Elrener sang her song," Taking chances"

Elrener have always wanted to sing. Well she finally managed to sing her own song which she have composed during her music lesson. Her music teacher had choosen her to sing her song on the 11th May 2007 in front of the school.
We have our holiday planned ahead and there she is planning to be home so she could sing her song. Well, we did went for our holiday anyway and we manage to sent her back home earlier. She took the flight from Sharm El Sheikh - Cairo - Milan - Malaga all by herself. At the airport between Sharm to Cairo we had someone to take care of her during the transfer, especially at Cairo airport where she have to transfer terminal which is so far away even by car.
She made it home. A friend of mine Carita and her boyfriend Philip pick her up at the airport in Malaga. She was very tired when she arrived home and she only have few hrs before she sing.
She was indeed very nervous and can see that she is trying to smile and push her back alot when she sing. Somehow she did well. Congratulation...

Swedish National Day

National day sounds like a time for rejoycing, big celebration or even watching band marching. Actually No, not really for the Swedes. "Sjätte Juni" was indeed Swedish National Day but the Swedes did not get a day off for it until 2005.For most people it is more like a welcome day of an early summer. Provided it falls on Saturday or Sunday.
In most countries, which have anniversaries of independence or revolutions to commemorate, Sweden has never been occupied and has never got rid of its monarchy.
National Day was first recognized officially by the government in 1983, but it only became a public holiday in 2005, after years of debate.

On the other hand in Spain, the Swedish society gets together on National Day and celebrate together in the Swedish School. Well, it never happen back in Sweden itself. Probably as an expat, we are more united when living abroad. It also create the atmosphere of being home and traditionally all food, songs, and people around you speaks swedish.

The school are decorated nicely with balloons (blue and yellow) symbolises the Swedish flag. There were few outdoor tables and chairs on the garden. The Swedes just love being outdoor.

I was involved in making sandwiches since I was not interested in selling them later. Swedish traditional of food are pretty simple but somehow very nice. I was in the school kitchen with few other parents and we were laying out bread and decorated them nicely with different topping with salad, salmon, kött bullar (meat ball) and sil (fish). At 6 in the evenning, I rush home to get a nice warm shower and get change after being there since one in the afternoon. Pretty sweaty and tired.

Even though it started at 6pm, I arrived much later. It doesnt matter as people are just mingling around, drinking and eating. Later there was a speech from the Swedish Ambassador wishing everyone a nice time. Somehow, I could not hear the rest that well as I was inside the school cafeteria. It was followed by choire singing Swedish National song and a band.

Both my daughter was selling lottery tickets. I bought few tickets just to support them but unfortunately I wasnt that lucky enough to win anything. I could have won few bottles of wine if I were lucky. Anyway, I was not in my drinking mood these days. In fact I have not been drinking eversince I came back from my holiday in Egypt.

I left earlier with my son Gabriel as I found that there wasnt much for me there to do and of course I am pretty tired being there almost whole day.



The Swedish School here in Fuengirola Spain where they celebrated Swedish National Day. National Song was sang by the choir.

The Swedish Ambassador giving a speech.

Veldiner and her classmate Evita.



Here they are walking with the Swedish flag.

Veldiner and Gabriel having Chocolate waffles.

These spinning wheel were made by the students itself when they were very young and they use it every year during the National Day celebration selling lottery tickets. With the money that they have collected, they will be saving them for their class trip end of the term. This is Elrener and her boyfriend Philip(they're classmate). They took turn with their classmates selling the lottery.

The school library.

Veldiner manage to sell more tickets. She sold six tickets to this couple.

These swedish flag are drawn by the children from the kindergarden. Gabriel is posing there wondering how can I ever draw this difficult flag.

Her classmate Ingrid. Gabriel beside her sister Veldiner.