When I was a child my parents took me traveling. I had a friend in England when I was 5 and another in Austria when I was 12.
I remember that it was exiting to get to know other people from other countries and cultures. I remember my father enjoying talking to new people! (English, German and a little Spanish)

My father had a friend when he was a teenager. As an adult his friend emigrated to Australia, but they kept in touch. When I was 10 or 11 he came to Denmark with his family to visit his mother, and we were invided too. He had 2 sons 1 and 2 years older than me, they were very shy because I was a girl.

After the visit my father kept saying to me that I ougth to write them letters and he discused it with his friend in their letters.

When I finally learned English I wrote one and got an answer! A friend in Australia!

It was so far away but my dream was to go there one day! I wrote an essay on Ayers Rock and one on coala bears.

I don’t think my father had any plan for me other than learning English, but he started a friendship with a link to him self, an importen thing for me today!

Almost a month ago David came to Sweden, with him was his family. I have met his wife twice before but not the children!

Now our children spend the weekend together, they became friends – I can see my father smile! Third generation!!!!

My father Palle Sömberg 1932-1993

Third generation: Alex, Linnea & Nik

This summer we also met with our friend from Belarus and Switzerland – 16 years after my visit to Belarus! And with our parents and children! Also here tree generations of friend startet by the middle generation 17 or 18 years ago! Time flies! But the friendship is strong as ever!

I remember writing to Belarus many years ago that I was dreaming about the day when our children would meet! Hopefully the girls friendship will last too.

Alexandra, Doris, Elin, Hans, Linnea, me, Oleg & Tanya (Mom is behind the camera)

Our friends from The Netherlands just left us yesterday morning after a very good weekend together. The Children – in total 3 are all born in China became friends very quickly and had a great time! Now I just hope that the familys dream about a Swedish summerhouse will come true so we’ll be able to meet more often!

Norah, Linnea & Robin

So my father didn’t just teach me to be better in English but also to make friends outside my world! And so I did as a young teenager and now because of the adoption! Mailinglists with Swedish adoption families, another with families from all over the world! New friends with an adoption story to connect us. Something in a mail catches you eye and you got a connection that leads to friendship and visits!

It might sounds odd to say but adoption is absolutely “it” for me! All these people I now know because of the adoption and of course the internet is something I never expected! But I just love it!

I hope is that Linnea will treasure these people as I do and will understand the beauty of an open heart and mind! What you can get from being friends across borders and cultures!

Then of course there is the new “family members” too: Linneas foster family in China who gave her the start in life every child should be entitled to and the sponsor that made the foster family possible! People we’re forever grateful for, they cared for our miracle and still do!
A month or so ago we actually showed Linnea the picture of me and her foster family together the day we got her.  Here we are!

The son Huang zhi feng, his wife Wu jia hui, me, foster mother Zhang Yun Zhi and foster father Huang Guang Shun.

Linneas reaction was: “Where is dad?” and I told her, that he was at the hotel with her! And that was it! So 2 days ago she got her 2 photo albums – one from the foster family and one from the orphanage. I the showed her all the photos we got from Grace & Hope for Children and promised her a copy for the album! It is both a relief and very sad that she has forgotten her family, but we will make sure to keep them alive in her mind and heart till the day we meet again!

And that leads me to the fantastic idea that we could meet up with the Wagner family from USA in Nanning – gues what my dear Karen said? YES! But I do hope to meet the Wagners before the China trip…….

So my hope is to teach Linnea to make friends not only at home but in the whole wide world!
To make conections lasting over generations, carrying a story from the past into the future!

Lots of Love, you are forever in my heart!

Mette

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PS Linnea said to day that she wanted a big lollipop when we go on holiday, this is her danish words: Jeg vil ha en stor lollipop!
So I asked: What is a lollipop? and she answered in Swedish: En klubba! And smiled! She is on to her third language 🙂

When we speak English to our friends, Linnea only speaks Swedish – and of course Danish to us!

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