D-day -77

This fall the Swedish crew has been a dominating factor in the IIASA (former) Forestry group, if only looking to numbers (and if counting the French guy who has lived in Sweden, has a Swedish wife, a Swedish PhD and speaks really good Swedish, as Swedish). The French faction has however not been far behind, and they also keep claiming that the French guy should be counted a French. Which is of course completely ridiculous in so many ways.

Anyway, now both I and Marianne (the other Swedish girl) are ending our IIASA stays (for this time), which is of course a hard blow to the Swedish force. However, to go out in style, we today of course – in accordance with traditional Swedish traditions – arranged fredagsfika*, to which we brought fikabröd. We also – in accordance with traditional Austrian traditions – of course brought wine. Traditions are important. Especially traditional such. I believe that the newly started Swaustrian tradition with vinfika (wine fika) definitely has the potential to become a fine traditional tradition. I also believe that there is a potential slightly more obstacles to the vinfika in Sweden, compared to in Austria, but the kinks will be worked out in due time.

* "Fika" is an untranslatable Swedish word that sort of, but not quite, means "coffee with cake". But it's more a state of mind, than just coffee with cake. Apparently "fika" can also mean something similar to "nuppa**" in German, but I swear I didn't know this before I sent out the invitation for fredagsfika


** "Nuppa" is a Swedish slang word. More translatable than "fika". Don't know it? Well, google is your friend, my friend ;-)