Yosemite, with the Swedes

Jul 7

Four years ago, my family went to Sweden to participate in a Swedish/American reunion with our relatives. We had been to Sweden before, and knew some of our cousins, but this trip opened up a whole new world of the family we never knew! We bonded instantly, and now four years later, the Swedes have come to America for another reunion.

Each day was filled with magical hikes around the jaw-dropping Yosemite Valley (seeing the giant sequoias, and getting wet while hiking up Vernal Falls!). And each night was filled with laughter and some sort of fun activity. Monday night was an interesting discussion on how we are all related, and how our relatives immigrated to America. Tuesday night my aunt and a distant cousin led us in quintessential Americana songs…{please just visual the whole crew singing "My darling Clementine", "She'll be coming 'round the Mountain" and "American the Beautiful". It was hysterical! Wednesday night was a Swedish/American Auction. Everyone was instructed to bring an item that was locally made in their hometown (either in America or Sweden). With 160 people at the reunion, you can imagine there was some seriously AMAZING items for sale!! I walked away a painting, a vintage map of yosemite, and a book on Swedish Traditions with gorgeous photography! All the money was donated to a good cause! Thursday we raised a Swedish Midsommer Pole, and danced around it! {Sadly I wasn't there, but my family told me it was epic!!} Friday everyone drove up to Northern California to my family's farm and had a 4th of July extravaganza!

The best part of the week though was just building relationships with our Swedish family! There are a ton of cousins our age, and it was just fantastic to live life along their side for a week. I'm looking forward to a few of them coming to visit us this weekend!!

I hope that if you have any cultural opportunities to get to know your ancestors family, you'll swoop it up! I'm so happy my family has kept up this connection!! Enjoy the pics...