Hi everyone from Betty,
We may never catch up with telling you about the past 10 days so I'm going to just attempt to fill you in on our time in Sweden so far and later we will post about the missing days.
We did all our registration on the 17th and attended a team supper while Brett and Elise picked Cherise up at the airport. We began to learn how to use the trams and buses and by now can get around quite well. The team hotel is in downtown Gothenburg and that's where Randel and I are staying. Brett, Elise, and Cherise (until she flew to northern Sweden) continued to camp a couple more evenings but now are staying with Pia and Jan about 20 minutes away unless you get lost which we have so they drive the car back and forth.
On the 18th Randel ran in a 5 K race-an opening event. He came in 6th in his age group but pulled a ham string in the process. His main competitions are tomorrow so please pray that he'll be able to compete or make the right choice not to if he shouldn't. There is an athletic trainer here who will help tape him up in the morning and give him advice. He will try to do the 1500 and the 400 but the times are quite close together so he may have to pass on one. He will also throw the shot put so it will be a full day. B and C are picking Cherise up at the airport right now so we will all cheer him on tomorrow!
The opening ceremony was also on the the 18th in the afternoon. It was so awesome to see the teams from 51 countries march into a big hall at Liseberg, a big amusement park here. They marched through the city for a few blocks before entering and Randel said they were cheered on by people out there as well. The four of us were waiting inside and Randel was able to spot us as the USA team came in. There are around 1850 athletes and many supporters here. The hosting Swedish team marched into ABBA's Dancing Queen. Very festive and everyone was nearly dancing in the aisles. There was entertainment and lots of excitement. The rest of the evening was to be spent in the park so all 5 of us rode a gigantic swing and another ride that shot you up into the air. All in the rain but we had a great time.
Other highlights have been watching the Sweden beat Finland in floorball finals on Sunday. It's basically hockey on foot with sticks and a round ball. The Europeans take it very seriously! We cheered the Swedes on and learned their cheers. Most Swedish people speak flawless English and we have had no difficulty being understood. Everyone is so helpful as we ask for directions or help of any kind. It has been fun to share the few Swedish words I do know and the Swedish people are appreciative when I do. We've had fun sharing with them the songs, customs, foods, and traditions that we carry on. They seem to enjoy that.
I have absolutely loved connecting with Pia again. As Brett mentioned she lived with us for 3 or 4 months back in 1979 in Valentine. We've always called her our first daughter and when Grant was born she wrote him a letter telling him she'd tried us out and we were pretty good parents:-) She's the one who got us started doing our St. Lucia day tradition and taught me how to make pepparkakar. It was wonderful to meet her husband, Jan, and daughter, Andrea, who is 8. Pia and Jan came in to meet us the first night and we've been to their home the past two evenings. They have a lovely home that overlooks the sea. Both evenings we have watched the sunset which doesn't really happen until 10:30 or 11. It doesn't set like at home but slowly moves across the sky. Pia has treated us to tea and sweets each evening. Last evening Elise and Andrea played soccer (football here) and Elise taught her some new moves. We visit with Jan and Pia about everything. So interesting to here their perspectives on many topics. Jan lived in the US for some time and has a sister in Boston. They have been very helpful with many details as well as hosting Brett and Elise and tonight Cherise will join them.
Other game news-We have had great conversations with people from many countries as well as meeting our fellow USA teammates. Probably the most memorable contact was with four gentlemen from Iran. One of them wanted to give me a woven dresser scarf in exchange for 5 of our team USA pins. That will be a treasure. One spoke good English and all were eager to have their pictures taken with us. We learned later that they were not to shake hands with women but Elise and I did shake their hands. Their government paid for them to come but no families were allowed to come.
We eat breakfast in the hotel and it is a daily Swedish smorgasbord. That may have slowed Randel down on the first race. Lunch and dinner are served in the Games Village and we have to take a tram ride to that building. The food has been good.
Last night we took the car back to the hotel after visiting Pia and Jan and after we were headed in the right direction I said, "All we have to do now is follow the signs for the Centrum and hope we don't hit a moose." The words were just out of my mouth when a big moose began to cross the road in front of us. He paused to step over the little fence that divides the two lanes and looked right into our window as we went by!! On both of our previous trips to Sweden I had been disappointed that we hadn't seen moose as there are moose crossing signs all over. Now I've seen my moose but next time I hope it's not so close up and personal!
Today we took a break from the Games, picked Brett and Elise up, and headed into the center of Sweden. Jan loaned us his GPS and we were thankful for that! We went first to the Immigrant Museum in Vaxjo but only got about 1/2 hour there as they were closing for some special event. It was interesting to me to see my college, North Park, and home church, the Covenant church, mentioned in the panel on religious information on immigrants. Next we found the very small village of Rosas where Randel's great-grandmother, Carolina, was born in 1847. It's in Smoland the area from which many immigrated. We could see why if they tried to farm the area. It's very wooded with many rocks. Rocks are piled everywhere and made into walls and fences. There were many lakes so it is very beautiful. The houses are mostly barn red with white trim. Very picturesque. The roads were very narrow and we continued to look for moose but no luck! Sheep, cattle, and a few horses grazed in the tiny fields. Not much for crops. Next we headed north to Vastergotland just in from Lake Vattern for those of you who know Swedish geography. It's better farm land there but still some wooded areas. There we found the village of Varsas, where my great grandfather, John Gustafson, was born in 1856. We were able to go inside the church where he was baptized and attended while he grew up. This was very special for me as he is the one great grandparent I knew as he lived to be 97. He was a man of great faith and I remember visiting him after church on Sundays. He would ask me to say my Sunday school memory verse for him. It really connected for Brett and Elise when they realized that he was Albertina's father as they remember her. He came to the states with his new wife, Ericka Charlotta, in 1881 and eventually bought and lived on the farm where I was raised and my mother still lives. That was in 1913 so the farm has been in the family for nearly 100 years.
I know some of you are my family who are interested in this history but this did get a bit long! Hopefully we will now keep up a little bit better but no promises. We have been going at quite a pace as we are excited to see everything. We've had a little down time now but not much.
Randel thinks he's feeling pretty good and just jogged a mile on the treadmill in the gym as I wrote this. Hopefully he's good to go in the morning!
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We are living a dream and loving every minute of this. The kids are troopers and we've laughed often and are enjoying our time together. We need to see if our white Elvis suits are ready for tomorrow!
Love to all,
Betty
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