Hello HC readers! My name is Anna and I am a freshman here at U of I. Many students dream of studying abroad, and for me, it has been a lifelong goal to travel the world. While most choose to wait until college to fulfill this ambition, I was a little less patient. During my junior year of high school, I travelled to Stockholm, Sweden to study my passions in music, photography and art.
Through my blog entries, I hope to give you a better feel of what European culture is really like. Growing up and learning about foreign countries in a classroom setting does not provide students with much insight. I know as a 16-year-old leaving for another country, I had no idea what would await me. All I knew is that I was ready for an adventure, a chance to meet new people and to completely immerse myself in their culture.
When I stepped off the plane into the bright sunshine of a Swedish summer, it was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. Summertime in Sweden is unique because the sun almost never goes down. My host parents and their three kids all greeted me at the airport. They had very traditional Swedish names: Mats, Karin, Johan, Björn and Maria. As soon as we said hello, I knew that my year with them would be absolutely perfect.
On the way to my new home, everything looked like a postcard. Swedes are extra conscious about preserving nature and maintaining a clean environment. Everywhere I looked there were rolling hills of bright green grass and wildflowers in rich shades of purple and yellow. It was so different from what I was used to. The absence of McDonald’s and Walmart signs in the city was also unexpectedly refreshing.
Once we arrived my host family was extremely hospitable, which I came to learn is typical of Swedish culture. The boys carried my bags upstairs and Karin (my host mother) had already prepared dinner. We conversed outside over a candlelit dinner of smoked salmon and potatoes – a typical Swedish meal – while listening to the waves of the Baltic Sea crash onshore.
Over the next week, I adjusted to my new life and really began to take in the amount of time I would be staying here. Although I felt afraid, my eagerness to start this new adventure overcame my anxiety.
Through my series of blogs, I will be sharing with you my experiences in Sweden and my travels throughout the rest of Europe. I hope to provide you with the same sense of passion, hope, and inspiration the Swedish culture gave me during my time there.