Coming Home

On Friday, November 6, 2015, we boarded British Airways for a 10-hour direct flight from Copenhagen, Denmark to Phoenix, Arizona.
The days were beginning to turn darker and colder in the Scandinavian countries, and while our experience as Baristas in Southern Sweden had given us more memories than we could ever recall, we were excited to come home to warmer weather and sunnier days.  For us, as we reflect on the stages of living abroad, we notice that we first race full throttle into the new country and culture.  Almost immediately, we play with the language, sample local fare, memorize the currency, inquire about religion, and navigate our way around on public transportation.

Secondly, we settle down and in and direct our affections and energy to accomplish our Mission Corps job description.  This time, we worked in a coffee shop/cafe in Arrie, a small village located in the agricultural bread basket of Sweden.  The customers were real and a joy to meet.  The volunteers that we worked with while there are unforgettable.  This second stage has wings on it, and it rapidly carries time day by week by month.  Days are filled with laughter, genuine conversation, new friendships, excellent coffee and tasty regional dishes.

Then comes that third stage: leaving and coming home.  The Swedish culture has a grand tradition: they take a long time to say good-bye.  By mid-October, our neighbors, customers and church friends began asking when we were coming home.  They started saying goodbye, dropping by, bringing a gift, taking photos and asking more about our personal lives.  We love their conventional and intentional manner of saying farewell.  They just can't say a speedy "vi ses."  This made all our connections seem so genuine.  

Our 10-hour flight on November 6th & 7th was uneventful, which is always a grand relief when flying.  We landed on time and all of our luggage arrived, too, which is a grand relief when flying.

Coming back to our "heart country," America, always makes us feel good.  Our country's blue passports sometimes arouse curiosity.  This time, waiting in a long queue before our early departure from Copenhagen, Denmark,  a young man from another foreign country saw our passports and said, "America?"  Yes.  "Oh. That is the best!"  We agree.  Coming home...

If you are coming home for the holidays this year, we wish you the Best Christmas Ever!  And, if you are far from family this year, we pray that you will feel the full blessings of this Holy Season.

Keep Looking Up,
J:m and L:nda      And, thank you for reading our blog.

Things We Like About Sweden

Last week, we concluded a quick trip across the Southern portion of Denmark by train and ended up in Copenhagen before returning to Malmo, Sweden.  We visited Sweet Surrender Cafe to have lunch with our District Superintendent.  The cafe was busy.  Mothers had gathered there with their babies for their weekly meeting.  Babies played in an area created especially for them.  This is one thing that we like about Sweden.  Most cafes and even restaurants have areas for children.  They preoccupy themselves while parents and friends sip their coffees, eat cinnamon rolls, and talk about occurrences of the day.   We like this about Sweden.

Another thing we like about Sweden is that they "queue" up nicely.  No one pushes or shoves or even cuts in line; well, practically no one.   Not here. Whether there is a number system or not, they enter the business, look around, locate the end of the line and go there to stand. Quietly.  This makes us smile.  We love this system.

Swedes, by their own admission, are very quiet.  They are quiet on the bus, on the train, in the restaurant, in stores...you get the message.  They work very hard at arriving at the right balance and staying there. Lean closer or you will miss that last sentence.

Swedes ride bikes.  Everywhere!  Regardless of the weather, they roll from one place to another.  And, they have very innovative bike designs, too.  Sweden is bike-friendly and they have well-designed cycling routes - really a network of paths that allow bikers to arrive safely  at their destination.  As we sit on the city bus, we imagine we will see someone fall off their bike today.  This has never happened.  They grow up on bikes and stay on them into adulthood - into their 80s!

Swedes are both friendly and polite.  They do not mind "quietly" engaging in conversations and are most helpful in department stores and restaurants.  In the cafe where we volunteer, they do not mind sharing information about their culture and traditions.  Many Swedes have visited the states and like to tell about their experiences.

Swedes are diligent employees and they work hard, but only Monday-Friday, 8-5pm; that is, until October 2015 when Sweden introduced a six-hour working day.  This in an effort to make people happier (the needle is already off the Happy Chart here) and to increase productivity.  You see, they want to get more done in a shorter amount of time in order to have more time and energy to enjoy more coffee and more biking.
This is a good reason to like Sweden.



Swedes love cheese and bread.  As a result, we like the Swedes!




However, they do not have the best toilet paper in the world.  So far, outside of the U.S.A., Finland comes in a strong second.  But this is forgivable because Swedes do not wear outside shoes in their homes, and they are always on time.



Swedes are world-class recyclers!
They recycle correctly when no one is looking!  They say so. Also, statistics prove that 99% of all household waste in Sweden is recycled.  They have color-coded bins for paper, plastic, metal, batteries, and electric gadgets. Even light bulbs have their own bin.





These are just a few of the reasons why this volunteer assignment with Mission Corps has been an incredible adventure.  Traveling is not just about cheese, punctuality, biking and recycling.  It is about leaning into cultures and traditions, which are actually people.  Travel changes us and inspires us.
However, we do not have to leave our country to find change or inspiration.  "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters...in the end." (Ernest Hemingway)

More about our journey...thank you for reading our blog.
   Keep Looking Up
       J:m and L:nda