More than Meatballs: A Swedish Heritage Homecoming
By Hannah Sawyer
School: The College of William & Mary, Class of ’27
Major or concentration: Government & Journalism and Professional Writing
Semester abroad: Spring ’26
To those who have met me, it’s no secret that I’m Swedish. Growing up on the North Shore of Chicago, much of my childhood was spent in Andersonville, a neighborhood with one of the largest concentrations of Swedish immigrants and their ancestors in the US. My childhood was spent eating endless Smorgasbords and surrounded by Dala horses during the holidays. It was no surprise to my parents when I told them, in high school, that I was determined to study abroad in Sweden.
This was all thanks to my mom, Linda, who grew up fully immersed in Swedish culture.
Linda’s own mother, my grandmother Betty, was born to two Swedish immigrants in Chicago. Betty’s father, Carl, was born in Sunne, Värmland County, and moved to Västerås for a few years, then boarded a ship to America in the early 1900’s. Betty’s mother, Marie, was born in Södermalm, in central Stockholm, and also immigrated to America in the 1900’s.
It was Betty’s dream her entire life to visit Sweden. She died shortly after I was born, and her dream was instilled in my mother, who was also determined to visit the country whose culture she had grown up in.
In March, halfway through my time in Stockholm, our dreams intertwined. Admittedly, the whole situation was a little ironic. Both my mother and I had travelled thousands of miles to feel closer to home. My dad, whose great-grandparents were from Norway, was also anxious to get an in-person taste of Scandinavian culture. My younger sister, Kathleen, was happy to tag along for the ride.
My family arrived on Saturday, and our adventures around Stockholm began with a guided tour of Drottningholm, the winter residence of the Swedish Royal Family. It was the perfect introduction to Sweden as we got to experience the golden age of Swedish royalty. We also completed our family’s usual travel mission: trying McDonald’s in every country we visit. The afternoon saw cardamom and cinnamon buns at Stora Bageriet in Östermalm. Early in the week, my childhood best friend, Peter, and his mom, Karen, arrived. Despite being frequent travelers to Europe, this was also their first time in Sweden.
From Sigtuna to Gamla Stan to the Ice Bar, I got to watch those closest to me marvel at the beauty of a city I now call home. Eating traditional Swedish recipes my great-grandmother and grandmother made for my mom, I could see the pure joy and warmth radiate across every dinner table we ate at. Reindeer, moose, meatballs, and pytt i panna (my personal favorite) brought us closer together as we laughed about the week’s adventures and listened to my mom tell stories from her childhood.
Looking back on the experience, I can’t even begin to think of how much it meant for my mom to fulfill Betty’s dream. Seeing where Marie was born, and spending almost three hours in the ABBA museum, a place dedicated to my mom and grandmother’s favorite artist, must have brought back a feeling of love and comfort, one similar to that of a mother’s love.
While their visit not only made me feel closer to my cultural heritage, it made me feel even closer to my mom. I will always remember what my mom whispered in my ear as I hugged her goodbye right before my family left: “Thank you for coming to Sweden, and for letting me experience it with you.”
Since living in Sweden, Swedish culture to me has evolved from being just something celebrated around the holidays to a lifestyle I hope to continue when I return to the US. I’m doing my best to take the lagom lifestyle to heart, and I hope to return with recipes and traditions I can share with my friends who weren’t able to visit.
Andersonville has changed a lot since I was born. There are fewer Swedes and it’s becoming much more of a hub for young professionals. But coming to Sweden has instilled in me a desire to keep that love of my culture alive. Andersonville and my childhood full of Swedish culture lit a flame in me, but being in Stockholm helped me understand why that flame matters.
On top of that, now Kathleen wants to study in Stockholm too. Maybe SSE will be seeing another member of my family soon enough.
Från mitt hjärta,
Hannah
