kareina

Last week I received a snail-mail (in Swedish) addressed to those of us who became Swedish Citizens in 2015, inviting us to come to the Nationaldag celebration in the Luleå city center or in another town about a half hour drive north. Apperley those of us who can make it to one of these celebrations will receive a Sweden Pin at a ceremony there.

This sounded cool, but I always spend Nationaldag performing Swedish folk dance at the celebration in Gammelstad, and the times conflict, so there is no way I could be in the city center without missing our dancing.

Therefore I sent a letter (in Swedish) to the address at which we were meant to register if we could attend, and let her know where I would be and what I would be doing. Then I commented that if it is possible to get my pin at the celebration in Gammelstad instead that would be great, but if not I wouldn't be able to make it.

After sending the letter I wondered if there was anything I could do to make it possible. So I emailed our Nyckelharpa teacher, who is one of the organizers of Spelmanstämman, the huge folk music festival in Gammelstad the weekend before midsummer (at which we also perform folk dance), and asked him (in Swedish) if he knew who is in charge of the National Day celebration in Gammelstad. He replied with a name, and I found her email address and sent her a letter (in Swedish), letting her know of my letter (quoting it) and asking if she thought it would be fun to present me that Pin on stage, since I would be wearing Swedish folk costume. She replied (in Swedish) that it would be an honour, and there were a few practicalities to work out. So I sent another email (in Swedish) to both women, asking if they could work out the details between them.

Tonight I received an email from the lady at the city to whom I'd sent the first registration or regrets letter saying that I will be getting my pin in Gammelstad. :-)