Oh My Godis

Before I moved to Sweden I didn't give a hoot about candy.  Every now and then I would consider purchasing a chocolate bar while waiting in line at the supermarket, but never did because the size and chocolateness of one of those things just felt too overtly gluttonous.  And I certainly never bought any loose candy out of those overpriced bins.  Who does?  Really?  Here, though, the indulgence is unavoidable.  Heaven knows I want to assimilate and everyone here partakes in this colorful, chewy sweetness called godis.  Indeed, there is a page in my SFI textbook that states that in 1980 the average Swede ate 10 kilos (that's 22 pounds to us Americans) of godis annually.  Thirty years later that number has surely increased as new and exciting morsels are introduced.  But do you see how SFI is trying to integrate me into Swedish society?  So, despite feeling as if I will surely die after eating five or more pieces of solid sugar, I do it every now and again because it's the respectful, culturally sensitive thing to do.