Saying Good-Bye To Sweden

Jul 01,2015

Perhaps the toughest trip for me to take was my permanent leave from Sweden. Never had my heart been touched by so many people in one place, or my lust for travel and knowledge so satiated. To this day I remain in close contact with my friends and family who anxiously await my return. Coming back to America was definitely one of the hardest turning points in my life because I felt like I was leaving behind the landscape I saw traces of myself in. In my heart, I believed that there was so much our nation could learn and benefit from if we were more like the Swedes, but in my head I knew that as Americans we were too proud, stubborn, and unwilling for our own good to accept change.

The bitter cold truth is that people who cannot accept change have not given it a chance and as a result defeat themselves before they are even given a chance to be defeated. I used to be the one who gave up easily, but through my study abroad experience and work for GEO, I have stepped up and I am hoping to pass on the torch of the Swedish light to new students who are in search of their lost identities.

If you’re someone like me who is looking to find yourself in the world, then you might just find what you’re looking for in Sweden. Though Sweden can be a dark and mysterious land, it is also a land of beauty and insight. Since I’ve returned to America all I’ve wanted, more than anything is to go back to Sweden where I gained the strength to pursue my own path regardless of what anyone else says. I encourage you to get lost somewhere out there in the world so that you can find your way back home again and, more importantly, yourself.

Though, I made a quick recovery from my reverse culture shock I still feel a spiritual tug pulling me back to Sweden and Scandinavia as a whole; the land of my people and me.  

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Saying Good-Bye To Sweden

 Saying Good-Bye To Sweden

Saying Good-Bye To Sweden

Saying Good-Bye To Sweden

Perhaps the toughest trip for me to take was my permanent leave from Sweden. Never had my heart been touched by so many people in one place, or my lust for travel and knowledge so satiated. To this day I remain in close contact with my friends and family who anxiously await my return. Coming back to America was definitely one of the hardest turning points in my life because I felt like I was leaving behind the landscape I saw traces of myself in. In my heart, I believed that there was so much our nation could learn and benefit from if we were more like the Swedes, but in my head I knew that as Americans we were too proud, stubborn, and unwilling for our own good to accept change.

The bitter cold truth is that people who cannot accept change have not given it a chance and as a result defeat themselves before they are even given a chance to be defeated. I used to be the one who gave up easily, but through my study abroad experience and work for GEO, I have stepped up and I am hoping to pass on the torch of the Swedish light to new students who are in search of their lost identities.

If you’re someone like me who is looking to find yourself in the world, then you might just find what you’re looking for in Sweden. Though Sweden can be a dark and mysterious land, it is also a land of beauty and insight. Since I’ve returned to America all I’ve wanted, more than anything is to go back to Sweden where I gained the strength to pursue my own path regardless of what anyone else says. I encourage you to get lost somewhere out there in the world so that you can find your way back home again and, more importantly, yourself.

Though, I made a quick recovery from my reverse culture shock I still feel a spiritual tug pulling me back to Sweden and Scandinavia as a whole; the land of my people and me.