Why it's better to take care of bureaucracy in the summer

Today was the day I had planned to get the kids school records to bring with me to their new school. Not that I think it matters if they have their grades with them, in Sweden you don't get any grades until you enter junior high. But still, I want them to have some proof that they've been going to school over here and are eligible to start 4th and 2nd grade.

But the person I talked to could not help me, so I have to come back some other time and talk to an other, hopefully more helpful person.

I've checked in with the "Försäkringskassan", to make sure I have everything I need to get me and the kids registered when I get there.

Försäkringskassan is like the Social Security office, a government agency that makes sure all checks go out when you're sick (80% of your pay), the child allowance (all parents with children get an allowance from the government each month, about $180.00/ child), and the compensation when you stay home with a sick child (97% of your pay I think it is).

I know, Swedes pay about the highest taxes in the world, but they do get a lot for their money!!!

I also learned today that for our family to get a permanent resident status (actually it just applies to Dale and Alyssa since the rest of us are Swedish citizens), we just need their birth certificates and Dale's and my marriage licence. That's it! Wow, that sounds simple enough!

Since it's still summer when I get there I'll take advantage of the summer tempered Swedes and do all bureaucratic stuff right away. The reason? well, my theory is that I think there's two different kind of Swedish people, the summer Swede and the winter Swede.

The summer Swede is nice, bubbly, sweet, helpful and outgoing. Come back a couple of months later and meet the same person in her winter mood and it's a total different person. Grumpy, short tempered, and not willing to speak more than a few words per minute.

The reason, I think, is the sun.

When there's an abundance of sun in the summer then the Swede who is a sun worshipper by birth, is the nicest person you ever met, but in the winter when there's no sun to speak of at all then their sweet personality is hibernating. I'll try to be friendly in mid November, but I can't promise anything...