This post used to contain pictures, but due to new storage limitations from WordPress, I had to fix the problem and decided to create a new blog that works as an archive for all the posts from my two years in California. This full post can be found here.

Before I write about what happened today, on my first real day in Sweden, I will rewrite about my long way back home. I wasn’t aware of anything I wrote last night and I am not sure I want to read it. I was completely out of it and I’m sure it was the worst post I have had so far in this blog. So here goes again.

On Saturday June 20^th I was supposed to wake up at 4am so I would have time to remove the sheets from the bed and soon. But I accidently turned off my alarm and didn’t wake up until 4:30am when my ride texted me that he was outside the house. Shit! I got stressed, and I hate being stressed. But 15 minutes later we were on our way, and there were surprisingly many people on the freeway, not enough to slow us down, but still more than you would think at 5am on a Saturday. We got to the airport at 5:20 am, I thanked Andrew and then hurried in. I was surprised at how many people there were. I stood in line for the kiosks to check in. But once I got there, twenty minutes later, it said I couldn’t do anything so I had to stand in another line. When it was 50 minutes left until my flight left it was finally my turn, so I put my suitcases on the scale, and of course one of them was overweight. I am stressed out of my mind, but right there on the floor, I open up my bags and repack them. I was lucky enough that the security line was short, usually that can take time. I got to the gate with two minutes to spare before boarding, so I bought a little breakfast and then boarded.

The first flight was 4 hours to Chicago. Those flights always seem to be overpacked, so I could check in my carry-on for free all the way to my final destination. Pretty awesome! I got an aisle seat, I was tired, but normally I can’t fall asleep on planes because it is so uncomfortable. I almost manage to fall asleep this time, an 18h long day followed by 4h of sleep makes one tired. But right when I am about to fall asleep, the lady in the middle needs to take her 6-year old daughter to the bathroom. And after that I couldn’t fall asleep again so I read for the rest of the flight.

The second flight was 8.5h long and was all the way to Berlin. Over the Atlantic Ocean, through the night. That is the worst type of flight really. We left Chicago at 3:25pm, flew against time, skipped the night and landed early the next morning. We only got a few dark hours and I couldn’t sleep more than 1.5h, if you can even call that sleep.  That flight was actually okay, not as good as the last time I flew over the Atlantic when I had three seats all to myself in the back of the plane, but almost. I got a window seat at row 50 of 50. There were only two seats and the girl next to me was nice, although she took up some of my seat once she fell asleep which was annoying. We got a blanket and a pillow like always on those long flights, but we also got a carebag with socks, earplugs, a blindfold, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. The socks were perfect since I was flying with flipflops. I watched two movies on that flight, first the third Hobbit movie (finally!!) and then American Sniper. Both were really good. Then I tried to sleep some, but was pretty unsuccessful. I “woke” up 1.5h later because a guy on the other side opened up the window and the rising sun blinded me. And that was that sleep… I started watching Jumper, saw about half of it before we landed.

The third flight was from Berlin and only 1h and 20 min. I had a window seat again. I just wanted to be home so I just sat there listening to music the whole time. I got sad to when I realized that that was it. California was behind me and Sweden ahead.

I was excited when we descended and I saw the green forests of the outskirts of Gothenburg. All those trees, and lakes, and red houses with white corners. It was nice to see.

We landed on time, I went to baggage claim, just to wait there for a long while. And one of my three checked bags didn’t even come. I talked to the baggage service lady and she told me it got stuck in San Diego already. It was gonna get flown in that same evening, but too late for driving out. So I got it today instead.

Here is my snapchat story from the trip:

My day yesterday was super weird. I was so tired already from the beginning, but I did my best to stay awake. And I succeeded til 7pm when I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any more. During the day I hugged my cats all the time, I couldn’t keep my hands off them. I have missed them both sooo much. My two fluffy balls!

My mom prepared some Swedish midsummer food and I enjoyed that sooo much in the sun on the balcony. It was perfect. The pickled herring, the fresh potato, the meatballs. Yummy!

Then I tried unpacking but I was just so tired so it took forever and I only did a few things. Mom and I had picked up some of my boxes from the basement. Mostly clothes, can’t really put anything else anywhere. My room is kinda tiny, haha.

We went to the grocery store to try and wake me up at 4. I couldn’t go to bed just yet. There wasn’t really anything I needed, but we bought tea, some fruit and falukorv (a Swedish sausage that I have missed). It didn’t really help and I was still tired back home. I lasted until 7pm when I was about to fall asleep in front of the TV. My mom told me I coulnd’t, so I went to bed, fell asleep right away. I woke up at one point, it was light out and I thought that I had slept happily through the whole night. When I looked at my phone, it was only 10pm, haha! I have missed the light we get in the summer, it is amazing. Then I fell asleep again and woke up at 8:30am. 13h of sleep and I was still tired when I woke up, but I didn’t leave bed for a while, so it was nice. I fell asleep last night with Stuff right next to my face and when I moved around too much Chip took her place. He spent the whole night next to me or on my chest. That cuddly fluffball.

This morning I had breakfast, and unpacked some more. Went much faster today. I was still feeling a bit weird and that will take a few more days I think. As long as I sleep through the whole night I am happy :).

Soon after noon mom came home from work so we could take the public transit (wow, I missed that, haha) down to the harbor to watch the boats in Volvo Ocean Race sail over the finish line after 9 months of racing all around the world. The sun was out and it was amazing. T-shirt was no problem at all! We watched all the boats come in to the harbor. Alvimedica (the American/Turkish boat) won, and the Swedish came in last unfortunately. We stayed the whole time, even through the rain, which was cold… Ugh, I do not like rain! But it was a fun event to attend.

 #1 #2 #3 Dongfeng. This boat had a Swede onboard. The big ship Götheborg! I don’t think I have ever seen it actually. It was a grand ship. #4 Abu Dhabi. It turned very quickly from sun to this… #6 Vestas. #7, the Swedish boat Team SCA, an all girls boat.All the ships being welcomed in the harbor.

On our way back home we stopped downtown where I could by more nosespray since my nose is very congested. All the rain here makes everything super green (which I live, and isn’t even comparable to California), but that also means a ton of pollen, and even if I am not allergic I definitely feel it. Maybe I am allergic now? I am gonna contact the health center tomorrow and ask for an appointment to take the tests and also find out my mysterious allergy. I have a lot of stuff I need to take care of, but I look forward to it.

Now I really have to go to bed. I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow. I will try to head to Liseberg to sign my contract for the summer, I am meeting up with my cousin Malin, hanging out for a bit maybe, will try to get some stuff before then, unpacking. And in the evening I will go to the One Direction concert here in town in the evening! Malin asked me yesterday if I wanted to come because one of her friends couldn’t go. Very unexpected, but I am actually excited. Not everyone can say that they have seen 1D live ;). And they do have a few good songs.

Goodnight!

This is a peacock that kept me company at the pool on Friday. Beautiful birds!