My life as a swedish girl in Italy

How useful is it to be able to learn to speak and to understand many languages?

- Believe me, it's fun and very useful! Like many times here in Italy when Sandra and I talk in a mix of swedish and norweigan and no one understands. Or when I pretend to be a foreigner (which I am, but people don't know that I understand italian), I listen to what people are talking about (mostly bad things or thoughts about others) and I answer in italian. Like when I was on holiday back home in Sweden. I was waiting for my turn in a queue and heard some italians talk about me, that I had entered after them and that it was their turn and not mine. I answered them in italian and said it was ok and the woman got blushed and she was so ashamed. I had so much fun about it and I just felt so powerful!

Anyway, this is how my language-life started:

My first words were in finnish since my parents are from Finland. I´ve never use it much, and I still don´t but I do understand it. Then, when I started kindergarden, I learned swedish since I was living in Sweden. Now, as I said, I do speak swedish to Sandra, I read and answer/comment things on facebook in swedish and I talk on skype/phone with my mum in swedish. It's more than enough.

In 3rd grade I started to study english. I like it because of the simple grammar and small vocabulary and because it's an important language. In Sweden we have alot of tv series/programs in english with swedish subtitles that helps alot to understand and to learn. I have been studying english for 10 years and I just want to continue.

In 6th grade I started studying spanish and studied for 6 years. 6 years for nothing. Now I don't remember much since I haven't used it for 3 years, but it has helped me alot with my italian, which is similar. I started to study last year in October and stopped right before Christmas. This year instead I've improved my italian in different ways. I've been reading stories for the children, watching tv and listening to music, having conversations with friends and I've learned alot, but I still have alot to learn... And I´ll definitly try!

Languages are power.

The food in Italy is amazingly good. It's fresh, has few calories and a very good taste. It's fresh because of the vegetables and the fruit, perfectly matured of the sun from a village close by. It has few calories (if you don't count cheese, bread and pasta) because of few sauces and only good fat like olive oil. It's good and healthy!

I heard, not too long ago, that swedish people are informed about health and that the swedish food is healthy. We do eat alot of vegetables and we do have a model of how to divide proteins, carbohydrades, fat and vegetables on the plate. We know what's right and what's wrong. That's why we eat food from all over the world, like swedish, chinese, italian and so on, that results in a complete diet with a bit of everything.

I thought it was normal in countries to have all kinds of food, but I realized that I was wrong when I came to Italy. Italians are very proud of their food and are a bit fastidious. They're used to their pizza and pasta, their sugarbomb-breakfasts, their coffee, their icecream... and they should be. One thing that's hard for me to understand is that they have alot of sugar and sweet things like cakes and cookies in a country where they eat such healthy food. It's like saying yes and no at the same time.

Now I do say yes. I say yes to a lovely, italian ice cream. Ciao!

When I first thought about staying in Italy I thought about all the difficulties and the negative things about Italy. I was thinking about everything that I had back home in Sweden (family, friends, a home etc.), about money and what I wanted to do here. It was a hard choice, but at the same time I found it very simple.

I already knew what I wanted to do, I want to study to become a nurse. I want to live with my boyfriend here in Italy and create a new beginning of my life, but it's not that simple to say "I want this and I want that" and then just leave. That's when the difficult part appears.

One thing that I found very difficult was to leave everything that I had, my old life, my friends and my family. I also found it hard for the studies. I've spent alot of hours to get information about what to do and how to get in to the school. I've been worried about how to get money for the school and how I will live, where and with who.

Anyway, until now everything has worked out very well.

1. I got all the information for the school and I will apply as soon as I get all my documents. 
2. My family will help me to pay for the school, the books and for food. 
3. I will live with my boyfriend in an apartment wich is a part of his parents house.
4. My friends and my family in Sweden will come and visit me and I will go and visit them.

The solution is better than expected. I still have some papers to sign (about permission and residence), there are still some things to do at my boyfriends house (the bathroom and the kitchen) and i still have to apply for the school. But until now everything feels very good and I´m very lucky. I definately made a good choice!