Getting back to normal, post-Covid19
September 29th, 2021 has become a memorial day for people who live in Sweden. Almost all Covid19 related regulations were removed on the date. I cannot even remember exactly when they had started all the regulations. Well, time really flew! However, at last, we are “officially” getting back to normal. The status quo of Covid19 is updated almost every day, and they said that more than 70% of the population have been vaccinated, and if you wish to get vaccinated for the third dose, you can do so if you are over 80 years old in Sweden.
９月２９日は北欧スウェーデンにとっては記念するべき日になりました。いつから始まったかも忘れるほど、ずいぶん前に感じられるコロナ規制の撤廃されたのが９月２９日でした。規制が撤廃され、少しづつコロナ前の日常がストックホルムにも戻ってきています。ワクチン接種率が７０％を超えるといった報道もあり、感染者数も横ばいから安定してきているのが規制緩和の理由と言われています。また、高齢者や基礎疾患のある方には、第３回目のワクチン接種も早々に決め、８０歳を超える高齢者には希望者から接種が開始したと言った報道もありました。
As society is getting back to normal, I have also started something new, which I could not do under the Covid19 regulations. Under the regulations, all schools had to suggest students study online instead of coming to school physically. For students who are learning a new language, it is important to speak face to face, I believe. Under the pandemic, I was taking a language course online, but it was not so effective since all the courses were online so that I could not meet with my classmates face to face in person to chat. Some of my ex-classmates put a face picture on the profile and did not even show their face, and it made me even hard to understand what they were saying. Well, you know I do not understand what they were saying 100% since we all were learning a new language and speaking with so-called “broken language” with poor grammar, pronunciation, etc. Facial expressions, body language, and other nonverbal communications are SO important for me to catch what they are trying to say! However, at last, I heard that the school started asking students to come back to a classroom so that I applied for a course once again!
社会が少しづつ落ち着きを取り戻す中、わたしも会社帰りに学校に通学することを再開しました。学校と言っても、長く中断していた語学学校に通い始めました。ＣＯＶＩＤ１９の感染者数が増加するにつれて、以前通学していた語学学校がオンラインクラスに変更され、どうしてもオンラインでは語学を学ぶのに手ごたえを感じる事が出来ず中断していました。中にはZOOM画面を固定写真のまま授業に挑むクラスメートもいて、写真を見ながら会話を行うことに何か違和感を感じていました。そんな中、クラスで授業を行うことを再開したと言う学校の噂を聞き、ついに通学再開を決めました。
As you become older, it becomes harder and harder to learn a new language. I am struggling to remember new words every day, correct pronunciation, intonation, slang, idiom, etc…..so many things to learn! It feels like that I remember 3 new words and forget 2 words, already. It feels that I am challenging my brain to wake up once again to remember so many new things!! LOL! But, if I meet my classmates who also study hard and hear a story about how hard it is to be an expat living in a foreign country but they do not give up and get going. They motivate me to keep learning! I feel that I am not the one, so that I must stop bitching about (sorry about the language lol) it and learn the darn language! LOL! I thank my friends who do their best and learn the language with me. In Sweden, more than 80% of people speak very fluent English, and it makes it even harder for people to learn Swedish since they switch to English if they understand that I am not native. People say that “You have to keep using Swedish so that they will speak to you in Swedish.” Well, who would do that if you cannot even carry out your conversation well, and keep speaking “Broken Swedish” making them feel so frustrated? I just feel so awkward (maybe I am chicken?!) every time they frown their eyebrows and say, “Vad sa du???????” which means “What (the heck) are you saying??”. So, I think that it is extremely important to have some friends and classmates who can train and practice without you feel intimidated or frustrated.
People start to ask you when you will learn the local language. They start asking you how come you do not want to learn the language although you stay here for a long time. Well, I feel them, but it takes a long time to learn a new language. Please give me a break! LOL! Well, anyways, when one of my colleagues asked me (aka requested me) that it would be better if I could speak Swedish especially when I supervise some of the local staff who are not so good at English. (Well, of course….LOL!) Well, I know that they understand what I am saying in Engish, but they sometimes pretend not to understand. Haha! They will not be able to excuse me any longer if I use Swedish! Haha!
悲しくなるほど覚える速度が遅く、そして覚えたあたらしい単語をすぐに忘れると言った、もはや、脳との戦いとさえ感じさせられる日々が再開しました。しかし、クラスメートに励まされ、「よし、頑張ろう！」と自分を鼓舞し頑張っています。 スウェーデンと言う国は英語を第二言語として話す人の割合が高く、またそのレベルもとても高い国です。そうなると、どうしても「英語に頼ってしまう」と言った「甘え」が生じてしまいます。しかし、やはり母国語はスウェーデン語の為、長期滞在をしている人には「なぜ長期滞在しているのに、スウェーデン語が話せいないの？話したくないの？」とすこし冷ややかな、そして、まぁまっとうな態度（汗💦）をとられます。同僚にも、滞在期間が長くなると、「スウェーデン語話せると、やっぱり便利だよ！」と、応援と言うか、説得と言うか、とっても辛い立場に追い込まれ、諦めかけていたスウェーデン語を再開しました。クラスメートは皆同じような境遇の人が多く、会社帰りに集まりひたすらつたないスウェーデン語で話し合い、切磋琢磨しております。
Thus! I have started learning Swedish once again! I decided to take a course after work and practice speaking Swedish myself when no one is around me on my way back home. It is important to review what you learned in the class and practice on the way back home, right? But, do not do it when people are around you otherwise, they may think you are a bit special, just talking yourself very strange sentences like “Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.” in Swedish. LOL!
仕事が終わり、そしてその後の授業が終わると街を少し歩くのが良い気分転換になっています。 授業中で行われた会話を思い出し、間違った言い回しを歩きながらぶつぶつと練習しながら歩きます。 人が来ると独り言を言い続けるおかしい人になるので「独り言練習」を終え、また人がいなくなると独り言の練習を始めます。「富士山と言う山が、日本では一番高い山です。」きっと実際の会話では一生使うことのないこの分との戦いです。 発音、イントネーションなど学ぶことは多々あります。( ´艸｀)
In October, it gets colder and colder in Stockholm. It has become below 15C and becomes below 10C at the night. These days I feel that a day is becoming shorter and shorter. Winter is around the corner, I think. Especially, when you feel some cold breeze in the air, you start to feel that harsh cold winter in Scandinavia is coming soon……
Then I come to see one of my favorite places in Stockholm where Studio Ghibli used as one of the scenes in an animated film called “Kiki´s Delivery Service” by Studio Ghibli. We all have a hard time breaking through something. I was murmuring and practicing my Swedish as I was walking by this iconic place of “Kiki´s Delivery Service”. I hope you all have a good day, and break through a hard time if you are facing one! We can do it!
１０月になるとストックホルムでは気温は１５度を下回り、夜には１０度近く下がります。 秋分を終えると、日に日に日没が早くなるのを感じ、そしてそれに伴い肌寒くなるのを感じる今日この頃です。 あぁ～、ここは魔女の宅急便のシーンに使われた場所だとか思いながら、ストックホルム市街を歩くと少し元気になります。 すこし疲れた時は自分を追い込むのではなく、ぶつぶつと「独り言練習」をしながら、街歩きが一番ですね。
「よし明日も頑張ろう！」と自分に言い聞かせて。
🥦Ha det så bra! 🥦
🥦See you again! 🥦
🥦じゃ～またねぇ～🥦
