It is a great feeling when you realise you have the ability to surprise yourself. I discovered this ability in me earlier today. I have a co-worker who speaks Swedish as her first language and isn't very fluent in Finnish, whereas the case is the opposite with me. But despite this we need to communicate. For a while I considered using English as a lingua franca but overcame my fear of making myself sound a total ass (somewhat difficult after yesterday, however...) trying to utter something with my crappy Swedish: I spoke to her in Swedish and was understood! And not once but twice!

I am so proud of myself!