Last weekend I had to say goodbye to my hostfamily in Sweden. That was quite hard for me, I will definitely miss them. Together with the other AFS students I spent two days in the End-of-Stay-Camp at the same place where we had our Midstaycamp in Sigtuna.
The schedule was filled with different workshops about Sweden, culture, coming home and so on. It was nice to see the other students again after such a long time (some of them I didn't meet during the hole year), but I was looking so much forward to coming home that I actually didn't really want to be there. However, I think it was a good ending for my exchange year.
Last Monday we, the Swiss girls, had to catch the bus to Arlanda at 9:30 even if our flight wouldn't take off until 16:00. That meant a long day at the airport, but it was okay. Time flew anyway. The whole way to Switzerland we four were hiping a lot and talking about all the delicious Swiss food we would eat as soon as we get home. Finally arrived at the airport in Zurich we walked to the bagage reclaim where we didn't have to wait for our luggage at all. They came almost immediately. We already said goodbye to each other there at the bagage reclaim, because we just wanted to concentrate on our families when we finally see them.
And I can tell you: it was amazing to hug all my dear family members again! We drove home to Solothurn with the car quite soon after saying hello to each other. Back home I had to check out the house. I knew everything so well but it was funny to be there again anyway. Just when I looked around in my own room my best friend Noelle rang at the door and we hugged for a long time. Then my family, Noelle and me sat together, ate some snacks and drank my favorite sparkling wine. I showed them the souveniers I bought the last week in Sweden and we just had a really good time.
This week there was a lot I had to organise. Now my "real" life has begun again and I enjoy to have such a lot to do.
This will be the last post I ever write on my blog. I hope you liked to read my posts about me and my exchange adventure in Sweden! Have a nice time!
A last picture together with my wonderful hostfamily. It wasn't easy to say goodbye, but I'm sure it wasn't the last time we've met.
Games and activities are still very popular at AFS camps.
Deborah, Lea, Xenia and me posing for a "Swisspicture".
Thank you for that time guys!
Hej då Sverige!
Chocolate on the airplane means you're flying with Swiss ;-)
Tuesday:
After a cosy and relaxed Monday I headed to the town with two friends on the afternoon. We didn't do that much there, but it was nice as always. On the evening we took the bus to Skansen, a famous park in Stockholm. There we met Jonas, Ylva, David and Tove, because we wanted to watch the "Allsången", a Swedish music festival that takes place every Tuesday in summer. There were Swedish singers like Ace Wilder and Niklas Strömstedt but also international singers like James Blunt. It was cool to see such a famous musik event live, while the great rest of Sweden watched it on TV.
Look at this great view in a kind evening sun
Wednesday:
As you maybe already know I want to work as blacksmith when I get out of school. Therefore we drove to an old blacksmith institution near Stockholm; Wirabruk. Wirabruk was active in 300 years and had the monopole on forging all weapons for the Swedish army. After the last war in the nineteenth century the institution changed to scythes and other handicraft tools.
Today Wirabruk includes thee blacksmithes which forge all types of household keepings and all kinds of small thing such like curtain rings. It was very impressive to see such an important and historical place of Swedish blacksmith history.
Some of the most popular weapons used by the Swedish army before nineteenth century.
Tove and one of the ancient furnaces
A very nice - and practical - place for an institution like this: the majority of energy was gained by watercrafts.
Thursday:
On the early afternoon I met some of my closest friends at one friend's home to spend our last hours together and say good bye. It wasn't easy to leave, but I'm very sure, this wasn't the last time in life we met.
After that I got picked up by Jonas, David and Tove and together we drove to Grönalund amusementpark near Skansen. I discovered in Liseberg how much I love rollercoasters, so I wanted to ride every single one. Later on the evening Karin and Ylva joined us after they finished work. Together we had a great time and nobody died even if some of us were afraid to do so on the rollercoasters. ;-)
A very tasty grill buffet in the amusement park
This carrousell is called "Eclipse" and it seriously feels like flying. The view from the top is just amazing and together with the wind in the face it's breath taking.
Friday:
Today Jonas and I took the train to town quite early in the morning, because we wanted to go on board on a tourist boat that drives under the bridges of Stockholm (not every single one of course but still many). The tour took slightly less than two hours and it was funny and intresting to know a little more about the town I haved lived in for ten months now. After that trip Jonas and I ate lunch and walked through the Old Town before we took the train back home again.
This was my last full day with my hostfamily. Tomorrow I will meet all the other AFS students again for the End-of-Stay-camp. It's really hard to explain my feelings. On one hand I'm so excited to meet all my friends and my lovely family again after such a long time, but on the other hand I don't want to leave those wonderful people I've gotten to know here in Sweden. My suitcase is as good as ready to be checked in at the airport. It's still very hard for me to realise how this whole exchange life is over now. Time really flies unbelievably fast.
I could've explained my activities in this last week a lot more extensively but I prefere to spend the time with my hostfamily instead. Next time you hear of me, I'm already back in Switzerland.
Today is Midsommar, the longest day of the year. In Sweden you celebrate Midsommar always on a Saturday between June 20th and June 26th. This is different to other Scandinavian countries, where you celebrate Midsommar always at the same date. I experienced a very Swedish Midsommar with very Swedish people, very Swedish traditions, very Swedish food and of course very Swedish temperatures and weather (11°C and windy).
Yesterday on Midsommar Eve we drove to the Midsommar party in Rånäs, where we bought floral wreaths for David, Ylva and me. There were quite a lot of people at the fairground who took part of the different activities. There was for example a quiz with questions around Midsommar traditions, a dartboard and a cafe with coffee and cakes. We walked around and looked at how some people fixed the Midsommarstång (also Majstång; eng. maypole). Then it was time to install the maypole on the scene. On the fairground we met Gunilla and Lars (Jonas' mother and her partner) with whom we would eat lunch later. Just when they came there was a short while when the sun got discovered from the clouds and it almost felt like summer. Unfortunately this moment went over quite quickly, but that didn't bother us that much, because it was time for the dance anyway. We formed two cirkles around the maypole like we did at Christmas in Dalarna. There was a young woman in the middle with a microphone who sang the typically Swedish Midsommarsongs and showed how to dance. I rerecognized some of the songs from Christmas, because they're typical cirkel-dance-songs. When the dancing was over there was a "godisregn" (eng. candy rain), which meant that a man threw candy into the crowd and everyone (also grown-ups) shoved eachother for picking up the candy from the scene ground. We decided quite soon to leave and prepare lunch at Gunilla and Lars' summer house in Rånäs. This was perfect timing, because it had just started to rain.
The Midsommar lunch implies approximately the same food as Christmas and Easter lunch: herring, salmon, potatoes, salad, ect. It was delicious as always. After the dessert (fresh strawberries with icecream and chocolate cake) Gunilla and Lars stayed at their place while my hostfamily and me drove directly to Arlanda airport. My hostsister Tove returned from her exchange year in China! She had a lot to tell and it was a very nice evening on Midsommar Eve. :-)
"Quickly! Let's take a picture when there's sun!"
Installing the maypole
My hostparents Karin and Jonas in very chic Midsommar clothes
People getting ready for the dance
David throwing darts
Enjoying a delicious Midsommar meal
