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
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