Day 56: It’s a dream final for hockey!

Two countries, one passion – HOCKEY!

Ever since both Canada and Sweden advanced to the ice hockey finals yesterday… there has been a line drawn in our flat, as we prepare to watch the biggest prize of the Winter Olympics!

It’s a dream final & the only gold that truly matters…

The trash talk started before the night even ended as Swedes see us as Cocky Canadians!

There’s probably a big community of Canadians in this city, but since a good majority of us are here for our sambos, the best place will be to watch it at home and bantering throughout the game. To my fellow Canadians, BE LOUD AND PROUD!!! GO CANADA GO!!!

Day 50: Great balls of chocolate! (recipe post)

Domesticated life ain’t so bad in Sweden. The Swedes actually have a special term for when you and your partner cohabit – you are SAMBO. You can also call your partner your sambo, or use the slang terms tjej for my gal, and kille for my guy. ANYWAY… I’m enjoying it so far, especially when I learn how to make swedish food from my meatball! Today we made chokladbollar/chocolate balls. You can find these goodies at cafes, but they’re so simple to make at home – yes even in a non-swedish one…What is up with swedes and ball shaped food?

These are for chocolate lovers, sweet teeth, gluttonous indulgers, dessert fienders out there.

Swedish Chocolate balls

Ingredients (swedish measures):
1/2 cup (100 g) of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 dl) of sugar
1 1/2 cup (3 dl) of rolled oats
1 tsp (1 tsk) of vanilla sugar (it’s a swedish thing) OR 1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 tbsp (3 msk) of cocoa powder

Optional ingredients for topping:
Pearl sugar aka nib sugar, coconut flakes, additional cocoa, powder sugar

Directions:
1) Cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the rolled oats and blend well – I was told that kids usually use their hands here to mix it together!
2) Then blend in the cocoa powder and vanilla powder/extract. Mix well.
3) Form small balls of chocolate and then roll them in the toppings desired.
4) Place balls onto a plate or container and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.
5) Eat and enjoy!

Yield: depends on size, but we made 18!

Apparently many Swedish kids make this with their parents when they are young. If they can do it, so can you!
These little bites are a verryyyyy guilty pleasure… good thing one batch doesn’t make too many!

Lmk if you have feedback or questions. Smaklig måltid!

 

Day 46: SFI – study for inclusion

My content has slowed a bit since I have started my swedish language classes with SFI, and they run Monday-Friday. Originally I wanted to blog to share the oddities and pleasantries of swedish culture, but now that I’m in class I’m just finding the language funny… like the ‘yoda talk’ and the different sounds (audio blog next time… or I’m sure there’s a youtube clip to show).

    

It’s challenging for me to listen to the words, but last night after watching mästerkock ON MY OWN without my meatball translator, I am picking up a few things! Since I’ve learned french previously and a little german, I can understand written words a lot easier. Apparently this is the challenge that most native english speakers have – we are great with the reading and writing, but struggle with listening and speaking.

It’s hard to speak with my partner at home, since we have communicated in english since we met. It’s a bit of a transition, but we haven’t had a ordinary conversation yet in swedish. I probably need to a few more words before that can happen! So far, I’ve only practiced my classnotes but that doesn’t really force me to think and use swedish.

Will I ever think in Swedish? That would be weird… I don’t even know if I think in Chinese…

I know it’s only been a week since I started this class, but the keener in me wants to excel and be a winner. If you can’t tell, I tried to chase A’s through out my schooling… But just so you know, I never was the teacher’s pet!

Even though English can be readily spoken here, knowing Swedish will make me feel more adequate and a better part of this society. Coming from a city that’s the gateway to Canada, it is often flooded by immigrants and some just refuse to learn the language and culture – big pet peeve! So I do not want to be like that here!

Baby steps Joce…baby steps!