Hej igen Sverige!

Well, it sure has been a while since I put something new on this blog. Mostly because I have felt that the things I have been up to are sufficiently explained on Facebook, through pictures and what-not. However, last week I went back to Sweden and even though I took plenty of pictures, I know that they do not fully tell the story of my trip and what it meant to me. Get ready, because this is going to be a long post! (It was a week-long trip after all…)

I have wanted to go back to Sweden for a long time, but this has been my first opportunity since I returned to New Mexico about 3 1/2 years ago. Ever since coming back from Sweden, my experience has always felt more like a dream than reality. When I think about my year there, it seems completely insane that I just dropped everything to go live in a country that I knew nothing about and where I didn’t know one person, but I did. I spent one year of my life doing amazing things and creating fantastic relationships with people that I will never forget. That year turned me into the person I am today and I don’t know who I would be if I never took that trip.

As soon as I knew that I would be studying abroad in Italy I knew that I wanted to take a trip back to Sweden. It was a necessity for me to go back and revisit the place that is so significant in my life. I got in touch with some old friends and started planning my trip.

I left Italy on a Sunday and arrived in Gothenburg that afternoon. I was so excited all morning thinking about the trip because I knew that when I got to the airport, my old host family and Lisa would be waiting for me. After three years, I still feel just as much a part of the Asen family as I did back then. They welcomed me with open arms and immediately we started getting caught up with each other on what has been going on in the last few years. That first day I was so exhausted, partly because of excitement and partly because I had woken up at 5 in the morning (and everybody knows that I am not a morning person). So we all went to an early dinner and then Lisa and I returned to her apartment for some very sorely needed rest.

The next day I got to spend with the Asens, mostly catching up and walking around the rainy city. It was nice to see how all of our lives have changed since I was there. That night, we went to an incredible restaurant that had delicious seafood and served their appetizers in an interesting way (Facebook pictures!!). After dinner we said goodbye until next time because they were leaving in the morning. Even though our visit was short it really meant a lot to me that they took the time to come to Gothenburg to see me and I am excited for the next time that we get to see each other. J

The next few days I spent just wondering around the city, there are so many beautiful buildings in the older part of the city that I just could not get enough of. Of course I also took this opportunity to do some shopping, Swedish H+Ms are the best! Lisa and I experienced our first “Abstract” play. Really one of the most interesting/awkward things I have ever seen, including nudity and all kinds of things that made the audience all make a WTF face in sync. Though it was an interesting experience I think one abstract play is enough for my lifetime! All in all I decided that Gothenburg is a pretty awesome city full of beautiful things and friendly people. I would love to go back some day in the future.

On Thursday Lisa and I took a bus to Tranas, the little town that I lived in. Even though the town is tiny and there wasn't much for me to do while I was there it was still fantastic to be able to walk through the city and remember things that I haven’t thought about in years. As I walked past certain places, I could just see myself at 16 in the exact same spot. It was a wonderful time to reflect on who I have become in the last few years and how much three or four years can make a difference in your life. When I was in Sweden, I was a teenager that knew nothing about what I wanted to do with my life and I was learning how to fit in in a strange city that I didn't know. Now, I was sitting in the same spot but I am definitely not the same person I was. Now I know what I want to do with my life, even if I am not totally sure how I am going to get there and I know who I am as a person. It was a very exciting thing for me, to reflect on all of this and I am grateful that I got that chance because it made me appreciate even more my time here in Europe and the opportunities that I have to grow as a person here.

So that was my trip, the big picture at least. I could bore you with all the little details but I will spare you in the interest of writing a blog and not a novel. Side note though, my Swedish was nearly as good as it was when I lived there and I understood nearly everything that was said to me even if it was difficult to respond in Swedish and not Italian. It is amazing how much information the brain can retain! So that was exciting, I was just as surprised as anyone when I discovered that I still understood.

Vi ses!