Finding my Swedish Roots

December 27, 2011

Currently standing on Platform 6 in Lund Central Station at 8:08 in the morning. It’s still dark outside as nearby trains make beeps warning passengers getting on and off. Pressure sounds of doors opening and closing. Breaks screeching as trains come to a halt.

These past few days I have felt more at home here in Sweden than I have in a long time. Cecilia’s mom, Maud, is like a segregate mom to me this week. She is such a warm and caring soul, it makes sense that both of her daughters are like that as well. This morning Maud not only set up some bread and meat for me to make breakfast, she also had packed a goody bag for the ride down with an apple and two clementines. I was so touched that she packed me fruit- she knows what I like. She also drove me to the station reassuring me that my distant relatives that I am visiting will like me. On our ride she quizzed me on my Swedish vocabulary which is quite modest but growing*. She made sure I found the right platform and even walked me to it! I will miss her dearly when I leave Sweden; she is such a lovely lady. 

Yesterday Cecilia and Carl came into my room singing Happy Birthday in Swedish (Grattis på födelsedagen) delivering me breakfast in bed which consisted of a saffron bun, cinnamon roll, and a cup of tea with a paracell. I had my breakfast also lit by candlelight. Cecilia gave me a gorgeous necklace which I wore that day. We soon left to Carl’s grandparents house where I met pretty much all of his family. The room was filled with laughter and I never saw a guy get so excited about a lego hippy VW van as Carl did! I guess keeping up with U.S. tradition, for my 21st birthday I had half a glass of fine imported French wine with lunch. Later in the evening Carl beat Cecilia and me again at trivial pursuit; though this time Carl had me read off some of the cards to him too. I didn’t know exactly what I was asking since it was in Swedish, I just knew he kept getting the answers right.

Now on the train to visit my distant relatives in Göteborg, I am a bit nervous for when I get there. I have heard about them numerous times by my mom and Joan Finnie since I was little. I am proud of my Swedish roots- having a Swedish flag hanging in my room since I was ten. Now finally being here and on my way to see these relatives I ask myself- how will it be when I meet them? Outside is a dusky morning with low clouds and a winter fog settling down on the fields that seem to stretch forever with no sign of a mountain; raindrops are racing down my window.

Was stuck in Āngelholm for 15 to 20 minutes where a guy did not have a ticket and refused to get off the train; with arguments in Swedish and eventually one of the ladies working on the train yelled at him, calling in the police.

Thomas greeted me with a hug and we soon met his daughters, Danielle and Caroline where they showed me around Göteborg. It is such a gorgeous city! We went to a church on top of a hill where there is a 180 degree view of the city. Seeing this as a picture opportunity, I suggested to get a photo of the three of them with the city as a back drop- then I showed them my gracefulness by stepping into a giant puddle- great! Inside the church, it smelled of wood like a ski cabin or a mountain lodge. The day moved on and we met the girls mom, Lotta, at the restaurant, Sjöbaren, where we ate dishes with fish. After lunch, Gabrielle left for riding her horse before it got dark out.  The rest of the family and I went to the universeum where there was an aquarium, a rainforest, deadly reptiles, and monkeys all in one location!!! For me it was absolutely magical. Back at the house Thomas and I went to walk their border colli and he showed me the forest behind their house and told me about how they get deer, moose, and sometimes wolves too. I also learned that moose get drunk off of apples!!! Back at the house again, Thomas showed me a thing about our genealogy and told me that his mother has the lineage line figured out all the way back to the 16th century- amazing!!! I need to contact her soon to hear all the stories. We still have family working on a farm that has been in the family for generations (at least since the 1800s), I must go there next visit. It was funny- I read Christmas cards from my Joan Finnie and Papa Donn at their house rather than at my own house.

In general, I feel at home in Sweden; between foods that are the most agreeable to my tastebuds, friendly people, cobblestone streets, and MOOSE moving here and grad school in Sweden has crossed my mind. Can’t wait to get back and tell Cecilia and Maud about my day! I wonder how Carl’s Lego VW hippy van is going...   

 Hej då!