At the end of our third week in Stockholm, we feel the need to publish an update to Werner Heisenberg’s 1927 Uncertainty Principle. That is, one cannot simultaneously record the location and momentum of an object because mere observation impacts an object’s location and speed . . .or something like that. Our uncertainty is a bit more street-level and prosaic. We are becoming more familiar and comfortable with our new home everyday. However, even the most common of chores, buying milk, comes with its uncertainty.
To start, Stockholm is a first class city with goods and services available in volume and quality to rival any city on the planet. Our initial arrival behaviors had been focused on basics such as setting up a bank account, acquiring new mobile phones, installing our Vonage VoIP phone and finding food. We have experienced some challenges in all categories, but basically smooth sailing on all endeavors. So Jay was feeling a sense of confidence when sent to buy a liter of low fat (lite) milk. Here is where uncertainty remains our partner.
All signage and labeling is in Swedish (go figure), but we have made pretty good progress in memorizing words and stringing together elementary phrases. Jay’s purchase of a liter of Arla brand lattfil appeared to be a straightforward transaction. There was even a picture of a cow on the container. At breakfast, we discovered, however, he had purchased “skimmed sour” (buttermilk).
Much of what we are doing now, from apartment hunting, travel arrangements, seeking specific goods (five plugged extension cord), etc. includes a combination what we have learned about Swedish customs and the continuous discovery that we have not gotten all the details worked out yet. As a result, there is still a sense of uncertainty that accompanies each of our endeavors. Then again, it wouldn’t be called an adventure if everything were familiar and well worn.
This weekend we are flying to Copenhagen. Jay will be participating in a sales workshop with a potential customer and Helen will be expanding our Nordic geographic knowledge footprint. Stateside, a one-hour flight would get us no further from our home in Atlanta than to the very familiar Charlotte, NC. Now an hour flight includes another currency, another language... and another adventure.
We are sure uncertainty will pass over time to become the familiar and common. For now, however, we are keeping true to living everyday with a sense of discovery, and Jay is spending much more time on the dairy section of our Swedish – English dictionary.
To start, Stockholm is a first class city with goods and services available in volume and quality to rival any city on the planet. Our initial arrival behaviors had been focused on basics such as setting up a bank account, acquiring new mobile phones, installing our Vonage VoIP phone and finding food. We have experienced some challenges in all categories, but basically smooth sailing on all endeavors. So Jay was feeling a sense of confidence when sent to buy a liter of low fat (lite) milk. Here is where uncertainty remains our partner.
All signage and labeling is in Swedish (go figure), but we have made pretty good progress in memorizing words and stringing together elementary phrases. Jay’s purchase of a liter of Arla brand lattfil appeared to be a straightforward transaction. There was even a picture of a cow on the container. At breakfast, we discovered, however, he had purchased “skimmed sour” (buttermilk). 
We are sure uncertainty will pass over time to become the familiar and common. For now, however, we are keeping true to living everyday with a sense of discovery, and Jay is spending much more time on the dairy section of our Swedish – English dictionary.
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