Now, those days of dilatoriness are done. I'm BACK, and I'm back with exciting stories and photos to share.
Just this quick update that should pretty much sum it all up: I have been in Sweden for the past six weeks, and will remain here for the next fifteen. I have engaged in some travel already, which has been nice.
My first trip outside of my current city, Växjö, was to the world's first IKEA, in Älmhult. Älmhult is a really small town in Småland (a southern region of Sweden), and the IKEA is proportional to the town. A busload of exchange students piled out and then into the store to gather supplies for their stay in Sweden. My purchases included pots and pans, a duvet cover and pillow case, candles, a clothes hamper, a towel, and a plant. The walk from the bus to my apartment upon arrival back in Växjö nearly killed my plant, but a few weeks of love and above freezing temperatures has revived it to its natural state of happy, healthy greenery. :)
My next trip was a ski trip! I had not been downhill skiing for a few years, so I jumped at the opportunity to shoot down some dinky slopes in Hestra, about an hour away from Växjö. It was such a nice getaway! I was with a diverse group of friends, some of whom had never skied before and some who skied regularly in the Alps. Then there were myself and Amanda, two girls who have been skiing since age four, but primarily in the Mid-West. So, we were the middle ground, but we rocked it. It was a warm day so the man-made snow was terrible to ski on (especially since it all got clumped together, leaving the other areas scraped of snow with only ice to offer). We all had a great time though, and were just happy to be out and about getting some fresh air blowing through our hair.
My third trip was to Sweden's third largest city, Malmö. My friends Mark, Norm, Annelie and myself all woke up before the crack of dawn to
drive the three hours to the southern coast.
Malmö is known as Sweden's gateway to continental Europe with its Öresund bridge spanning about 4.5 miles across the water, connecting it to Denmark's capital, Copenhagen. Annelie had to take a test in Malmö for the majority of the day, so Mark, Norm and I wandered down to the water,then to the sole skyscraper in the city (The Turning Torso, built in 2005), 
and finally back to the city center where we delighted in the charming squares that Malmö is known for.
On our way back towards Växjö, the four of us stopped to engage in an activity that I was never aware that Swedes did, but DEFINITELY do, and on a very regular basis: candy shopping. Apparently, Swedes average 17 kg of candy per person/year. The candy store we chose was "Godis Flyget," or, "Candy Airplane." Yes. It is true. A candy store inside an airplane. It was amazing.
My most recent trip was this past weekend to Copenhagen, which was an adventure chock-full of stories and photos to share. So, we will save that post for a later date, but soon to come. Thanks for joining me. Keep in touch! :)
