It started snowing on New Year's Eve. I was so excited and happy that I would start my new year surounded by white snow.
Mathias told me that every year, there will be fireworks shot up into the sky from the harbour down the street. I was so excited but then I remembered that we will be going to the house of Jessica, Mathias' sister for a small gathering which would also include my in laws. Well, I am ashamed to admit that I was a little disappointed by the fact that we have to drive an hour to a place where there might not even be snow. And to think of fireworks by the harbour!! Oh!
But we had a good ride to Karlskoga, where she and her family lives. My father in law tried teaching me Swedish tongue twisters and I ended up confusing the old man by my confusion. That was fun.
But I do have to admit that there are a lot of sounds in the Swedish language that I simply can't pronounce well. That deep guttural sound that originates from within your gut just remains in my gut. I'm slowly starting to realise that pronounicing Arabic words are a lot easier for me thn Swedish is.
I realise halfway to Karlskoga that it had turned midnight in Singapore and how my friends and family must either be celebrating or sleeping. How I miss my friends...I really miss just hanging out with my best buds from school, from work at our favourite places. It's been a little tough here cos it's a tad more difficult making friends here when I'm in the house most of the day or else the people around me are old people who don't speak much English. I guess for now, the biggest barrier is the language but I'm sure I'll get over that. I just need to keep telling myself that it will take time. But I'm starting school very very soon so I guess I'll meet people there and hopefully make a friend or two.
Anyway, back to New Year. In Sweden, people celebrate the New Year with lots of fireworks. You can buy fireworks from the store and find an empty field (lots of those here) to fire them. That was so much fun to watch! Mathias, father in law and brother in law were in charge of firing the fireworks and Noel, Jessica's son, was in charge of staying a distance away with me to protect me. Yeah..we had to tell him that story..he's only 5.
Then we had a nice dinner and just chatted (mostly them. I tend to be very very quiet during these moments. Unless I'm being addressed. I know, very boarding school proper). We also played this very fun game called BUZZ on their Playstation 2. I had a lot of fun too even tho it was ALL in Swedish. As a matter of fact, it was so much fun that I'm getting Mathias a Playstation 2 for his birthday. That os a very very expensive gift but I think he's wprth it and we both love it anyway so it's really a gift for both of us. But of cos with every decision comes sacrificed. I had to sacrifice RiverDance tickets which would have been so so much fun to go to but seeing how much more fun we can extract from PS2 for a longer period of time, I think it's worth it. Mathias was extremely surprised by my decision to get that for him. But of cos he's in charge of buying all the games and he's fine with that. I get the foundation and he builds it up. Heh heh...I think that's an excellent compromise.
The New Year countdown began and for the first time, I am standing with my husband looking out the window at other people's fireworks (many tend to shoot prematurely. I think they're mostly excitable men). I think 2008 will be an exciting year for me with so many new experiences, both good and bad.
I wish all my friends and family the best for 2008 and I miss you guys to bits. Thinking of all of you aLWAYS even though I may not be calling you guys all the time.