It has been a very unusual spring. My wife has a new job, our son has started kindergarten, and my parents from Sweden have come and left. Now summer is quickly approaching and a new normal is lying in front of me, although without me having any hint of what it will look like. Or …
One of the things I really love about Japan is the politeness, best illustrated by the custom of bowing. When I am outside playing with our son, and one of our neighbors comes driving home, they always slow down and make a bow in the car. When someone makes an errand to the house, they …
Having a baby is being a student of human emotions. Every day I live in my son’s sea of feelings ranging from anger to absolute joy and excitement. It never ceases to amaze me how he can angrily bite on my finger one second, and hug me like a koala bear the next, not letting …
Kindergarten. Daycare. Dagis. Hoikuen. Many names. Many experiences. My wife have happy joyful memories of when she was a little little child, going to hoikuen. She had friends, she learned a lot; consequently she wants our son to experience the same happiness that she did. I on the other hand have sad painful memories from …
Moving from a small apartment to a two stories house means a lot of life changes for a small baby. When dad goes up the stairs, our little son becomes very unsettled and wants to go with me to check that I am not leaving. When mum is going out to get a delivery at …
Between the hostile winter winds and the full bloom allergy chock, there are usually a few weeks every spring to really enjoy. Those weeks the air is soft and the plum blossoms are shining white on naked branches. I believe that period is now – on our daily outing, when walking a narrow street sheltered …
I love my life in Japan. I feel more at home than I have ever done. Yet in these holiday times, there is a longing to go back to Sweden and celebrate Christmas and New Year with my big family over there, especially so this year since my European family has not yet had the …
It is remarkable how little it sometimes takes to experience healing stillness inside. For what felt like the first time in ages I could last Sunday reconnect with the beauty of nature and catch up with properly being myself. That is the thing with the corona pandemic and the restrictions that follows – the connection …
Living with a baby is like living in slow motion and in a time lapse at the same time. Lately the nights seem to never end; how many times is it possible to wake up during the night, how little is it possible to sleep and still be aware of being awake – nights when …
Last week I was asked by the local newspaper Smålänningen from my hometown in Sweden if I was interested in a story about this blog, and much to my surprise I did not even hesitate before I said yes please. Old me would have tried to convince myself that it was a bad idea, that …
The beauty of Japan is never more clearly manifested than in the weeks of cherry blossom blooming. Normally I would cherish this time, be outside as much as possible, visit beautiful spots, take a train to the mountains, have picknick with my wife in a park, but this year everything is different. This weekend we …
There is no typhoon to blame this time. There is no end in sight. No date, no prognosis, no nothing, except for uncertainty that spreads quicker than the Corona virus. And fear. I sense fear around me as well as inside – there is no typhoon, nothing we can see. Just questions, wondering if the …