to help me with the Swedish form though... Seems a bit silly to not have a translation since their offering free Swedish lessons.... which I'm presuming means most immigrants don't know a word of Swedish... nej?

Still getting used to Swedish life again, like the fact that Swede's mainly stick to themselves more than Scot's tend to. Once you get to know them their (usually) awesome, but it's pretty hard to get to know people as they aren't so "open" at first.. but I'm not missing some of the crazies you get coming up to you in Glasgow or Edinburgh. It's nice not think you could be stabbed with a bottle 'eh Bucky at any minute.

A few days ago I was stopped by a really old guy asking the time and ended up having a really nice conversation about how he had visited Inverness once and that now he was a widower which he "don't like one little bit", he was really sweet! Sometimes you do get odd folk though, today I was stopped by a man who asked my age then told me he would pay for me to go for dinner, somewhere nice. I declined. Should have asked how much, some extra pocket money!

ALSO Swedish men really love red trousers. I don't think I've ever seen a Scot wearing red trousers, but here it seems to be the done thing. Shame a lot of them just look pink..

p.p.s this is Kevin's new puppy for those that I have excitedly told! I think it should be called Gurkan (cucumber).. or Smutsig (dirty) purely just because it's a cute sounding word in Swedish - Smooot-see

Also, theres a few pictures of last year etc on here, again with the shrek theme in the address.

http://dont-mention-shrek.tumblr.com/

Cheeerie bye!

Nya livet i Stockholm

Hey all!
Okay, I've decided to make a blog so that I can ramble on about Stockholm and put pictures up instead of emailing people. Because I am lazy.

I've been here for just over a week and it's been just grand! The family are so lovely and welcoming, they make it so easy to live and work with them, especially since I'm living in the same house I never expected it to be so easy! The boys are really sweet and VERY tidy for their age... they make me want to be more tidy, so far I'm managing.. just. The parents are also really nice, Katie is very easy to chat to and Eddy is funny. Also, as their English it's a lot easier to comunicate... and complain about sick Swedish prices.

I couldn't get a good picture of my new home, because the snow in the garden is too deep, but it's a lovely and huuge house, just like all the others in this area! They are all mansions..
The first weekend I spent a lot of time with the family getting to know them and their routines, and we went ice skating at a rink just on near our house. I had a blast and didn't fall down woooo! I did fall at least 3 times on our drive though which is basically an ice rink itself.. Then we went food shopping so I could tell her what kind of things I like to eat... lots of tins of tuna for me :)

The next few days I spent just getting to know the family, going into town and meeting Sabrina :) I was shown the way to the boys school and the whole week Ive been taking them back and forth without getting lost! I've taken to walking there which takes about 20 minutes, then get the bus back with the boys. Living here involves a lot of walking since it takes 20 minutes to get to the subway, so I'll be burning off the awesome Swedish cakes!

The nearest shops to me are in Inverness... nothing changes.

Only downside it I can't make it to any Swedish classes but I have my Swedish books, my Swedish speaking friends and a basic knowledge of the language. So now I have to just force people to speak Swedish to me, a big problem since Swedish people LOVE speaking English ;) Makes my life easy though....

This weekend plans include more fika's (meeting people for coffee/cakes etc), taking pictures of bus stops and the cinema to see Mr J Depp.

I'll get as many pictures up as possible soon :)

Fiona xx