Watch out world!

Toronto airport- can’t believe I’m already off starting my new adventure as an international college student at Lund Univeristy. I don’t know what happened to this summer, it flew by so quickly!

For those of you who had followed my blog last year, I have decided to keep up with my writings. I found out that I really do enjoy writing, and I figure that even if I’m not traveling as much as my blog desires- I am still going to be experiencing many new and exciting things over the year and I’d love to keep you all updated. Thanks to all who showed their appreciation for my blog. It really means a lot to me!

For new readers, let me catch you up on a few things. My name is Corianna and I graduated from high school in the spring of 2011. Instead of following the traditional route for an American student of going straight to college after high school, I decided to take a year abroad to work as an au pair for a family in Helsingborg, Sweden. Of course I took a few online courses from a university back home but my main focus last year was to live abroad and really find myself and find out my direction. You can read previous blogs for more information of my adventures then but a long story short is that whist over in Sverige I found Lund University, and absolutely fell in love with it. I applied for a bachelor program in Development Studies, and after much stress and uncertainty got accepted!

So here I am, in Toronto airport waiting for my next flight to Copenhagen.

Before I get ahead of myself, I can fill you in a little about my fantastic summer at home sweet home.

I recall that my first two weeks back home seemed like a month. I was doing so many things, from going to the Sangamon county fair and attending concerts to reuniting with everyone I hadn’t seen for a year.  I was so jet-lagged and I also was very pale… compared to everyone else! We’ve been having a warm summer back home, a historic drought even! The first days back I got so sunburnt you could have put on a bib and served me with butter!

Things kept active as I drove up North with my family to visit our cousins in one of my favorite places in the world, on the shores of Lake Superior. Being in nature and on the Lake is truly an amazing thing. We went kayaking and biking, and genuinely had a great time.

Things got even more exciting when my mother and I drove up to Chicago to pick up my ‘sister’ from Holland, Vera. I had re-united with her last summer in Europe, and now it was time for her to come back to the home where she spent her exchange-year as a student.

Soon after, our family drove down to Florida to visit my Grandma and catch some rays on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We spent a week there and were happily joined by my Aunt and Uncle, and I was so happy to be able to see everyone while I was back in the states!

Of course because of the heat it was difficult to do everything outside like we’d normally do, but that lead to other projects, such as totally cleaning out my family’s home and re-organizing a whole room. Because of a wonderful idea our t.v. room is now a plush, deluxe home theater.

I got enough delicious food, we hit all of my favorites and more! And the surprising thing is that even though I was eating ‘Horrible American Food’ in real American quantities, I lost weight! Goes to show that the American diet doesn’t wholly amount to obesity!

Along with getting dressed up in my cowgirl duds, riding my horse, going on a few bike rides, and really just living my life on our family farm- I had a wonderful visit back for these past few months. Wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world!

I ended my trip by welcoming in the newest exchange student, Andre from Sweden. Welcome to our home, and have a great time!

I finished this blog right in time. Now boarding passengers to the flight to Copenhagen!

Fill you in with the latest next week.

Cori 

Conclusions

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". 

That was the mindset I kept at the very beginning of this blog. I had no clue what those thousand miles would bring but only that I must keep on walking and enjoy every second of it. 


I began writing this blog while I had time to spare in Copenhagen. 

Here I am in Kastrup airport waiting outside terminal C28 for my flight that leaves in an hour. Call me crazy but I’m actually enjoying sitting and waiting here on this comfy black futon. I’m faced looking out so I can observe all the activities of the air field. Actually the reason why I mention what I’m looking at on the somewhat boring scene is that I saw a guy on a bicycle riding as fast as he could down the runway … if I didn’t know any better I would think that he was trying to fly his bike! Other than the lunatic on the bike, everything seems to be kind of normal. Guys in bright green vests preparing stuff before my plane arrives, little baggage trains zipping by, the sky is also a little average, pretty cloudy but with a little glimmer of blue barely showing through the coverage.

The last few days have been filled with reminiscing thoughts for me. I took a walk with fox down the first trail that I went on in Maria Park just before I left. I remember getting out in the country and the fields and just taking a huge breath of relief. I felt so comforted by just that feeling of space, and as I walked fox I thought about how much I have adapted to the crowded suburban life… and I actually kind of like it! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always be a farm girl but it has been really nice living in the city.

My plane has arrived. It’s blue and has a big Canadian leaf on it. Pretty soon I guess that they’ll open my gate so I can walk in and wait some more. That’s the thing about travelling. Even though you’re going so far and doing so many things there is so much waiting involved… but I love it.

During the drive down to the train station this morning I really took the time to look out the window and by doing this I recalled the first time I saw those beautiful streets. I was so amazed with the architecture and the small streets and now of course I am still appreciative but the town of Helsingborg has really grown on me… it truly feels like a second home now.

It really is amazing how by just living in a new place for a year so many new things come into your life. I never thought I would have made as many good friends as I did, I never would have fathomed the thought of actually studying in Sweden, having romances, becoming so close with my au pair family, going to Paris and Tenerife, traveling all over at least the southern part of Sweden, (too bad I didn’t make it to Stockholm BUT I will be back so that city won’t escape the wandering eyes of Cori Bowman!) and really everything that took up my time for this whole year! It has been a year and I have spent that time learning more about myself and what I can do than I ever could have doing anything else. I am so happy that I proved to myself that living abroad is something that I enjoy doing, this was a vital experiment for my future so now let the doors of opportunity fly open!

Speaking of flying, my plane is getting a ton of food delivered onto it… yummmmmy! Alright, before my battery goes out I’m going to stop this rambling and get ready to go out on my next adventure. NEXT STOP, TORONTO.

Unfortunately in Toronto my computer died so I was unable to keep up the live-stream blogging technique. I can’t even describe how great it feels to be home. I’ve been busier than a bee but I’m also as happy as can be. I’m so happy to be surrounded by friends and loved ones, I just can’t get enough. I’ve already got my country-girl back on; I’m going to my second country music concert tonight at the Sangamon County Fair, so fun!

I guess things that I am noticing the most about home right now is how laid back and easy life feels. Maybe it’s just because it’s how I grew up but everything seems so simple and dreamy here. Of course I am keeping busy but it’s just the feeling that goes through this area- take it easy. Who wants to be stressed out and hectic on warm lazy summer days like these anyway?

Well my friends, this is my final entry for this blog. It has been a hell of a year, and I thank you very much for joining me in my adventures and supporting my blog. I am undecided if I will continue writing next fall, but for now I'm going to keep enjoying my summer days at home. 

Thanks to all! 

The Last Weekend

Well, here it is. The few days which have been looming at the end of my calendar for almost a year now. I started a countdown 100 days ago, and here I am on the final digits of my journey!

This weekend being the last is also of course one of the most special weekends here in Helsingborg. This weekend was the mark of the end and a new beginning for many Swedish “seniors” as they graduated from their gymnasiums (high schools). Swedish graduation is MUCH different than the American high school graduation that I experienced.

Around two o’clock I met up with Alicia downtown so we could watch the graduates do their famous runs out of .. not necessarily a school but out of a nice building when they are announced. It was completely pouring down rain but this didn’t put a damper on the newly graduated student’s good moods at all. They had their cute sailor’s hats on and they came running out to meet up with their friends and families who were holding up signs with their names and baby pictures on them, and ready to give gifts of flower necklaces and champagne. Graduation is certainly not a sober thing for Swedes! Next the students are put on decorated trailers pulled by tractors and huge trucks and parade around downtown blowing whistles, dancing to music; it was great to experience a Swedish graduation… even in the pouring rain!

The next blog I write will be from my room back in good ol’ Illinios. I’ll take these next few days to think about all of the highlights from my year abroad and hopefully try to wrap up all of the emotions that are running through me at the end of this journey.

I leave from Copenhagen around 12pm and fly to Toronto, where I catch the next flight to Chicago and then from Chicago I fly into Springfield! It will indeed be a long day of travelling but I know when I arrive in the airport in Springfield I’ll be greeted by the most marvelous people on earth, and also greeted by the comforting feeling of home! 

"Nothing is so awesomely unfamiliar as the familiar that discloses itself at the end of a journey"

-Cynthia Ozick

10 Days

The wind and rain slapped me across the face as I stepped off the bus in Helsingborg and began walking around downtown waiting for my companions to arrive. I looked out at the water and saw huge ferocious waves billowing by and crashing against the harbors and the ferries teetering their ways to and from Denmark. I met up with Caylie in a party-store to put our birthday surprise for Erik in motion. We stocked up with a bunch of festive things, including a piñata and then ran out of the store to try and meet up with Caylie’s Mom to stash our party supplies in her car before Erik could find us and see what we had.

After a successful rendezvous we met up with Erik at the train station and then the three of us went up the stairs to the ferry entrance and bought our tickets to Denmark. Even on a cloudy day like that, it’s fun to do a little adventuring. We decided to go outside onto the front deck during our passage, where the wind was in full-force and the waves were spraying up and splashing everything left uncovered. Between the wind and the boat rocking it was pretty difficult to stand in one place. It’s amazing how alive the whole ordeal made me feel. We were cackling every time the boat rocked or the wind picked up and blew us around and even when we saw the crash of the waves spray up and the water come flinging towards us. I can begin to understand how so many sailors fell in love with the sea. I can only imagine the rush of being on a ship in the middle of the ocean during a huge storm.

That night Caylie and I showed up at Eriks with only some supplies for dinner in our hands, and everything else hidden in the car. We made him go and meet our other friend Magnus at the bus stop and as soon as he left Caylie and I started giggling like little kids and sprinted down to the car and grabbed our goodies, then rushed back up to Erik’s apartment to put Plan-Party in motion.  We got out the party hats, noise makers, balloons, hung the piñata, and got the cake out. When Erik came in he was greeted to quite a sight! 

I can officially start my 10 day countdown! I’ve already started packing and organizing some things for my trip home. The thoughts are unreal when I think about this whole year that has gone by and the fact that I’m going home so soon now. Everything that has happened… and now there are only 10 days left! Crazy! 

Sunny Inspirations

It amazes me how much the sun has an impact on how I spend my days. This past week has been blazing with rays (or sort of) and with that I have been spending as much time out in it as possible. I have found the perfect ‘schedule’ for my in-between work hours which before had me feeling like I was wasting time sitting around waiting inside or checking facebook, watching t.v., etc. I send the girls off to school, clean everything up, walk fox, then run to the gym, run back home, pack a lunch, grab fox and walk down the nature trails to the beach, spend some time lounging, then head up to pick up the girls and finish the rest of my day. I wish I could have started this system earlier but as I recall it was a bit too chilly and dark for that not so long ago… 

I headed to Malmo this Friday to turn in my work permit extension application, and to also ask some questions and such. It was a beautiful day of course and I woke up early to make sure I would have plenty of time to make it to the Migrationsverket and wait through potential lines so I could talk to someone. Once I reached the office I was relived to find that I would not have to wait in any lines, for I was one of the first people there. I had all of my paperwork in a folder and I walked up to a man who was behind the counter and I showed him my paperwork and began asking him my (very rehearsed) questions in Swedish about my permit but he just saw the application and wouldn’t hear anything that I had to say and he simply said ‘Put your permit in the box. Now you can go home.’ I was so angry, I didn’t know if I was supposed to write down certain numbers in boxes that I didn’t know what they meant, I didn’t know if I had to pay a fee or if I did how much… all he had to do was tell me! So I went back into the line and then as soon as it was my turn to talk to him again he just pointed at the box and told me again, ‘Put your permit in the box.’ So helpful! I’m glad I woke up early and went all the way to Malmo for the short time and no help from this man. But! On the brighter side of things I love traveling no matter what the cause is, and I saw some pretty amazing things on my walk to and from the Migration office such as a group of kayakers going along the canals of the city, and a beautiful church that was seemingly hidden through a cluster of magnificent trees.   

I believe I’ve mentioned before how I always meet the most interesting people on buses. Tonight I was coming home from hanging out with my friends, Caylie and Erik, and like almost every other night I get on the green bus that takes me almost straight home and plop myself in the front seat, making myself open for conversation with the driver. At this time of night I’m almost always the only person on the bus so it’s fun to be able to talk to the driver and find out their ‘story’. 

Tonight’s man was an older gentleman named Henrik. He is a Swede who has been to America several times and also to Chicago, (which is where I told him I was from). As we were talking along we spoke about several things, what I’m doing here, how I like it here, oh yes- Sweden is a great country… And when he was done grilling me with questions he changed back to his memories from the past. I couldn’t see his face when he was talking to me but I’m sure he was smiling and had a look of distant thought thrown upon his face when he told me about the time he took a greyhound bus all the way from New York City to Long Beach California in 1972 then bought a Mustang Bullitt and drove up the ocean highway then back across the country to New York. I can only imagine how great of a time he really had back in 1972… Sadly my stop came up so I had to bid Henrik adieu. I love learning people’s stories. Some of them really are an inspiration. 

Summer Is So Close, We Can Feel It!

This was a nice long weekend for me, since Swedes celebrate Ascension Day as a public holiday the weekend started on Wednesday! I spent this lovely break out in the country at Caylie's house. 

These beautiful golden fields behind us that you must be noticing are rapeseed flower fields. They are strewn across the countryside and are completely breathtaking! I keep thinking about the yellow-brick road from the Wizard of Oz, that is the color that shines from these plants. 

These past few days have been filled with time spent with friends. It's always great to be with everyone and it's even better now that it's warm and we can barbecue and sit outside and just relax.  

 We have had a few gorgeous days this past week. Today it was actually warm enough to go outside with just a t-shirt and shorts and not worry about bringing a jacket! It's funny how that thought even crosses my mind this time of year, but apparently this is almost record-breaking temperatures for May in Sweden.

Pretty soon I can start my twenty day countdown, the end of this stay seems to be speeding up to greet me. Twenty days will fly by in no time! I am very comforted in knowing that I am coming back next year, so this doesn't seem like such a final goodbye. That being said, I can't wait to go home!!

One Month

Here it is. One month exactly until I take my flight from Copenhagen and end up back home in America!

Honestly I didn't feel like it had been that long until now. Now that I know that I only have 31 days left I'm ready to just speed through them for my long-awaited reunion with my folks back home. But judging by the way that this year has flown by, I know that my wait won't be too long and I know that I should and will keep enjoying myself all the way up until the last day.

This weekend we all decided to take it relatively easy because the last few weeks have been filled with event after event. On our blustery Friday afternoon my friends and I decided that it had been too long since the last time we hopped the ferry over to Helsingor, Denmark so indeed that’s what we did. During the crossing over we climbed up to the top deck to get the best view of the approaching Danish shoreline, and were met by a fierce wind that nearly blew us over the edge of the deck!  We spent our 15 minutes laughing and trying to stand up against the wind, nearly freezing our faces off... it was a good time.

Today was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day. I brought my camera out and decided to go on a walk to Sofiero castle; but little did I know what I would run into:

 Yes, it was an amazing day full of surprises! As soon as I arrived to Sofiero, I was greeted by a car show that was being held right in front of the castle! It was really neat to see all of the cars in that atmosphere, either the old cars placed in front of the beautiful castle or the newer cars with the sparking water in the background... even for someone who isn't so interested in car models it was very fun to witness. Sofiero castle is also known for it's exquisite rhododendrons and intricate gardens, I was in heaven walking around them and viewing all of the beautiful plants and smelling the lovely floral fragrances. 

On the way back from this spectacle I decided to cut through a grassy field instead of taking the paved way home. I was walking through looking up at a few airplanes that were buzzing just above me and looked back down to see a deer laying in the grass only 20 meters away from me. At first it was just trying to hide and I didn't want to spook it but once I pulled out my camera it jumped up and started to walk away. I was really happy to see that! It looks a lot different than the deer back home.

All and all, it was a very nice weekend, and a gorgeous day. 

'Till next time