Weeks 6 and 7 Update from Växjö Sweden

I am so sorry I haven't posted lately. Nothing has really happened to cause great excitement lately. Last week, I had class on both Tuesday and Thursday. This class is the Swedish language night class, which Mariah attends with me. It is a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I'll just have to work harder to make my Pass with Distinction (that's the highest grade here; they don't use ABCD or F).

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On Wednesday the 20th, Mariah started piano lessons at Växjö Kulturskola, Växjö cultural school of the arts. It is a very hard to get into school of music, theatre, and art. Local students have to to be 7 years old to attend and have to audition and interview to get in. Her teacher, Ulrick, agreed to keep her as a student after her first meeting/ lesson. Before this Mariah was taking lessons with a concert pianist from Stockholm that lives outside the Växjö area. It was just too far away and the language barrier was too great. During next week's lesson, I will take pictures and post more details.

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This past weekend, we decided we were tired of traveling. We spent the entire weekend at home in and around the apartment and the university. What boring people we were. Oh well, everyone needs lazy time once and a while.

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This week began with a welcome dinner at the Teleborg Castle. This dinner was presented to the exchange students from the town of Växjö. The mayor and vice mayor were in attendance, as well as many other people in the community including the director of education in Växjö. She was very interested in our perspectives about Mariah school, Furutå förskola, and her teachers. The dinner wasn't fancy. It was mainly sandwiches and finger foods. Then a guided tour of the castle.

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Other than the normal, going to class for me and going to school for Mariah then coming our apartment to relax and going to the park or the lake, we have not done much this week. We are leaving tomorrow for Copenhagen Denmark. We are traveling there by train and will stay at our favorite hotel chain here the Scandic hotels. We will be back late Sunday and will update then!

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We love and miss you all. Thank you for thinking of us and remembering us while we are gone. We can't wait to see everyone in December. There are only 85 days left in our amazingly wonderful trip of a lifetime. Thank you God, mom, and dad, for this oppurtunity, for your love and support.

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Happy is the man who finds wisdom and understanding for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and profit better than gold. - Proverbs 3:13,14