mazz1

No haven't found any swedish groups are they on this site?? We are having private swedish lessons, part of the package my hubby was offered.I think maybe group swedish lessons would have been better for meeting people. Maybe we can look into that.Is there a web site where i can get information in english on whats available in our local town? Our village is small but the main problem is that they are mostly retired or over 50 we have just one neighbor that speaks some english.

Celtic Princess

Flippin heck, no wonder you are feeling isolated. I'll try to give you some useful information but, as I don't know how much you know, forgive me if I state the obvious.

First off there is learning Swedish. Most newcomers do this through SFI (Swedish For Immigrants). This is a free course, available to everyone. Quality varies greatly, my last class was awful, my new one is lots of fun. The main reason I go is for the company.

SFI is arranged by your local kommun, through their adult education school called Komvux. Here are contact details for Komvux in your kommun (Ronneby I believe).
http://www.ronneby.se/publicweb/temp...e.aspx?id=3419
Ring any of the numbers on the right and they will help you. Or just walk into your local kommun house and ask about it if it is easier.

Next there are the societies. Like we have amateur dramatics societies in Britain, Sweden has societies for just about everything. This is often how people socialise here. Once a week they go to the club that they are a member of to have fun with others who share the same interest. To give you an idea of what you can do, these are some of the ones in my kommun: beekeeping, table tennis, bridge, folkdancing, football, photography, art, handicrafts, wine, beer, dungeons and dragons, embroidery, hunting, model aeroplanes.

To find out what is available in your kommun go to your library and ask for a copy of your kommunguide. They are usually free. Then look in it for Föreningsregister. This is the list of all the clubs you can join. Also, you can join one in any kommun you like, regardless of where you live.

As for forums, there are 2 that I use. This one, www.thelocal.se , is really lively. It can be a bit tough at times because there was very little moderation which was abused by a few idiots. But the core of regular posters are wonderful. I have made some good friends through it. We have set up our own book club and our own get together and eat curry club.

The other one is this, www.mumsinsweden.com , although it's not just mums. This one is friendlier that the first but no where near as busy. I haven't met up with any of these ladies yet, although they do have lots of get togethers.

Hope that helps. And remember that you now have 1 new friend in Sweden. Me!

mazz1

Thanks for all the info much appreciated I'll get cracking and look into all this. How are you finding the language? and how many lessons have you had? I speak some french and believe it or not a little Swahili both of which i found to be a breeze compared to all this hurdy gurdy stuff. Reading and writing swedish i'm find is a lot easier then speaking, the pronunciation just leaves me tongue tied!

Celtic Princess

Me too. I've been going to SFI on and off for nearly 2 years. (More off than on.) My brain just won't retain new words. I spend hours learning them and then they leak out of my ears during the night. I think that is where SFI helps me most. Not the classes as such, more the coffee breaks, sitting round a table with people from all over the world who's only shared language is rubbish Swedish. Amazingly we do manage to chat and the pronunciation doesn't matter as we're all as bad as each other.

ChrisNorway

Move to Norway,Sweden is ok for the Sweeds and Germans,If your ok with the fact that Sweden sold steel plate to the Nazis during the war for the building of warships and that the Swedish police gave up Royal Marine commandos to the Nazi Gestapo then by all means move there and intergrate with the "Helvete svenske"


Mvh Chris som er Norske

ChrisNorway

Hvor bor du " Celtic Princess" ?Hvilket del av Sverige ?

ChrisNorway

Du har bott i två år i Sverige och Kan inte språkket,det dålig,

mazz1

I ve only been here one year and having lessons since oct do i get let off?

mazz1

flippen eck! you don't half hold a grudge.

ChrisNorway

Hei ,Its very hard to forget,i am from the north of Norway a place called Alta,its just one of those episodes that should never have happened,British and Norwegian Commandos escaped the Nazis in Narvik by walking over Bjørne Fjelle ( Bear mountain),they thought they would be ok in neutral Sweden,but alas they were handed over by the police in Kiruna to the gestapo who after torturing them executed them,and of course its hard for anybody who isnt Norwegian to understand the relasionship between Norwegians and Swedes,anyway you enjoy Sweden mazz1,hope you dont get tired of meatballs or pytti panna,


Regards Chris

Celtic Princess

Jag bor i Vastergotaland.

Celtic Princess

Nej. Alltid försöka jag att svenska men jag kan inte minnas ordförråd.

By the way, I think it's rather mean to give me the thumbsdown for not learning fast enough. Different people learn at different rates. What is important is that I am trying.

ChrisNorway

I appolagise about the thumbs down,Swedish,Norwegian is a difficult language to learn,i am fluent in German and Italian and am learning Spanish at the present,,i always tell people that one MUST use the language with the locals and just take any laughing or leg pulling in ones stride,

Mvh Chris

mazz1

Know wat you mean my uncle was killed by japs,guess we all have our grudges. Already bored of meatballs,korv and lets not forget sill, couldn't believe that they eat it all year then have it for christmas dinner.

mazz1

I agree i've always been pants at languages, my English grammar isn't that great.