PUPILS DIARIES (SWEDEN) by Inmaculada Castaño García

ERASMUS + WORKING EUROPE                           Lund, Sweden, 21-27 November 2015

It all started on November 21 at Ciudad Real’s main train station. We were a rather diverse lot: six students and three teachers, all willing to take a train for Madrid’s Atocha Train Station at 10:30 a.m. The train journey took approximately 50 minutes, and we all took a bus for Barajas Airport at around half-past eleven. Once there, we made our way to the check-in counter and went through airport security before having lunch.Together with some of my classmates, I shopped around for some sweets and finally went straight to our boarding gate at around 2:15 p.m.

It was the first time my friend Noelia and I had taken a plane, so we both feltour 3-hour flight flew by, quite literally, pretty fast.

We realised it was snowing heavily as we flew into beautiful Copenhagen, where we landed at about 5:50 p.m. Shortly afterwards, we took a train to Lund, a town in southern Sweden where we were first met by the local teachers and students later that evening.

The Swedish girl I had talked to via Facebook couldn’t welcome me as she was attending a gala performance somewhere else. However, the rest of members of my host family were there.

They took me to Amanda and Elliot’s favourite restaurant in Malmö, a nearby town where we had dinner.Amanda’s mother, whosuper kind to me, asked me all sort of questions over dinner.

Back at Amanda’s, Elliot and I played a football videogame for a long time as we waited for Amanda. Later that night I gave the family a gift I had got them in Spain. Amanda’s mother was sopleased with my present that she gave me a big hug before opening it. We then wentout to fetch Amanda and went to sleep shortly afterwards. Amanda and I shared her room over my stay at her place.

After getting up at 9 o’clock, we got dressed and ate breakfast really quickly. Amanda was supposed to participate in a local football tournament and she really had to be on time. I have to say the match was really interesting and exciting. What is more, Amanda’s eventually won the championship. We all ate lunch at the sport centre and went to a nearby shopping centre called Emphoria. Once there, we ran into some other students taking part in a sort of Erasmus program, just like us! Once shopping was over, we took a train home, where a surprise by Amanda’s mother awaited us: she had arranged for us to prepare dinner with her, including a delicious apple pie.

On Monday, we got up at 6 and got dressed. We then ate breakfast and hopped on a train to Polhemskolan high school as it pulled away. It was snowing very heavily, so our train was a little late and we couldn’t really make it on time for the welcoming ceremony that the high school had arranged for us. We attended a talk on business development by Mr.Gabriel Olsson at ten o’clock. After the talk was over, we went to the school cafeteria for a mid-morning snack.

We attended some presentations about innovation which lasted from midday until 4:00 p.m. We then had two hours off work, so we decided to go bowling. At about 6:00 p.m.,all students taking part in the Erasmus program went to a place called The Expresso House,where we all had coffee and talked.

On Tuesday, we tooka guided tour in Lund, where we enjoyed many fun and interesting activities, including a visit to the cathedral and a meeting with the mayor. After lunch we visited an industrial design college and the local botanical garden. We all finished school work later that day, so Amanda and I decided to go home and watch a movie. Even better than that, we had a bath in Amanda’s Jacuzzi too.

Early on Wednesday morning, we attended two different lectures by Mr. Dieter Zippert and Mr. Friedrik Leifland. One of the lectures was about the European labour market, and the other one was about Quixter. After lunch, we visited a place called The Water Hall Science Centre and bought some souvenirs. To end the day, we had pizza and for supper and then watched a movie in Polhemskolan. We took a train back home a little later and watched a televised football match between Malmö and PSP. Before heading to bed, we prepared two brownies for a party we were attending the following day.

We spent the whole day in Copenhagen on Thursday. Our Swedish friends gave us a map and the teachers let us take two free hours to buy souvenirs and take photographs. We had lunch at a famous Greek restaurant at about 13:00 and took an exciting guided tour some time later.We were back at Polhemskolan at 17:00, where they held a farewell party forus. Later that night I packed my things and Amanda gave me a friendship bracelet so that I could always remember the times we had spent together and never forget about all the experiences we had share either. I was almost moved to tears!

Friday finally arrived and we were leaving, so we all got up and got dressed as quickly as possible so that we could talk for as much time as possible before saying goodbye.Per, Amanda's father, put all my luggage into the boot of his car and drove us to school. Amanda was attending classes at high school that morning, so I stayed there with the rest of my friends. Later that day our teachers let us take some free time and told us to be back by 2:00 p.m., which was the time we were supposed to take a train to Copenhagen. We went to the check-in counter and through airport security as soon as we arrived.

Exams and assignments were already waiting for us back in Spain. Worse still, we all knew it was unlikely that we saw our new Swedish friends again in a long time, so I must admit the return flight was not nearly as joyful as the outbound one. We eventually arrived at Madrid Atocha airport at about 9:40 p.m. and took a bus back to Bolaños. Our wonderful experience was over, and all we could really do then was wish we were back in Sweden.

In conclusion, this has been my first trip outside Spain ever, but also a truly unforgettable experience. During my stay in Sweden I have made many new, wonderful friends and I have practised my English a lot too. Last but not least, it has been not only a journey full cultural experience, but also full of laughter, joy and enthusiasm in the company of my friends!