In my final year of university, I took part in an exchange program and studied in Lund, Sweden for a while. Going to Sweden was for me the realization of a lifelong dream. I’d always been crazy about Scandinavia, and wanted to live there. I’d learned Swedish before even setting foot once in that country. When I was here, Swedish was like a secret language that only I and a select few could speak. Landing in Stockholm and being immersed in it felt like I was surrounded with family.

Six months down the line, although I was still completely jazzed simply with the idea of being on Swedish soil, I found I was quite lonely. It was harder to make friends there than anywhere else I’d ever been, despite many efforts by the university to organize events for us internationals to socialize. After all my longing to integrate into Swedish culture, I found my best friends were Canadian. I’m not the friendliest person in general, but compared to the average Swede, most French Canadians are extremely warm. One Swede was shocked when I told him about the two-cheek kiss, and how often we use it and think nothing of it. Although that difference was at first interesting, it soon became a source of discomfort.

Anyway, it’s now four years later and I’ve let a lot of my Swedish slip. Looking for something to do, and for a way to expand my social circle, I recently found the Montreal Swedish club, and decided to attend their filmkväll (film night) tonight. I really wonder what that’s going to be like. Am I insinuating myself on an exclusive circle? Will I come off like a blubbering idiot after all that time without practice? Should I care? Oh well, here goes nothing…