Why Hi There Sweden!

It’s been many years in the making but I am finally here in Sweden!

First off I think it is right to say that Mum was right. I didn’t know what it was like to be tried when I was back in New Zealand. But after 40 hours of travel on 4 planes, two buses, one train, one car and a lot of walking and sitting around airports I have a fair idea of what being tried is like.

When I arrived in Sweden we were met by a bunch of AFS volunteers and some other students. We had some more time to just sit around yet another airport while we waited for other students to arrive. Then it was time for the last bit of travel! A bus trip to the place where the arrival camp was going to be. It was a very quiet bus trip as everyone fell strait to sleep as soon as we started moving.

Camp was amazing! The setting was so wonderfully Swedish with its forest all around, red barn like buildings and the sea just a walk away. There were about 60 of us at camp from all over the world all with the same mind set for the year, Get everything we can out of it!

On Saturday we started off the day with some group activities that involved a lot of clapping! We then went on to having different classes about the rules, school and host families, Swedish culture and Swedish language. The day was ended by all the groups making up a small skit about three different things we were given and a Swedish song. Sadly my group didn’t get ABBA!

Sunday was a day of goodbyes. It was time for us all to go our separate ways to our host families all around the country. It also meant that I had a huge amount of excited nerves throughout the bus trip into Stockholm city.

Meeting my host family is probably the most exciting thing that has happened so far! They are all so lovely and nice and have made me feel at home strait away.

It is strange to think that I am finally here but also very exciting to be here!