Back In The Motherland

All my flights went fine; however, my last one could not go fast enough. I just wanted to see my family.

Wait, Ikea...am I back in Sweden?

My dad shocked me big time. When I got off the plane, he was waiting for me outside the gate. I freaked out. I just stood there and did not know what to say. It was a great surprise. We walked through the airport together but I left him in the dust right when I spotted Allison, my sister. Waiting with her was my mom and childhood friend Keaton!

so many emotions

Then all of a sudden a group of my friends ran out from where they were hiding. My two cousins, Abby and Alyssa, were there as well, which still confuses me.

After, we took photos and cried all our tears we made our way to The Upper Crust for dinner were more of my friends and family were waiting for me.

However, the most important person I saw all night was my puppy, Bill!

<3

The next morning, we went down town for lunch.

Kelsey, Keaton's sister, was our waitress.

Abby needed a fika.

Then it was time to go grocery shopping at Publix. Alyssa, Abby, Allison and I had a blast shopping as my mom was getting annoyed with us.

They even trusted me to drive home.

(This photo was taken when we were parked.)

 That night, we had a bake off. Alyssa and me against Abby and Allison. Honestly, voting was not needed because, I mean just look at that Swedish cake.

The past couple of days, I have received some very depressing snapchats from Sweden.

Daniel kills me.

"We miss you"

Oh, I ran into a this girl in South Carolina eating some Shrimp and Grits.

I can not say goodbye to this blog. This blog has been my journal for the past year, so I have decided to keep posting for a little while longer about my life after returning home and also to keep my family and friends in Sweden updated. The next couple months, even the next year will be difficult for me; however, I am excited for adventures ahead. And hey, Room Tour #4 will be up shortly.

Also, stay tuned for 'Louise Takes South Carolina'!!! (She is sitting in my room with me right now!)

Last Night

My last night in Sweden was spent with the ones I loved.

Gunilla and Johan hosted a wonderful dinner for me to enjoy one last meal with my friends and host families.

The girls signing my flag.

(Which is now hanging up in my room!)

Karla baked the cakes!

Tack så mycket!

This night was hard. Harder than my last night in Beaufort before coming to Sweden. No one understands the feeling; unless, you had to say goodbye to a life you made in one year. I arrived to Sweden on August 11th, 2013 knowing Louise, Nils, Agneta and Michael only via email and facebook but I left Sweden on July 30th, 2014 with friends from all over the world, people I can call family, and memories that will stay with me forever. Thank you to everyone who touched my heart in Sweden.

Euro Tour (Part Four)

And then the tour began to end.

We traveled back to Germany for our last 'official' night together; however, we stopped in Belgium for the afternoon.

You can never go wrong with waffles for lunch.

Dan being the smart ass he is and mimicking Marco.

For our last night, we booked a conference room at the hotel we were staying at for a final performance. 

Thank you! Y'all were the best chaperones 

and think, no one got sent home!

That is a plus...

and a surprise. 

"Group hug with Marco!!"

Daniel, teaching everyone Aussie slang.

Milo juggling.

Shane, Narain, and Mackenzie reading "My Humps".

Pablo, Sam, and Ly, aka, the Floridians, playing a game with the crazy headlines of Florida news.

The Canadians teaching us their slang.

The Japanese girls teaching us similar words in Japanese and English.

I performed a dance with a bunch a girls from the movie "Pitch Perfect". 

Also, we all got into our country groups, sang a national song, and then said together, "We are one but we are many. And from all the lands on Earth we come. We share a dream and sing with one voice. I am, you are, we are exchange students.

We woke up bright and early to make our way back to Sweden.

Taking a ferry to Denmark.

Above, I called our night in Germany our last 'official' night together because just like how we started, we ended. Many exchange students booked a room at the hotel in Malmö, so we were together for one more night. Can we talk about how excited we were to finally be back in our country, Sweden. We could drink the tap water and understand what people were saying.

For dinner, Abi, Mads, Hannah and I wanted Thai food. We came across a Thai buffet so we sent Mads and Hannah in to get two orders for the four of us. We might have cheated the system but we are exchange students, plus we had more than enough food.

The next morning was a hard one filled with many goodbyes.

The Stockholm Oldies final bow.

The goodbyes.

Words can not express how amazing Euro Tour was. I made unforgettable memories with great friends in the short three weeks we traveled around Europe together. I wish I could do it all over again.

Izzy, you had one job, one job.

LOVE Y'ALL.