Sweden – Day 5 | Lerum to Ystad |

It was hard saying a goodbye today, and it just seemed hard today, harder than I thought it would be to leave lerum. After arriving at school in a rainy weather, we started with these sets of interviews – by students for their project about homo sexuality across different cultures, then about the opinion on death penality, about Human Rights situation and then a more formal one by the local newspaper about our stay in Sweden, the reason, the experiences, and cultural differences between India and Sweden and Norway. We then rushed to meet the SP2 class who were there, all gathered to tell us a proper bye. Pictures of these 4 days played on that big screen, and our dearest Mattias said the last amazing words to us. After loads of hugs and e mail address exchanges, we left Lerum with Åsa, who dropped us at the station.

We miss the amazing people of Lerum, and I say WE here cause I’m sure that my fellow Indian FKs think the very same. We felt at home from the time Mattias, Lene and Åsa picked us up at the Goterberg Central Station. And we felt welcome, all the time and no one could have taken better care of us… well, they did everything anyone could have done to take care of us. Lerum was an experience that we still talk about in Ystad now and even amongst ourselves. We felt great talking to students about our country and hear from them about theirs. It was great to talk about the differences in religious importance in the two societies, the power of the youth in the cosiety, the freedom available here, the differences in the education system, the differences in the relationships one has and the way one deals with it, and the opportunities available here. And in addition to these fantastic discussions, we met some fantabulous people who are just just fantabulous.

We are now in Ystad, the second school here in South Sweden which plans to send it students to Christ University this November and also some during the next year. We met two students of the Natural resource use programme who will definitely be coming to Bangalore this November, Marshall and Hanna, really sweet.After eating a spicy dinner (according to sharath, it was 50-60% of Indian chilli), we tried our hands at a Swedish cards game, which was ‘socialising’ as all what we did was stare at each other (it was part of the game).

Hanna and Marshall are definate to visit us in Blore in November

I wanted to mention about this place Ystad. Its amazingly beautiful and calm, and it just feels different being here. It is definitely very beautiful a place.

A glimpse of Ystad...

We are looking forward to the stay in Ystad now. Looking forward to meet new people with different perspectives and also looking forward to meet people who will join us in Bangalore in November. I leave this Saturday, quite a short stay in Ystad and quite less time with these new people, but I am looking forward to meet my dearest brother this Sunday after 6months, so that balances it for me now. It was great representing my country in Lerum and receiving an over whelming response. It’s probably a feeling which I cant exactly explain. But it was a feeling I will remember for a long time. And now, its in Ystad.

Thank you Lerum.

Sweden - Day 3 + 4

Due to the unavailability of internet, updating the blog was not possible yesterday! (apology to readers, if there are any!)

Yesterday and today proved to be some very adventurous and fun filled days. We had some presentations, after which we met the Head of the Social Science programme and discussed and spoke about various topics under the sun! We also ate a typical cake called Semla, which is eaten specifically yesterday, cause its called the FAT TUESDAY, as its the day prior to the lent fest.

thats Semla... with loads of cream and you need to find your own way to eat it!

In the afternoon, the amazing staff who takes care of us, arranged for us meetings with students and other people who could give us more information about our personal project. I was with the class constituting only of immigrants who were learnign swedish and the swedish societal sysem. It was amazing, and at the same time upsetting to here some of the stories which they had to share, but it was definately an experience worth remembering. I also met a girl, originally from Afganistan, and we found it easy to communicate in Urdu-Hindi. I got a banana as a gift from her :)

We left for the before hand planned camp and it began amazingl with all of us cooking! There was rice, chicken curry and vegetable curry (for information regarding that, contact our head vegetarian chef, Sara) The camp continued with some funny games to get the group together, musical chair, touch the chair in the middle and then 10@74 game invented by the Indians in the train from Östersund - Göterberg about the caste system. It worked well (lucky us!!!) After playing idli-vada-coffee, we decided to give us some sleep at around 00.00.

Today, after one presentation about India, we had discussion about the cultural differences between the two countries. It was amzing hearing what these students had to say about different issues. Some points which we talked about even made me and them think - Are there way too many oppurtunities in their country here? Does that make it more difficult to choose an occupation? How much do we value the power to say NO? Do they feel the need to have a strnger religion system? What do I think of the differences of the cultures here? Will arrange marriage be accepted by Swedish youth? Immigrants and their integration into the society... we went on for nearly and hour and everyone of us left thinking about something or the other! Then we left for ice skating. It turned out better than any of us expected. The falls were minimal, and it was not hard to stand on the ice, as we thought it would be. Our professional instructors - Mattias, Åsa and Sara were the best in helping us out.

After a quick dinner, we left to watch the Bollywood Exhibition which was very intersting and for a change, at that time, we (indians) acted as guides :) It was not just movies, but bollywood songs and dances, Hindu Gods and Goddess's statutes done beautiful and a brief detailing of the same given.

This picture is of one of the walls where many Bollywood films' posters were put up.

at the Bollywood exhibition...

It was great two days of thinking and loads of perspectives,interaction and definately loads of fun. In all, Lerum has been one great experience - be it interactions, be it talking about our country, be it meeting some amazing people, be it having some amazing discussions.

Tomorrow is our last morning in Lerum, and then we are off to Malmö.

Sweden - Day 2

The day couldn't have been more fun and amazing. After waking up and being a part of a swedish birthday celebration in the morning ( Sanna's younger brother) we left to the school and all of us met again. We were introduced in the teacher meeting to the whole school and to my surprise, I found this school bigger than i expected it to be - 150 teachers and around 1600 students - well, that was loads when I thought about the schools I saw and went to for my praksis in Norway. After a brief introduction, we were at work - preparing for presentations, doing the last minute works, etc. In all, I think we had 8-10 presentations which were divided amongst us. It was great, especially due to the response we got from the students. Inquisitive, questions, comments - all acted as a motivation for us to talk about our country, our host organisation and presenting different topics. We covered mainly India, CSA (our host organisation), religion in India, Indian politics ans economy, a brief importance of Mahatma Gandhi, gender roles in India and the concept of love and marriage. It was amazing standing their talking about your country, and it couldn't have felt better talking to groups who were interested in hearing you. We had different questions which made the sessions more interesting - about the caste system, what happens if you want to marry a person from a different religion, is pre-marital sex ok in India, culture shocks after being in a scandanavian country, etc., etc..

After a small discussion, conversation with Mattias about the differences in the cultures across the world, the level of tolerance, the economic development and also the economic segregation of countries on the basis of availability of resources, the education system in Sweden, India and Norway, we both decided to part ways meet at 7.30pm for a very Swedish concept of exercise, something called friske and svettis - and what is that - well, its one hour of vigorous training with music and some what like aerobics. It was funny and tiring and an experience which nearly all of us are bound to remember. It is a very swedish concept to get people together, and also at the same time concentrate on having a healthy body and life.
That was seriously fun.

And now I am waiting for tomorrow - overnight camp with students who plan to go to Bangalore this november..that should mean more fun, more discussions and more interesting perspectives.

sweden - Day 1

Its 5.45pm now, and the day is almost to an end, and I cant believe it. I think the name of this blog should be changed to 'quickly passing days...Hmmmm... Well, the four Indians right now are in Sweden and the two guatemalans in Fyresdal. Its probably the first time (except our vacations) that that 6 FKs are not together.

So, we are in Sweden after a very long train journey which began yesterday at 1.25 from röra, then to trondheim, then to Östersund, and then to Götterberg. We were recieved by the very sweet Mattias, äsa and Lina who are the staff of the swedish school which plans to send some of its students to India and to Christ University. It was amazing spending the day just walking and looking around in a very amazing weather with loads of sun :) Met Sara, who is planning to go to India and had very many small conversations about food, religion and differences in culture.
Then met my host family (in lärum) Sana, who is also planning to go to India and went to a bowling evening so that we could meet all the others as well.

After just one day (not even literally one day) Sweden seems different from Norway... but dont ask me how, but it just feels different. Its more old here.. as in the house and the look of it, though some places looks way too developed, people are more comfortable talking english (atleast the ones we met.. it may also be cause they know we dont know swedish).
But one thing remains the same - people here are also extra and super sweet :)

This was just the first day which has made most us excited about our further stay here. Lets see.

fredskorpset 2008-09

thats us in Trondheim :)

praksis and more...

Well, it was a special and long day, and for reasons way too many to mention here. Sitting in the hagestua, or the internet room, I realised again how time is flying. Well, its already 20th February (and in 2 and a half hours, it will be 21st). Time is flying, and no doubts that I've begin to realise it and feeling a little sad... Not sad about coming back (well, i'm waiting to see those familiar faces back home) but sad of leaving these people behind whom I've been close to in the past (soon) 6months..
lets leave that thought for now...

Today was the last day of my Praksis in Inderøy Ungdomskole and it ended with a smile on my face, and some sweet memories and thoughts. We had Action Day today, something which started last year, and we continued it this year and something which actually made us a little tensed as we wondered how it would be, but it went great. Made indian food (trust me.. it was loads of food making), watched Water, had a discussion about it, spoke about CSA and India, had culturals for the occasion, and said a bye to many people there.

It felt beautiful when Frida came up and told that she'll miss seeing me around, it was sweet when the teacher (whom I do not know the name of) came up and said, ''Its not your last day.. you're here till June, so you have to come visit us'', it felt nice when Nils gave me a hug and said that he'll miss talking to me...
What relation do I have with these people? I just had Praksis in this school for a little over a month, three days a week.. thats all. Its amazing when I see how people can be.. especially, to a stranger like me.

I first wondered why we have this Praksis and even remember enquiring with Ms. I about the same, but now realised that subtly, so many thoughts have came into my mind, and so many experiences, experienced. And it is true, you learn more when you have different things around you, especially a whole different society, a whole different system and some amazing people.

Thank you Inderøy Ungdomskole for that sweet welcome and that beautiful farewell.
I will come visit again :)

Now, I am off to Sweden.

one of the many beautiful sunsets in this part of the world...