Ana in Lund
Goodbyes upon goodbyes
Tjena!
It feels so weird to be writing this blog about the final month of this exchange, and June was a rollercoaster and a half. It’s been a month of winding down, of many many goodbyes and of wrapping up this whole experience in general. For each of our close friends who were leaving one by one, my friend group prepared a goodbye ‘prank’. We would invite them to someone’s house for dinner but surprise them with an act we had prepared: an outdoor scavenger hunt in their native language, a karaoke song rewrite about how much we’ll miss them, or friendship bracelets with inside jokes. It was both extremely funny and extremely sad to spend those last bittersweet bits of time with them–those people who had made Lund feel like home.
I stuck around for a little bit longer until the end of the month, and was in Lund to celebrate Sweden’s National Flag Day and the famous Swedish midsommar!
Traditionally, friends and family gather to celebrate the summer solstice with a garden party in the sun, self made flower crowns, ‘sill’ (pickled herring), ‘jordgubbstårta’ (strawberry cake), and dancing like a frog around the May pole. Lund had a town celebration at its historical open air museum which I attended with university friends. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and there was lots to see and hear, including a folk duo who showed us how to do the traditional May pole songs and dances.
I then began the process of packing up my room to move back to the Netherlands. I needed to get it done quickly, because my friend and I flew to visit some of our exchange friends who had just returned to their home in Helsinki, Finland. We stayed for a few days and had the best time exploring the city and the surrounding nature, before sharing one last bittersweet goodbye together. After returning to Lund I quickly finished all the cleaning, packing and errands needed before I could move out. My last night was spent at my favorite falafel place (Clemens Falafel, I’ll miss you) & a karaoke bar with the last of my friends still in Lund.
Moving home was an overnight trip by ferry and a long drive in the car, and I have to say coming home has been a confusing
experience. Upon settling back into life in my hometown I noticed how much it felt like I stumbled out of Narnia and back into a regular day. It felt like no time had passed here at all, and yet simultaneously I felt so different, like I’ve grown more into who I am. I’ve come home with a new language under my belt, new friends all over the world, new ways of viewing my creativity, opened eyes about how big the world really is, new perspectives on how lucky I’ve been in this life, and an immense amount of gratitude for everything this experience has been. It all still feels very raw and a bit abstract, and I’m curious to see how this progresses. They say the ways in which you’ve changed tend to become more obvious once you’ve spent more time back in your old environment.
Currently, I find myself at a big crossroads with just having finished my bachelor’s degree, and am chewing on the big questions on what will be next for me. I believe there is no better place to sit with these thoughts than in the quiet small town life of Zuid-Limburg in the summertime.
And that’s a wrap! Thanks for following along on this incredible adventure 🙂
Tack så jättemycket och hej då allihopa! Ana
I have read some excellent stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you place to create any such magnificent informative site.
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?
This is the proper blog for anybody who needs to search out out about this topic. You notice so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I truly would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply nice!
I enjoy your writing style really loving this internet site.
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I was just looking for this information for a while. After 6 hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your web site. I wonder what’s the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this kind of informative sites in top of the list. Generally the top web sites are full of garbage.
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
Rattling informative and excellent anatomical structure of written content, now that’s user pleasant (:.
Howdy! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa? My website addresses a lot of the same topics as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!
I’ve read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to make such a excellent informative website.
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is excellent blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
Terrific work! This is the kind of info that are meant to be shared around the web. Disgrace on Google for no longer positioning this submit higher! Come on over and talk over with my web site . Thanks =)
My spouse and I stumbled over here by a different website and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to checking out your web page again.
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
Hey there! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 4! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
I’m so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.
Wow, wonderful weblog layout! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you make running a blog look easy. The total look of your site is fantastic, let alone the content material!
I was very happy to find this net-site.I needed to thanks in your time for this excellent read!! I positively enjoying every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
Would you be curious about exchanging links?
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your weblog. You have some really great articles and I believe I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an e-mail if interested. Thanks!
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all of us you really know what you are speaking about! Bookmarked. Kindly additionally discuss with my website =). We may have a hyperlink trade arrangement between us!
Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
Hi there, just turned into alert to your blog through Google, and located that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you happen to proceed this in future. Numerous people will be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!
I like this blog so much, saved to favorites.
I want to show my appreciation to the writer just for rescuing me from this type of incident. As a result of browsing throughout the search engines and obtaining solutions which were not helpful, I believed my life was well over. Being alive without the answers to the difficulties you have sorted out by means of your main website is a critical case, and ones which may have in a wrong way affected my career if I hadn’t noticed your web page. Your personal capability and kindness in controlling almost everything was useful. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a stuff like this. I can at this point look forward to my future. Thanks a lot so much for your impressive and result oriented help. I will not think twice to endorse the sites to anybody who will need care on this topic.
I dugg some of you post as I thought they were very useful very useful
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve learn this publish and if I may just I wish to counsel you some interesting issues or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles regarding this article. I want to read more issues approximately it!
As a Newbie, I am always exploring online for articles that can benefit me. Thank you
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
This is a very good tips especially to those new to blogosphere, brief and accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back down the road. Cheers
Loving the info on this website , you have done great job on the posts.
Rattling clean internet site, thanks for this post.
Hey would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
Howdy I am so thrilled I found your weblog, I really found you by accident, while I was browsing on Google for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a fantastic post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the moment but I have saved it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the excellent work.
Very interesting points you have mentioned, regards for putting up.
You have observed very interesting details ! ps decent site.
Aavant produces the best photography, event and theatre backdrops in the world and works for almost all the biggest players in the world. Being in backdrops industry for last two decades it is the largest player in the world, providing highest quality backdrops to every buyer from USA to Australia.
Aavant produces the best photography, event and theatre backdrops in the world and works for almost all the biggest players in the world. Being in backdrops industry for last two decades it is the largest player in the world, providing highest quality backdrops to every buyer from USA to Australia.
There is obviously a bundle to realize about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
I discovered your weblog website on google and examine a couple of of your early posts. Continue to maintain up the superb operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Searching for forward to studying more from you afterward!…
I’m no longer sure where you are getting your info, but great topic. I must spend a while finding out much more or figuring out more. Thank you for magnificent information I was in search of this information for my mission.
I went over this website and I believe you have a lot of great information, saved to my bookmarks (:.
Whats up! I simply would like to give an enormous thumbs up for the good information you could have right here on this post. I will probably be coming back to your weblog for extra soon.
Neat blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog stand out. Please let me know where you got your design. Thank you
Hi, just required you to know I he added your site to my Google bookmarks due to your layout. But seriously, I believe your internet site has 1 in the freshest theme I??ve came across. It extremely helps make reading your blog significantly easier.
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re incredible! Thanks!
Aavant produces the best photography, event and theatre backdrops in the world and works for almost all the biggest players in the world. Being in backdrops industry for last two decades it is the largest player in the world, providing highest quality backdrops to every buyer from USA to Australia.
I have not checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Wonderful post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thank you!
I enjoy the efforts you have put in this, thanks for all the great blog posts.
I like this blog so much, saved to fav. “American soldiers must be turned into lambs and eating them is tolerated.” by Muammar Qaddafi.
I’ve recently started a blog, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
You actually make it appear so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I believe I would by no means understand. It sort of feels too complicated and very huge for me. I’m looking forward to your next post, I’ll attempt to get the cling of it!
You made some clear points there. I looked on the internet for the subject matter and found most guys will consent with your blog.
I visited a lot of website but I believe this one has something extra in it in it
I loved up to you will obtain carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an shakiness over that you wish be handing over the following. ill for sure come further until now once more as exactly the similar nearly a lot continuously inside of case you protect this hike.
wonderful post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector do not notice this. You should continue your writing. I’m confident, you’ve a great readers’ base already!