I started the New Year 2022 in India, the land of my father and his long line of Punjabi ancestors. Near Delhi is Greater Noida, where my uncle lives. It has become a land of immense towers, to house the millions of people that live in this metropolis. The architecture is innovative, but I know that in not too many years, these huge structures will be reminiscent of the Soviet housing blocks for the masses. Traffic is bad, but smog was not as toxic as I remember. Most importantly, it is wonderful to be with family, sharing stories and eating home cooked food. We visited the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, which is along the river, right besides the huge towers and busy roads. The birds somehow find this place and manage to survive in this crowded landscape.

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Sabbatical is treating me well. I don’t miss teaching on Zoom, and despite Covid, I have been able to travel; following all the regulations meticulously. Sweden is especially nice at Christmas time, we had a big Christmas tree that was particularly glittery this year. Traditional Lithuanian Kūčios featured plenty of delicious foods, and I got to play the Swedish Santa Claus, Jultomten, for the neighbors.  A highlight this year was attending Queen Sylvia’s birthday concert at Drottningholm on the 23^rd of December as the guest of a dear friend. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to meet her, as she and the king were high in the balcony, and the reception was canceled because of Covid, but the music and performance was incredibly memorable.

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Sweden is cold, and ice-skating was only bearable for about an hour at a time. I actually like the darkness, and I sleep better in the winter. We live near an excellent indoor swimming pool with a downstairs gym to keep me fit, and I still use my bicycle despite the freezing temperatures. 

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Now I am in Goa!  It is completely the opposite of Sweden, with bright colors and strong smells, short sleeves and shorts. I’ve learned to be very careful about what I check in with the suitcases. I forgot that my spare camera battery was inside the suitcase, and I had to remove it, after they called me downstairs to the luggage area. I am glad that the security is so tight, and flying feels perfectly safe. The beach is perfect, and the sun warms my Swedified skin.  Food is incredible and the water somehow lacks waves, so it feels like I am swimming in a saltwater perfectly temperatured expansive swimming pool. 

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I will be back in Stockholm soon, and participate in a mini-course at Uppsala University in the programming language R, I need to better my skills. From Goa, I wish you all a very happy continuation of 2022!