Special Investigation
A Day in My Life in Sweden by Rupa
by Comenius (17)

A DAY IN MY LIFE Written by: Rupa Thakrar, Vadsbo Gynasiet Mariestad Sweden I wake up by hearing voices out in the doorway. I look at the clock, it's already 12. I prick my ears and try to work out whom the voices belong to. It sounds like my cousins, but what are they doing here? Have I missed anything? I put my slippers on and go out into the kitchen to have some breakfast. There, right on the table, is the invitation to the 25-years jubilee party. Oh yeah, today it's the 22nd of November 1997. This year, 25 years ago, my parents and 200 other Asians came to Sweden as refugees. They came to a foreign country, a different language, a new culture and a colder climate. For 25 years they have struggled to learn the language, the culture, and to get used to the cold Swedish climate. I'm proud of all these Indians, specially my parents who have succeeded very well. Not even once have I heard them complain about anything that has been different from what they are used to. After all, they had to leave everything behind and start all over. Caught up in my own thoughts I didn't notice that time had passed so quickly. I have to hurry, the big party hall has to be decorated, and we are supposed to meet in 15 minutes. I get dressed quickly and run down to the sports hall. When I arrive I see that all the preparations have already begun. Everything has to be done within two hours. The stage has to be put up, the music equipment has to be tested, and we have to turn this grey and boring sports hall into a colourful party hall, where later on there will be about 700 people. All the decoration material has been prepared for months to be hung up this day. With 10 people in the decoration committee we have 10 different opinions of how and where everything should be. Anyway, at last we make it. I look around and think, Nobody could have done it better! I look at my watch and I'm running out of time. But we have to rehearse for the opening ceremony. Everyone knows that the party is going to be opened by us (me and my friends), but nobody knows what we will do (I hardly know either). Because of all the secrecy, the participants couldn't find out what to do...until now! We really need to rehearse! Everything is one big mess right now, I don't think we will ever make it in time for the party. While we stand there rehearsing, I disappear into my own dream world. I start to think about where I would be at this very moment if my parents hadn't come to Sweden. Damn! What is it we are supposed to do?! Ah well... It'll be all right... I hope! After the rehearsal I rush home. I have to change into my Indian clothes and get really dressed up, because it's a day we have all been waiting for and looking forward to. I will never make it in time, I'm just too fussy. The clothes need to be ironed, my hair has to be done, nails get painted...Oh no, where should I begin? Life doesn't exactly get easier with all the guests occupying both the bathrooms when they're the most needed. Everyone is beginning to get ready except for me. Now everyone is bugging me to hurry up, but that's easy for them to say, they have had the whole afternoon to get ready. And nobody seems to get the thought of helping me either. I just think that they can shut up and wait for me to get ready! We are three full packed cars that go away. I take a nervous glance at the watch, it's getting close to 8pm. Ooops, the ceremony group was supposed to meet 15 minutes ago. Go, Go, Go, Dad, I scream. Dad drops me off near the entrance and goes to find a parking space. NO!!! My ticket! Oh ****! I try to sneak past the security guards, but no luck there. I beg on my bare knees and try to look like a sad puppy. They still refuse to let me in...hmm...the puppy face always works at home...seems like I'll have to come up with something new. Ok, it's too late now, I'm sure it's too late. The opening ceremony has definitely started by now, without me. Wait a minute! I can see my dad in the corner of my eye. Maybe I'll still make it! Quickly I grab the ticket from dad and shove it up the guard's face. Inside I see my group standing there doing NOTHING! What?!? What is going on here? Are they already done? Nobody seems to have the time to even look at me, they're all too busy with themselves. After several questions about what is going on, I get the answer that we are going to start as soon as everyone has arrived. Why on earth did I rush? While we are waiting I start getting a bit nervous. Now is the time. The lights go off and the 50 candles are lit. In one minute 700 people get silent. The music is now on and we are walking in from opposite directions, holding four different countries flags: Sweden, Uganda, India, and Pakistan. We stop in the middle of the hall with the flags. I have no idea what will happen next, I was kind of absent this afternoon... Suddenly the music stops. Out of the speakers a voice begins to read a poem, written by my friend Priya. The poem is very touching and my eyes start to water, but no, I can't cry now, my mascara isn't waterproof. It's still dead quiet in the hall and I hear sobs from here and there. I shiver as I think about what everyone in here have gone through and how life suddenly takes strange turns, before you end up somewhere for a longer time. The poem ends and the sobbing turns into applause. The music starts again and we go into the changing room. I look at the others and nobody says a word. Everyone is as touched by this moment as I am. I'm sure none of us will ever forget this moment. I go back out into the hall and on my way to my seat I hear some people saying that this opening ceremony was the best thing they have heard and seen for a long time. Now I proudly walk over to my seat. When I sit down, I think, This was a very good beginning for the rest of the evening. Now the famous music group called "Hakuna Matata" from England is being introduced. Now the party really is about to begin. The dance floor quickly gets full of people in colourful dresses that are very eager to start dancing. I feel exhausted after the whole dayÃs stress, and feel that I'd rather watch than dance. But as the evening goes on I feel happier and canÃt sit still. Now I'm off to the dance floor. Together with my friends IÃm dancing till 3 in the morning. People start to go home and we are supposed to clean the hall before we leave. We do that really fast and soon the colourful party hall changes back into the boring grey sport hall. Back home again we sit down in the kitchen talking about the party. I take out the cheesecake I made the day before, and serve it to everyone, except for myself. DoesnÃt seem like I'll get any cheesecake this time. Oh well... IÃm starting to get tired and I think I'll go to bed now. Usually I would never go to bed without brushing my teeth and wash my make up off, but today I'm just too tired. I lie down on my bed and think back of the evening. How messy everything had been and how well it all turned out in the end. With the opening ceremony in my mind, I fall asleep with a smile on my face. 25 YEARS AWAY FROM HOME For some it's still hard to believe 25 years away from home Away from a country we never imagined to leave The greatest country of them all Where we thought our dreams could never fall The greatest country of them all Until Idi Amin shouted out his call 25 years filled with anger and disappointment Filled with difficulties and tears 25 years filled with hope and love Filled with friends that for us have cheered Where to go and what to do Having to wait was worse than anything weÃve known Where to go and what to do Thank you Sweden for the mercy you've shown 25 years in our new home Happy with our family and new friends 25 years in our new home With a gratefulness that never ends Remembering family and friends we've lost It still brings tears to our eyes Remembering family and friends weÃve lost Safe in our hearts they lie Hopefully this has taught us What Idi Amin and other dictators never knew And if we have learnt this lesson Then hopefully we have taught our children this too: There is only one race And that's the human race On the inside we all look exactly the same Pray for those who we have lost And pray for those who we will find Pray for those who we have close And pray that the world will open their minds Priya Ganatra, 13 September 1997 When Priya wrote this poem, she tried to imagine how her parents and all the others situation was. She asked around how it was, and then wrote it from their point of view. This article is taken from the 'Eurojournal' which can be seen on the Colchester Sixth Form College Website. It is funded by the EU under Comenius 1. The coordinating school is St. Benedict's College Colchester. Our partnership includes schools in France, Germany (2), Holland, Italy, Poland and Sweden. Our objective is to have a partner school in every European country.