SKYNI

Jon has been kissing me alot lately..and i mean the long loving kisses. He will smile and plant many many kisses on my lips. He is so sweet about it that I find it hard to stop him.

Linn gets really jealous and decides that she cannot let her brother do this. She will wipe off the kisses from my lips forcefully and make the same loving kisses. Sometimes, they will fight to see who gets to kiss me.

I feel so loved.

Or have they been watching too much tele?

We found a new candy store near our service apartment. It has 300 different kind of candies and the kids (and us) went alittle crazy when we went there to pick up the candies to fill the goodie bags for Linn’s birthday party last week.

We were passing the store just this week and I promised them a treat if they behave. However, I really don’t want them to go into the store. So I told them to stand like statues and ‘not move’ at the store entrance. If I saw a slight bit of movement, I will not buy the lollipops they had been requesting for. Those we know my kids will know that this is an almost impossible task.

But I underestimated the power of candy. They stood still together at the entrance and even told me the type, description and the location of the candy they want!

It has been one tiring week. I am physically exhausted from running after the children and trying to bid for the house. Just realised that we have been here for 3 weeks!

The kids are alright but starting to hate the service apartment we are in. It is small and cosy for now but i guess they miss the space and their toys. It is not easy to be coop out in a one bedroom and they make so much noise that the neighbours have started complaining and giving me the dagger looks when we see them in the hallway. From this experience, we confirmed that we cannot live in Sweden’s apartments because it is hard for kids to be quiet and tip toe on wooden flooring. When Jon and Linn screams, the entire building can hear it.

So, we spend quite a bit of time at the playground where the kids can jump around. I can see Linn is desperate for new friends. The other day when she spotted a girl her age at the slide, she asked me if the girl can be her new friend. She also told me to sit with the girl’s mother at the bench so that she can mingle and try to get the girl to be her friend!!!

Jon, being the opposite, told a little boy to ‘Go Away!’ at the playground.

One day, as I watch Jon play, an old Swedish lady approached me, after observing us for a while. She smiled and told me that I can only watch him play for a few years as kids grow up very quickly.

So as tired and frustrated as I am, I will try to cherish this time with them.

After many months of searching for a house online, we finally get to view the houses.

But buying a property in Sweden is rather stressful. First, you shortlist the house online, turn up at the viewing (usually on a sunday, for 45 mins) together with many (and i mean many) other families to inspect the property while the agent hands out brochures and takes down the telephone numbers. After the viewing, you get a call from the agent inviting you to make a bid for the house and then the bidding starts. For the next few days, you will be subjected to endless smses updating you on the bids and if you want to increase your bids. Of course, if you don’t, you will be out of the game and definitely, ‘houseless’ (which is basically where we are).

We have made a couple of bids and have seen others overtake our bids. It’s sad because we have a limited budget and need a house like early next month.

Definitely will keep trying … as I think the kids are getting cranky from being stuck in a one-bedroom apartment. Whenever, we tell them that we are heading back to the apartment, they will protest.

“This is one of the houses we have been eyeing.

http://www.hemnet.se/beskrivning/794698?r=3

check out ‘Alla bilder’ to see the pictures. Unfortunately we were ‘outbid’.

We are settling in quite nicely in our little one-bedroom service apartment. It is small but cosy for us.

However, there is only one washing machine and dryer to be shared between all households (i think 20) in the basement. As a result, we have to ‘book’ our timeslots in advance. With only 3 timeslots available in one day, needless to say, the weekday afternoon slots are more available. This is how it looks like – each guest will have one key and they have to book only ONE time slot each time and lock it to the date and time slot.

So far, we have only managed to do laundry twice each week. Each time, it takes 4 hours. Specially when i can’t leave the 2 kids at home and rush down to the basement. I will have to take them with me.

The process is kind of old and can you imagine the bloke upstairs will have to turn down appointments because it is ‘laundry day’ and if he misses it, he will have re-schedule his washing.

How sexy is that?

This warrior princess said the F word today. She heard one of us saying it and repeatedly said ‘F**k**g Hell’ three times.

I demanded that she stopped. As expected, she asked me ‘why?’ (she asked ‘why’ for everything these days). So i have to tell her that only adults can say it and she ‘underaged’ to say it. Kids at her age will be taken away by the police if they hear kids saying it.

Well, keeping my fingers cross that she will not repeat it again.

We celebrated Linn’s birthday at Sofia’s house and Aunt Sofia and Grandma Irene organised an intimate but wonderful party for Linn. She was a happy girl receiving lots of nice presents from her relatives and also a very sweet goody bag (we think she has exceeded her candy quota for the year).

I can’t believe she will be 3 tomorrow. Just the other day, she was telling me that she wants to grow longer and not taller. Today when i went through all her photos of her 1 and 2 year old parties, she told me that she wants to go to school soon to meet new friends. They really grow so fast.

I must say that summertime in Sweden is absolutely beautiful. Specially when the sun is shining. The Swedes are so happy to be out in the sun and they just sit around the parks, take their boats out and go for long walks. I can totally understand their need to be out in the sun when the country is in darkness for most of the year. Most Swedes take 5 weeks off work during summertime just so they can go to their summer cottages or have fun in the sun. Those who work for Scandinavian companies know that nothing gets done in July.

BTW, I was told that if the parent has taken leave, they cannot put the child in childcare. (But what if they want to take a break from their children!!!).

However, the newbies to Sweden are not quite used to adoring the sun. My mother-in-law, Irene actually asked me why I am not out sitting in the sun but sitting under the shade. Linn complained that it is too hot with the sun shining down on her face. She started to take off her clothes in the park. Apparently, kids are outdoors on sunny days and they are encouraged to stay outdoor. Quite different from Singaporeans where we shun the sun, refuse to go out when it is too hot and the aircon is our best friend.

Maybe we will be sun worshipers next year.

Have been focusing on the kids for the past 3 days, making sure that they have their meals, go to the washroom, have decent showers and cleaning the service apartment.

Yes, the definition of service apartment is different in Sweden. Service Apartment does not come with any housekeeping service. ‘Guests’ must do their own cleaning and laundry. The only service is that they provide you with cable, water and heat.

The weather has not been too good and it has been rainy most of the past few days. Only managed to bring the kids to the playground yesterday morning.

I must say that it will take a while for me to get used to this. Right now, i am trying to stay zen from the kids’ shouting, screaming and jumping around the furniture. I pity the other guests in the building.

Can I be naughty and leave them in their naughty corner all day?

Recently, Linn and I have been doing ‘role playing’ and she likes to be ‘mummy’ and wants me to be ‘baby’.

Today when she was playing on the laptop, I approached her and asked her ‘what she is doing?’, her immediate response was ‘I’m working’. I asked if she would like to come play with me and she said ‘Later’. When I asked her to come play with me again, she pointed to some toys and asked me to ‘go play first’.

I must have said it so many times that she is acting out my natural response. This definitely does not feel good.

Alva is only 6 years old but she is definitely very aware of her body. I spotted her old doll and i really think her drawing is quite creative for her young mind.

We have been spending alot of time with Nicke’s family and getting Jon and Linn to know their cousins better.

We went swimming in Joachim’s (Nicke’s elder brother) house or rather, the kids and Nicke took a dip in their pool. Sorry, the water is too cold for me at 18 degrees. Cousin Gustav and Elin are always so sweet to their younger cousins.

The kids also enjoyed playing with Alva and Dante and we went to Grona Lund (the amusement park) yesterday.

So far, they seem like they are having a great time.

This is Alva. Linn’s 6 year old cousin and new found best friend.

She is quite happy to be playing with her cousins Ava and Dante but she occasionally asks us about her friends in Singapore and Anan.

I didn’t think it matters so much to her until today, when she shared a ride with some young girls, she asked us if they can be her new friends.

Looks like we better step up and enrol her in a new school soon.

We have been spending quite a bit on rain gear. The rainy season is about to come and we have to equip the kids with proper rain gear and shoes. Apparently, umbrellas are quite ‘uncommon’ and people invest in proper rain gear here.

It is easy for the kids as they have cute stuff and we found some wellingtons that are fun and colourful.

But i must say that i have difficulty finding anything for myself. After spending quite a bit of time in the sports shops (a rather unusual place for me), i still cannot find anything that i approve or think it is ‘nice’ for the price.

Of course the issue is that while the kids are properly dressed for the wet weather, their mother will be soaking wet just because she finds rain gear ‘not quite her style’.

I guess I can always introduce the ‘umbrella’ to Sweden. 🙂

We went around looking for schools for the kids yesterday. We were talking to a school principal and when she heard that we moved around the world, leaving behind a very comfortable job, 365 days of warm weather, wonderful family and great friends to be here, she said it is ‘remarkable’. I had to move away quickly before she could see the tears in my eyes.

Maybe she thinks we are insane. It has not been an easy decision…i must say. To give up everything and start afresh. After 20 years in the corporate world, it is not easy to say that I am just me, and not with a tag behind such as ‘Szeto from XXX’.

Hmm….I wonder who I will become.

The kids went a little havoc yesterday. They took off all their clothes and ran around the house. While we were not looking…they even ran on the streets and we have to run after them to get them home. All I know is that they seem to really enjoy it and think that it is extremely funny. We find it hilarious but we definitely did not teach them this.

Nicke says that all swedish kids do this….(however, i must say that i haven’t seen any on the streets).

Fortunately, it is only 20 degrees.

I can’t believe it myself. We are finally here in Sweden.

Jon’s first reaction …. where is the snow? We have forgotten that the kids are always here in winter and they have not seen much of Sweden during summer time. It is not easy explaining to them about the four seasons and they will have to wait for the snow to come in December.

The temporary accomodation is basic and simple. We drove off immediately to Grandma’s house in the countryside. It will take a while to adjust.

Today…we will test the efficiency of the Swedish government with the administration process.

Apologies for the silence. Have been too busy with the packing, farewell parties, get-togethers and handover of the apartment and workstuff etc.

We are finally leaving tonight. It has been hard and sad…saying goodbye to so many dear friends. Today, at Jon’s school, I was in tears. The kids don’t really understand it and they are taking it very well. No tears but just smiles. But I really feel it. I am wondering if I am getting cold feet.

Well, there is no turning back now. So we will see you in Sweden.

12 days more before we leave for Sweden. I have been continuously preparing the kids telling them that they will have to say goodbye to their good friends. Today, Linn said that she wants to bring her best friend, Anan with her and also Wang Lao Shi.

I tried to explain that she will be meeting lots of new friends. Her new friends will be speaking swedish and she will have to learn to speak Swedish so that she can talk to them. She cracks me up by responding..

“I cannot speak Swedish like Papa. I can only speak English and Chinese you know”.

It has been one hectic weekend and Nicke and I tried to cramp too many things in. We started with doing some shopping for household items – such as humidifiers (which we never thought we will buy) and a new lap top but my CTO just didn’t see anything he approved. I really like the look of the Mac but i can’t imagine not getting continuous 24/7 troubleshooting support. (My CTO confessed that he is not a Mac expert).

We also bought a really large suitcase since we will be living in a service apartment for at least the first 2 months.

We attended a few farewell dos, met up with friends all weekend. And even tried to sell our Mazda 5.

Somehow, the farewell parties are rather difficult. We have made some really good friends over the years and it is really hard to say goodbye. I actually hate goodbyes and the more I focus on it, the more emotional I get. So maybe, it is better to trick my heart by not thinking about it.

and to end it off, one really long tiring, frustrating end to the World Cup. Don’t get me wrong, I am really happy for the well-deserved winning team. But it was a really boring and irritating game to watch. Shouldn’t have bothered waking up to watch it.

and which explains why i am tired and extremely sleepy as i write this.