Land of the free, home of the...

Ever since I was a child I dreamed about going to the US. My elder cousins both got to go as teenagers to live for a year in the US as exchange students. That became my dream too. I kept telling my parents that this was what I planned. Not what I would like to, or what I was wishing for, or dreaming of, I just told them what I was planning... My poor parents... I started attacking and going at them when I was eight or nine. And I just kept going. Very dedicated that way. And they kept telling me I was too young. Obviously. I had to at least have finished the 9th grade first. In Sweden after finishing the 9th grade you have 3 more years of high school before you are ready to go to college. (If you choose to go to college).

Anyway. Summer of 1991... I had just turned 16. School was out for the summer. Freedom. In August I was leaving on a jet plane. I was going to leave Sweden, my family and my friends, and go to the Land of Dreams. Where miracles not only happen but where they happen all the time, right? I was expecting to meet new friends, get to know a new culture and expand my language skills. I got to have all that, and so much more.

Everything was new. Everything was exciting. People spoke funny, not at all like my English teacher in school. They spoke really fast, too. I got to live in a house with three cats. I went to church twice a week (!). I went to church choir practise. Imagine that. On Sundays I sang in a church wearing a very strange looking robe. I went to school riding a yellow school bus (like in the movies!). I had Pop Tarts. Disgusting. I had Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper. Weird. Junk food. Oh yeah. Taco bell. Chinese take-out. Wendys. Hardees. BK. McD. It's a miracle I didn't put on any weight... I watched Mystery Science Theatre. I fell in love with REM. I joined the Drama Club. People actually asked me if the Swedish bikini team really existed. I answered that I didn't think so. People asked me it we had a lot of polar bears in Switzerland. I didn't answer that. I went out on dates. I kissed a boy. I fell, in a rather humiliating and embarrassing way, getting out of his car afterwards. I fell in love. I had a boy spit his gum in my hair to save the world from disaster. I got dumped. I made a lot of friends. I went to school dances, one homecoming and two proms. Not my thing. I went hiking. Definately my thing. I learned a lot. About the US. About other people. About myself. Land of the free, home of the weird... I mean brave. :)

It was a wonderful year, so fully packed with good memories. I met a beautiful, warm and welcoming people. I made friends for life. The memories I will keep forever. I will never forget 1991-1992. I am so very thankful my parents let me go. Now, If E asks, will I let her go live abroad for a year...? Hmmm... Well, she hasn't asked yet. Let's just leave this topic. Now.