Misha in Sweden: November 2013

Saturday, November 23, 2013

We're Getting Bigger, People

I just received mail from my friend at YFU that my blog has been posted on their website - in three places! Besides that, the YFU worldwide Facebook page also shared my blog plus an excerpt on their wall, which I wasn't aware of until it was pointed out to me. Again, I am so surprised and so humbled to be included in YFU at an even higher level than I already am. What a fantastic organization, to care enough about their students to follow their progress through a public blog. A big thanks to my dad for helping me to edit my posts and also of course to my family and friends who diligently keep up with my posts. I couldn't have dreamed of a better support system.

Speaking of which, my two biggest fans, my parents, totally made my week yesterday when I received a big birthday package! My birthday is technically next week, but I couldn't wait to open it. My host parents gathered around the kitchen table as I opened my gift and got more and more excited with every last thing that the cardboard released. My parents sent some of my favorite candies, like Resee's (which you cannot find here) and Snickers and York Peppermint Patties, as well as my favorite Japanese foods (I don't know how they possibly found them!) including some candy and furikake (rice seasoning) and toasted sesame seeds. But wait, there's more - I got duplicates of my favorite cosmetics as well as an iTunes gift card that will be cherished almost as much as the heavenly fuzzy socks and ten, I'm dead serious ten, varieties of herbal teas.

If that's not love, I don't know what is. The goods just kept on coming until the table was covered and I was literally jumping up and down with glee. My father's masterful packing skills utilized every square inch of that box and filled it deeper and deeper with the best collection of gifts I could dream of. My birthday is still a week away, but I can already say it is starting to be a very sweet sixteen indeed.

A couple days ago, my host dad came home from a business trip in Stockholm and he brought us all a sweet surprise. Vegard and Eva got chocolate, but I got an even better gift of mate tea! Lars had seen a tea shop and chose likely the most perfect tea I can think to find in Sweden. I had no idea that mate could be found here in Scandinavia, so far away from South America. Mate holds a soft place in my heart, so I had lots of great memories flooding in with the aroma. One of my best friends, Melissa, has roots in Argentina which is a country that drinks mate as a part of the culture. When I started going over to her house after school, her mom would include me in the tradition of drinking mate from a sort of small clay pot with a metal straw coming out. The tea is very earthy, bordering on bitter, so of course I immediately loved it. I've never been one for fruity teas - I personally find them pretentious. Anyways, there is a sort of beauty to the process of drinking mate that makes it all the more special. It is a social institution from South America, so there is an almost ritualistic component of the act that is delicate and specific. There is a very precise temperature for the water to be and a very special way to layer the mate tea with the water and the sugar; even a special way to share it. Some of my favorite memories have come about from sitting around that table with Melissa and her mom, listening to 80's music and drinking the mate that burned my unprepared tongue. I obviously didn't have the right equipment here in Sweden, but the precious tea was an ambrosial relief.

In my three and a half months or so in the Landrö household, I have more than doubled the collection of teas sitting in the cupboard. No one really drinks tea in the house, Vegard thinks it's just dirty water, and the teas they had before I came have been sadly neglected. Being energized from a cup of mate (which luckily, no one likes so it is all mine) and overjoyed with the package I had just received, I channeled my energy and took over the kitchen. The result was several drawers and cupboards meticulously cleaned and organized. It started when I needed to make room on the shelf for all the new additions to the tea family, and then just escalated from there. My mind was abuzz and I couldn't be stopped. Several hours later, I was giving Lars and Eva a tour of THEIR kitchen and went downstairs to organize my room since I wasn't quite done yet. The day ended on a high, albeit exhausted, note that I got to enjoy messaging another of my best friends, Annie.

I've had a lovely week and I hope everyone else has as well! Here are the links to the places my blog can be found on the YFU Sweden website. If there might be a slight chance you aren't well read in Swedish, perhaps you can recognize my name (although it is spelled incorrectly in some parts...):

http://www.yfu.se/content/bloggar

http://www.yfu.se/content/swedish-stories

http://www.yfu.se/content/bli-värdfamilj

Just some of the amazing things in my birthday package!

The newly organized tea cupboard with a counted 24 different teas

My mate!

I think this is my seventh cup in the past two days

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A Big Thanks to Everyone!

When I was little, my first love was the written word.

Throughout elementary school, I was an avid reader. I was the girl who got in trouble for reading under her desk during class and wouldn't be separated from an interesting story, even when the recess bell rang. Sneaking a flashlight into my room at night to read my book under my covers got my heart racing as I would hold my breath listening for any sound that would give away my parents walking in to tell me it was way past my bed time. I remember waking up and picking up my book from the floor beside my bed, sliding it into my backpack next to my lunch box, and regretfully zipping it away until I got to school. This all came from my dad, who set a poor example for me from the start (reading his book while riding a bike!).

It didn't take long for me to start writing my own stories. I had several colorful spiral notebooks with the beginnings of stories dotted here and there in the pages. I got a little older and I was up late in front of the blue glow of the monitor, my bleary eyes darting back and forth as my fingers stumbled across the keyboard, writing my newest story. Sometimes it was for a school assignment, sometimes not. I grew a little more and my fiction stories were replaced by book reports and essays. I loved to formulate eloquent ways to make it sound like I knew exactly what I was talking about. English class was always a breeze and I looked forward to any and every writing assignment. I grew older still and suddenly, I had to work harder in my other classes and my friends took more of my time. I didn't have time to write anything other than what was assigned, and my reading list grew smaller and smaller.

Now I am in high school with suddenly a lot more time and a lot more to share. I originally started this travel blog as a way to keep my family and friends included in my life abroad, without shooting messages back and forth across the time difference. I didn't think much of it, perhaps a few eye rolls at my parent's persistence to see my next post. However, my audience has expanded quite a lot since the start and I am thoroughly surprised. I now have people from the United States, Sweden, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Denmark and more reading my blog. People from my community here in Partille have told me how they are impressed with my writing and enjoy reading about my experiences. Members from my church back home say something along the same lines through my parents. I am just overwhelmed with how much support I feel. It means the world to me to have these people reading what I write and experiencing my adventures with me.

Recently, I got a couple calls from YFU Sweden mentioning that they and a few others in the office have been reading my blog and they appreciate what I share. I have been asked for permission to use my blog on their official website with a short introduction about me. Not long after that, the president and CEO of YFU USA shared an excerpt from my blog on his Facebook. The attention my posts have been receiving is so humbling, and I cannot thank you all enough. It's been a couple years since I felt my creative side waken up a bit and I feel excited to write again. I owe that to everyone showing me their support.

Thanks to my fantastic readers, I may just have the opportunity to teach a few people about a different culture. I remember reading the blogs of a few exchange students before I came to Sweden, and I remember what an influence their experiences had on me. If my blog is going to reach even one of those students out there considering to study abroad, I would be amazed. From now on, my blog will be not only about me, but also for the behalf of anyone who is interested in either studying abroad, or to just learn about another country. If anyone may know a person who would be interested in what I have to say, please refer them to my blog. And if anyone has a friend who is interested in studying abroad, don't hesitate to contact me and I can answer any of their questions.

Thank you again so much for all the support and all of the compliments. I appreciate it more than you can know and I couldn't have asked for a better situation.

Much love,

Misha

Five year old Misha just learning to read

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Höstlov and the Stockholm Trip

Höstlov should be an international thing.

This past week has been what the Swedes call Höstlov, or Autumn Break. If I recall correctly, the break back home occurs in November and is really only a long weekend. However, on this side of the pond we enjoy a week long vacation. What's funny is that there really is no holiday or reason to be off of school... I don't think I recall pilgrims and Indians being a part of Swedish history?

Kicking off this break was pumpkin carving! I insisted it was an American tradition and my host family was happy to go along and participate. The Swedish word for pumpkin may be my favorite so far - pumpa. Pronounced "poompuh" it's so adorable and just sits well on anyone's tongue. On Sunday evening we had a small celebration for my host brother's birthday. Even was turning 19 and we had a vegetarian feast and a homemade cake. Even and I teamed up with some help from Vegard and made the best Jack-o-Lantern you will likely ever have the honor of admiring. I'm proud to say the least. Our pumpa was majestic all lit up on the wall in front of our home. I was heart broken to hear that several days later, someone stole it.

On Monday, I left the house early with a big packed suitcase and a train ticket to Västerås. I met my friend Rebecca, another American exchange student, at the Göteborg central train station and we rode the train together to visit her grandparents. We would both be participating in the YFU Stockholm trip, so we thought to extend our vacation a little while longer together. We went a day early to spend the night with Rebecca's grandparents before heading to Stockholm to meet up with the others.

We arrived around 1:30 and we met Rebecca's grandparents on the platform. I will have to admit it was love at first sight. Rebecca's grandparents are among the most fantastic people I have ever met. They treated us to a delicious lunch in the city and impeccable hospitality for the next day and a half. They were sincere people with great stories and things from all over the world tucked away in a beautiful chest in their living room. Rebecca and I spent some time pulling everything out and playing dress up with old Japanese robes and Swedish hats. Later, we collapsed in our beds for a short nap and woke up to meet Rebecca's aunt, uncle, and uncle's girlfriend. They had all come out to meet us and enjoy Rebecca's grandmother's fabulous cooking. We had a lovely meal that ended with apple pie and tea. Later that night, while Rebecca and I were watching TV, her grandmother came in and gave us both several chocolate bars on top of everything. Amazing! Can I have three sets of grandparents? Is that too greedy? Later that next morning, we woke up to an assortment of breakfast options on the kitchen counters. Next, we all four set out to Stockholm and killed some time by visiting the Swedish City Hall, called "Stockholms stadshus". Lucky we went, since it wasn't covered during the rest of the week with the other exchange students. I must say, I absolutely love Swedish architecture from what I have seen. It's grandiose but humble at the same time. It's hard the explain. Coincidentally, the city hall is where the annual Nobel Feast takes place, which was cool to hear about. After that short walk, we returned to the station and had a nice lunch. It broke my heart to say goodbye so soon to my new friends, but they promised we would meet again :).

We met the YFU group at the station and waited for the remaining students to trickle in from their trains. There were about 23 students, which is only about a third of the total number of us in the country. It was so great to see those who came. We had no shortage of conversation topics and we all got along famously. From there, we traveled by metro to the impressive hostel where we would be staying. I roomed with Rebecca and my friend Greta from Germany. We had a few minutes to settle in our rooms before we set out to Gamla Stan.

Gamla Stan is the oldest part of Stockholm. It's name basically means Old Town. This was the original Stockholm in it's tiny entirety, until it grew bigger and expanded to the different islands close by to become what is now the modern day city. We were met by Erik, a YFU volunteer who we met at the orientation camp. He gave us a very thorough tour of Gamla Stan and we ended the night with half an hour to wander around and another two hours or so for dinner. The alley ways in Gamla Stan are so pretty, with old cobblestone streets and aged buildings now used for souvenir shops, cafes and art galleries. Something that caught us all off guard was when the sun set at 4:00. I must say I'm not crazy about it - it's messing with my internal clock, and longer nights means winter. I am still clinging to my beautiful fall!

After returning to the hostel, a few of us went down the street to the supermarket, where we bought an assortment of candy and some soda to stock our little fridges. For the rest of the night, Greta and Rebecca and I moved our beds to form one big bed in front of the TV, where we vegged out and watched Star Wars until we passed out. We live the party life, what can I say!

The next two days were started at a 7:30 breakfast, something I was less than happy about until we saw the fresh orange juice machine. Watching the oranges get squeezed and discarded through big tubes brought something resembling a smile to my zombie state. The hostel offered a fantastic breakfast that was so Swedish it hurt. But in a good way of course, since Swedish breakfasts are my favorite. We set out early and went first to a place called Skansen, which is a big park that gives you a bit of old Swedish culture. We were given a few hours just to wander around the big park on our own, so my friends and I got to see the display of "Scandinavian animals" which included adorable bears, and old farmsteads that were literally taken from their original locations and placed in their entirety in this park. There were a few authentic shops like pot makers and glassblowers that were open for business. We ate lunch in the restaurant there, and got to see a couple just married walk in and eat dinner. Both still wearing their wedding dress and tux, us exchange students who were sitting around outside the door formed a little tunnel of arms for the bride and groom to walk under.

Following Skansen was the Vasa museum. The Vasa is basically the Swedish Titanic, but much, much older. The Vasa was a beautiful ship built unlike any other. It was groundbreaking and received a grand audience on its maiden voyage past Stockholm and out to sea. It passed the royal palace and important people saw it. Then within minutes, it went out to sea not far from land, caught the slightest wind, and tipped over and sank. It stayed in the bottom of the sea for 333 years before being recovered and restored. It is now at home in the Vasa museum. It was fascinating to hear and read about.

The next activity of the day was a Stockholm Amazing Race. We were split into groups of six, all but one lead by an exchange student familiar with the area. We were given a list of places we needed to find and take a picture in front of. We were given about two hours to finish, but with no real time constraints. Of course, my competitive side made an appearance and I was challenging all the other teams, reassuring them of my inevitable victory. It was a mistake I would later regret. My team started out great, but we got lost looked for our third location. We were supposed to find the statue of Margaretha Krook, an old Swedish actress. Instead of getting to the downtown statue, we took the metro out for 15 minutes to the suburb in the middle of nowhere, unknowingly looking for Margaretha Krook road. It took us a while to realize, but by the time we made it back to the city, it was about two hours spent. Instead of coming back like instructed, my team and I pushed on. I decided to take charge of the group with Rebecca after the mishap, and we were slave drivers. I was in a terrible mood since I knew we had lost, and I really needed to finish at the very least. I had the group speedwalking for a total of an hour, with a little running here and there.

During this time, we got a call from our leader telling us that we still had a chance - none of the other teams had finished yet. I couldn't believe it, we could still win! I couldn't imagine how lost the rest of them must be if we still had a chance. The hunt took us to the location of the 1956 Olympic games, the home of Astrid Lindgren (the famous children's author), the location of the assassination of Olof Palme (then Prime Minister of Sweden), and a famous elevator. Upon looking at the map, we realized that everything was actually incredibly close to each other in the center of the city, put we had been all over; going through the same subway stations and passing the same places in this race. It was 8 by the time my team came running to the steps of a big open plaza that was to be our meeting place. At the bottom of the steps were our two leaders and two exchange students. At first I was disappointed when I saw the exchange students, but then I realized that two wasn't a team and we had won! I literally screamed and we all hugged each other. Suddenly, there was cheering and applause from across the plaza. My heart skipped a beat and I thought the general public was celebrating with us, but I looked up to see every single one of the other exchange students mocking us. There was a whirlwind of emotions flying through the air and I went from disappointment, to sorrow, to anger, to embarrassment. My team had arrived a solid hour or more after all the others, and they were all hungry and cold. They rightfully decided to exact their revenge, and might I say it was painful. For the rest of the trip, no one would let me live it down; repeating to me the trash talk I had let spew before we started and asking if I needed help finding my room, since I always get lost. It was a stressful night, but we ended on a high note with socializing in the lobby and the last half of another Star Wars movie.

The next day we started out with some free time, in which Rebecca and I took Greta to Urban Outfitters, since she had no idea what it was. It was a really amazing place, so much more impressive than any other UO I have ever been to. It was in an old theater, I think, and everything was cooler and more colorful. We spent some time there before coming back and getting an English guided tour of the Nobel Museum. For those of you unfamiliar, the Nobel Prizes were started by Alfred Nobel, the Swede who invented dynamite. After he died, he had his countless dynamite factories and company sold, the money kept in a bank, and the interest it accumulated spent as prize money for those around the world with the greatest contributions in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace, and later (though not technically a Nobel Prize) economy - in that order. We got to see a bit of the life of Nobel and his two lovers, how a person is awarded a prize, the process of deciding, and also a lot of old artifacts from previous winners. It was a really beautiful and thorough place. There was an exhibit of making world peace, and that was really powerful. We spent quite some time there before going to lunch and then getting more free time.

Next, we went to the YFU Sweden offices, where we were treated to fika and the acquaintance of the people that made our exchange years possible. It is a funny feeling to be approached by someone you have never met and asked by name how you are with your host family and the city in which you live. But of course, it is incredible how much these people care for all of us, and how they are always looking after the best interests of the students. That is something unique to YFU - they really do their best to create a worldwide family and a network of contacts and lasting friends. Unlike most other exchange organizations, who treat it as more of a cold business exchange, YFU utilizes everyone for their special talents and needs, and does a fantastic job taking care of us from the start and all throughout our year. It's special to meet the people who can't sleep at night when we are unhappy in our homes, and never rest until we get the greatest experiences we possibly can. I could not be happier with YFU and I most definitely plan to volunteer, and possibly intern, when I am older. It's a great organization that, in my opinion, goes far beyond any of the other exchange organizations in business. I highly recommend it with all my heart to those interested in studying abroad.

After our YFU visit, we had free time that my friends and I spent shopping. Later, we had dinner and got back to the hostel to present each other with our gifts. On the first day, we all drew names out of a hat and had to buy a 50 SEK present for that person. It is an interesting experience trying to shop for people you have not known for more than a few days in your lifetime. It all turned out well and a sweet girl from Germany presented me with a pair of wonderfully soft fuzzy socks. She knows me.

Later, several of us stayed up until 3 in the morning talking in the lobby. Like one of my friends mentioned, there is really something about YFU people - you can talk to them about any and everything for hours and hours and never feel the time pass. It's a special thing to be able to be so close to people who used to live on the opposite side of the world as you. Suddenly, you are all cuddling on a couch, drowsily running your fingers through each other's hair and talking about everyone's different home countries and the differences in the cultures. In the few months I have been here, I have not only received a large dose of Swedish culture, but I have gained a great appreciation for countless other countries, languages, and customs. When you are sitting and talking in the wee hours of the nights with these incredible people who have left their lives to embark on an adventure, your heart just soars and you feel like you have already traveled to their country and been a member in their home. The openness and care of all the students I have met is truly unique, and I am blessed to know them. Becoming an exchange student is the best decision I have made in my life thus far. Being a member of this global community is so special and I cannot stress enough just how many people I have met who are kind and charming and are willing to open the doors of their countries to me. I am so grateful to have met these sorts of people - the sort of people who stay in your heart forever. I've met friends I know I will keep for the rest of my life and my world has expanded from a school or a state to countries and continents and languages and cultures. I'm having the time of my life, and have met enough people for two lifetimes. Really, I must say it once more that studying abroad is one of the best things you can do. There is a breathtaking world outside your doorstep that you will never be able to experience in the same way as being an exchange student.