down camera?

Our pond-skipper had cameras that tied into the entertainment center in front of all the passenger seats. Cool, eh?

So here I am, sitting on the outskirts of Stockholm. Seems surreal a bit.

The 4 hour layover in Chicago wasn’t so bad when I had to maneuver my way to a completely opposite end of the airport to get to my next flight, eat, and get situated through security again.

The international flight was actually pretty good. I was pretty much reading the entire time, so I didn’t get bored or antsy. The first meal they served us was penne pasta with chicken, roll, salad, and cheesecake brownie. Oh, and did I mention the pre-dinner cocktail and another to go with dinner? I knew those Europeans were boozy. I felt a picture to commemorate was necessary.

The flight attendants kept talking to me in Swedish which got really awkward really fast. I’m thinking it’s the fair skin and blonde hair that tipped ‘em off. I mostly felt the policy of just smiling politely or laughing usually masqueraded my true identity. I did though have to order in English, which I guess wasn’t a problem, but annoying when you’re trying trying to fit in, eh?

The moment of truth came when I had to go to the baggage claim and get my luggage. I was really worried that my luggage hadn’t made it on the connecting flight, or somehow they had lost it. I was convinced after twenty minutes. Though I was quickly surprised when it came slowly sauntering down the conveyer belt.

I met Thomas and his son CJ (I think it’s Carl Johan) outside the terminal and we drove off from the airport back to his house. He lives probably 15 minutes away from the airport in a small residential community just outside Stockholm.

Observations about Sweden:
-Swedes love them some good design. Everything is designed well. No wonder IKEA made it big here and abroad.
-Sodexho rules the world. (Those of you at Drake know what I’m talking about. I saw 3 Sodexho trucks at the airport alone.)
-Sweden seems less foreign than I thought. Though there’s a language barrier, they drive on the right side of the road, and on the left side of the car, which is in stark contrast from my last adventure abroad in England. Their cuisine is pretty similar to Americans too, which was better than when I went to England, where it’s completely different.
-Most people do speak English here. Just be prepared to look like a foreigner when you can’t respond in Swedish, because they go back and forth a lot, even with me. Makes me want to become bilingual.