Adjustment!

I should've written and posted this about a month ago, when I was actually in Sweden. Writing it now means it is: a) slightly irrelevant, though hopefully more-than-slightly entertaining and b) a reminder of where I no longer am. Anyway, here is a list of the instances I forgot, even while surrounded by blond children, even while eating strawberries, that I was no longer in The Gambia.

1. In the airplane leaving Dakar, I savored every bite of my plastic-sealed meal. Especially the raspberry jam.
2. In the airplane to Stockholm, the boy across the aisle from me, Jörgen, dropped his pacifier. I went to pick it up for him. I couldn’t reach the pacifier with my right hand so with some hesitation I picked it up with my left. I felt disgusting. I couldn't believe I was picking up a pacifier--an object soon to enter a child's mouth!-- with my left hand. I considered transferring the pacifier to my right hand before returning it, before realizing a) no one would notice which hand I used unless I awkwardly moved the pacifier from my left hand to my right hand to the outstretched hand of the Jörgen's mom b) the mom wouldn't immediately give her child a pacifier after it'd touched the floor c) my left and right hands were now equally clean
3. At the airport I wanted to buy an eight kronor Piggelin popsicle but had nothing smaller than a 500 kronor bill. As I handed over the 500 kronor I apologized to the cashier, forgetting that change would not be a problem.
4. On the bus I overheard two boys reading the passing street signs and was so impressed. Then I realized the boys must be at least seven or eight years old.
5. On several occasions, I alarmed people by responding "hep!" to news that was only semi-startling.
6. At least once I confused someone by answering "eyi" (Pulaar for yes) which sounds like a mumbled "nej" (Swedish for no)
7. I probably picked my nose more than appropriate while in polite company, but polite company being too polite to point this out, I can't say for certain.