Vättern Runt

Last weekend, about 30 people, mostly exchange students but also a few swedes, went on a 3 day lake adventure around Sweden's second largest lake: Lake Vättern. I actually was not planning on going on this trip, however the night before they were leaving, I got a phone call from a girl asking if I wanted to take her spot. I am sooo glad she called and that I was able to go! It was the perfect "Let's see Sweden" trip. There were 4 8 passenger vans that were driven. We drove two hours to get to the lake and we got to see so much! The host students planned the trip, so all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. No worrying about how to get from point to point because we were chaufered around! They would drive us to a place we should see, let us explore for a bit, and then repeat! In the end, we saw many different castle ruins, churches, explored several towns, watched candy be made, went canoeing, hiking, barbequed, ect. It was a great time getting to explore a new part of sweden with great friends! We got to do a lot! Click here if you want to see pictures from my trip :-)

So, as I am typing this post, I should actually be studying. However, that isn't going so well (obviously!). The weather has been amazing!!! and that makes it even harder to concentrate on what I should be doing. I have my last exam, Swedish, on Wednesday and then I am done with classes at Karlstads Universitet! Crazy how fast it went!

Also, a note on when I will be coming home...I was originally planning on coming home July 31, but unfortunately some plans fell through and some visitors aren't going to be able to make it to Sweden. There is no point in me staying that long if they aren't coming and especially since most of my Rosenborg family is moving out at the end of June. No worries though, I still have a couple of trips planned. As of now, and as long as everything goes ok with the airline, I should be coming home July 7. (I have already ran into problems with them once. I was wanting to come home June 23, but they were going to make me pay an extra $900. um, no thanks!) So, after Wednesday I am done with classes, so I will just be able to hang out and enjoy a Swedish summer. I will also be heading to Greece June 12-19. My Canadian friend Sarah and I will be going to Athens and to Satorini. Once we get back, friends start leaving to go home :-( At that point I will also be leaving Sweden and heading to Norway once more before I leave.

Norway!

A few days ago I got back from a wonderful week in Norway. It is probably one of my favorite places ever! This trip I stayed in Stavanger for a few days with Eliann. We were able to go to Preikestolen one day. It was absolutely amazing! Preikestolen is a massive cliff that stands 604 meters high above the fjord that is down below. In order to get to the top, you have to climb (and climb and climb). Supposedly it is supposed to take two hours to get to the top and two hours to get back down, but I am pretty sure it didnt take us that long. The climb to the top was a bit difficult for me, but completely worth it! The water running down the mountain was so clean that we were able to drink it as it flowed down the rocks and from the streams. The water was very cold and very fresh! When we got to the top, we took a break and just took in all that we were seeing. We also had lunch on top of Preikestolen. Eliann brought a disposable grill with us and we cooked hot dogs and relaxed.

Lunch time: Eliann, Corey, and his friend Joe. If you want to see more pictures of our trip to Preikestolen click here!

After a few days in Stavanger, Eliann and I went to her home town which lies in Karmøy, a small island connected to the main land. It was so nice to be able to see all of her family again!! They are great people who are soo welcoming! They feel like my own family, so it was good to have a sense of family again since I haven't seen mine since January.

While we were in Karmøy, the Norwegians celebrated May 17th, which is their national day. It is a very traditional day. Norwegian flags are able to be seen EVERYWHERE and many people where their national costumes (or bunad as they call it).

Eliann and her nephew Edvin on May 17th
Judith (Eliann's sister) and her son Morgan

The schools usually have some activity going on to entertain people and they also serve lunch along with lots of cake :-) After we had lunch and visited with some people we went to watch a parade. It was a fun day to be able to experience! To see more pictures from May 17th and other pictures from my time in Norway, click here!

There's More Than Corn in...Karlstad?

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I was just waiting for something good to write about. Although this post may not fall under the "something good" category, I just had to share this with you! A while back, my Uncle Paul sent me a package. Inside was some food, pictures, and hat. A hat?? Yep, that was my reaction when I was reading the outside of the package. The hat ended up being a joke. It's actually a corn hat. It is a huge foam hat that looks like an ear of corn. The pictures that he sent, was everyone from my family posing and wearing that hat. Probably the funniest package I have ever recieved!

So, a couple of us took the corn hat around Karlstad and had a lot of fun putting it on random statues and such! If you want to check out all of the pictures we took, just click here!

Other than the corn hat, the past week has been pretty great! Corey and his friend came to Karlstad on Friday. (for those who don't know, Corey is a friend from home. He was studying in Kenya and now is traveling around Europe). We have had a lot of fun hanging out the past couple of days! We have been catching up on lost time and reminiscing about past times growing up together and our friends that we miss dearly! I took them on a tour of the big city of Karlstad, took corn hat pictures, biked to the university, and just hung out!

As I am typing up this blog, I sit in Eliann's living room in Norway! Corey, his friend, and I got here yesturday. They will leave Friday, but I am staying until next tuesday/wednesday. It's great to be back in Norway and get to see Eliann and her family! I am also here for May 17 - Norway's national holiday. In about a week or so, I will have an update about whats going on in Norway!