Hej då Uppsala och Stockholm. Jag saknar dig.

Just a short update while I’m waiting at Stockholm/Arlanda airport and enjoying my last real cup of unbeatable Swedish coffee. First, I will say that my short trip to Ireland with Meg and Ryan was simply the best, a perfect way to close out a nearly perfect year in Northern Europe. Thanks for making my time so special guys, I will travel with you any time and I look forward to the travels to come. The days that have followed my most recent blog update have been filled with goodbyes, packing, stress, paying way too much for Swedish taxis, shipping boxes, traveling, and well..not sleeping much. Have I been lazy with my blog entries? Yes, that would be an understatement. Will I faithfully finish the updates I promised when I return home? TheBigSwede will not let you down. Furthermore the question has arisen as to whether or not this blog will continue to exist and be updated once ‘real life’ has resumed in Seattle. I have given it a great deal of thought and, of course, I will continue to write and post. Now all you wonderful people abroad can keep tabs of your favorite Swede from your respective German speaking countries. Lucky you!

This past year has been…you know what, I can’t come up with the words. Indescribable perhaps. It is with a heavy heart that I say farewell to you Stockholm, and you Uppsala, and all of Sweden which I so dearly love. You have changed me. I came as an American and left a Swede. Stop laughing, I’m serious. Its a shift of perception, really, and of custom of course. You understand. I know this isn’t goodbye forever, Sweden, for surely I shall grace your beauty again, hopefully before long. What I am feeling right now is much better then I could have ever hoped for when I first conceived that crazy notion to study abroad. Thats all it was really. Me sitting under a cherry-blossom tree on campus, dreaming and schemeing and having wild visions of studying half the way around the world. And you know what? Dreams can come true, no matter how crazy. Go for your dreams. Find a tree, find some paper and a pen, take a few hours by yourself and make some plans. Shoot high, aim for the moon, try to remember just what you dreamed of when you were growing up. Make some goals and get about the business of making them happen. It CAN happen. I’m so glad I chased after one of my wild ideas, it changed my life. Im confident it will for you too.

Time to pass security and get on my way. Woohoo, a 2 hour flight to London followed by 15 hours of layover until a loooong trip to Vancouver and finally on to Seattle. Good thing I brought a good book! Can’t wait to see all your smiling faces at home. Check back often, more updates to come (with pretty pictures!). Until then, ha det så bra, sköt om dig och vi ses snart. Jag älskar dig Sverige och ska för alla tid. Hej då.