Nighttime ride with the huskies

Björkliden, Sweden - North of the Arctic Cirle We stood in the snow, flakes speckling our faces with moisture, and absorbed the howling yelps of the sled dogs. Most were still in their cages when our van pulled into the yard. Empty leads lay neatly in the snow, stretching out from the wooden sleds like red...

Sturdy Ice – Wobbly Legs

In Sweden, a usual family activity for those living in Stockholm or the suburbs is to go lake skating. The lakes in the archipelago are usually thicker and safer than the edge of the sea, and many families, couples, and solo skaters spend time flying across these bodies of water. My host family took me...

A Warm Winter

The line of ice that used to stretch like a speed bump right in front of our driveway has slowly dwindled over this past week. Now only a thin line of it clings to the pavement, and the snow in the garden is completely gone. I suppose it's been a warm winter across the globe (which makes...

The Sweet Sting of Culture Shock

My Swedish Adventure Begins I am in Sweden... For about four months. I arrived just outside of Stockholm about a week and a half ago. Now, on a windy Wednesday, I find that though I have done absolutely nothing but make tea, watch tv, and write all morning, I am exhausted. The many subtle adjustments...

The Singing Sands

The sand shifted, slithering out from under my toes to tumble down the slopes of the dune on either side of me. I walked along the thin ridge, my legs burning from the strain of climbing the dune, and the wind continued to prick my skin with the little harsh grains. Through my squinting eyes I could see my friends climbing up the Singing Sands high above me, moving slowly but steadily up the white mountain towards the faint smudge of a gibbous moon at the peak...