I'd like it here a lot more if there weren't so many damn people everywhere. I know, I know that America is a big place with a lot of space and Sweden not so much, I get why everyone is crowded into tiny spaces, I just wish I could walk round a corner one time without crashing into somebody and saying 'sorry' then remembering and yelling 'förlåt' after them then feeling like a moron because by then they're gone and they probably didn't even care. It's not like they don't know what 'sorry' means.
I went to a movie last night, I just needed to get out of my head for a little while. First off, I don't know how you're supposed to tell whether a movie is subtitled or dubbed and I was scared to buy a ticket for something in case I got stuck in the theatre watching some weird Swedish voice come out of Colin Firth's mouth or something. So I asked the little usher guy and what do you know, it was the second person I've met who didn't speak English! So I figured I'd take the chance and worst case I could just look at Colin Firth for a couple hours and that would help a little bit. Luckily it turned out that it was English with Swedish subtitled so I didn't have to bother getting so worked up. The movie was good, really funny and sweet and I wouldn't even have recognised Helena Bonham Carter not dressed up nearly as weird as usual if I hadn't already read she was in the movie.
But, it turns out that you get assigned a seat in a movie theater on your ticket, and if you are a stupid American who didn't realise that so you just sit down wherever, they are Not Happy. So I got yelled at in Swedish for the second time this week.
On Wednesday I was trying to cross the street, like I have been doing unescorted for a good 20 years now, when these little kids wearing luminous orange jackets yelled at me. Seems jaywalking is frowned upon by people under 4 feet. They were Not Happy.
So now I am Not Happy. I've got a big choice to make. I am NOT going to slink back home like some loser for everyone to laugh and say they told me I couldn't cut it and they warned me about Him and blah blah. But I don't know if I can cut it in Sweden by myself.
Definitely not if people keep yelling at me!
14 comments:
I'm sure you can make it. The people in Sweden is a bit different than in America, but they are still only people who are trying to get through life.
Poor you. Nasty yelling people...
The learning curve is steep when you are new in a country, even for normal things like going to the cinema. We only dub films aimed for young children who can't read the subtitles. The rest of the films will have Swedish subtitles. Next time you go to the cinema it will be a piece of cake. :)
Thanks Blog of Ice! Some days I feel like I really could make it and be happy here and other days it's all just so weird and scary that I want to get on the next flight back home!
And thanks too Ulrika, that's good to know because I was reading an ex pat blog in France and she said that it says on the sign where it tells you what times the movies play whether it's dubbed or not and I was like, why can't I see that? It was a really cute little theater though, I really want to go there again!
USA has 1,5 times as many people per square kilometer than Sweden, so no, it is not more crowded here.
Is that seriously true? Huh, well I guess maybe for the entire countries but I bet a billion dollars that Södermalm is more crowded than Toledo! I've never seen so many people in one place in my life!
You think you're in France..? Or why does a sign in France have anything to do with the movies here? I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Haha, that may very well be true, I guess people aren't evenly spread out, hetre in in the US!
here or in the US, that was supposed to say
Uhh no I don't think I'm in France, I just think I'm in a foreign country that also gets American movies (or British) that might be subtitled or not and as I've never been to a movie in Sweden in my entire life I thought it was possible there would be a similar sign - sheesh!
I guess that's true, New York is probably as crowded as Södermalm, I can only talk about my own experience, I never said I was right about everything or even anything!
OK, sorry, but it did sound kind of strange, thinking that things would be the same just because we don't speak English here or in France. Two completely different countries you know. But now you know - always subtitles unless the movie is for small kids! And even then there is always a version with subtitles too.
The French can't/wont speak English and have to have their films dubbed. Silly frogs ;)
Ohio girl, I must have missed something. I thought you and hubs were getting along (Feb 23 being Valentine's Day).
I hope you don't leave, you're strong enough to do this and your life will be enriched by the experience.
PS...I know you from tPF.
Why would you jaywalk in front of children? What if they followed your example and did the same? It's a good thing they were well educated.:)
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