May Highlights

... in photographs. Lots of little things happened in May so I'm hoping these photos will help put you in the loop!

Småland

During May I visited the beautiful province of Småland, a few hours south of Linköping, on a number of occasions for both business and pleasure.

First I was in Nybro visiting Thomas and Birgitta, the couple I stayed with for Christmas. It was nice to spend time with them catching up on all that has happened since last we saw each other. In Nybro I gave two presentations to Rotary Clubs and both gave generous donations towards imPATCHit. I also got to walk through a very rainy spring market and admire all the local handcraft. There was even time for a study visit to a Rotarian’s engineering factory that makes parts for Boeing airplanes.

After a weekend in Nybro, which included my side trip adventures in Stockholm, I went to Torsås to spend an evening with Lena and Bo, the couple that hosted me during the district conference. Even though I was only there for short time I was very busy. I gave 3 presentations on South Africa at 2 local high schools. The presentations went really well and I even taught the classes how to sing Shosoloza so they could sing while watching the Soccer World Cup. The pupils seemed to really enjoy it and I had them all dancing and singing along. The last class enjoyed it so much that they asked to do it again!

Afterwards I had another study visit to a spring factory which turned out to be one of the most interesting places I’ve ever visited. I’m such an engineer!

That evening I spoke at another Rotary club and for the first time ever I had individual Rotarians asking to privately sponsor a goGo for a year. From that single meeting I raised 15 000 crowns for imPATCHit! I spent the evening at “the end of the world” with Stefan and Lyn. Their village was so small and hidden out in the forest that they knew everyone on a first name basis. The one farm had even been owned by the same family for  almost 16 generations!

The next morning they drove me to Kalmar, the biggest city in the area, where another two study visits had been organised for me. The first was with a city councillor who is involved with projects with a sister municipality near Stellenbosch in South Africa. The second was with a professor at Linneås University, Sweden’s newest university, who is involved with environmental engineering issues. Both were very interesting and I learnt a lot!

By this time I was exhausted I was glad to be catching the train back to Linköping. Although it was not my last time in Kalmar. Two weeks later I returned to speak at the Kalmar Rotary Club. I arrived the day before and spent the evening with Yael, the Rotarian who organised the RYLA seminar.

The next morning she took me to the island of öland just across the water from Kalmar. We visited old castle ruins and the Royal Families summer palace. I even got a chance to take photos of the famous windmills that are scattered all over the island.

Then it was time for the Rotary meeting. This was the biggest club I’ve visited, close to 60 people, and I had to give my presentation from a stage so that everybody could see me. Word had gotten around that I was speaking and my Exchange student and RYLA friends were also at the meeting. It was great seeing them all again and afterwards we spent some time together in the town.

Of all the places in Sweden, Småland easily became one of my favourites. With its tiny rock walled farms, wild forests, magnificent coast line and of course friendly people this is an area I’ll never forget and one of the places I’d most likely return to in the future...after Linköping of course!

Hej då

Meeting RIP Ray Klinginsmith via Hässelholm

“Oh no not again! How can this train be late again!”

These thoughts ran through my head as I stood on the platform in Alvesta, the cold wind biting savagely at any piece of skin I’d stupidly left exposed to it. Flashbacks of being stranded at Kalmar station in December flooded my thoughts. Luckily then Nybro and friendly faces where only 30km’s away. Not this time.

Finally, 20 minutes late, the train arrived. In my haste and overcome with rage I climbed onto the first coach to stop in front of me. Why is it empty? Where is everybody? The train started to move. No problem I’ll just head up the train and ask the conductor to notify my connecting train that I’m going to be late. Surely they’ll have to wait for me...what! Why is the connecting door locked? Oh no...

There I was alone in the dark in a locked carriage. Only my wrist watch to keep me company. Painfully I watched the second hand slowly make its precision perfect rotation. Each minute felt like an eternity as I slowly watched my fate draw nearer. I was going to miss my connection. I was going to be stranded in...in? Where am I going anyway? Where is my ticket? Hässelholm? Where on earth is Hässelholm? Where did I put my map? Ah there it is...in Skåne? Why was I heading south west? I wanted to be going north east to Stockholm!

00:04 we arrived. With not another train in sight! Maybe it’s still coming? No. The next train to Stockholm is at 07:45. Damn, I’d missed it by 5 minutes.

I walked out of the station onto the street. Even in this little town I could hear the faint murmurs of a bar or nightclub. I suppose it is Friday night after all. I need a plan. I have no numbers to call. There is no way I’m going to phone my friends in Nybro, wake them up and tell them it’s happened again. They can’t help me anyway, I’m too far away. I need to talk to somebody, anybody! The bar? No way this time of night there won’t be a sober soul in there.

The only sober person will be a designated driver or one for hire. I need to find a cab driver. I’m at a station how hard can it be, this is their meeting point, their haven! True as bob it’s not long before I find somebody. I tell him my story, but unfortunately he can barely speak Swedish or English. I finally find out how much a cab will cost to Stockholm. 9000 SEK! Do I look like I have that kind of money?

He sees my body slump in despair and the hope fade from my eyes. Depression is a language that has no boundaries. He dials a number and hands me his phone. I must speak. A friendly voice answers the phone. Can you help me I’m stranded? I plead with her. Of course I must just give her my booking number and then she’ll book me another taxi. But I was on a train. OH. Then sorry she can’t help she is the taxi service. She gives me the number for the trains. A harsh and robotic voice answers and promptly tells me they are closed until 8 the next morning and that I should have a pleasant evening. Easy for her to say!

Perfect. Looks like I’m spending the night in Hässelholm. Please let them at least have a Hotel. I wonder out further from the station. It has started to rain and the wind from Alvesta has returned, this time with vengeance. My recovering cough looses the battle and choking for breath I head up the main street of this little town. The streets are empty. The flower beds are perfectly kept and statues litter the sidewalk. The main street ends at a majestically floodlit church. At another time this would have been a beautiful little village to explore, but not now.

I find a locked hotel on the main road and buzz the intercom. It takes awhile for someone to answer. I explain I’m stranded and would like a bed for the night. Sorry we are full, try down the road. Silence...

Ok then, let me try down the road. Locked. Buzz. Explain. Sorry we don’t have night staff. Try City Hotel. Silence.

Ok, I’ll just find City Hotel then. I start to wander the streets. I know I’ve often mocked the size of Swedish villages, but this time I was grateful they are so small. The silence was the worst though. Where are all the dogs? What happened to the nightclub?

I continue to walk and sure enough I find City Hotel. Locked. Buzz. Sorry we are full try the other two. They are also full. Sorry can’t help. Silence. What is happening in this little town that all the hotels are full?

I start to walk with no idea where I’m heading. I try to whistle, but somehow even the wise words of Baden Powell don’t seem to help cheer me up.

I don’t know if it was because my head was bowed, but all of a sudden this girl just materialises in front of me and starts asking me if I want a pancake? Pancake? Typically South African I immediately ask how much? No wait I’ll buy all your pancakes if you can tell me where to find a hotel? She says there are only three. I explain my situation and ask how is it possible that all the hotels are full. She promptly tells me that Hässelholm is like New York, there is always something happening.

But what is she doing selling pancakes this time of night? She is part of a church group who are handing out pancakes, coffee and preaching the gossip to the local drunks. They had me a freshly cooked pancake, with the cream and jam oozing everywhere.  While I’m eating I start talking to a couple of the drunks hanging around. The one explains that there is a really nice and dry parking garage I should try. I’m seriously considering it and asking him for directions when the other interrupts us. He tells me that because I don’t look like a rapist I could come stay at his place. I kindly decline because unfortunately he does look like a rapist.

Then a gentleman approaches me and says the girl has told him my story and that I can sleep in their church if I like? I stare with disbelief at this kind stranger and ask him if he is serious? Yes. He just needs to fetch a few things from his house, but it should be fine. What can I give him in return? Nothing. I must just do good to others and help the poor. He says it with such conviction that I believe every word.

So I helped them pack up and by two in the morning I was settled in the corner of their little kitchen with a blanket, mattress and even a little something for breakfast. What should I do when I leave? Just close the door behind me they say. Good night and good bye.

I spent the night in the church and the next morning closed the door behind me and caught the train to Stockholm. While travelling I was still in disbelief about the events of the previous night that I decided to write them all down. While I was typing the girl next to me asked if I was writing a book because it seemed so unreal. I told her I was just narrating what had happened to me the night before. She didn’t believe me and said she couldn’t wait to see the movie!

I finally arrived at my conference, only 6 hours late. The whole point of my trip was to attend a conference in Stockholm to meet the then incoming Rotary President, Ray Klinginsmith. He was an Ambassadorial Scholar to Cape Town in the 60's and the governor of my district, Mikael Ahlberg, thought it would be nice for me to meet him. Unfortunatley I’d missed the entire mornings programme including his speech, but I was able to listen to the afternoon’s presentations regarding using social media in the future of Rotary.

It was a very inspiring afternoon and that evening I got the opportunity to have dinner with him and some of the Norwegian governors. I had a great time and it was definitely worth all the drama of the previous night.   

After dinner I was on the road again because I needed to return to Småland to continue my visit to the Rotary clubs in the area, but more about those adventures in my next post.

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May: Coming soon...

I'd really hoped to have found time to write the blogs for this month, but alas it was not to be. In a few short minutes I leave for my 3 week tour of Europe and by the time I'm back there will be even more exciting things to write about.

However, I will write the blogs for May, but they will only be added after my stories of my Contiki. I'm so sorry that I'm so behind, but when you hear what I've been up to this past month I'm sure you will find it in your heart to forgive me!

Europe here I come...

Valborg in Uppsala

“Jingle bottles, Jingles bottles, Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to be in Uppsala today!”

One never knows how these little songs start, but someone makes a comment, another a joke and before you know it you are all walking along the streets of the medieval town of Uppsala singing this little refrain for all its worth.

But I get ahead of myself. Lets me first explain what is Valborg. It is a big feast day in Sweden held on the last day of April to celebrate the end of winter and the start of spring. It is a day of merriment marked by drinking champagne, eating strawberries, bonfires and of course loads of singing and dancing.  Uppsala, the oldest university town in Sweden(since 1477), is situated north of Stockholm and thousands of people (almost 40 000) descend on this little town to celebrate this joyous day.

My celebrations started the night before when I arranged a little bonfire at my place so that all my friends could celebrate together before we went our separate ways the next day. Some of my Swedish housemates were also moving out the next day and it gave us a chance for one last party. After a little bit of trouble starting the fire, the melting snow has made the wood very wet, we got a roaring fire going and had a fun evening chatting, roasting marshmallows and signing along with the guitar.

The next morning I was up ridiculously early to meet my fellow revellers, Jozefien and Marcus, at the station. We caught the train and promptly began our celebration at 6am with the traditional champagne and orange juice breakfast accompanied by croissants and Nuttella.

When we arrived in Stockholm all we had to do was follow the throngs of people carrying champagne bottles (I think this is when the song started taking shape) to find our way to the next train bound for Uppsala. After a sardine can of a train ride we arrived in Uppsala, set up camp (literally) and continued to follow the masses to the first event of the day, the river boat race.

A river runs straight through the centre of town and at one point one can find a very serious rapid. The aim of the game is to build a small floating raft for 3-4 people, decorate it, float it down the river and hope you don’t capsize on the rapid. Of course people line the banks of the river, with champagne and strawberries, to support the rafts. There is a lot of cheering and jeering as one by one about 100 rafts attempt to navigate the treacherous rapid.

After we had had our fill of watching people dressed as all sorts of farm animals getting soaked, we headed to the park where again thousands of people were sitting having picnics on the grass and listening to the music on stage. It is tradition to have herring and schnapps for lunch, so we did. By this time you can imagine that champagne for breakfast, tea and lunch as well as schnapps, the people were getting a little “lively” and we made lots of new “friends” sitting there on the grass. It was also here that we dubbed ourselves the 3 monkeys (inspired by a brand of wine) and assumed the identities of Anders, Göran and Ove (me).

Just before 3pm we headed to the university library where at exactly 3 the chancellor of the university, from atop a balcony, puts his white sailors-hat-high-school-graduation cap on as a signal that everybody else should do the same and that the party has officially started! Then with everybody wearing their graduation caps the dash for the student nations start and what follows is hours of partying and spraying each other with champagne!

At Uppsala all the students join a nation and they organise all the student activities. Each nation represents a part of the country and one usually joins the one from where you are from i.e. if you are from the north you join Norrlands Nation, Stockholm then Stockholm Nation etc. Although you are allowed to join any nation you like. Each nation has a dedicated building, some dating back to the sixteen hundreds, and it was here that many student parties where held. Unfortunately the nations are strictly members only and we were not on the list.

Not to let this slow us down we headed back to the park and met up with some fellow exchange students from Linköping and continued to party in our own unique way. Again we made lots of new friends and I soon found myself on a red couch chatting to people from Poland! As it started to get dark we decided it was time to find a bonfire and keep warm.

So off we went in search of warmth and after a little bit of a walk found ourselves in the student housing area next to a massive fire. It was here that we found out about a party on the roof of a 8 storey high student apartment and thought it would be a good idea to check it out. We were not sorry! We had an awesome view of the cathedral, castle and fireworks and spent some time just soaking up the atmosphere. This party came complete with DJ’s and we spent the rest of the night dancing on the roof. At about 2am we were back in our tents and I’ve never slept so well on the ground before in my life!

The next afternoon, we had a very late start, we decided to explore the historical sites of the town like the castle and cathedral. It is a beautiful old town and is seeping with history. I find I really appreciate Swedish historical monuments more now that I know what they stand for and I’m really glad I took the Swedish culture class.

 As it was May day, and the Swedish elections are coming up this year, there were a number of demonstrations in town and seeing as we were heading in the same direction, decided to join one. It was very relaxed and nothing compared to a good old South African toy-toy...there wasn’t even singing and dancing!

We caught the train back late that afternoon and killed time gambling candy in Texas Holdem, I was hopeless and lost all of mine. When we eventually arrived back in Linköping all three of the monkeys were utterly exhausted. It was a fantastic festival and the atmosphere reminded me of the times I travelled to Bloemfontein for inter-varsity.

I love being a student!

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A week with Rotary

One of the best parts of being a Rotary Scholar is Rotary. Now I’m not just saying that to get into anybodies good books (although if it does it would not hurt), but rather because  with Rotary there is always something interesting and fun to do and this past week has been the perfect example.

It started with a weekend RYLA seminar. For those of you who are not versed in the very in depth ways of Rotary acronyms it stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. It was a weekend devoted to leadership training for students and young professionals between the ages of 20 and 30 from all over the district. There was even supposed to be a group from Latvia, but unfortunately they could not make it because of the volcano. This volcano has really caused a lot of trouble here, some say that Iceland has not caused this much trouble in Europe since the time of the Vikings. First they burn all of Europe’s money and now they scatter it with the ashes. (I don’t know if you’ve heard these jokes, but I thought they were kind of funny)

Even though the Latvians where not able to attend, the seminar was still held in English so that I could participate. It was a really great group of people and I had a marvellous time getting to know them and discuss Swedish life. They were all from neighbouring  towns and I know I will be visiting them all in the near future.

As I had been on a RYLA camp when I was in high school it was interesting to see the different way in which they approached it in Sweden. In SA we went out into the forest for a few days and learnt about leadership while trying to survive. In Sweden it was a seminar with activities, group work, presentations and panel discussions. I learnt a lot about leadership and enjoyed the opportunity to learn from experienced leaders. It also gave me a chance to reflect on my past leadership positions and learn from them.

One of the highlights of the seminar was that I was also asked to give a presentation about my own experience as a young leader. I was honoured to be considered for this task. I have never had the opportunity to talk about JOOL before and personally it was quiet a moving exercise to reflect on what has been a big part of my life for a number of years.

After the weekend seminar the rest of the week was pretty standard with classes, an exam and of course the odd social activity. I also gave another presentation on JOOL to the event management class at the Folkhögskola where I live.

On Friday I was invited to visit a Rotarian, in my host club, and his wife at their summer home and help him chop a little fire wood. Always keen to see new parts of Sweden I travelled to Kisa by train, met him and travelled to another little town on the banks of two beautiful lakes. His summer house turned out to be a 100 hectare farm which he mainly uses for grazing and forestry. We spent the rare sunny morning exploring the property and the nearby town. 

After a lovely lunch of freshly caught fish it was time to get to work so I promptly asked him where I could find the axe. He told me and then asked me why I was looking for an axe. A little confused I told him I thought we were going to chop wood. He said we were, but not with an axe. As it turns out even wood chopping is automated in Sweden. He took me to a special section of his farm where he had all the machines already set up. There was the spinning saw to cut the trees into logs, the hydraulic arm splitter to split the wood into smaller pieces and of course the conveyer belt to transport the logs to fill the cubic meter sacks. With him on the saw and me on the splitter we filled 2 sacks in less than 3 hours. Instead of swinging an axe and building some real muscles, the most difficult thing I did all day was equivalent to closing the lid of a Weber Braai!  

Again this simple chore showed me how different these two countries are. In South Africa we would hire a labourer for a day, give him a saw and an axe and ask him to chop wood. The more labourers you hire the more wood you can get chopped. Its considered job creation!

After my very ‘tiring’ day on the farm I returned home with a smile on my face and very yummy jar of homemade whiskey honey.

The next day I was again up early and accompanied some more of my host clubs Rotarians to the nearby town of Vimmerby for the district president elect training seminar (PETS). It was a meeting of all the future presidents in the district to discuss the coming Rotary year. I was given an opportunity to promote the Ambassadorial scholar programme and encourage the district to start sending scholars of their own. It was nice to see some familiar faces from the district conference as well as meet some new people and arrange many more club visits and speaking engagements.

As the afternoon was a business meeting I took the opportunity to explore Vimmerby. This quaint little town is actually quiet famous as it is the childhood home of the famous author, Astrid Lindgren. Who is best known for the Pippy Long-stockings  books. There is even an amusement park dedicated to her books, but unfortunately after a very long walk I found it only to discover it was closed. Luckily her childhood home/museum was open and I got the opportunity to look around and buy one of her books in Swedish.

My week (or more like 10 days) of Rotary came to an end on Tuesday morning when I went to my host club’s meeting to support Alex, the youth exchange student from New Zealand, because she was giving her first presentation. It was very interesting to listen to her describe her home country and I found out that NZ has a lot more to offer  than just rugby.

As you can see Rotary really is a big part of my life here in Sweden, or rather it is my life here. Although these activities might be part of my duties as a scholar, they never seem like work and I treasure every moment.

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Day in the Life - Video Blog

I got the idea from a youth exchange friend of mine, I hope she doesn't mind. It's a little bit random, but I think you'll get the basic idea.

Enjoy!

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