Hello!
It's 9:30 on Monday the 10 of September, in between the dates of the Swedish election and the anniversary of 9/11, and this year, the 10th is an important date as well - because I am moving. There's only about 4 hours until I leave for the Airport and later tonight arrive to Milan. Crazy.
I've been quite nervous lately. I though it was about my move, but as it turns out later, what I've been feeling during my cries and panic attacks is not about the big change of my move, but the racist party's growth in Sweden. Turns out, almost a fifth of the population voted for them. How brainwashed are they? Don't they understand that this is the exact same rhetoric as Trump and Hitler used? It makes me madly upset that people are so easily manipulated that they actually believe it's immigrates fault AND that socialism and feminism (V) is extremism. How exactly?
I want to tell myself I did everything I could. I talked to people about anti-racism, feminism, equality and the environment. And then I voted. But that wasn't enough. MP almost didn't make it and V got lower percentage than expected (yet better than last election). So apparently, I am not doing enough. Apparently, I need to work harder for people to understand that all lives matter. And the fact that you have high status and money on your bank account hardly means that you worked hard. It means that you were born in the right country, in the right city, in the right family and had a privilege not to worry if you had enough food not to starve this week. How is that rich people's hard work? It isn't. Simple as that. It is privilege.
I am privileged. And I need to use that privilege to get people to understand that they are privileged. I need to help privileged people understand that they need to help those who aren't. And I need to know how to help them. So yesterday as the TV-show of Sweden's future continued I went online and googled a hundred articles on how to help immigrates. I eventually landed on the national immigration site and scrolled for information. Fact is, I don't know how to make resistance yet, I just know I have to. Racism is not acceptable in this country.
About my move, I'm just a little bit nervous on how to make my first impression with the family. I'm not the smoothest one on small talk, and if I get really nervous I talk a lot. I googled a few tips and tricks, but I think the big issue is that I don't know if I should shake hands or hug, because it's Milan, and as the awkward Swede I am, I know how horrifically embarrassing a first meet can go, from one second to the other, just by bringing up the hand when the other one is going for a hug. And what about the cheek kisses? How many? I know I'll drive myself crazy just thinking about this.
But I'm off showering now. Hopefully it will be okay.
When it comes to the last week and what I've been doing lately I might update you on it. Right now I am looking over the material from Prague for a possible Vlog, but I'm not sure yet.
Anyways, I have to go. Have a great Monday and wish me luck!