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YOUTH NEWSThis past June, I spent two weeks inSweden with my sister, Lauren, and closefriend, Eva Carlson. The trip occurred ata very important time in our lives.Growing up in Ohio, my family hasknown the Carlson family since Eva and Iwere both very young. Over the years ourfamilies supported one another throughtough times and great accomplishment.Together we celebrated Lucia Day,enjoyed Swedish meatballs and sharedmany late nights – skål! This summerpresented the perfect opportunity for Eva,Lauren and I to finally visit the countrywe learned so much about over the years,as well as the chance to spend valuabletime together before each of us embarkedon new academic and professional adventures.Without hesitation, we purchasedtrain tickets, confirmed the hostel reservations,and finalized our trip schedule.With Eva fluent in Swedish, I needed toonly learn a few essential phrases (sommarrea, fika, jag älskar dej), buy a camera,and pack my backpack.My First Trip to SwedenLanding in Stockholm and navigatingto the hostel proved to be more difficultand bewildering than expected. To remedyour hunger and jet-lag, we quicklyfound a corner shop and ordered lunch.Sitting outside, watching as peoplerushed by in every direction, the sunfinally calmed us and I began to sink intothe peaceful rhythm of the city. Over thenext two weeks we traveled fromStockholm to Göteborg to Östersund bybus, boat, train and car. Family andfriends greeted us at each stop, openingtheir homes and sharing a glimpse oftheir lives with us. Exploring the cities,we enjoyed frequent pauses for ‘fika’ andindulged in the refreshing taste of ‘glass.’We navigated the difficult bus system inGöteborg and played soccer in the backyardwith Eva’s cousin’s children. Wevisited the church on Frösön andexplored Viking ruins. In every communitywe visited, a love for family and alove for nature were apparent. During ourfinal few days in Östersund, as I lookedout onto Lake Storsjön, I began to fullyrecognize the intricate yet simple characteristicsof the surrounding terrain. Anystress and worries I felt for the futurewere stripped away and replaced by anoverwhelming love and appreciation forthe people I met and experiences weshared.At the end of the summer the Carlsonfamily moved from Ohio, back toSweden. I started a new job inWashington, DC and Lauren began herfirst year of college in Cleveland, Ohio.It may be many years until we are alltogether again. I realized that sometimesit takes a trip away from daily activity toreinforce the importance of unconditionalfriendship and support. My time inSweden gave me a fresh outlook for thefuture and a renewed sense of love for thepeople I value in my life – and for that Iwill always be thankful.Submitted by: Ashley Starks,Mentor, OhioVasa Star October-December 2011 ww.vasaorder.com Page 17