| April was an incredible month for me! The wonderful experiences that I had
will never, ever be forgotten! It all started on March 24th when I visited
Spain. I stayed in a town called Loja, Granada, which is located to the
south of Spain. I went with my Spanish classmates along with three
chaperones. I visited many countries before but I fell in love with the
mountainous landscapes of Spain. I loved its people and the food was
delicious. Churros were one of my favorites. It’s like pancakes in the form
of a thick string. In Loja, I had a great opportunity to stay with a family,
who might I add, were truly kind. Through them I got to experience their
unique culture at it’s best. I think by being with the locals, you enjoy
your visit to a foreign country much more. I hardly ever went to tourist
areas because they tend to limit your experience to an extent. What’s hidden
can suprise you. Spain had a very rugged landscape in my opinion. People say
that it’s a combination of Greece and Austria. It looks like Austria because
of the soaring mountains and it resembles Greece because of it’s dry, rocky
atmosphere. I liked the homes there too. They were made of stone and quite
nice on the inside. There ceramics were lovely. It is my opinion that a
country itself can be really beautiful but if the people aren’t nice, you
can’t honestly say that you liked a visit there. During my trip, I was able to see cool attractions like Capilla Real where King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella, and their children were buried, Alhambra which is a very beautiful Arabic palace, the rich architecture of all the churches and cathedrals etc. It was amazing! I think that my most scary experience was when I encountered how angry the gypsies can become if you don’t give them their money! After a guided tour through Alhambra, I stayed behind with a few others to take pictures. Well, all of a sudden these two gypsy ladies came from nowhere and took our hands without asking and started to read our palms. After a favorable reading, they wished us good luck and gave us a twig from some palm tree. That was the danger because we were warned not to accept this twig which meant that you had an obligation to pay for the reading. I nor the group that I was with heard this warning so we got into problems. The lady asked for money and I was like ‘no, I didn’t ask for any predictions’ and she became aggressive. At this point I was a bit nervous because I really didn’t expect such a reaction. The people who accompanied me were thinking of a way to escape without causing any problems. Well, the gypsy lady that gave me the reading took my hand, angrily snatched the twig and blasted swear words at the group. The two ladies started making these crazy noises so we ran as fast as we could to meet the others because it sounded like a call to other Gypsies. That was so scary but we made it alive. That was a close one! Well, I learned that you never accept a twig from the gypsies if you are not willing to pay money! It was pretty sad to see an English tourist passively being robbed because he was unaware of this custom. It was suprising to see the amount of poverty in the larger cities of Granada. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience to see people begging for money and the cold responses that followed. I saw this poor lady at Burger King begging (practically with tears) another lady for money to buy something to eat and the person that she begged didn’t even look at her. I saw a guy desperately looking for food in a public garbage bin as I sat on a bench eating a sandwich. It was so sad because I am living in a country like Sweden where in the schools, children take up helpings larger than their appetites and complain about how bad it tastes yet there are people starving on the same continent. But, then again, where there are many people, there is poverty. One of my favorite experiences was Flamenco dancing because I could see the girls ‘do their thing’! The movements were fabulous and their dress was colorful! THE GIRLS WERE PRETTY! All in all the trip was great! When I returned to Sweden, I had to face the reality that I would be moving to another family. I felt bittersweet but it was something that I had to do. Well, I did, however, settle with my new host family but the problem is that I live so far out. Efforts are currently being made to house me nearer to Hudiksvall so this family isn’t my last supposedly. I now live on the countryside in an area called Bobyden. The family is very nice. My host mum’s name is Ann and my host dad’s name is Lars (Lasse). They are both teachers. I have many host siblings namely Moa, Adela, Enar (he will be an exchange student next year to the USA), Ida-Lina and Elin. They don’t all live at the house unfortunately. Elin and Ida-Lina live in Stockholm and Enar lives in Hudiksvall. I think he hates getting up so early in the mornings. The family’s lifestyle is different as I said in my last report. They are economical, ecological, and natural! In Sweden, there is the ‘Alternative Life’ which is a broad topic. I find it to be a healthier way of life. I would’ve loved to stay had they lived nearer to the downtown area. Lastly, I finally visited one of the lovliest cities in the world. That’s Stockholm! I was truly fascinated because there was so much water. The best time I think to visit is in the spring time because of the water and the trees. It was beautiful. I really liked their subway system. They have a modern subway line which is smoother and faster. Those subways were the best that I have been on in my life. Most times subways shake, but you could fall asleep on those in Stockholm. I only had a day to go sightseeing but I managed to see many attractions in the short time for instance ‘Kungliga Slottet’! Wow, the month was awesome! I am planning to go to Skåne next month which is a town to the south of Sweden. It’s not so far from Denmark. You never know, I might get there too! Well, I think that’s all for now. I can’t believe that May is here already. At times I thought that this year would never end. The proverb ‘time waits for know man’ is true. Before you know it, I’ll be home again and the new outbounds can begin their exciting journey. Lot’s of love. Look forward to ‘Rapport Nummer Nio’! This report is for the month of April. Truly, Angelo Mortimer, Sverige |