Finally, a good reason to know art history:
Cute Dutch Girl: "Hi, I'm Saskia."
me: "Saskia. Wasn't that the name of Rembrandt's wife?"
CDG: "Yes! Wow. You're the first person to know that."

I've been noticing a lot of phrases in English are often pointed out as odd or improper despite their frequent use. For example, when someone tells us about some misfortune that has befallen them we say, "I'm sorry." But we (presumably) are not responsible for this event. Why should we apologize for something we didn't do? In Swedish, the reaction to bad news is "Jag är ledsen" or "I'm sad"; which makes more sense because the news is sad, but it isn't your fault.
Also, in English you say you know someone, which might give rise to the rhetorical question "How well can anyone truly know another?" In Swedish, the verb for knowing a person is "känner" which also means to sense or feel. It has less of an objective connotation; less of an implication that if you know someone you know all about them. Whereas if you "känner" someone you perceive them through your own senses, so one person might be perceived in many different ways. Though I suppose if you've "known" the person long enough and have spent a lot of time together, you might eventually actually start to know them. So maybe with that in mind, people a long time ago, back when Swedish and English were more closely related, decided that they would "know" everyone to make it sound more loving and friendly than "sensing" them.

And when I was at a corridor party last week, I met an American from Minnesota. He's a bit more like what a typical American college student is like and it turns out I have a class with him, so I'll be able to make some more observations. But the thing that got me was that he always says he's from America Not the US, or the States, or simply which state he's from. I find this a bit strange because hardly anyone calls it America without a pejorative connotation here. On several occasions I've heard it used as a synonym for stupid. Even the Americans seem to have an aversion to the word "America". I myself have avoided saying it because that instantly triggers the attack mechanism I mentioned before. I don't know if I've developed this on my own or absorbed it though the mental vibes of Europeans, but I now consider saying "America" to be like saying "I'm better than you." So it always slightly irks me when he declares he's from America (he also has a habit of speaking loudly, which might also be why it comes across in an obnoxious way. Europeans claim speaking loudly is typical of Americans, though I find the dumber Swedes do it too). Though there is something to be said for this connotation, namely you can tell off snotty Europeans by simply stating you are American in such a way that says, "Yes, in fact, I am better than you."

Moving right along on that note, my Swedish Society and Everyday Life class has a large number of Americans, more so than in any of my previous classes. During my stay in Sweden I've found it easy to go up to people in class or in clubs and strike up a conversation, something that would be very difficult for me to do back home. I thought that this was part of me growing and becoming more confident and comfortable around others. But no, it's not me. It's them. Trying to strike up a conversation with this group of Americans was just like trying to talk to frat boys and sorority girls back at the U of A. I might be from the same country, but I'm not one of them. This realization also put their choice of nations into perspective, they joined Värmlands and Stockholms, meat markets with the latter also known for being rather elitist. Sound like any college institutions we know? But I'm sure this reverse culture shock will be beneficial to my observations since now I can directly compare and contrast Swedish and American college life.

And finally, Word of the Day: stymied-An obstacle or obstruction. Also a verb: stymie-To thwart; stump.