beginning of the end, as they say...

Sitting in the Gothenburg Airport, I am waiting for my flight to board and the beginning of my Swedish adventures to end. The past five weeks have been unforgettable.

Thank you for opening your homes, sharing your food and your families. Thank you for picking me up, driving me around, dropping me off at train, and plane, and subway stations. Thank you for all of the delicious cups of coffee and fabulous meals. Thank you for telling me stories and showing me pictures of my family from years past. Thank you, above all, for the love and time your gave me as I sought to visit a country I have always dreamt about visiting, meet a family I have always eagerly hoped to meet, will now forever leave a piece of my heart in another part of the world.

To everyone I have met, for an hour or a week, it has been an honor and a pleasure.

stories...

there are two stories I have heard most often from relatives anywhere I go in Sweden.

1. When my great-grandmother Linnea was around my age, she left her family and small town in Hannabad, Sweden to go to America. Like so many immigrants of that era, she was leaving poverty to seek opportunity. She arrived and lived subsequent years in New York City, always remembering to send back money and boxes of gifts and treats to her family back in Sweden. It is this money and these gifts that are still mentioned by so many family members here that I meet while traveling around Sweden. The money 'Aunt Linnea' sent back to her family helped pay for and was the reason her brother Yngve was able to go to school. The boxes 'Aunt Linnea' would send around Christmas always had treats and clothing that her nieces would love and appreciate. Whenever I hear this story of my great-grandmother Linnea I am proud and amazed to be related to someone so brave and loving, and also reminded of so many friends I have now who are living the same life that she did. They've just come from a different part of the world.

2. In 1957 my grandfather, Lennart, and my grandmother, Carol, were newly married, and they made a trip back to Hannabad to visit. Being newlyweds, this was the first time many of Lennart's family in Sweden had met Carol. This visit always evokes two major threads from any of the family still here in Sweden. Everyone remembers Lennart during this visit having a very large, very full beard; a beard that his mother distinctly disliked. Everyone here also, always remember how beautiful Carol was and is. I have always thought of my grandma as a very beautiful, very classy lady, but I was a little surprised the first time (of many) during this trip around Sweden to hear how people--Birgit, Evelyn, Anita, Irene...--everyone loved Carol when she first came to Hannabad. She was 'beautiful like Grace Kelly.' She was 'a princess.' She was 'so classy' and someone that these girls 'looked up to and wanted to be just like.' My grandma was/is one stylish (foxy) lady. [As a side note, whenever I show anyone here pictures of my family now, everyone begins to say the same thing about my mother, Linnea. I'm just hoping this particular trait of beauty and class will continue to pass itself on in the family... :)

fourth cousins...

well, yesterday was fun. I was able to meet my cousin Allan and his wife Berit for the first time. We enjoyed a wonderfully delicious lunch, one that reminded me of thanksgiving. Then I promptly had a bit of a breakdown. Fatigue + being an introvert who has met around 10 new people a week for the past five weeks = overload.

I'm sorry Allan and Berit! I am so glad to have met you both and you were so kind to open up your home to me yesterday. Lunch was absolutely delicious. And you probably thought you had welcomed a crazy person into your home.

Afterwards I was also able to meet my second-cousin-twice-removed Ingegard, her husband Inge, and two of my fourth-cousins, their granddaughter and grandson. Ingegard has a gift for beautiful gardens. Seriously, her backyard was literally bursting with color. Plus, I'm pretty excited to have met some fourth cousins! How often have you gotten together with your fourth cousins? Do you even know who they are? I didn't until yesterday. Visiting with them, and especially looking at photos of when Lennart and Carol and then my mother, Linnea, and Uncle Andrew traveled to their home in Halmstad, was well-worth the trip. I think the old photos of my grandparents and my mom have been one of the many highlights of this trip!

Today we drive back to Gothenburg. And, sooner than I could have imagined, I leave Sweden on saturday.

shrimps...

In general I really love being around other languages and especially being in countries where people speak other languages. One drawback, however, to not being able to fully express myself in Swedish (somehow "Happy MidSummer" or "Can I please have a cup of coffee?" just don't sum up the spectrum of human emotion and experience) is the myriad thoughts that I spontaneously have relating to brief, but memorable moments throughout the day. And although traveling can have so much to do with the major sights one sees while abroad, for me, traveling is defined by the moments with people I meet along the way that become moments I will remember long after hundreds of other details fade. It is also these moments, and conversations, images, and experiences that are the hardest but most important to explain after returning home; that which, if I could, would be my response to the inevitable question, "how was your trip?" But in an attempt to share the thousands of thoughts I had just today, and really wanted to share with someone, here you go...

-Thank you, Stellan, for the absolutely delicious grilled dinner!

-Thank you, Irene, for the baby turtle. No worries, I could never forget you both.

-Just talking about the U.S.A, I know I have planted the inevitable idea in Anita and Birgit's mind that they  now have to come visit!! Anita, you are a pensioner now...enjoy it! (aka, travel!!)

-I can't believe it is 11 o'clock at night and it is still light outside. Love it.

-Because, while discussing the upcoming November elections, we decided there may not be the candidate available that we'd prefer, this evenings' consensus decided that Stellan will win the presidential election, I (Susan) will be the Secretary of Horticulture. Birgit wants to be the Secretary of State. Ingemar will be the head of the military. Irene wants to be some sort of Secretary of Husbandry, and Anita shall be the Secretary of all Social Services. Look out world, you may be ending the day after the elections!

-Does Sweden ever have lightening bugs?

-I love when Swedes mispronounce 'moose' as 'mouse,' and multiple 'shrimp' as 'shrimps.'

-I also love that these same Swedes can utilize the word 'procurement' in the same conversation. Seriously second-cousin-once-removed!? Why must you have a more advanced grasp of the english language that I do!??

apologies...

Correction and apologies:

June 10th post on Bohuslan...
Ingemar, not Ingman.

baby, you move me...

I don't really know what I want to do, but I know the woman I want to become.

Eat well, Travel often.

It is a risk to love.
But what if it doesn't work out?
Ah, but what if it does.

Unless it is mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love should not be one of them.

wanderlust: a desire to travel, to understand one's very existence.

Be adventurous.

One can never be over-dressed or over-educated.

my grandfather's cousin's step-daughter's daughter...

Today I had coffee with my step-third-cousin. I'm getting really good at figuring out titles for distant relatives. Danielle, my grandfather's cousin's step-daughter's daughter, was born in and grew up in Naperville, Il until she was around 10 when her family moved back to Gothenburg, Sweden. Last year she spent her first year of NYU at their campus in Paris. Knowing Chicago, studying in Paris, being both Swedish and American, needless to say, I enjoyed talking with her. I also enjoyed that we had the same taste is stores for shopping (H&M) and I appreciate that it seems just as normal for her as me to have 5 cups of coffee before 1 o'clock in the afternoon on any given day. So, you might say we're not technically related. Psh...I say we most definitely are.

UNESCO...

The Swedish sunken ship Gotheborg

we beg to disagree

random boat in random fishing town along the west coast of Sweden

Bohuslän...

Yesterday, my first full day in Göteborg was spent visiting areas all over the city with my cousins, Anita and Birgit. We went to the Fiskekirka in Haga, a part of the city where all of the buildings are completely made of wood. It is a rather picturesque area, with lovely, tree-lined walks and small shops, but I had to wonder if there is ever a fear of fire in this part of town? After Haga, we took a ferry across the city to enjoy a tour on the Swedish ship, Götheborg. The Swedes seem to have an affinity for commemorating ships that sink. Unlike the famous ship, the Vasa, which sank within the first 20 minutes of ever sailing, the Götheborg made two successful and highly lucrative trips to and from China. On the third trip, which was supposed to take 1 1/2 years at the time, this ship was slowed down by numerous, unexpected complications. Finally, when citizens of Göteborg, Sweden perceived the Götheborg arriving back in port, huge crowds gathered to welcome the ship and crew back to Sweden. As the crowds watched, the ship ran aground with great speed and promptly sank. No one knows for certain why this ship failed with such gusto, but inquiry resulted in the crew explaining that the captain was drunk and the captain claiming that the crew was drunk. After the Swedish ship Götheborg sank, hundreds of years passed and then Sweden decided to rebuild an exact replica of the ship, the Götheborg III, which made a world tour in 2006-2007, and still continues to sail across the globe. After visiting and touring this ship, we crossed the city again to vist Göteborg's theme park, Liseberg. Under the sunshine, we enjoyed walking around, people-watching, admiring the flowers, and winning chocolate at the only game we played.

Today, despite the rain, Birgit, Anita, and I, and my second-cousin-twice-removed, Ingemar, all braved the rain to drive an hour north of Göteborg to visit the Bohuslän carvings. These rock carvings were made mostly during the Bronze Age arond 1000-500 B.C. The carvings, with images of people, animals, ships, gods, and other objects, represent religious, magical, war, birth, and death motifs. Informative signs along the way explain that the rock carvings 'are part of the world's finest historical treasures, comparable to the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Acropolis in Athens.' We would beg to disagree. After visiting Bohuslän, we took our time back to Göteborg, driving along the coast. We stopped at small coastal towns to enjoy coffee, visit Ingrid Bergman's (here's looking at you, kid...) vacation home in Fjällbacka, and eat ice cream. I don't know if it is just because I am here and everyone wants to celebrate, or if my presence is of little importance and this is typical, but I have eaten more ice cream (usually in rather chilly weather) here in Sweden then I ever do at home. Swedes seem to like 'glass' (ice cream) quite a bit.

whales and elections...

my favorite swedish words:

-paprika (pepper)
-jordgubbe (strawberry)
-utfart (exit)
-kaffe (coffee)
-skål (cheers, as in glasses clink clink)
-slut (the end)
-val (whale, choice, or election) --seriously!? are you talking about the recent election or a whale??

ripped jeans...

Sitting first class (for the one and only time in my life!) --wearing ripped jeans and a look of pure enjoyment-- on a train going from Stockholm to Gothenburg, Sweden!!!

I would call myself one classy lady, thank you very much

sisters...

Yesterday, June 6th, was Sweden's National Day. However, despite how many swedes I asked, (and I asked quite a few) no one seemed to know what we were celebrating. Being a relatively recent installment, the Swedish National Day does not celebrate some past historical victory over an oppressive force in order to obtain nationhood as a country. Instead, this holiday simply seems (from an American perspective) as an attempt to reinforce some sort of corporate national identity for that sake alone, which may come in handy sometime in the future. In general, the point of this national holiday, and day off from work for everyone, was a bit lost to me. I have, on the other hand, heard lots about Midsummer. Midsummer and Christmas seem to be Sweden's biggest holidays. Everyone always thinks we're crazy when I mention most people in the U.S. wouldn't know what midsummer is and we don't celebrate it there.

No don't get me wrong, I had a lovely time on June 6th enjoying the warm, sunny weather (finally!), wandering around Skansen along with (literally) every other Swede in Stockholm. Skansen is this national park of sorts that has been created to remember how Swedes used to live way back when (after the Vikings but before now) Historical homes, stores, churches, and farms have been relocated to this part of the city so that one can wander around, visiting old bakeries and shops that were really used and now continue to depict their historical use. The glass-making was especially fun to watch. There is also a small zoo that has only animals that are distinctly Scandinavian. My favorite was this type of domesticated wild boar. Bit of a contradiction if you ask me. Despite being overwhelmed by the high volume of very energetic children, I enjoyed walking around with Solveig and Ylva who are wonderful to watch as they interact as sisters. Watching pairs of sisters interact (Solveig and Ylva; Erika and Emilie; Evelyn, Birgit, and Anita) has been a highlight all throughout this trip.

Church in Skansen

Sisters, Ylva and Solveig,

taking Skansen by storm

Solveig, Susan, and Ylva

celebrating the Swedish National Day at Skansen in Stockholm

uppsala and sandhamn...

Yesterday was fun. Spent taking a 40 minute train ride north to Uppsala, Sweden, this town is a college-town, based around one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Scandinavia. Yet one more thing that predates the U.S. Wandering around the town I finally walked into a promising building hoping to find what I had been looking for, but it wasn't until I guaranteed the front-desk attendant that I was about to ask something rather stupid and then proceeded to ask if I was in fact standing in a library, that I knew I ended up where I had hoped. I love libraries, especially university libraries. So I was particularly eager to see the library at the university in Uppsala. Seeing the look of bemusement on the face of the student who couldn't believe I appeared so completely dull, not able to recognize a library when I saw it, was just icing on the cake. 

After enjoying the library I wandered along the river, taking random pictures of photographic strangers. My cousins here would be proud. They thought it especially funny when I first told them I like to walk wander around new cities and just watch people. They think I'm a potentially creeper. Life is good.

Today I took a two-hour boat trip with my cousin, Hillevi, through the Swedish archipelago out to Sandhamn. Sandhamn is an island on the edge of the archipelago, essentially sitting between Stockholm and the open Baltic Sea. Keep going and you'll eventually hit Finland. As an island where Stockholmers will often escape the city to their summer cottages, Sandhamn was nearly empty today, being just a couple of weeks before most Swedes take their holiday. Walking along paths to small sandy beaches with clear, blue water or through pine forests blanketed with vibrant green blueberry bushes, Hillevi and I enjoyed the sun and silence of a vacation spot not yet overrun by vacationers. Places like that are best when empty. 

Candle lit in the Domkyrka in Uppsala, Sweden

Domkyrka, Uppsala, Sweden

notice the person sitting beside this enormous church

Random photogenic girl

along the river, Uppsala, Sweden

Uppsala Train Station

stairs to nowhere

Sandhamn, Sweden

Hillevi and I

by train, subway, and bus...

My first week in Stockholm, it was literally sunny every single day. Each day I would traipse around the city enjoying the sights, the weather, and meeting new family members. And every time I met another family member they would tell me how lucky I have been with the weather. I started to respond that until Sweden proved me wrong, I was going to continue believing it was sunny and beautiful every single day of the year. Stockholm's weather took my bet and threw it back in my face. 

During the entire second week of my stay in Stockholm it was cold and rained every single day. In fact, yesterday was June 2 and Stockholm enjoyed record lows in their weather temperatures. It was colder yesterday than it evidently was for Christmas here in Stockholm this past December. While spending time with my cousins, Annica and Peder, in their home yesterday, they even offered to light a fire in their fireplace!! I will watch my words the next time I dare to taunt Sweden's weather patterns ever again. 

Today, predictably, I woke up to the lovely gray of a rainy chill. Despite this lovely Swedish weather, I was excited to be spending the day with my grand-cousin (my grandfather's cousin) and his family. After  taking the bus, the subway, and then the train, Torbjorn, Ulla-Britt (his wife), and Hakan (their oldest son) picked me up from the station in Akesberg, Sweden. We visited with their younger son's family and then drove around the town of Akesberg to enjoy sights. Although Akesberg is still considered part of Stockholm, it is a bit more out in the country and thus boasts a higher density of those quintessential Swedish red stugas with white gables. Despite how frequent these homes and cottages are in the country, I never tire of seeing them. They are beautiful. We visited lakes, the sea, and a small town (basically a village) called Wira Bruk. This small town is famous in Sweden for its blacksmith. This town, with its blacksmith and metalworks, is incredibly picturesque and has been around longer than the United States has existed as a country. 

After returning to Torbjorn and Ulla-Britt's home, Torbjorn, the distinguished chef that he proved himself to be, prepared a delicious dinner. Then, in glorious Swedish tradition, a tradition I have come to love, we all enjoyed a cup of coffee.

(I am off to Uppsala tomorrow. Here's to hoping to sunshine and warmth)

My grand-cousin Torbjorn and I

at the train station in Akesberg, Sweden