Sexual Mores, Sandwiches and Speeches

While in Sweden I made a good friend.  Her name was Barbro and we felt a rapport right from the start. She must be commended for putting up with my broken Swedish.  Together we strolled the streets of Göteborg; window shopping and chatting.  We visited a couple of museums and went out for lunch.  I remember the delicious smörgås (open-faced sandwiches) that were much too pretty to eat.

When plans were shaping up for me to spend a year in Sweden my parents were concerned about the liberal "sexual mores" in Sweden. I mention this because Barbro had a boyfriend who went to another high school.  During the week she slept at her house part of the time and in her boyfriend’s bed on other nights.  At that time in America, this would have been shocking…and probably today as well. But her parents seemed to think this was just fine.

Several times during my stay, I was invited to give presentations to English classes at various schools in the area.  The choice of subject matter was left up to me.  The English teachers just wanted their students to have a chance to listen to American English. 

Initially, I talked about school, current music and the like. But I didn’t feel these subjects were weighty enough.  I decided to research American Indians, Religion and the National Parks.  What I needed was access to the internet so I could google these lofty issues but this was back in the dark ages. I needed an encyclopedia.

St. Andrews Anglican Church

I had attended services at  St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. This was an English language church in Göteborg. The Rector hailed from New Zealand and was all fire and brimstone…not into an up-lifting message.  But the church had a lending library that included a variety of books and encyclopedias.  I spent several weekends researching the culture and habits of the Arapahoe and Comanche Plains Indians vs.the Chippewa and Shawnee Woodlands tribes. In school my teachers had thrown those diverse peoples into the same basket. 

A Comanche squaw out on the plains.

The Chippewa claim to have the most beautiful women.

My research took on a life of its own. I remember studying the Mormon religion and wondering how anyone could take Joseph Smith for real. Then there was Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Scientists. Somehow I claimed to be knowledgeable on these extensive subjects.  I blush now at the naïveté of my 18-year-old self.  I would have been better off discussing Elvis Presley, rock n’ roll, stirrup pants or fried clams at Howard Johnson’s.

Here is my 18-year-old self.  This was my Swedish school photo.