Winter in Sweden

Stockholm is white. Streets, trees, houses, cars, everything is white. It didn’t get more then 0 degrees the whole December and January.

Swedes have very strong collective thinking. I guess we all heard for swine flu. Don’t know what to think. Is it real disease; is it normal flu or just good marketing for pharmacies to earn some money? Nevertheless, Swedish government bought vaccines for the whole country. One day they came in Electrolux. They brought enough for everybody. I was confused. Didn’t want to take it.

Usually I am able to make quick decisions, but that morning it took me longer then expected. I was sitting in the office looking at my Swedish colleagues; one by one they went to take it. I asked them why you are taking it. They said in order not to influence others if they get flu, everybody is taking it, I should do it as well… That's how conversation started. Few hours of great chat with some of you, Swedish colleagues, one Russian colleague.

At one moment I was sitting alone in my office, everybody went to take. They looked at me, like the black pig avoiding the others. Eastern Europeans are different than Western people. I guess history made us question things before we decide something, also being betrayed in the past, we are not used to trust, we think everything is bad and can kill us, like ‘’promaja’’. People here don’t question their government, they trust, they had never got betrayed. They have such a strong collective.

Still I don’t know why but I took vaccine. There must be something good.

Doctors in Sweden, that is the other thing. You need to get appointment if you want to get to the hospital. Only if you are really bad, you can get directly. They think you should get healthy naturally, building immune system without medicines. So, people here can sit at home 3 weeks, getting naturally healthy and that is fine for them.

The best way to prevent being ill, playing basketball and table tennis in the morning before work in the company gym :). Great feeling sitting at 9am in the office after exercises. Couple of us did it few mornings, it was so refreshing.

City was so nice for Christmas holidays. Decoration was making it special. Great nights out with the friends, cosy flat and warm tea, different new places, exploring the city, making first gibanica and baklava :), watching movies, ice skating, company Christmas party, Serbian New Year with international friends, 3 weeks with Vasko...

























































































































































Just few days before New Year, sitting with Vasko and thinking where to celebrate. I think sometimes is good to do crazy things hehe :). Crazy or not, we spent amazing New Year in Belgrade. Club 13 :). Excitement of arriving 2 hours before New Year, moment when I saw friends will stay with me forever. My family was so happy as well.
























































Stockholm has Serbian church. It was -20 degrees on January 6, but so nice celebration of Christmas Eve there.

Mid of Janaury was reserved for Bonn :). I saw Masha again :) and we ate muffins like in the old time :).
For the first time, I got chance to watch hockey on the ice live. The best 2 Swedish teams playing against each other. The big arena was full of people cheering. 2 things. 1st, Swedes have positive philosophy of cheering. They cheer for their team, singing nice songs, encouraging their team to win, but never cheering against the other team. The worst thing they said against was ‘’we don’t like you go home’’, no swearing and bad words. Heheh, well yes…

2nd thing, during the game each player can get 2 minutes out for different kind of fouls they can make. What amazed me is that they don’t criticize arbiter, they don’t fight after arbiter stops the game. They accept the arbiter decision and leave out for 2 minutes. Such a strong discipline.



And of January, traveling back home :). 4 amazing days with family and friends. Positive energy, great meaningful conversations in the downtown and during ‘’musaka dinner’’ the day after ;).