Friday, 6 August 2004 - 12:23 PM PDT
Name:
Inga
Hej, Hanna,
Min mor had too many children, too close together, and she couldn't handle us all. So I was brought up by min mormor from as far back as I can remember. I spoke Swedish until I was five and then was sent to American kindergarten. Mormor taught me how to read and write at home before I started school, and I learned to read every word in both Swedish and English. I was told that I was a Swede (as opposed to being told that I was a "Swedish/American," which is why I refer to myself as one to this day - it just goes back to my early conditioning, I guess).
Mormor was 64 when she was "given me," and I was concentrated upon. I heard all of the stories of Sweden, (no TV), the house was decorated with Swedish flags and dala horses. I heard only Swedish stories, and sang only Swedish songs (Gubba Noah - spelling is probably off after all these years). I ate only Swedish food. I didn't know any different. Company consisted of Swedish relatives who spoke Swedish in front of me, wrongly thinking that since I had been born in America, I wouldn't know what they were saying. I learned to keep my mouth shut and not tell them, for I learnd some VERY interesting adult things this way. Mormor's eyes would just twinkle, and she never let them know I knew what they were saying. I didn't know anything other than being totally immersed in the Swedish culture until I was sent to school in the Great American Melting Pot and found out that not everyone had blonde hair and blue eyes. In fact, I was absolutely in the minority. My hair was so blonde it was almost white, which the other kids had never seen before (everyone at my school was either Portugues, Italian, Hispanic, and African-American so it was me that was the abnormal one!), so my first day at school consisted of everyone playing with my hair and staring into what they considered to be my "strange" blue eyes. I myself remember being totally fascinated by this new world, since at Mormor's house, you couldn't tell us apart - we all looked alike. I thought this new world of differences was really tremendous! Of course, everyone in school spoke either English, Portuguese, or Italian, so at that point, my Swedish kind of fell by the wayside. There was an English kid at the school, but no other Swedes (at least not in any grades I knew about!) I still remember quite a bit of my early Swedish, however, I've lost probably more than I remember, which is why I love to visit Sweden and pick some of it back up again.
Ah, and you have educated me! For I didn't know what Christer meant by purple hair on American women! At the time, the burgundy streaks were the style amongst teenagers, and I thought that that's what he was talking about. Tells you what I know about Florida! (I've been there twice, and all I know is that it is TOO HOT! I have Northern Swedish Blood! Ninety-five degrees is for MELTING.) I don't think I look "normal" for the States as Christer told me that I look like a "normal svenksa kvinna."
I do not have a Swedish passport, however, I believe that I would qualify for dual citizenship as Swedish citizenship passes through the maternal line, och mormor was never naturalized. Mormor had a green card which she filled out every year, and every year, I had a small nervous breakdown because I thought something might happen, like it would get lost in the mail, and mormor would be sent back to Sweden without me (God forbid!). I am an American, who was brought up "Svensk" by a bunch of Swedes who had just arrived in America. Just another piece of that great American melting pot.
Mormors people came from Hogsjo, Hemso, Utansjobruk, och mer (I don't want to say exactly what village, for, like you, I think anonymity is a wonderful thing). I have been to mormors village to visit, and have walked where she walked, which I thought was wonderful. I met an elderly couple who remembered my relatives - min mormorbror, mormorfar. I found that to be very exciting. I have also been to Orebro och Stockholm, and driven through and probably stopped at every town between Stockholm and northern Sweden (E-4).
Have I answered all of your questions?
I.
rushed