Ramadan hardships in Sweden...

The theoretical problem becomes reality in Sweden this year...

Ramadan has just begun, but for Muslims in the northern-most part of Sweden, they will have days where the sun never sets, and days where it just sets for a matter of minutes.

Try replenishing your food and water supply in 15 minutes per 24 hours, and see if that is sustainable for a month long period....(with the idea that you should work full time/as normal).

It does bring up the question, how could an all knowing Allah not have known about this possibility when he put the requirement for fasting sunrise to sunset in place?

Read more in the article below...

http://www.thelocal.se/49004/20130711/

Fladerblomsaft...Elderflower cordial!

Elderflower Cordial time (Dags för Flädersaft)

Who knew that these white flowers that look a lot like queens anne's lace would be the key to a delicious refreshing Swedish drink?  

Daniel's brother Jonas showed me a big Elderflower bush near their house and we got a good "crop"...

 

 Step two, throw in some lemons, sugar, citric acid, and top in water (different recipes call for cool or boiling water...).

Stir once a day for 3-5 days, sieve it out, and there you go! Come visit us and try some...

Swedish uniformity

I will start by saying that I went last week and bought myself a pair of converse shoes. I would have never worn them in USA, but they just feel right in Sweden.  And now I see why.

This article from the local talks about how a lot of Swedes like to dress the same.

http://www.thelocal.se/48704/20130626/

It definitely starts to wear off after a while. The important thing is to see a difference between cultural adaptation without moral sacrificing of what is RIGHT and GOOD.

BUT, although it may seem trendy and thus easy to fit in, it is also painfully drab in it's lack of personality after a while.

And the whole trying to be unisex thing in Sweden will have to be saved for another time...