ROUND TWO - ÖSTERSUND TO STOCKHOLM - DAY 21

I wake up not feeling well again. I’m not sure if it’s from not feeling well earlier, or if this is just from last night. WTH with my genetically weak stomach?! I finish off the remaining jutron desserts, and we zip up our bags. Dad has the news on, and after breakfast, we all gather in the living room to sit together one last time. My arm is around my Faster Gebba, and her hand is on my knee as we sit and pass the time on the couch. I’ve always loved my fasters, but Gebba and I have bonded especially on this trip, simply because my Swedish is the best it’s ever been- She only knows a few words in English.

The taxi arrives, and we thank Faster Gebba in Swedish and in English, for absolutely everything she’s done for us this trip. It was such a fun time.

This goodbye is hard too, but we get through it, and head for the taxi. We all wave goodbye out the window as we drive away. Mom is crying.

We get to he airport bright, and early. Something miraculous happens, and we get the FIRST flight out to Stockholm- A rare and unexpected occurrence because the flight was supposedly full, and we're standbys. The trip itself is super quick, and we discuss what we should do, now that we have a whole day available to us.

Dad had planned for us to stay at the airport like Tom Hanks in “Terminal”, because that’s where our hotel is- It doesn’t make sense to take the train, because it’s too expensive.

I retort, “Nonsense! We have the whole day! We should see our family in Stockholm, since we barely got to spend time with them at the wedding in Gotland. We can take the bus- It’s much cheaper”! Dad realizes I’m right, (as per usual), and thinks that’s a great idea- So does Mom.

We land, pick up our bags, check-in, drop our bags, shower, call the family to let them know we’re coming to visit whether they like it or not, and snag bus tickets to the city.

We head over. The whole family feels really excited that we get this last chance to meet up before making the long journey back to the States. Mom, Dad, and I feel partially guilty- Faster Mona and Uncle Åke never really got a break after the wedding, and now the Svenssons are coming!...The company never leaves haha!

We come in to the Central Station, and walk all the way from there to Södermalm. Poor Mom- She’s done this walk twice now. First I made her, and then Dad.

Dad and I are used to walking the whole city, but Mom walks for her job, and would’ve preferred a closer stop. I don’t blame her. Instead, we try to laugh at this unfortunate coincidence.

We eventually come to Mona and Åke’s place, and bump right into Ludvig, and Julia and Tove’s dog, Alfons. Perfect timing!!

We take the elevator up to the top floor, and greet Mona and Åke happy and still surprised we’re here. We all share a meal of pasta and veggies- It’s delicious. We catch up on our time in Östersund, my time in Denmark, and in Norway. I’m able to give Mona, Åke and Ludvig the full story of how I met their long lost cousins, the Guddings. Julia was still at work, coming later.

After lunch, we sit down, and I share all the photos of the family in Norway. Another special moment for everyone. None of us can believe we’ve gone so long without being connected, but better late than never as they say. BOTH sides are eager to meet and know each other. Pretty cool that we could finally bridge the gap.

Dad runs out to buy ice cream, and the men and I sit around and talk politics, both in Sweden and in the States. Then Ludvig and I talk about some metal bands and gaming.

At this, Julia comes home, and we hug it out- All the cousins from my generation are under one roof now. I thank her for my Viking mugs present in return for her wedding video that I need to go home and edit.

The three of us “kids” behave like siblings, (as per usual), and poke fun and shove each other. I have my older half sister, but we never grew up together, so I love having cousins on both sides of my family feel and behave as close as siblings to me. We’re all pretty tight.

Mona runs out for pizza. We already stayed so long, it’s time for our second meal. We went straight from lunch to dinner, and barely left the table!

I love this pizza- I used to eat there when I stayed at Mona and Åke’s place to study for three months. It’s the best pizza place in Söder and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.

Ludvig leaves early, and packs up a few slices to go. He wanted to beat the weather coming in. It’s always good to see him. We hug it out, and say goodbye. Julia invites me to hang with our mutual buddies, Issan, Lisa and Ishna to catch a futbol game. On any other day, my answer would be “Of fucking course I’ll go”, but Mom, Dad and I all have the same round trip bus tickets, so I need to leave when they leave. Even if that weren’t the only thing stopping me, we have to try and catch an EARLY flight tomorrow- The only one that leaves from Stockholm to Newark, and the flight is full while we’re going standby. I’m definitely still young enough to stay out all night, sleep two hours or not at all, and catch a plane, but after today, this feels like A LOT, even for me.

It’s no big deal, even though Julia teases me and says, “You always do what mommy and daddy tell you to do”? I put her in a light headlock, and tell her she’s such a dick. She won’t admit it, but I’m physically much bigger and stronger than she is, so she’s scared of me. ;)

We go for the slices of pizza, and I go back for seconds and then thirds. It feel so good to eat, but I feel later that I’m still having stomach problems roughly an hour after eating. The rest of the conversation at the table revolves around traveling, and Tove and Julia’s honeymoon. They definitely had an amazing time in Budapest as I watched some of the Julia’s videos. Mona and I talk a little bit more bout the film industry, and me possibly coming to Sweden for more opportunities. From there, we talk about Tove’s cousin, also Emily, also 26, and also working in the film industry and living in the same city. How bizarre, but she's so awesome. We had already hit it off at the wedding and have connected, but Julia explains to the elders how she’s into acting, and got a little bit of a break with a big movie right now.

This spirals over into what Tove does for a living, and what Julia is doing for her new job. After listening to Julia, she suddenly has to go and meet up with the girls. I’m bummed I don’t get to follow, but under the circumstances, it’ll just have to be next time. She takes Alfons with her, and we hug goodbye twice.

We didn’t plan this, but Mom, Dad and I decide to leave shortly after. We don’t know when the last bus leaves for the airport, and the weather is moving in closer. Åke also has to leave- He’s catching the ferry back to Gotland to finish up some things at the house before the winter. We all leave Mona to be by herself. I think she likes this though- After three weeks of people, planning, hosting, cooking, cleaning and chaos, this is the first time where she can get some peace and quiet.

We say our official goodbyes, and half joke that maybe we’ll see them again tomorrow because our flight is full. Mom and Dad are ready to go home, and I have some work waiting for me back home- We hope this doesn’t happen.

Åke, Dad, Mom and I leave, and say goodbye to Uncle Åke at tunnelbana, (the underground metro). Dad has some metro cards that get all three of us a one way back to Central Station. It’s raining and there’s no way we’re walking back in that. Between two pensioners and one student, the fare is cheap.

Three stops away, and we make our bus five minutes before it arrives- Perfect timing!

We get back to our miniature room, and say goodnight, hopeful that we fly out tomorrow.

We’ll let you know...

DAY 22 - WE MAKE IT HOME.