Weekend Escape to Vimmerby Conclusion.

After a fun filled weekend of lots of walking and excitement, we boarded the train home. We arrived back to our apartment after 7pm last night. We had lots of fun. Now its time to rest and relax until our week starts tomorrow. The only thing on today's agenda was grocery shopping. Which is an experience in its own. We walk 1/2 a mile to ICA (pronounced eecuh) with our empty bookbags on. Here you have to bring your own bags or purchase bags to carry your groceries in. We do the shopping, loaded our bookbags and two plastic bags. Then we walk back to the apartment, all the while Mariah is rolling her bookbag.

This week there are really no big plans. Just pre-k for Mariah on Monday through Thursday. Then on Friday this week, I actually start orientation at the university and Mariah is suppose to attend too.

We miss everyone very much and love ya. We can not wait see you in 116 more days.

Weekend Adventure in Vimmerby Sweden 2

This weekend was supposed to be Mariah’s special escape weekend. I think we achieved that. Mariah loves Pippi now more than ever. Mariah got to actually meet Pippi and play at Villa Villekulla (Pippi’s house). She got to ride on Pippi’s pony and play at Emil’s Farm. There was even a play hotel with slides to exit the building. We ate dinner at Lotta’s Kitchen which is a pasta place right in the heart of Astrid Lindgren World (Värld). While eating dinner, we were accompanied by a wild bird that flew into the front door. It didn’t actually land at our table or any tables. It chased it out. We decided after dinner just flew in and then the waitress to shop at some of the little places in the park. We only purchased one souvenir, a book “Do You Know Pippi Longstocking” in English of course. There was a big obstacle course that Mariah enjoyed. It was called Don’t Touch The Ground, a play on the game Pippi plays don’t touch the floor at her home Villa Villekulla. A local sculptor and artist in Hjorted Smaland Sweden, hand carved all the animals out of local solid oak. These were in addition to all the real animals that were there to see too.

Just a little bit of information about the park. Astrid Lindgren’s World is a storybook setting come to life, with lots of fun things to see and do. So much in fact, that it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. The theme park dates back to 1981 and last year the record for the number of visitors was 352,000 just during the summer season. The park features many of Astrid’s best loved settings including Katthult, Bullerbyn (Noisey Village), the house of Karlsson, Matt’s Fort, and Troublemaker street. Here you can meet Pippi, Emil, Karlsson on the Roof, Mardie, Rasmus, the Brothers Lionheart, and other children’s favorites face to face. They are portrayed by a team of around 70 actors who play and sing in character. Also, at the park is Little, Little Town. It is a scaled model of the Vimmerby as it was in the 1930s when Astrid Lindgren grew up. It is built child-friendly for exploration.

Weekend Adventure in Vimmerby Sweden

We had a good week. Mariah went to school Tuesday through Thursday. On Friday, we left for a little get away to Vimmerby, Sweden. Vimmerby is where famous children's writer Astrid Lindgren grew up and based many of her books, including Pippi Longstocking. We traveled train both ways. Upon arrival we walked through the town Centrum (downtown). The whole town is about the same size as Växjö. In the Centrum is a bunch of small shops, the information center, a small stage, and of course a really cool playground. This playground is also centered around the Pippi theme. The main part of the playground has a huge Captain Longstocking (Pippi's Papa) Ship and the tiny play cottages. Mariah had a blast. After some playtime, we headed up to Astrid Lindgren's World and Campsite.

Upon arrival we were able to go ahead and check in to the cabin. Now, I knew that it was a camping cabin and I didn't expect air conditioning or plush amenities, but this was roughing it for me. It was a very small cabin with only one window that could open. It had a sink, a fridge, 2 sets of bunk beds, and a table. That’s it, there was no running water. For showers, cooking, and using the potty, we had to go to a community service cabin that you couldn't were shoes in. At least our high temperature was only 73 on Friday and 66 on Saturday. All around the cabin there were plenty of things to entertain children, ranging from 3 playgrounds, a put-put golf course, and these large boulder rocks that Mariah likes to climb on. I do think all in all we enjoyed the cabin and it was cute on the outside.

Mariah's School

This is the front of Mariah's building. It goes from age 2 through Pre-K (age 4). Opposite is Mariah on the playground. She has already made friends with some of the little girls in her class.

This is the front of the main building. This building goes up through 6th grade.

Tire swings Overview of playground from the door. This is the playhouse. Big slide Inside the barn, is where the trikes are kept. Notice more tires.

Pictures of the Outside and Inside of Our Apartment

The bedroom. The horse ranch. This picture was taken from our bedroom window. The living room.

Close-up of living room. We love this chair! Eat in kitchen. Desk area, between living room and bedroom. Kitchen. No microwave or dishwasher. :( Front of Outside

Front of Outside

Pictures of Växjö University Campus: Including the pond, the lake, the castle, and the fruit orchard

Trummen Lake, right beside campus. Teleborg Castle Centrum of the Vaxjo, the two points are the cathedral. This is from campus side of Trummen. Teleborg Castle

Campus flower pond. Fruit Orchard. We have picked some fruit, but haven't tried it yet. Mariah standing by the small campus pond.

This is the front of the main building on campus. The first site we saw when we arrived.

First Växjö Update!

Sorry, I haven’t posted. This first week has been very difficult for both me and Mariah. We had very good flights the entire way from Jacksonville, NC to Stockholm, Sweden. There was a slight delay in Charlotte due to new security measures. Upon arrival in Germany at the large Frankfurt International airport, we did get lost but eventually we found an English speaking security agent to help us. We arrived in Stockholm on Sunday August 13th at about 12.30 pm our time! Then we set off driving. After wasting almost a full hour driving around Stockholm in circles, we were on our way in the rain. Exhausted we arrived in Jönköping around 4 pm. Jönköping is a large town in central Sweden. To the north and the east the town is surrounded by large natural lakes. To the west is what we would call foothills. To the south is forest and farm land. This is the direction we would take in the morning. We were able to get a room at the Scandic Elmia Hotel at a decent last minute student rate for only one night. Monday we set off to finish our drive to Växjö. We were supposed to be only about 1.5 hours away. It took us almost 3 hours though. Driving wasn’t bad. At least they do drive on the right side of the road! Our biggest changes with driving are turnabouts, speed limits, and lack of stop signs. Turnabouts are abundant at every intersection big or small. The two intersecting roads have no stop signs, just yields. Then the roads lead into a big two lane circle with a landscaped center circle. The locals fly into and out of these, most the time without signal lights. The speed limit is always in km/hour here. On the major road from Stockholm (E4), it is like I40 or I95, the limit is only posted when the road is passing through a town. Other times people just fly. Oh well, that is enough about that. I have turned in the rental car. So, now there is no more driving just Pat (left) and Charlie (right). The university is very nice. It is under construction in certain areas. It has grown more than double in the past few years. Our apartment is on campus. It is not very old. We got very lucky; our apartment is on the back side of campus. We over look the horse ranch from all the windows. It is a much better view than construction or one of the university pubs. To the east is Trummen Lake and Teleborg Castle. To the south is our favorite horse ranch. To the west more lakes that I don’t know names of yet. To the north is the Centrum of Växjö, what we would call downtown. Everything here is located downtown. For us it would be quite a walk over 2 kilometers, so we take the bus. Luckily, the bus stops right at our apartment building. Mariah had her first day of school here on Wed. Her school is Gläntan Furutå Förskola. They focus on creativity and imagination. There are two teachers in her class, one female and one male. There are 14 students and then 2 part-time students. They play outside everyday for at least 2-3 hours no matter the weather. Have I mentioned its rainy season! Well, I am going to quite for now. Be sure to check out the pictures of our first week too! God Bless all of you. We miss everyone dearly but will see you in 126 more days!

As The Time Winds Down....

Only a few more days until we are suppose to board the plane bound for Sweden. We have finally begun last minute preparations. However, we still have NO residence visas. I have spoke with the Consulate General in New York and Anne at the International House in Vaxjo has spoke with the head of the department at the Migration Board. But, there it has all been without prevail. I can't help but worry right now. Yet, I am trying to turn my worry over to God. At this point all I can do is pray about it and leave it in God's hands to control. This past Saturday was the going away party that my parents threw for us. I decided to do the cooking, since it would be the last time for a while that I get the opportunity to cook like that. I was so thrilled to have a bunch of my church family there to say good bye. Other than God, who will be with me through my travels, my parents, who I will miss so very dearly, and my immediate close personal family friends and second mom Greta; my church family are the next most important people in my life. I thank everyone so much for their support and encouragement. I, especially, thank my parents. Without their love, support, encouragement, and help, this wouldn't have ever been an opportunity. I am so attached to my parents and I some times wonder if they know how very much they mean to me and Mariah and how much we love them. I will deeply miss them and think of them all the time.