When Life Imitates The Real Thing

Sweden 848 Comments

It is said that life sometimes imitates art. If commercials qualify as art, then I can say we experienced that phenomenon this weekend.
Caspar the cat-guide taking a rest on our walk in the wood.

Caspar the cat-guide taking a rest on our walk in the wood.

We are pet-sitting at our friends’ summer house for a long holiday weekend in Småland, Sweden. When we arrived we found two young boys on the deck waiting for Lars and Eva. Obviously confused by seeing us instead of the usual occupants, they began asking questions in Swedish which we couldn’t understand.

We tried to explain by saying, “Sorry. No Svenska. English?” They wrinkled their brows. Frustrated and unable to understand what we were saying, they soon jumped back on their bicycles and left.

We carried our luggage into the house but were summoned back to the door by light knocking a few minutes later. I opened it to find the boys. Obviously having conferred on the problem, the smaller one asked, in perfect English, “Are you living here?” I pointed to the cat and answered, “No. Baby-sitting Mascot.” Then I added enthusiastically, “Coca-Cola?” and presented a container of treats.  They grinned, grabbed, then jumped up and down pumping fistfuls of cookies shouting, “YES! Coca-Cola!”

Skoal! Our Little Swedish Teachers from Varne.

Skoal! Our little Swedish teachers.

OK! Now we are getting somewhere. 
After that communication discovery we enjoyed a game of ball toss and conducted simple English/Swedish lessons where we exchanged names (Eric & Alexander), discussed ages (6 & 7), and learned their school grades (K and 1st grade). We ended the lesson having learned the Swedish word for school, skola, and they left with a new English word, cookie.
Ever since our brief encounter I have had a music meme buzzing in my head that I cannot seem to purge. “I’d like to teach the world to sing…in perfect harmony…”
Best language class, ever.