When summer begins, an LHS student, Moa Hein, packs her bags and travels to Sweden for the summer. Her mother’s side of the family is all Swedish and they currently live in Sweden together. Her dad’s side of the family was born and raised in America, so her family lives here. Hein has been traveling to Sweden for as long as she can remember; her trips generally consist of visiting family, reuniting with friends and swimming in the ocean across the street from her house.
In the 2022-2023 school year, Hein completed her eighth grade year in Sweden, while staying with her mother’s side of the family. A typical school day in Sweden for Hein starts at 7 a.m. when she would wake up and pack her bags for school. Hein would either ride the public bus to school or bike; when it came to lunchtime she was able to leave and get lunch with friends. Then, Hein would return to school to finish out the day.
“School days varied every day. It was like a college schedule where you have different classes every day,” said Hein.
On the other hand, Hein’s after-school routine remained somewhat the same. She would come home from class and have an after-school snack, then she would go for a quick swim.
Sweden is located in Northern Europe and borders Norway and Finland. The lingua franca of Sweden is Swedish, and Hein can speak their language fluently.
“I do speak fluent Swedish; it’s fun to be able to speak with other people in another country that technically isn’t your home,” said Hein.
Hein feels that speaking Swedish helps her connect more with the people who live there.
The United States and Sweden have many similarities, but one difference that takes Hein a little bit to adjust to is the public bus system. In Sweden, many schools do not provide bus transportation; therefore, the students take the public bus to school, along with many adults on their way to work.
“Having a public bus is something different that I had to get used to. In Sioux Falls people don’t typically travel by bus, but in Sweden, everyone takes the bus everywhere,” said Hein.
One of her most valuable experiences in Sweden last year was when Hein and her cousin purchased tickets to the Coldplay concert. Hein enjoys having her family in a close range.
“Our neighborhood is our whole family, and since we lived there before we shared a house with my mom’s parents. Our cousins lived right behind us and it’s super nice being close to everyone,” said Hein.
She is appreciative of the proximity that her family has. Family is a very important part of Heins’s life and she is grateful for all the memories she has created with them.
“It’s truly lucky that I have my family right next to me,” said Hein.
