Last week was undeniably one of the most hectic weeks of my life. I still remember when I brought up Europe’s first coronavirus case in my Comparative Public Policy class in the beginning of the semester — back then, it was an issue that even I did not think would affect Europe and the rest of the world as tremendously as it did.
Swedish Program decided to close down and we were given a week to pack up our belongings and return to our homes. After booking a last-minute ticket from Stockholm to Moscow, then Moscow to Dulles, I jotted down items for my Stockholm bucket list. I knew I would say goodbye to the city eventually, but not so soon, so it was difficult and disappointing. Still, one of the most valuable lessons study abroad has taught me is how to be flexible, and I decided to make my 48 hours even more special and memorable.
1. Enjoy Stockholm’s nature one last time
My favorite part about Stockholm is how much nature it has. Stockholm alone has fourteen islands and is surrounded by vast bodies of water. Even my home is a minute of a walking distance away from Mälaren, which is the third largest freshwater lake in Sweden. I went on a morning walk to Lake Mälaren and observed the clear, blue lake. I was waiting for the weather to get warmer so I could swim in it, but this will be saved for next time!
2. Food, food, food!
Coming from a Korean family, having muesli (oatmeal mixed with dried fruits, nuts, etc.) or bread for breakfast at home was not the norm for me. During my stay, I learned to use a cheese cutter and a salami cutter, as well as the dishwasher. My last meals with my family included Swedish pancakes, chicken feta, lasagna, tacos, carbonara bacon pasta, cod, and a special gimbap/sushi dinner (gimbap is a Korean traditional roll). My Swedish brother and I have a tradition of making homemade ice cream every weekend, which I am going to miss! This week’s flavor was raspberry — when asked the ingredient, my Swedish brother responded that it was made out of love 🙂
3. Shop for Souvenirs
I went down to Gamla Stan (Old Town) to shop for last-minute souvenirs for my family. I bought postcards, magnets, and a pot holder for my mom.
4. Say goodbye to friends
Saying goodbyes are always tough, so instead we said vi ses (see you again)! I said goodbyes to my friends from the Swedish Program and SSE either virtually or in person; a lot of them had already left for their homes. I met up with my Swedish buddy Jonna to go on a last walk around Gamla Stan and Kunsträgården, where cherry blossoms were starting to bloom. Jonna remarked how sad it was that I was leaving just when the weather was getting nicer. We talked about her coming to the US or me coming back to Sweden. I also met up with my church friends for a last fika (Swedish coffee/snack break).
5. Walk around the city
I walked around my favorite parts of the city, revisiting the Royal Palace, the Skeppsholmen Bridge, subway stops, and so on. I had planned on going on a subway art tour in April (Stockholm is famous for its subway art), but this is another activity that will be saved for my next visit to Stockholm.
Gilded Crown on Skeppsholmsbron
Solna strand Station (Blue line)
…last but not least, 6. Spend time with Family!
Living with a Swedish family was undeniably the best part about Stockholm. I now have three Swedish brothers (in addition to my three sisters at home!), and I can’t wait to see them grow up. In the last few days that I had, we played the board game Risk together, held a Korean face mask night, had a final programming tutoring session (I taught the older twin Python and HTML), and went on a family trip to Drottningholm Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the official residence of the Swedish Royal Family.
Drottningholm Palace 
Chinese Garden at Drottningholm Palace 
Guard’s Tent at Drottningholm Palace
Tack så mycket (thank you very much) to all those who made the last two months so memorable! It was a short, but amazing adventure!
(P.S. Currently self-quarantined in my room!)
