Changing Water Into Wine

Or, If We're in Sweden, Don't Let Me Order the Drinks

Do you remember that line from Star Wars (back when it was Star Wars, and not when it was Star Wars: A New Hope) when Han says to Luke, "Don't get cocky." Hm?

I was feeling pretty good about how well I was making myself understood here in Sweden. I was able to get through Immigration, customs, buy a ticket for the bus into town, check in at the hotel, and buy a few things and ask directions. Yeah, I thought I was doing allright.

Then we went to dinner.

The waiter came to take our orders and asked what we wanted to drink. I said, "Vann, vennligst." Or in English, "Water, please." Then I noticed he took away all the wine glasses from the table except for mine. "That doesn't seem right," I thought to myself.

I a couple of minutes he came back with a bottle of water for our table, and a few minutes later he came with a bottle of white wine for me. I said, "No thank, I wanted WATER."

At this point, the Swede who was with me said, "The word for water in Swedish is 'vattn', not 'vann.'"

I said, "Jeg sagt 'vann', ikke 'vin'!"

Since then I've been drinking Pepsi.