Stepping outside of the box.

When we first arrived here there were things to get used to. The new house, the new schools, the new schedules, a new car, new traffic rules (those traffic circles!). We acclimated quite well I feel and overcame where we didn't. For the most part that is. There were the big things as mentioned and the littler things. Some were welcome changes and others were more difficult. As time has worn on it has certainly become easier. I know how (to a point at least) to navigate getting an appt to the dr. The daily routines are less complicated now that we know how and where to get the neccessities. Here is the thing I can't get used to however. I am trying but apparantly 12 months isn't enough time. If you try to do anything out of the realm of "vanligt" or normal you get rebuffed with "that wouldn't be fair". I understand this country is all about equality. Equality is extremely important. I just would like to see a little flexibility. Questioning things seems to be discourage as bad manners. When I expressed this to a fellow ex-pat who has lived here for nearly six years her response was that she has been running into that same brick wall and it is one of the things she can't get used. On the one particular issue that I am wrestling with I asked if it would help to have some background and maybe they could take that into consideration. I got read the riot act in return. What made me think I was was special or different so that I should get special consideration? I felt like I had asked for something that and I was a spoiled brat being reprimanded for always wanting more (than others). My friend said, make it easy on yourself and accept, "that's just the way it is, that's why". The thing is though I wasn't raised like that and therefore it is hard be that. Or maybe I just can't be that person becuase I don't want to be.