how should I forget













This is why  I missed summer here. Cooking outside environment is such cool and fun during summer days. Barbecue,hmmm the smells of it kills me. The essence of summer make us alert and spike.
From tropical land to a country with 4 seasons climate well,I understand. I accepted that we have no choice but to live in it. I was thankful too that I am here today,because I learned lot of new things. Food,culture,and the people it challenge me.

In some ways,lot of things that hard to compare..My Filipino taste comes sometimes with a crazy food that I wanted to eat. The "tinula"fish soap with "malunggay"is what I missed.























How could I forget it!fishing with my husband and catch this fish a perfect for dinner.

How about picking redcurrants is even fun.



Western side of Gothenburg

"Frölunda Torg"the business shopping centre near by where I live. I come here sometimes even without no purpose to buy things. I like to take a coffee brake in my favorite bakery located inside. I believe that it's important to enjoy each extra time each day. .. I'm not a coffee drinker  as real Swedish people did,but I think to have 1 cup every day is good. I can make my own coffee at home(not instant taste better to used coffee maker). Go out just a few minute,I counted it as my routine part of my relaxation.

It's not hard to go out alone,my friends are busy for their work. This is the life here,you may adapt all the situation. But I think I can manage any way I could see various of people coming from different countries. Sweden is now like other country in Europe that have several cultures. You may heard in the bus or tram  station that people talking different kinds of languages(their respective dialect).

Frölunda torg is one area where you can meet them. Asiatic,Iranian and other more.  I find  hard to differentiate people from Iraq and other Muslim countries because they look similar. Lot of Spanish people living in the country too. In spite of lot  immigrants here  still Sweden counted as not populated land. At 450,295 suare kilometres(173,860 square mi) have a total  population of about 9.4 million.

Gothenburg day after day

Each day brand new life,quite no one screaming in the street. I walk in a peace and quite to the station near by home. Waiting for tram on way to the city,it is cold outside for this autumn weather. October "pink"month as the symble "breast cancer" month.

I am thinking that maybe now in Philippines christmas songs are common played in the fm radio,but not yet here. Ohhh Christmas!again soon,white Christmas is cosy. Snow..snow..oshhh getting much colder. I don't know what happen with me,I am thinking enough for too long for everything today.

Not so many people riding this  tram at this hour . The time is almost 12:00 noon that usually adequate for me otherwise much chaos when their's a lot of young adults. They like doing such annoying things inside not bothering of others. 25 minutes after I'm reaching my destination place.



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I stop for a while in Kungsportsplatsen, watching for nothing special. Pleasant surroundings!

Saluhallen where I used to make groceries specially fresh meat. 40 groceries inside selling diffrent kinds,like delicates,olive in best quality,strong cheese,new bake bread and lot more. You can even find restaurant inside serving good food in a right price. 

 

Shop cheap here

This is why I like Sweden,here people are hardworking willing to earn money. Swedish people's biggest interest in life is travel,mostly during summer. To have at least one month summer vacation is benefit of the regular imployee. You leave and learn new things here,like how people mind their own life without comparing to someone else.

To own at least 1 car every each family is common. You cannot called them rich nor poor but just average. Unlike in my home country that people called "you"rich even if you have 1 car. Big difference as I can see.

I'm wishing that my "kababayan"could experienced like these standard of living. Our government could find good solution for the poverty in the country.

Shop cheap!in IKEA Swedish all in one store that owned by Ingvar Kamprad .

Here,you can eat lunch under your low budget. I like the owner's perspective that take not too much price for their food. His one way to help people to save money,a big plus is IKEA items are not expensive either.

They have  "half price sale"that I can't imagine how they could afford to low down so much the ordinary price. Such thing that I even wish in my home country that department store owner'will think for the people's situation.

To offer sale price quite often to every fellow men in the country  is a good help.

IKEA is an international store,but sad to say that they are not open in Philippines,wish to have them there.

Swedish own currency must stay

Sweden is one of the Scandinavian country that remain it's money currency "Swedish crown"in english meaning"krona"in Swedish that (krona)represented the Monarchy  type of government. Although the country is in Europe even EU member but they choose to have the same currency,not replace "krona"to  "euro". Before I move in the country I thought that every countries in Europe are using "Euro". I'm wrong!yes "euro"has a big value in my home country but it does not help because living in the country with "euro currency"is more  expensive than living in other country(not using euro).

At first I find hard to understand the difference,but after few years of living here I did realize it would better to remain "krona". Swedish people are satisfied with the current currency,despite of economic crisis the country holds it and manage good. Swedish currency value is not so high unlike dollar and euro but the country's economi is stable.

I was in the other part of Europe last year summer,I had compared the price between euro and Swedish crona. In some items much cheaper,certainly in Sweden.

I cannot explain further more because I'm an ordinary tax payer "immigrant"living in the country. But I am proud,I feel that I am part of the victory. I hope that Swedish own currency must stay forever. I am not against euro but I am more favor to have an affordable cost of living that gives us chance to travel in some other places.

goodbye 50 öre

Tomorrow is the last day that you could use the Swedish copper 50 coin. I wrote in the blog the other  week about the fact of it.  
Today there is around 394 millions 50 öringar in circulation in whole Sweden that have a value of 197 millions Swedish krown(Swedish money).
Wow! what a number?it's really a lot of money.Think if I have like this hmmmmmm I may dream to be a lotto winner. Well,well the first 50 coin(not yet copper) distinguish 1862 off Lea Ahlborn from Stockholm Sweden. After it existed 10 diffirent types of coin. 

This copper base 50 coin come in year 1992 for the reason that, wanted to reduced nickel usage in the country.

family life in Sweden

A family stands for mother,father and kids. In my country parents should be married (especially if your a strong Catholic believer).  Here in Sweden even in other part of EU country family lives are different. A mother or father can live together in one house even they are not married. They called it "sambo"in Swedish meaning "live in together" with kids or no kids. The other relationship called "särbo"meaning parents of the child not living together(they are not divorse either) but they choose to live separately but they have special relationship. Another  type is what Swedish called it "kärnfamilj"nuclear family meaning both partner(maybe divorse) have early kids in other relationship then live in together with the both kids. I don't know how it works but lot of them live happy life in one happy home.

Divorse is not big issue here,open to every one who think that they feel no more  love to his/her partner any more. Single mother is common  as well,they can get help from social welfare(services). Wanted to be pregnant without having contact with guys is even possible through (sperm) donation.

When young adults, have a boyfriend/girlfriend it's not hard for them to introduced to their respective parents (aside from immigrants parents who have strong culture background). Most of them move in together as "live in "partner in the age of 18. The parents,cannot controlled their life since they are in 18 years old or maybe above.

Do whatever they want to do with their life. This is what I observe to a lot of young adults here,going to disco,drinking with friends or with boyfriend/girlfriend. Get some job,what they earn is what they keep it to themeselves. No obligation to give to their parents. Neither not their duty to help their brothers and sisters to send college.

I don't know what to say but there are  lot of different things here,that both good and bad. This is not easy to say negative things about their living styles. Every situation have advantage and disadvantage so it's up to us how we judge them. Nothing is perfect anyway.