(1906) Furlough in Sweden

Johan, Hedvig, Edith and [Erik?] returned to Sweden in the early spring of 1906 by ship. It was a long journey of six weeks, stopping at various ports along the way. It had been ten years since they had seen their homeland and their family. They had lived through a lifetime of experiences in China.

They were returning to a different Sweden. The Sweden they had known would never be the same again really because some of the people they loved that made up their world in Sweden were gone. Hedvig's father had passed away [any more?].

The little Swedish girl Edith was seeing Sweden for the first time. She turned six in Sweden.

Edith's Memories about Boat Trip to Sweden

Because the ship was bigger and so more stable on the high seas she was seasick only a few times unlike the times when sailing to or from school in Chefoo on the coastal steamers when she was sick most of the time it seemed.

One day she stood on the rail of the ship, and was chastised and sent to bed. This may have been the time she saw a whale which was very exciting. However, Edith didn't remember being punished at any other time.

[Dollan in later years did the same thing on a voyage and was also sent to bed in the cabin as punishment. She was just leaning over to watch the water. (Dollan thinks Oscar took a picture of her doing this before Hellen angrily told her to get down). She was very angry and upset with her parents for sending her to their cabin.

Everyone had deck chairs onboard. They spent a lot of time sitting in them or walking about the deck.

As for going to Sweden it was not necessarily exciting to young Edith, but it was a least different. China was her home. Sweden in more ways than one was a foreign country.

In Sweden she played with other kids and heard them swear. Edith came back into the house and started to swear too. He grandmother said, "you mustn't do that. Why don't you just swear in Chinese, and no one will understand you." Edith wasn't sure how to do that because she wasn't sure what swearing was.

[Dollan memories: they served tea in the morning and broth in the afternoon. Dollan was seven at the time.]

Edith doesn't remember meals onboard ship. Perhaps they were not memorable.

[Dollan remembers that going back to China from Sweden was more exciting than going. You had more things to bring back with you, had gotten more gifts. Going to Sweden you didn't have anything to bring. In Sweden people would have given the kids toys, and things for her doll. Also on board they did a lot of drawings.]

Edith thinks her grandmother Johanna Ersson, maiden name Sjöberg (1838-1907)] and aunt Alma [Ahlberg, maide name Ahlberg, Jansson, (1882 - 1984)]. were living together and she stayed with them. Her parents were busy visiting other relatives and church members to raise support for their mission work in China. Being in Sweden was hard work for Edith's parents because they had to raise support for the mission rather than having a much need rest and enjoying Sweden.

Most of Edith's time seems to have been spent with her grandmother and aunt because Edith did not remember being with a lot of the relatives. Nor does she remember getting a lot of things such as gifts when she was from family and friends as could happen when other missionary kids visited their come countries. That could be because she doesn't remember the relatives being terribly well off. Her grandmother was a nice old lady, but died the next year.

Actually, Edith did not see her parents very often in Sweden or in China. They were always busy. And then the children were off to boarding school. Also, there were five children so none of them got a lot of attention.

[Dollan had more time with her mother. She lived at home and the school was in her yard.]

Their stay was short, only a few months because the children were still in school and they wanted to get back for their vacation break in December and January. They returned to China in November, too late for Edith to begin school so she had to wait for the next year. She could not start school until she was seven.

Sven Lindberg entered school in Chefoo.

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