22 hours ahead

I’ve been in Sweden for over 2 months now and I’ve gotten use to most things but time still gets me every now and then.

Everyone here uses 24 hour time. I agree that 24 hour time makes more sense than 12 hour, but only in a world with only digital clocks and digital watches. Anyway, regardless, it’s still not automatic for me. We get an email announcement for something at “kl. 14.30”, I read it fast and think 4:30pm. Hence, I’m two hours behind. Also, I should mention here that I’m glad time is straight-up in the morning. If time started at noon instead of midnight, I’d be so confused when my digital (24 hour) alarm clock went off in the morning.

It’s not only time that throws me off but dates too. Calendars start with Monday on the left going through Sunday on the right (as opposed to Sunday thru Saturday). I never realized how little I look up at the day column in a calendar. If there’s something marked in the second square of a given week, it’s happening on Monday, right? So, that puts me a day ahead. I suppose it doesn’t help that I have my Long Island calendar (that I got as a gift from friends at home) posted at my desk, which is different from everyone else’s monthly calendars and my lab-issued weekly calendar, but at least I can read it without thinking twice (and it has prettier pictures).

I use to be so good at keeping dates and times straight, knowing where I should be and when. Not so much anymore! At least I’m usually a day in advance and 2 hours behind - which still leaves me 22 hours ahead.