Påsk i Göteborg

Last Thursday we threw our bags into the car and drove to Göteborg where Karin's brother Frederik and his family lives. Ylva didn't travel with us, because she had been in Danmark the days before and returned with the train directly to Göteborg. The travel took us about 5 hours, so I tried to catch up a little lost sleep from the last few nights (you sure remember the reason for the sleep poor nights from my last post). Unfortunately it was litterally piss-weather that day, but we hadn't to stay outdoors a lot. When we arrived at my host uncle's and his family's house, it soon was time for dinner. The evening didn't get that old; we all were tired and soon went to bed.
The following day, Friday, we decided to not have such a strict program, because we would do more on Saturday. After breakfast Ylva, Johanna (my host cousin) and me made a little shopping tour in a mall near the house. I didn't buy anything, but it was fun to test different parfumes and look through clothes and stuff. After lunch back in the house we visited Britta (Karin and Frederik's mother) and her partner Olle in their apartment. Britta's brothers Sven and Anders also were there with their wifes. Sven and Anders both were AFS students like me 60 years ago in USA. It was really interesting to hear their stories about how it was and how much contact they still have with their hostfamilies. On the way back to Frederik's place we made a detour through the city to have a look at different parts of Göteborg. I took a lot of pictures through the window.
On Saturday, Påskafton (eng. Easter Eve), Britta and Olle came over to us in the morning and we took a walk to the coast. There were some sailing teams which trained to set up sails and turn the boat in the wind. After the walk in absolutely wonderful sunshine (I didn't even need a jacket) we came back to the house where Elisabeth (Frederik's wife) prepared Easter Lunch. It was simply delicious! I ate so much that I hardly could move a lot, so I decided to sit outside a while and draw. At late afternoon Blomkvists went to visit Elisabeth's parents and siblings, so we Lindmarks visited Britta and Olle again for eating dinner there and looking at old pictures from Karin's and Frederik's childhood.
On Sunday, Påskdagen (eng. Easter Day), we made ready two backpacks, one filled with sausages, hotdog bread and sauces, the other filled with coffe and cookies. Then we went out on a hiking tour along the coast. When we arrived a nice place with big rocks, we decided to make fire in the one-way grill and grill sausages. We stayed on the rocks a long time, ate cookies and drunk coffe there and just enjoyed the wonderful sunshine. Karin was brave enough to take a bath (only up to the knees, but it counts anyway because the water still was really cold). When we went back to the house I didn't want to be inside, so I layed on the balcony - too long! Now I have a really pretty red stripe on my nose and cheeks and a sunburned décolleté. Great.
The next day, Monday, it was time to drive back home to Huddinge again. We didn't drive on the highway, but made a detour and listened to an audiobook. Now the Easterholidays are over and school has started again. Even if it just was one week it felt like a much longer time. However, it was great!

 From left to right: Sven, Britta and Anders

 On the detour through Göteborg we also saw the amusement park Liseberg with the highest free fall in all nordic countries.

 This red building is called Läppstiftet (eng. the lipstick) because of its shape and colour.

 Watching the sailboats

Delicious lunch on Påskafton

 Swedish Easter Lunch: mmmmhhh! :-)

 Lunch picnic next to the sea with grilled, tasty hotdogs, cookies and coffe

Before we drove home on Monday, Johanna hid a chocolate Easter bunny in the garden and David and Nils had to search it. Here a picture when they gladily found it.

Playing Stockholm-guide for Lea

Easterholidays!! (has just past...) Last Monday I was expecting a visitor: Lea Winter, my seat neighbour on the flight to Sweden in August and exchange student as me, came to visit Stockholm for two days. She lives in a hostfamily in Göteborg and asked me if I could guide her around in the capital as well as she could sleep over at my place. I was really looking forward to see her, because we haven't met since the arrival camp last summer. It wasn't long nights though, we had a lot to talk about!
Lea arrived as said on Monday the 14th on late afternoon. We had a coffe at the station and then took the train to where I live; Huddinge. Because Monday also was Karin's birthday we got a really delicious dinner and an even more delicious cake for dessert.
The next day, Tuesday, Lea and me headed out quite early in the morning for a sight-seeing tour in Gamla Stan. I played guide and tried to show and tell the interesting parts of the old city and Lea played an interested tourist. After going around and looking at some buildings and shops, we decided to search the shopping street and warm up ourselves in the boutiques, because it still was quite fresh outside. So we did. The rest of the day went past with Lea and me drinking coffe and enjoying frozen yoghurt at different places and looking through some boutiques. Together with afternoon the sun came out and it turned to be a very nice day with spring-like temperatures. When we got tired, we took the train back and ate dinner at home. Before we went to bed we watched a film together with David.
The last day, Wednesday, we took it more easily in the morning and went to Stockholm around noon. For to hold on by our habits, we bought a coffe this time as well and spent most of the next hours talking. At four o'clock Lea had to catch the train back to Göteborg.
It was so nice to have her here and change out stories about all the stuff we had experienced during the last months.

Lea and me waiting for the train...

Det kungliga slottet (eng. the royal castle)

AFS presentations

There are a lot of students all over the world who'd like to come to Sweden for an exchange year, but unfortunately there aren't enough hostfamilies and schools to take care about all students. This is why we AFS exchange students got the job to make at least three presentations about "My life as exchange student in Sweden" at any place (in the own or one hostsibling's school, at one hostparent's workplace, in the sports club, ect.). By those presentations, we hope to interest and inform more people of what it is like to be a hostfamily or an exchange student. I talked to two classes from the first grade of my gymnasium (both classes listened very quetly and attentively) and to David's class (he's in fourth grade of primary school). It was really nice to visit David's class and answer to the pupil's questions in almost half an hour. Maybe some of them become an AFS member themselves one day. :-)

 David (in front of me) and his class after they listened to my talk and asked a lot of good questions.