04/08/2011

Swedish pick 'n' mix






The last pictures from Stockholm... I can't feel very excited about these posts from the city I grew up in. This trip more than ever made it clear that London is now my hometown (which is not so strange considering I've lived here all my adult life). It's a strange transition from feeling Swedish to feeling English. I naively thought your past is a huge part of who you are, but I realise now that the present actually is more so. Does that make sense? I'd love to hear how fellow ex-pats feel about where they grew up and where they live now; where is home for you?

And on a completely different note; Ok Go have released a new video and it's just as awesome as the others. I can only watch the bog standard youTube version, but if you're on Google Chrome have a look at it here.

15 comments:

  1. very interesting what you write about. since i moved from sweden when i was 18 and i have lived in two countries since then, which means i haven't lived there for about 11 years, i find myself torn between the past and the present. and i do not know where i belong, or where i'd like to settle down. parts of me will always be swedish, but they are now mixed with many new influences. going back i find myself not knowing the rules of the game kinda. and here, well, i will always be different, for good and for bad.

    anyhow.
    your blog made me happy so many times since i discovered it a month ago. enjoy being back home, in your now.

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  2. I grew up in Switzerland but have lived in Canada for the last 15 years. I always find it a bit unsettling going back to Switzerland and fitting effortlessly back into that society while feeling like a complete stranger at the same time. My heart is in Canada, the home of my choice, where my kids were born and were we are extremely happy.

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  3. I've grown up in Sweden, but as the child of German expats, so I've been torn between being Swedish and being German for all my life and I still am. I don't know where I belong - parts of me are Swedish, other parts are German and amongst these there are a few different influences from other countries I've lived in.

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  4. Ok Go's new video clip is as amazing as their other ones indeed!! Love it!

    Love the photo of Farsta Centrum: such a pretty pattern.

    And yeah... it's weird to be 'split' between two countries... I still feel very Swiss but definitely feel different when I go back!

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  5. great collection. i really like that one of people waiting for public transport.

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  6. I have not been living in Norway long enough to feel norwegian but I'm not sure I ever will! I love it here but love returning to England and just being british!
    Have you lost your Swedish accent Famapa? My husband had no hint of his norwegian accent when we lived in London but after 10 months back here he is sounding a little bit norwegian when he speaks English! I am now speaking a strange bastardized version of english/norsk/norlish! argh!

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  7. intressant! jag tror dig! kanske är det så att där man bott längst och rotat sej mest där är hemma...? och under en lång tid i livet så har man ju inte bräckt sin uppväxttid, i antal år räknat...? och så kanske det har med ens egna vuxna liv att göra, där man rotar sej och sin egen familj. boar in sej, gör till sitt eget. märker själv att jag numera automatiskt säger HEMMA om vårt egna hem, inte om mitt barndomshem. . .
    fina bilder. grym videolänk, de är alltid så finuuurliga! :D gla helg!

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  8. I think it's wonderful to have a mix of cultures. From my experience of expat friends it means you can get distance on the cultures you're a part of. It's something I really envy; it's a chance be more analytical rather than swept along.
    Thanks for the blogging, I'm enjoying it.

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  9. I guess it's the same for all of us, I find it very hard to be excited about Singapore but poking around places I haven't been brings surprises sometimes. I love the photos in this post though, glad you're enjoying the summer!

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  10. Yes, OKGO's new video is pretty awesome!

    I think one can have a very mixed emotions towards one's home. I was never thrilled about my conservative country (Japan) growing up, but when I came back after spending many years in the States, I realized I could actually appreciate so many aspects of it that I never realized as a kid. Now that my hometown is affected by radiation, I feel so much more for it than ever before...

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  11. I hope you and your family are safe, with the riots going on there in London.

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  12. Beautiful pictures. Home is where your heart is. Truly.

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  13. I perfectly understand what you mean. I always thought Id miss my city (St-petersburg, russia) when i left for studies in Germany. Now Im 4 years in Germany and im not planning on coming back. More than that, I didnt miss the city i grew in, went school, uni, first fell in love.. at all. I think i feel more comfortable and home in Germany. I do miss my parents and friends thought..I do go back once in a while, but just to visit people i love. If they were in another place id go there.

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  14. Your collection is great and makes me want to see your hometown!
    By coincidence, I today wrote in my blog about what or where is my homeplace, because it was today's theme in worldwide corner view, in which I'm participating.
    By the way I have to say thank you for the new OK Go video, it's absolutely brilliant again!

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