Dear all,
Hello there. Firstly, for those who don't know, my name is Gage Dykema, I am recent graduate of Northfield High School, and am about to embark on a year long adventure to Lerum, Sweden through Rotary Youth Exchange. I will be living with three host families during my stay, two of which I have talked to and both sound like amazing families. I have decided to get a blog (and a facebook account for that matter) to keep everyone up to date on my incredible adventures and experiences in Sweden.
Now for what I know about my exchange so far...
I will be leaving Wednesday July 28th, at 2pm from St Paul airport. I will fly to Chicago, then to London, then to the city of Gothenburg, which is nearby where I will be living. I will arrive around 12:20 pm the next day, after a couple of layovers at each airport. Who's going to pick me up at the airport is still a mystery to me, but after that I will somehow make my way to a Swedish language and culture camp for about a week or so. After that, who knows what will happen, but I'm sure it will be quite the adventure!
As I am leaving in only a matter of days, the fear of the exchange has begun to creep up on me. Although I am a bit worried about only having a little experience with the Swedish language, I have found relief in focusing on the new and exciting aspects of the exchange. I am very much looking forward to the everyday things that happen in Sweden that will be totally new to me.
Well I am hoping for a smooth departure, and that I will have plenty of fun stories and pictures to share once I arrive. Hope to write again soon.
-Gage
