My room and school shop

Mitt rum är snart klart! Jag har säng på plats, skrivbord, stol, gardiner och lamperna.
nu fattas det det bara lite grön färg, jag ska ha en fondvägg. Sen är allt kart!
Jag skol- handlade igår(man måste köpa allt själv)och det var jätte kul .........fast det spö regnade:(

hej då//
johanna
PS jag saknar er alla såååå mycket!

Here comes the rain !

Väder ute och temperatur inne

Idag har vi 69°F(21°C) och det är molnigt. De hotar med lite T-storms under kvällen( och när det regnar här då regnar det utabarafan).

Nästa vecka ska värmen komma tillbaka med upp mot 90°F (32°C). Nice :o)

Rapporteringen om vädret är suverän med radarbilder och riktigt bra rapporter. Troligen är det lättare att prediktera med de stora landmassorna som omger oss här. Väder ser man på nätet, tidningar eller den TV kanal som dygnet runt sänder väder, lokalt och för hela USA.

På mitt kontor som för närvarande är konferensrummet så är temperaturen ner mot 60°F(16°C). För att inte frysa ihjäl har jag fått låna ett värmeaggregat. Jomenvisst är det ekonomiskt att kyla uteluften för att sedan värma upp den igen. Inte konstigt att USA står för typ 25% av jorden energibehov...

//Benke

Your body is your castle

The neighbors have by now gotten to know us as The Workout Family, or The Nuts, if you like. Even though most Americans love sports (baseball is like religion around here), it still seems like their car is their castle. You can't get anywhere without a car, although the word "can't" seems to be understood more like "don't want to". But as long as walking/running/biking is not prohibited we do it along the roads and on the few pathways we've found. I even got the jogger for Maja - a surprise from my husband to keep me happy, I guess. It works.

Benke keeps on causing traffic hazards and getting curious and somewhat amused looks from people while rollerblading with the ski sticks and mountainbiking on (and sometimes off) the highways. Or maybe it's just his great looks that make women honk, I don't know.





Being the true Homemaker I've become here, I've also joined a fitness club. Just wanted to go for some Body Pump now that my knees have started to bug me (thanks Helena, my very own physiotherapist in Sweden, for your advice!). Forget being anonymous, bying a 1o-time stample card and hiding on the back row of an aerobics class! No, I had to go through a minor health and condition test (fat % included!), plan for long term goals, sign a bunch of papers about who's responsible of what - before they would let me go to that BP class. The club has not only group exercise, but also two floors of all kinds of terrifying machines, tread mills other cardio stuff, either with a TV screen on or (get this:) located in a dark room in front of a huge movie screen, of course a whole big gym of loose weights, a 25 m /5 line swimming pool, pilates room, kinesis, basket ball court, spinning, 4 line inside running track around the whole area, sauna (!) and baby sitting (Maja does very well in there).

Last night we all went to play tennis, basket ball and beach volley. Johanna has signed up for soccer starting in Sept. Jonte gets his endorphines by just being an average little boy, basically playing the Star Wars and trying to learn how to use his new roller shoes. And Maja is definitely feeling and looking great in her 5 month old body as it is.

So guys, we're still going strong. Time for some serious TV time, IKEA couches and Domino's Pizza. And food, by the way - there are quite a few American favorites already: the great steaks, sallads, home made hamburgers, bagels with cream cheese. Besides if we should miss some of our Scandinavian food we can most likely find it at the store. The local grocery store has Vasa Knäckebröd, Panda liquorice, Jarlsberg cheese. IKEA has the rest, like Kalles kaviar, lingonsylt och köttbullar. One of the things we haven't found is rån (that Maja could suck), and to clean the mess, the Wettex dukar that my mom sent over from Finland (thanks!).

//Hanna

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles

Nu har vi börjat den smärtsamma processen att ta körkort. Det visade sig när vi väl var på rätt plats att man behövde en till liten förbannad blanket ifylld. Förutom svenskt körkort, anställningsbevis, pass, visum så behövdes ett brev från min arbetsgivare att Hanna är medföljande (hur hon nu skulle kunnat få visumet annars...) . Vi fick även fylla i en blankett för 20 dollar för att konvertera informationen på vårt körkort som ändå inte är giltigt i detta fall.

På denna underbara myndighet jobbar USA:s mest (not)servicevänliga människor som verkligen älskar att gå till jobbet på morgonen. Det verkar vara mens på hela högen samtidigt. De flesta har dessutom asses size of Brazil.

USA:s genomsnitt samlas dessutom på detta ställe då alla måste komma hit. Nya körkortsinnehavare (från 16 år), nyinflyttade till staten, förnyare samt invandrare som oss.

Nåja, efter 5 timmar lyckades vi ha skrivit den teoretiska delen provet (10 min) och nu har vi bara uppkörningen kvar. Den ska vi göra i mitten av augusti är det tänkt (om det nu inte saknas några fler korrekt ifyllda formulär).

MEN, detta borde vara en av de sista tunga formella saker som skall göras. Förutom att barnen skall börja skolan (hela inköpslistan till skolstarten skall inhandlas), bilar skall köpas och försäkras, barnen skall vaccineras och dem där pengarna jag skickade från Sverige för en vecka sedan skall komma in på vårt konto här.

LOL//Benke

About "Comments" on this blog

I have now made it easier for you to leave comments. Just click on the "Comments" below the text and choose "Other" as your identity. We changed the blog language to English, in order to be able to communicate with all of you. Our own text, as well as your comments, are of course welcome in whatever language you choose. Så skriv förstås på svenska om du vill, tai vaikkapa suomeksi jos haluat!
Sorry about the problems earlier. We're thrilled to hear from you, so don't hesitate, write!
//Hanna

The Beach

We celebrated Johanna's birthday at The Beach Waterpark here in Cinci. A great day of fun and relaxation for all of us.









//Hanna

A small step for the mankind, but a huge step for a man

...goes for every one of us in this family. Told you yesterday about the irritations we've faced. The story went on even today as we purchased a new TV; we don't have a credit rating in this country (meaning they don't know if we pay our bills or not) which paralyzes our capability to sign up for things like telephone, TV-support etc. There's no logic in this, though, because monthly payments to the gym or even our rent for the house are working smoothly. Just another thing.

As for the kids - they start to show slight signs of tireness of not being able to communicate quite satisfying in English. Misunderstandings and irritation with the new friends in the neighborhood, frustration and restlessness. On the other hand, they get jealous if someone else steals the attention of their new friends here. That's when they start to miss their friends back home. Johanna writes letters and her diary. Jonte watches Bolibompa over the internet. And just spending so much time together as a family is a new experience for all of us. Not always just fun. We've had some deep talks about this lately, and everyone understands the situation, although it's hard to accept. Especially for the kids.

Maja is happy most of the time! We're trying to follow her example; just complain when we're hungry, tired or rotten. A pretty ok life philosophy, right?

//Hanna

Being Nobody

The Land Of Freedom - by all means, but also a surprisingly great deal of bureogracy. These past two weeks we've worked our buts off to get started here in the US, but as we haven't gotten our social security cards (Benke got his for two days ago) we haven't been able to apply for OH driver's lisence. As we don't have the driver's lisence, we can neither buy a car nor apply for cell phones. As we don't have the cell phones we can't apply for any other bargain cards at the stores. As we can't get the bargains our account is empty, and we have difficulties to get money transferred from Sweden, just as Benke's secretary was not too happy about paying his salary because "it's not normal to start an employment by having a 2 weeks' vacation". Having no money we decided to relax and watch the TV, which we don't have. Trying to buy a TV on the internet was blocked - they wouldn't accept any foreign credit cards.

Well, we HAVE managed to open a check account, internet, I've signed up for a gym, the kids are registrated at school, I've booked a doctor's appointment for them. And of course, taken part in the consumption society - big time! So after all, for not existing we still seem to leave some foot prints here and there. And I have to say: people are in general very helpful, understanding, friendly and supporting. And, by the way, much much more feet on the ground than you guys in Europe might think. This is not Hollywood.

//Hanna

Johanna's birthday

Johanna turned 10 today!

She had her breakfast in bed, opened her presents and read the cards she'd gotten. Thank you all who remembered.

Maja sits

Our little baby Majsan is sitting up now. Improving it every day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldm3c31RaC0

//Benke

Grattis Anna!

Grattis Anna, vår egen prinsessa, på 17-års födelsedagen!

Ville

Congrats to Ville in Finland on his birthday! Onnea!

Jonte enjoys the pool too!

Prior to our trip to the US Jonte learned how to swim. See the action packed video on this Youtube link =>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gls7oI8EmOU

//Benke

A day without the car

As I put the kids to bed this evening, they both said that today had been a great day: we didn't drive anywhere, no shopping, no musts, just being at home and doing fun things. I guess our kids are pretty Scandinavian after all - or else, just kids who get tired of all this hussle we've been going through this past week. I enjoyed it too; we boldly took our Emmaljunga (stroller) and walked to the closest McD to have a dinner and some good time on their playing ground. Got some plus points right there from my kids since they've been asking us to take them there since we got here.

We also went to the pool (as we've done every day) to make the heat disappear for a while. Then there were some boys from the neighborhood at our door, asking Jonatan to come out and play. And get this: he actually quit watching a DVD he'd just started. Johanna is just as excited about her new friends. And I had a nice chat with a lady who lent the "Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws" to me. Yes, we're going to have to take the dirver's test again... ooops. But I guess, if her 16-year-old daughter just passed it why wouldn't I with 20 years of driving AND a Minnesota Driver's Licence behind me? On the other hand, why would I?... But yes, definitely a positive experience to live in a town house area, so far!

Benke has had his first domestic business trip today. South Carolina was the address, he just got home and tells me that he hardly understood a word of that Southern accent. But it couldn't have been just the famous Southern hospitality and big smiles that made him happy today - the business must've gone well too. Good boy!

//Hanna

hej!

Nu är jag här i USA och det är jätte kul här. När jag var på IKEA så kändes det som hemma. Jag har fått en kompis också, hon hjälper mig med engelskan! Det är bra. Men tänk! Jag ska få åka skolbuss!

//Johanna

Suburbian life

Shopping, shopping, shopping. Here at Target, but it's been Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger's, Bigg's, Office Depot, Meijer's... you name it. We're kind of sick of shopping now. In the same time it's nice to start a home from a scratch! And you know, even my office was opened today: I finally got a brand new washer and a dryer - YES!



You are not missing the new couch in this picture, are you? The kids are kind of cute, too.

Biking - Jonte's got a brand new Hot Rod. Nice new tar on the biking path in the area. Yes, it is a base ball court next to us.







We've now bought a brand new (huge!) grill (=en riktig fet amerikansk gasgrill i rostfri modell, med luckor till höger o vänster, lock och galler upp o ner, och alla världens medföljande prylar. Nästan som att bli en motorbåtsmänniska, tycker jag). Benke is learning how to drive that car now, and well... he should be getting his BBQ driver's licence any day now. It's really good cooking, and the best thing is that the neighbor guy is REALLY jealous!





The kids sure know how to do it; we had heard this over and over again before our trip, but you really don't believe it until it actually happens. Our neighbor girl is as eager to learn Swedish as she is to teach English to our kids. I've never seen Johanna eat her dinner as fast as she did today; the girls kept contact with each other by walkie-talkies, and off she went out to play again.

Looking forward to more fun days around here.

//Hanna

Happy birthday Mom! And IKEA, here we come!

Today was my mother Inga's 70th birthday - congratulations!! The party was in their summer place, Somero (Finland).

Onnea rakas äiti, toivottavasti juhlat olivat komeat! Harmi ettei päästy mukaan.

Thursday, July 5: Let's show the Americans how to shop!









10 hours, 7 trolleys later: a good start of our new home in Cinci. Thanks Scott, Carl-Fredrik, Charlotte, Johanna, Jonte and Maja for helping us through this day!

And happy birthday to Mika 45, and Suski 37 for 2 days ago. Sorry I didn't call you guys. I was in IKEA.

//Hanna

Today we go to Detroit

This afternoon we go to Detroit in this tank to visit IKEA. (Everything is BIG in America)

Jonte don't like shopping so he probably will get a melt down tomorrow! ;o)

I will go to our office up there to avoid a couple of hour on the Swedish furniture place.

We will probably be off line for some days now due to internet loss. But hang in there we will be back soon!

//Benke

We got the key to our home

Yesterday we got the key and walked the rooms of our American home. Hanna has started to check the IKEA catalogue more intensely…
The kids have started to play with the neighbours kids. To bad they move out in the end of the month!
//Benke

We have landed in Cincinnati !

Leaving home and our family life with Robin and Helena early this morning, we were looking at the beginning of the trip of our lives.

After 18 hours of smooth travelling, perfect timing on tranfers and no fighting kids, we finally made it here! Although, due to the terrorist alert these past days, the security controls took a conciderable amount of time. We all tried our best to think it was for our own best. The Delta Airaline only lost 2 pieces of our luggage of 9 (!!), which doesn't surprise us at all after about 10 security scannings of the luggage on the way. However, we definitely recommend the direct flight Paris-Cincinnati to all of you who plan to visit us from Europe this year. The last hours of long distance travelling suck all your extra energy, and if you have any left your kids will suck it from you for sure. So you really want to avoid the last transfer from Detroit, NY or Chicago, if possible.

Our friend and Benke's work companion Scott picked us up at the airport, and we had a nice ride in the Tahoe. We passed downtown on our way to West Chester which is appr. 30 km to the North. The kids were excited; so many big cars! The weather was beautiful with 25°C and just ok humidity. Although you don't need to feel it one bit since the AC is on everywhere.

As expected, by the time we'd arrived in our hotel here in West Chester, Maja had had it. We ended our family's first day in the United States with a greasy but good TV-dinner (pepperoni pizza), trash-TV and a quick dip in the hotel swimming pool. Jonte and Johanna fell asleep on the TV-sofa.

Tomorrow is a new day; car-shopping, hopefully getting back our missing luggage, and most of all getting the keys to our town house!

Nu tyar jag inget mer, natten har kommit, Karl Oskar och jag ska gå och lägga oss.