Midway through the Miami to Paris flight I began to feel good. Mostly due to new confidence, the fading of worry. My biggest apprehension about the move to Sweden was language. I’ve reached a point where I am comfortable meeting new people — but that assumes I can communicate with them. As I got closer to my new home I reminded myself that nearly everyone in Sweden understands English.
Still, they understand English, but they don’t speak it unless they need to. Perhaps the worry came from knowing that most of what I learn about people comes from observing them before I engage them. This is not a very effective gameplan when I can’t understand their conversations with other people. This was made clear on the Air France flight on which I sat next to a group of Spaniards. I wished I could listen in on their chatter, certain I could chime in with something that would spark a much needed short-term friendship for the long flight. I was frustrated that I could not.
I’ll just have to be more assertive if I’m going to make friends and influence people in Sweden. But that’s not news. The potential for that sort of personal improvement is one of the main reasons for my move here.
Comments