The Sound of Settling

We have almost been in Mora for two weeks which means our time in Sweden is almost half done. Sometimes I think about how much more we have to do and how seemingly short it now feels. 2 more weeks in Mora, then 10 days in Uppsala, then 10 days in Stockholm, then Spring Break and then we finish in Jönköping and go home. I constantly think about how I need to take advantage of everything because I don't want to regret anything when I get home. So far, I have no regrets. Today marks 6 weeks ago that we gathered in Minneapolis for orientation. I know I have talked about it before, but that seems so far away and distant. I looked around that conference room, not really knowing too many of my traveling companions, and now we have eaten, studied, and laughed together. We have seen each other in swimsuits in the sauna many times and in our towels as we walk to the shower. Yes, we are a make shift family.

Sometimes the class days can get a bit long. Especially the days when we have 4 hours of Nordic Politics. Somehow, we manage to entertain ourselves. As someone who has more than a few gaps in knowledge of European History, I enjoy some of the historical tangents Lennart occasionally goes on to include dates and historical perspectives. We talk a lot about how Sweden developed as a welfare state post WWII and reasons the U.S has not. We spent a lot of time talking about family legislation this week and how vast the differences between Sweden and the U.S seem to be. Where as in the U.S someone may be lucky to get a few weeks of maternity leave, the Swedes are guaranteed at least a year. There have also been incentives to try to persuade men to take the same amount or more leave than women. Day care is also funded by the Swedish state, whether that day care is a private home or a bigger company. Marriage is also thought of differently in Sweden. It is common for couples to live together for several years and have children before they even think of getting married. Lennart told us that when he and his wife went to parenting classes for their first child, they were the only couple of ten who were married. It is so interesting to compare policies across the world.

Swedish classes continue and I can feel myself improving a little. (I think!) My pronunciation is still pretty bad, but I can tell that I understand more and more of what is being said around me. Today we wrote directions to somewhere in the school and then had to direct our partner, in only Swedish, how to get there. I am proud to say, though I seem to be bad at directions in any language, I ended up where I was supposed to be.

Anders Zorn house

Last Friday, we went to the Anders Zorn museum in downtown Mora. We got to spend some time in his house and then go over to the art gallery and see his works.
Some fun facts about Anders Zorn:
- famous Swedish painter from Mora
- born in Mora on Febuary 18 (Yes, we went to his house on his birthday- this wasn't an accident)
- Some of his portraits of the presidents can be seen at the White House.

The house is beautiful- I asked the tour guide when I could move in. The house was considered to be quite modern for the time and there was even two kitchens. We were also told that while Anders and his wife employed an extensive staff of housekeepers, they treated them very well. Servants were given health care and were even encouraged to go to school while they were employed. Every room was a different color and everything was so open and bright. I have also decided, after learning a little bit about her, that Anders' wife, Emma and I would be friends. She loved to travel and be social and had a special love of languages. The house remains much like it was at the time that Anders and Emma lived there. Normally, photography is not allowed inside the house. However, because it was his birthday, they made an exception.

A Little Love From Home!

So yesterday I walked into the dining hall for dinner and was told, "Karla, you have a package." Well, I knew what it was as my parents had told me they were sending it last week, but I was still so excited. The incredible Terry Sinner made me this beautiful sweater and hat set! SO: THANK YOU TERRY! I know you follow my blog. I have had so many compliments from Americans AND Swedes. It's so comfortable and so cozy. The first thing my friend said when he saw it was "oh my god, you don't even have to wear pants with it!" I figured that might be a little cold, however.

(Can we also talk about how she made this for me without taking any of my measurements?!) I LOVE IT! YOU ARE SO VERY WONDERFUL!

Also- thanks Mom for buying the yarn! :)

Love you all.

This is Dedicated to the One(s) I Love...

So I'm at the point in the trip where I realize that I miss people. This category is broad and includes my "framily" at Gustavus, friends from home and of course my parents. I am sorry that I could not include photos of everyone. Please know that I love you all and think of you often and wish you were here with me.

"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes. "- Henry David Thoreau

"Love reckons hours for months and days for years, and every little absence is an age."- John Dryden

"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a form of heaven."- Tyron Edwards

"Oft in the tranquil hour of night, when starts illume the sky, I gaze upon each orb of light and wish thou wert by."- George Linley

"Why does it take a minute to say hello but forever to say goodbye?"- unknown

"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depths until the hour of separation."- Kahil Gribran

"A friend is, as it were, a second self." Cicero

Birthdays!

We have been lucky enough to have 3- count them- 3 birthdays so far in only 5 weeks of the trip. Nate has hit the big 20 and Maddie and Rob have turned 21!

As you can see from the picture, Nate is clearly quite excited at the prospect of having a birthday...

Maddie was lucky enough to have her first drink as a 21 year old at the ice bar- now how many people can say that?!

I didn't have a picture of just Rob on his birthday so here is a picture where he just looks generally excited.

Mora Mora Mora

I find myself getting more and more settled in Mora. The building the girls were to live in is now finished so we have moved out of our dorm rooms and are now in a large room with many beds- I'm happy to report it's just like camp! There is something so cozy about being in a bunk bed! The common area is fantastic and there is even a dishwasher in the kitchen! Class continues to be quite engaging and interesting. In addition to continuing our Swedish and Nordic Politics classes, we have also began our Nobel Literature class with Eric. We are currently reading Selma Lagerlöf's "Jerusalem" and I for one, am really enjoying it. We continue to enjoy exploring the school and the town. It turns out that the old water tower has been converted to a rock climbing wall. Shocker I am not so good at it and my muscles are now slightly irritated with me for going, but it's a lot of fun and I'm sure we will be there several more times. And of course, there is always the sauna, which is superior to the one in Jokkmokk.

5 weeks ago today we were gathering in Minneapolis to begin orientation. I remember looking around the conference room nervously wondering what this would be like now that it was actually happening. I was worried about the group dynamic and worried that I would hate the next 5 months. I'm happy to report that (so far) I could not have been more wrong. We have become a family and we get tighter and more in sync all the time. On the one hand I can not believe that it has been 5 weeks, but on the other hand I feel like I have been here so much longer. I can not wait to see what the else is in store for us.

Happy Valentine's Day From Mora!

Yesterday we began classes. We had Scandinavian Politics with Lennart, a former member of the Swedish Parliament and Swedish class with Anna. I was quite pleased to discover that I understood most of what was happening and the first class was a good review. Today we have four hours of Scandinavian Politics. I don't know if I have mentioned much about our living arrangements. The boys are lucky enough to live in a villa about 15 minutes away from campus. It is straight from the 70s, is decorated in frilly pink things and all that is missing seems to be about ten cats. The girls are in dorms at the school. I have my own room which hasn't happened in a while and I don't seem to know what to do with the space. I spent a little time exploring the town yesterday. The city reminds me of Umeå in terms of size and layout.

As yesterday was Valentine's Day, we decided to have a valentine's party- of course at the boy's pink house! Since there are 6 boys and 6 girls we had dates. A delightful evening of games and socializing.

Hello to Mora and Goodbye to Jokkmokk

Well, we have arrived safe and sound in Mora. The folk high school is very nice and we're settling in just fine. The sauna is better than the one in Jokkmokk and we have a fitness center, music studios, and a ceramic studio several of us are itching to try out. The city of Mora is a good bit bigger than Jokkmokk. (not hard to do) Sadly I spent yesterday writing my final paper for our Sami class so I was unable to do a whole lot of exploring. It seems to be very similar to home- Sunday for homework. Some things don't change across an ocean...

Today we begin classes. We will have a Swedish politics class and some formal Swedish instruction later. As someone who has not been practicing Swedish enough, I'm quite excited.
Though I am glad to be in a new place and start this new leg of the journey, I realize that I left a piece of my heart in Jokkmokk, and I don't seem to be quite ready to leave the Sami culture behind, though it is time to do so for now. We were told while we were there that the rest of Sweden knows little to nothing about the Sami people and now that we have moved farther south, I am quickly realizing how very true this seems to be. No one I have yet talked to here in Mora has been as far north as we have, eaten reindeer, met a Sami person, or seen Sami handicrafts. When we were given a tour of the school and were brought to the hand craft room, my first excited thought was "Oh, is this where the Sami handicrafts are made?!" Of course, this is not the case.

We have been so very lucky to learn so much. Last weekend, some of us even got the chance to go to the Sami dance at the school. There were maybe ten of us total who were not wearing traditional Sami dress. We were told by our friends that this was good because now we knew what it felt like to be in a minority.

To end the Jokkmokk section of my blog, here are some pictures of the place that became my home for three weeks that didn't seem to fit with the rest of my previous posts. Included are pictures of me with Niklas and Johan, a couple of the Sami students we met and spent a lot of time with.



"You and I will meet again, when we're least expecting it. One day in some far off place I will recognize your face. I won't say goodbye, my friend, for you and I will meet again." - Tom Petty

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or a lifetime, is certain for those who are friends."- Richard Bach

The Top of the World

Tonight is our last night in Jokkmokk. Some of us are ready to go and some of us are sad. I would have to say that I am in the later category. When we were on our two day trip up north to Kiruna and Pajala, we kept referring to coming back to Jokkmokk as "going home." Indeed, when we pulled into town on Tuesday night and I was greeted by familiar sights, I felt the same feeling I get whenever I pull into St. Peter or my hometown of Paynesville after being away for a while. In conjunction with these feelings, I think about the Sami literature we have read about how the Sami feel about the concept of "home." We have read literature describing home as being a place in the heart. I am grasping this concept more and more. How interesting I can feel so comfortable in a place I have only been for 3 weeks.

On Monday, after our brief stop in Finland, we found ourselves at our digs for the evening. We were housed in the most fantastic apartments and fed some of the best food we have had on the trip. It felt like a nice little touring break or vacation. After dinner we had a discussion about the book, Popular Music from Vittula, (Read it!) which takes place in Pajala. It was fun to drive around the town and imagine the characters in the book darting through our imaginations. After the discussion, we of course found ourselves in the sauna. I'm suspecting the Gustavus Sauna Society will gain some members when we return to campus....

The next morning, after an incredible breakfast, we heading toward Kiruna. On the way, we made a stop at the ice hotel. It was so stunning. Though the tour was in Swedish, I feel like I picked up on some of the high points. The hotel gets re designed every year after pieces of it melt. (My mother was insightful enough to point out sarcastically that it is not too different than the South Dakota Corn Palace which also must be rebuilt every year due to birds eating large portions of it...) The part of the hotel we spent the most time in was the art exhibit part. Designers from all over the world apply to design bedrooms made of ice. There was so much intriguing stuff! There was a room designed to be like a refrigerator, a mid winter night Children's room, a 1950s style car bed room and so many more. We also took a look inside the ice bar, where even the glasses are made entirely of ice.

After leaving the ice hotel, we traveled on our way to Kiruna. We spent some time walking around the city and stopped at the church which is considered to be the most beautiful building in all of Sweden. I must say, I have seen a lot of churches in many different places, but this one trumps all. No picture could ever do it justice. Upon opening the huge front doors, we were greeted with a blast of incredible music. Someone was playing a series of pieces by Chopin (obviously my favorite composer...) It was like our own private concert. It must have been quite a sight to see 12 Gusties positioned around the pews, mouths open in awe, taking it all in. We spent about 45 minutes just sitting there. We then got back into the vans and began the trek "home." We were greeted by our silent dorm building, but a functioning sauna, which was much welcomed after driving for two days in vehicles with only marginal heat.

The wonderful thing about this trip is that we get to see so much of the country and experience so many diverse and incredible things. The other side to that is that we will find ourselves saying goodbye to the places which become home, sometimes regretfully and maybe sometimes gladly. So, here we go. 10:45 tomorrow morning: to Möra. At what point will we refer to this new place as "home?"

And So We Went To Finland!

Well, the market is over. It was incredible. It's easy to see how it is considered to be the biggest event to occur all year in the north.
This morning, we packed up the rented 8 passenger vans and began our two day trek north. We will spend tonight in the little town of Pajala and tomorrow further north in Kiruna before going back to Jokkmokk until Friday when we will depart for Möra.

Today, since we were only about 30 minutes from the Finnish border, we of course decided to make the trek over and take touristy pictures next to the sign. I can now (maybe) put another pin on my map of places I have visited.

We can tell we are going even more north just by the always decreasing temperature. It is so very cold! I thought Jokkmokk would be bad but I kind of feel like I may never again be warm. I am literally at the top of the world. Last night several of us went for a walk across the lake in Jokkmokk looking for Northern Lights (apparently they were faintly present, but you could have fooled me....) This was the third time we have done that and it's so incredible to stand on the extensive lake and look at such a beautiful, clear sky. I am so in love with everything we are doing.

The 406th Jokkmokk Winter Market

The event we have been eagerly anticipating has arrived. This year's market marks the 406th annual market. We are told that this is the biggest event to occur in the entire sub arctic all year. The other night, when some of us were sitting and talking, a man from Stockholm turned around and said that he and his friends had a bet going on where we were from. Some guessed Canada while others thought perhaps Italy. (not really sure how that one could happen...) After we told him we were from the states, he explained to us that the market is even considered quite exotic for the Swedes. Apparently close to 70,000 people are in town at one point or another. It's easy to see how the town makes its entire revenue on these 3 days alone.

There are so many events that are part of the market. We have been to reindeer races, lectures, movies, eaten lots of food, and of course have walked through the extensive market many many times. In addition to the traditional Sami handicrafts, one can also find random crap which seems to be present at any fair. (example- I Heart New York shirts???...) Last night, several of us attended a fashion show/ variety show with the musical "Grease" as the theme. It was quite entertaining to say the least. It is possible that the classic, "Summer Lovin'" may have been changed to "Sami Lovin'" but we couldn't be sure.

It's so interesting to be in a fair setting like this in the winter time when I am accustomed to attending them in the summer. As a result, we need to take frequent "warm up" breaks since the previous unnatural warmer temperatures are dropping again. The last two nights we have attended the "jojk battles." (Traditional Sami singing.) It's so interesting and a little strange to see such a traditional piece of culture emerge into a mainstream setting.

On Monday we travel even more north to Giron (Sami) or Kiruna in Swedish. We will be there for just two days before coming back to Jokkmokk until Friday. Then it's off to Möra!

Raw Elbows (from rubbing up against so many important people....)

So today I sat right behind Her Royal Highness, the Swedish Crown Princess, Victoria. Yep, you read correctly. When I say right behind, I literally mean right behind, I could have touched her. However, I was expressly told by Eric to behave and not do anything to embarrass the group. It is true that the royal family has no political authority in Sweden, but the fact that she was there brought a lot of media coverage and light to the issues we have been discussing. She opened the debate saying how pleased she was to be there and that she had faith in the conference to bring about the needed changes.
After her remarks, the final debate began. There were so many high ranking important people there to discuss the sustainability.
The panel included, a representative from the US Embassy (who was very pleased to meet us and wants to see us in Stockholm!), the Canadian ambassador, a representative from Russia, the chairwoman of the Sami Parliament, and many others. I was impressed with the way they handled themselves after they were asked some very pointed questions. It was quite inspiring to see so many high ranking people so committed to stop the conversation and continue the action. They all made a pledge to do everything in their power to do what needs to be done.

The panel stated that the resources and the money is there, we just need to allocate it differently. As the ambassador from Canada stated, "We have been fighting in wars for thousands of years. We're good at war, we're pretty experienced. We're new to this sustainable thing." I also learned that Russia is responsible for 50% of worldwide carbon reduction in the last 20 years.

To wrap up the discussion, the head of the conference thanked the participants for their responses. She stated, in response to the questions which were asked of them, "Young people can be very rough. They are very direct. Thank god for that." The evening's remarks ended with "Thank you very much. Now let's go out and change the world."

The Winter Conference

For the past two days we have been engaging in the Jokkmokk Winter Conference. The conference is the 4th annual dialogue concerning climate change and how it relates to the arctic and the people living here. The title of this year's conference is "Pathways to Sustainable Northern Communities, Regional Empowerment for Change. We have heard lectures and have had much time for small group discussion. All of our food is locally produced and traditional Sami dishes. (It's some of the best food we have had on this trip.) Today we were served lunch in traditional tents. I'm glad everything we eat is locally produced and sustainable as the last "energy" conference I attended served everything in individually plastic wrapped containers. I had a really exciting theatre kid moment today when I got to talk to a man who is developing social justice theatre for children dealing with solving the climate crisis in Sweden.

This conference is teaching me a lot and making me consider things I had not thought about before. The ice is literally melting out from under the feet of the people living in the arctic as we experience more and more global climate changes. Why do we not think of them? There are approximately 4 million people living in the arctic and one third of them are indigenous people. We are borrowing resources from the future with no way to pay them back. Most of the things I am hearing are things I may have already known but I enjoy hearing things explained in different perspectives. It is interesting for me to be re acquainted with the issues of climate change as I read an article in the New York Times yesterday about how we are searching for life on other planets for the event in which we are no longer able to inhabit this one. Human beings are pushing the planet to its limit. We have created such an irresponsible society.

There are people from all over the world here. I attended a workshop today where when we broke off into small groups, I was joined by people from Finland, Canada, Austria, and France. We discussed food and how many different things "local food" can mean. Example- I learned today that using geothermal energy in Iceland, bananas can be grown year round, making bananas local to Iceland. (I am pleased to announce that they were all impressed with Gustavus' own Big Hill Farm, which gowns much of the produce served on campus. )

I have heard many times over the course of the last couple of days that it is my generation who need to fix these issues. I have also been told that there is much hope to be found in young people. This is daunting to hear, especially when I find myself wondering so intently why the U.S is not doing as much as other places in the world. Of course, I am so happy that the new academic building which is going up on campus will have solar panels and we are seeing the development and construction of more and more wind turbines. I learned in a lecture yesterday that in just one hour the Earth receives as much energy from the sun as humanity uses during a whole year, we just don't know how to harness this energy and it could take as long as decades to learn how to do this. As I see more and more graphs and projections of what the planet will look like in the future, I can't help but wonder, at what point we will be too late?

I always find hope though when attending conferences like this one. I am surrounded by people who are determined to find new solutions to this climate crisis. Though it sounds idealistic, someone asked who would solve this vision of sustainable energy. The answer? "The actors for the vision are in this room because no one else will." Knowledge is power. So, here we are, learning all we can and hopefully developing solutions.