Well anyway my decision to buy long underwear was motivated buy a camping trip a group of ten of us were supposed to leave for in six hours. Unfortunately weather and lack of transportation options put the kabash on that but hopefully we'll just go next week. I'm bummed...I was really excited to go. While I'm here I'm incredibly intent on diving in to the culture surrounding me. What Östersund and its surrounding areas are great for are hiking and experiencing the natural beauty around them. (Like I said I literally live at a camping site....) So needless to say, camping will be an ideal way to grasp what this place has to offer. Luckily enough, in place of the camping trip we will most likely go to some waterfalls closer by here tomorrow instead. Sweet!
Some reflections over the last few weeks.
In many first impressions, I have been taken to be the representative of the United States to Sweden. It can feel like a lot of pressure at times, but for the most part it's fun. Hilarious at times even. Like when I met two guys in Göteborg on Saturday. They were working at this coffee shop, and once they knew I spoke little to no Swedish they asked me where I was from. When I replied USA, they both sort of cringed, and still smiling, guy number one brought his voice to a whisper and said, "He's Iranian" and pointed to guy number two. As if that made all the difference in the world. The situation was light and guy number two did not seem the least bit uncomfortable with me, so I just said what they both seemed to already know, which was, "Well I didn't do it" through a smile and a chuckle. The reaction can just be so funny at times when I meet people from Iran because I know as well as they do that neither of us represent the decisions our governments make. I swear the story I just told has probably happened six or seven times already. The only thing I can do is just laugh and say what I feel and what I believe in.
Being in an exchange program of 42 people as one of five not from Europe has already taught me so much, it's hard to relate. I'll never be able to see my life from the same perspective again after all this. There are so many little systems and rules that I've grown up applying to my daily life that are completely different in Europe. (And I know I can't really lump all of Europe together as a whole, but considering that I have German, French, Swedish, and Dutch perspectives coming at me, it's easier to just call them Europe.) For example, the concept that having money means having opportunities is a big one I've gotten into discussions about. In Sweden specifically, no one pays a lick for college. It's all covered by the government, so anyone who wants the opportunity to go to college can and will get the opportunity. Everyone is on the same level, so economic status plays no role in determining the demographics of the universities. I'll let that thought simmer for a bit, because I'm sure I'll be revisiting it often.
Another endearing attribute Sweden boasts is this common law of humility. Haha just thinking about it makes me want to give this country a great big giant hug: As a rule, it is taboo to boast about one's economic status in this country. Especially up here in the middle of the vast country, you rarely see a flashy car or a private plane or a Gucci purse or anything that screams money; it's just not socially acceptable to brag like that. Of course everyone knows that economic levels exist, but the distinctions aren't nearly as evident as they are in the U.S. because they aren't as reflected in material wealth. It's really interesting to notice.
Let's see...more random thoughts. Östersund is a small town of 60,000 people and I'm starting to recognize strangers' faces around the city center! It's sweet. Although I may be fooling myself because there are so many blonde-haired, blue-eyes people pushing babies around in strollers that I might just be getting them all mixed up! Haha who knows.
Alright what else....
Stacey and I kicked off the Paris/Amsterdam planning yesterday. Things are looking nice so far. I love my Eurail pass like my first child. Speaking of, thank you for the name suggestions I got. I've decided that Charlie was my favorite, but not for a boy. Charlie the girl Eurail pass rocks my world!
Last night we celebrated Kristin's (one of the German girls') birthday and I heard FOUR different versions of Happy Birthday! It was so awesome. We all know the Swedish and American ones, then more than half the room was German so they sang theirs, and then the four Dutch people sang the one from the Netherlands too! How cool is that?
I can't remember if I mentioned this already, but going away to Spain really made it sink in to me that Sweden is my home for the next few months now. It's not a vacation, it's the real stuff. Departing Barcelona did not mean heading back to Apple Valley or Cedar Rapids where I knew everyone. When that reality first hit me on the train I was sort of taken aback. What if I missed crucial friendship-making time and came back to everyone content without me there? What if I had grown to hate Östersund in my time away and would only continue to get more miserable as the semester went on? More thoughts like this just kept running through my head until at one point, about four hours still from Östersund, I looked out the window of the train and the view I saw could have easily been in Minnesota. I started thinking about the wonderful people I had already met in Östersund and my awesome cottage and the coffee waiting for me there and my school and town and everything and couldn't help but get excited to return! Walking back through the camping on my way finally back to home sweet home, I ran into all the students partying for yet another birthday. All the warm faces melted away any last reservations I had about coming back. It was good to be home!! :)
And with that I close yet another blog post that got way too long. Cripes you are a soldier if you made it this far without stopping!
Katie
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