Wrap up + Reflections + Goals

I've been home now for a little over a week and through all the holiday festivities I've managed to find some time to reflect upon my last four months abroad. Flipping through my journal from this past year proves my life has been really confusing, comical, awkward, daring, humbling and entertaining. Adjectives that sum up a lot of feelings associated with the transition into adulthood and the journey into the person I want to be. Journaling and trying to keep up this blog is something I've enjoyed doing; I really cherish these documentations now as I look back and reflect on my experiences. 

Making the decision to study abroad was probably the scariest thing I've done. I had so many melt downs and doubts about my decision. Looking back on all the little things I worried about seems so silly and small now. Everything works out the way it's suppose to, plans change, life is messy and the unknown is hard; but life so incredibly amazing and well worth the (sometimes bumpy) ride. Throughout my trip, I noticed a lot subtle reminders that assured me this is where I'm suppose to be. There is still so much to be learned and so much to be experienced that I can't be too sad my study abroad is over... just an amazing moment in time I will hold close to my heart forever. 

Travel has made me curious, and inspired, something I hope to keep with me forever. These are some of my favorite photos I took, each tied with happy memories of beautiful places.

Växjö, Sweden

Copenhagen, Denmark 

Zadar, Croatia

Växjö, Sweden

Tallin, Estonia 

Copenhagen, Denmark

Växjö, Sweden

Växjö, Sweden

Gdansk, Poland

Kalmar, Sweden

Växjö, Sweden

Växjö, Sweden

Zadar, Croatia 

Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki, Finland

Reykjavik, Iceland

Helsinki, Finland

Växjö, Sweden

Transitioning into my life back home has been good and busy, filled with a lot of family and friend hang outs. It's nice to feel comfortable and to know familiar surroundings. Being away for awhile, you pick up on things you didn't notice before and grow an appreciation for the smallest of things. Gaining new perspectives hasn't stopped since I left Europe and I'm probably going to be doing a lot of contemplating while back in SoDak. I've loved sharing bits of my life abroad and want to continue documenting some thoughts and experiences here. For 2015, one of my goals is to write more and I think this is the perfect platform... while on the topic of goals for the new year, I have a few more I want to incorporate into my day to day that I've adopted from what I've learned abroad...

Cook more, put myself in new (uncomfortable) situations, FIKA, FIKA, FIKA, read more books, live with less stuff, eat Tacos on Fridays ;), worry less, learn from others and keep possibilities open, try new things often, keep making lists, slow down and enjoy the journey!

Sad to say goodbye to 2014; a year full of growth and wonderful experiences, but I have a really good feeling about 2015! Thanks for following along!

hanna

Iceland

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 Iceland was magical. I can't get my head around the scenery and landscapes... truly out of this world. Although we only got a few hours of sunlight each day, we still managed to do the golden circle tour, swim in the blue lagoon, see the national museum and penis museum ;), eat the best hotdogs in the whole wide world and experience the northern lights. Absolutely amazing. I enjoyed learning the history of the country from Tamara, who is very fascinated with Iceland, especially the vikings. Iceland is now crossed off the list, and I can say I've been to all the Nordic countries. I love Scandinavia and am extremely grateful for everything I've experienced  these past four months. Sad to be leaving Sweden, but excited to come home just in time for Christmas.

hanna

I love you, Copenhagen

This past Thursday I took a solo trip to Copenhagen. I've wanted to take a little trip by myself and I'm so happy I finally followed through with it. Traveling alone means eating where you want, staying where you want and doing what you want for however long you want. Not only does independent traveling bring freedom, but it also can test a person with some unexpected challenges. Although I was only in Denmark for a short time, I feel more confident in navigating and problem solving. It was a plus that all the danish locals are SO nice and helpful.

Thursday night I went to see Angus and Julia Stone... This was my first time going to a show alone and it was great. Before I went I was nervous about who I would stand by or who I would talk to between songs, but there was nothing to worry about and I'm so happy that fear didn't stop me from seeing them. I took a taxi back to the hostel and was greeted by a little scrawny dog, it looked just like the grandma's dog from the movie Super Star. I ate the other half of my bagel from earlier that day and fed the dog some chicken while talking to a girl from Germany. Turns out she is a freelance graphic designer and before we went to bed we decided to go to a museum the next day together. I enjoyed getting to know her the next day before she headed home. 

Something I have learned while abroad, and on this trip is most people are good and you have to put a little trust into strangers to help you get by. Some may call it naive, but I have faith in humanity and traveling has opened my mind to that.

The last picture is from the first time I stayed at Woodah hostel and I also was there again this time. The morning after I met Michelle she was drinking her coffee out of this exact same cup. I'm not superstitious, but I think it was just a little symbol that we were suppose to meet and be friends!

Before heading home, I went to Tivoli amusement park to check out the Christmas market... the smells, the sights, the music, the glögg mmmm so good! I love Christmas and I am excited to spend it with family back home. :) Copenhagen is probably my most favorite city in Scandinavia. People, design, cafes, museums, sites, shops, everything. I'm so grateful I got to experience this city twice, and in just a few weeks I will fly out of it. Can't think of a better place to start and end my incredible experience abroad. 

hanna

Polska

A few friends and I just got back from a very quick trip to Gdansk, Poland. The city was absolutely stunning, even in the gloomy weather. I can't get enough of the all colors and details put into the buildings. We traveled in the night by boat, and when the crashing waves wouldn't let me sleep, I reflected upon my time abroad and what I want to accomplish in the upcoming weeks before I travel home. I jotted down a few personal goals... but I think it's equally important to write a list of things I'm thankful for right now to keep me present in each moment, since my time here is dwindling down. So here goes a list of ten things I'm thankful for on this fine Sunday...

+ Clean sheets. I don't wash my bedding as often as I probably should, but when I do I swear I get a better nights sleep. Mmm... freshness. 

+ Yesterday I made banana bread and baked it waaaaay too long, it was hard as a rock, but clearly edible since I didn't have any troubles finishing off the whole loaf today. whoops. 

+ Four of my floor mates were gone for ten days and they just got back this weekend. I'm grateful for their company and coming home to their faces. 7th floor family rules :)

+ When I was in Stockholm, Elin introduced me to instant coffee. Is it weird that I've never had it before? I bought some at the Coop this weekend and have been drinking it all day. Not the best tasting, but if you add enough milk and sugar anything is good!

+ Landon just rediscovered the voice message button on viber. We've been exchanging silly, little recordings this afternoon. I'm so thankful for technology and the ease it brings communicating to friends and family. I miss you all.

+ Risifrutti. I didn't think I liked rice pudding until I had this. It comes in a little container with different flavors of jam you mix in. My favorite is blackberry and it is deeeelicious.

+ While I'm on the topic of food... Friday night I went over to my swedish family's house for dinner. We had glögg, julmust and pepparkaka. (typical holiday food/drink) Oh... and the main course was TACOS! Seriously, so good. I love cozy fridays and spending time with my "family," they are the best.

+ I just read an article today that it has been the darkest November in Sweden on record. The sun has shone in Växjö for only one hour this whole month. One hour. I'm grateful for good friends, good music and Marabou chocolate to help me though the darkness.  

+ Last weekend I worked as a bartender at a student pub on campus. It was a really cool experience and I now have a much higher understanding and respect for all the bartenders out there.

+ I love having my own room and bathroom. I can be as clean or as messy as I like. Mostly messy though ;) 

This week I have swedish and music/art class and on Thursday I'm going to see Angus and Julia Stone in Copenhagen!! 

hanna 

A Little Story

 

    With my upcoming test, I've been putting in a lot of hours at the library and various cafes reviewing what I've learned this past month. Yesterday I was sitting at the library with an empty stomach and a lack of motivation. In a desperate attempt to get something done, I pulled out my fake reading glasses, hoping they would give me the boost I needed. I put them on and already felt a little bit smarter... glasses sometimes just have that effect, real or fake! I realized how dirty they were so I took them off and began to rub away the smudges with my scarf, as I tried to clean them I saw the man sitting across from me motioning to hand over the glasses. He had a small bottle of spray and a cloth beside his computer, so I embarrassedly handed over my fake glasses. I watched him spray down the frame and lenses, hoping he wouldn't notice that they don't have a prescription. The man wiped them down and while he handed them back to me he said,

"My mother always told me to enjoy my eyes."

   I smiled and thought about what he meant by that. Not much longer after, he gathered his things and stood up to leave. As he was walking away I took out my ear buds and thanked him once more. He turned around and nodded his head and it wasn't until then that I noticed he was blind in one eye.

It's simply encounters like these that remind me all I have to be thankful for. I believe a lot of people, including myself seek memorable experiences and think that in order to do so, you have to do these big and exciting things, when really a humbling experience can happen in the smallest places when you least expect it.

hanna

Scandinavian Design + Brands

I feel so lucky to not only be living in such a beautiful country, but to also be constantly surround by amazing design. Street signs, packaging, train stations, houses and buildings all have an immense amount of detail that I've noticed and can admire. I think I overlook a lot of these lesser appreciated things back home because they are so familiar to me and perhaps lack a certain aesthetic that the Swedes carry through with. The landscape and smaller details of Sweden have really influenced me, but I've also drawn a lot of 'creative juice' from these clothing and interior/home brands listed below. A minimal and seemingly effortless approach connects these brands and reiterates the clean and tasteful style the Nordic countries encompasses. Scandinavia has been good to the eyes.

C L O T H I N G
Sandqvist / & Other Stories / H&M / Monki / COS / Weekday / Bik Bok / Acne / Flippa K / Fjallraven

H O M E + I N T E R I O R 

Bolia / Hay / IKEA / Marimekko / Stilleben / Svenskttenn

Fredagsmys, Sugar Toast + Stockholm

There is something about the transition into the winter months that gets me very excited. I think the cozy layers, crunchy leafs and cooler weather may have something to do with it! Fall has always been my favorite season and I may have a greater appreciation for it after experiencing it in Sweden. A couple weeks ago was my swedish buddy's birthday and to celebrate we gathered at her friends apartment and ate waffles. We got to talking about how Swedes love to be cozy or mysig. I absolutely love this aspect of their culture, especially now that it is getting chilly outside, all the little warm touches just makes my soul feel good! Big plushy pillows in the windows at restaurants, candlelit tables at every cafe and the lights are always dimmed to amplify the coziness. Swedes know mysig. I definitely want to take this home with me. They actually have an assigned day for coziness, Fredagsmys or cozy Fridays. I was told that every swedish person knows this phrase and a lot of people enjoy Fredagsmys simply to unwind after a long week and transition into the weekend. My friend-family informed me that a lot of Swedes eat tacos on Friday nights and watch TV with friends or family-- super mysig! Iv'e found tacos to be very popular amongst the Swedes, and just this weekend I ate my fair share. Taco bout' a party... (see what I did there?) Anyway, that's my cue to transition into my weekend in Stockholm.

 Chloe, Elin and I took the 4 hour train to Stockholm Friday morning, I was in a very content mood and just gazed out the window most of the ride, although I probably should have been studying. Elin is from Stockholm, so it was nice having a local show us around and the whole commuting thing was so much faster because of her. It was my first time taking the underground subway... and without Elin I think I would have been totally confused haha! We stayed at her grandmother apartment who's name is also the same as my grandma- Barbra. She cooked for us and made us feel right at home... grandmas just know how to do that kind of stuff! Even though the weather was gloomy, I still had a great time seeing Stockholm, it really is a beautiful city. I couldn't help but to think of how different my experience abroad would be if I chose to go to a bigger city like Stockholm. I think there would be a lot more opportunities, but I also think I wouldn't get such a feel for a community as I do here. I really love the coziness of Växjö, and no matter where you go your guaranteed to see at least one friendly face! I think my upbringing has kind of grounded me in the sense of cherishing the connections and community that small towns offer.

The next morning, I woke up with a craving for cinnamon toast and after I explained to the girls that my grandma always use to make it for me when I was little they wanted to try it. They were a bit skeptical of the butter, sugar and cinnamon combination, but they loved it and we had it again the next morning- they named it Hanna's sugar toast. We went to the Vasa museum on Saturday and that was so cool, especially since I just learned about it in class. We were all pretty tired from the night before so naturally we had to fika! We met Elin's sister who is my age and another friend; we all made tacos before going out. My weekend in Stockholm was so so so good. The three of us shared so many laughs and made some unforgettable memories. I was looking back at my phone and camera and realized I didn't even take that many pictures, but sometimes the best trips are spent with people who make you forget about your phone and picture taking.

My classes are in full swing with a test a couple weeks away and a group project that just started. The history and religion module I am in right now is a lot more dense than my last class. By the way did I tell you I passed the swedish landscape exam?! yay! The beginner swedish course starts next week and I am excited to expand on the handful of words and phrases I can say. I was a little bummed out before coming to LNU because I really wanted to take the design and sustainability course, but unfortunately I didn't have the prerequisites needed. I am happy with the culture course I'm in and learning so much about Sweden. Don't worry... I'm still getting my creative fix by attending photography workshops and various design lectures. I'm very inspired by the traveling I've done and try to document my observations as much as I can in my journal. My heart is as ease lately feeling that this is exactly where I'm suppose to be. I'm so thankful for my support system back at home and I can't wait to see my sweet friends and family in a short 7 weeks! I miss you!!!

hanna

Doors + Details of Tallinn

Last week Chloe and I took a trip to Helsinki, Finland. It was AMAZING. I feel like Finland isn't a place people really think of visiting, but everyone should get it on their lists! We spent Friday exploring the city and all the great markets and shops. The street layouts were kind of confusing, but we easily made it around most of the city on foot in a day. The design district was probably my favorite part... although we never really got to the heart of it. Still loved all the cafes and shops filled with Hay products. Of course we had to stop in Marimekko (a Finnish design company) I bought myself a little coin purse as a souvenir. Saturday we decided to take a ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. We were kind of bummed because we only had the afternoon there, but I think we made the most of our time! From what I saw, Tallinn was absolutely beautiful. This post is dedicated to some of my favorite doors I spotted in old town. The color combinations were out of this world and all the detail put into the architecture was so so so good! Enjoy!