For Easter my host family took me to the wintry island of Gotland. The unpredictable Swedish weather had become cold and snowy soon before our arrival there. This weather mattered not for us as we travelled to my host father's parent's summer house to partake in the Easter festivities. The first night we were there corresponded with Good Friday or Long Friday as the Swedes call it, and so we ate a large amount of fish prepared in special Swedish ways by the grandparents. I enjoyed the food but it was difficult for me to partake in the conversion, as it was nonstop Swedish. At this point into my exchange I am speaking only very little Swedish but I am understanding quite a bit. I can understand most questions asked to me, but I answer in English.
The next few days were spent travelling around the island, enjoying the scenery and the history of the island whilst trying my best to stay warm. We saw the cliffs and rock formations of the shoreline, the boat-shaped graves of the Vikings and the churches and church ruins of the town of Visby. On the Wednesday after Easter we caught a flight back to Stockholm and drove back from there to Falun. Since then life has been ebbing along, with the days broken by school and small events. I had a dinner with the Inner Wheel ladies on this most recent Monday and I played the piano for a jazz group from a nearby school in a gig which they had at a local restaurant. I had been playing for them for a small while and, although I am not a jazz pianist I did my best for them. The night went well and I think everyone was happy with how they did, and I got a free hamburger for my part so I was also happy with the evening.
And this is about as much as needs to be said. For the next couple of months my life should be pretty stationary, and I enjoy these quiet periods. I will give my talk to Rotary soon perhaps as it seems something is stirring for that and I will travel to Uppsala for a few days away soon.
