And it goes on

The past month has been interesting. I guess not in the sense of "oh, I went skydiving yesterday and today I'm going swimming with sharks," it's more in the way of how I am starting to adapt to life over here. It's becoming normal to me. Speaking and listening to Swedish is getting easier and every week I seem to be learning quicker and quicker. It's like this uphill battle is finally coming to a plateau. It's weird how we has humans can get used to a new thing or situation so quickly. Well, I mean, relatively quickly in my case... I once read this article with this study on human adaptation. They got a group of people together and had them put on glasses that made the world look upside down to them. It took most of the people three days to adapt to the new glasses and after those three days they started to see the world right side up again. Then, they were told to take off the glasses. And you know what happened? Their world turned upside down again without them. And again, it took three days for them to get used to it and see the world right side up again. I love that story, it's crazy to think that not only on an emotional level does it take time to get used to something and then things tend to go back to normal, but also on a biological level. 

I keep thinking about what I'd be doing at certain moments if I was back in Alaska right now. Like, would I be liking the classes I would've taken? How much friend drama would be going on? How would swimming be going? I constantly think about how my life would be different if I hadn't come. But, I also have the weird thought of what if my life was reversed? What if I was from Borås, and I grew up here and this year I would be an exchange student in Alaska? Would I have the same friends? Would I have the same worries and woes as I had coming over here if I was going over there? It's just a totally weird concept to think about. 

I am though, beginning to really miss everyone at home. I miss just having conversations with people. I even miss the people I don't interact with on a daily basis but, just see in the hallways at school, that comfortable similarity. My heart almost aches at times when I think about what my friends are doing. Like, just thinking about all the conversations I'm missing, all the joys and heartbreaks, it's a pretty sucky feeling to have. But, I must say that this last month had made me realize that it's all worth it. Missing everyone is so worth what an awesome adventure this is. That may sound selfish, but I feel like it's more compensating and trying to see the sliver lining. 

In a week I have Höstlov, which is a week off from school and I am going to Germany to visit an exchange student who was at Service last year for the week. (I know, 2 1/2 months in Sweden and I already want to get out) ;) No just kidding. I think one of the best things about living in Europe is that the rest of Europe isn't too far away. No jetlag, no super expensive and long flights. It's awesome. It's funny, what all of us Americans idolize about Europe, most people over here idolize about The States. It's just like with girls and their hair, girls with curly hair want straight hair and girls with straight hair want curly. Humans seem to me like they want what they don't have. But, I think it's good to idolize about things like other countries and keep that hope and exploration open. 

So, I'll keep adapting, idolizing, and hopefully learning, all the while having one of the best experiences of my life.