One of the most difficult things to come to terms with on a personal level, when diving into missionary history in China, is the fact that my great-grandparents had to send their children back to Sweden by the age of seven. In practice, this meant they could only be present in their children’s lives during... Continue Reading →
- A Shared Swedish Missionary Legacy in China A few weeks ago, I received an email about my blog and research. It was from Karin Stålhammar Hansson, another descendant of missionaries in China. She wrote that she had read about my blog in a newsletter from the missionary society our ancestors had traveled to China... Continue Reading →
As a parent, it has often been tough to leave my children behind for work trips to other countries. Since I had a job that required frequent travel, there were plenty of times I missed my kids when they were little. What brought me comfort was knowing that they had a dad at home taking... Continue Reading →
When in Paris, I always try to make time to go to the Louvre, this amazing art museum that holds so many important works. Except for the queues, the only downside is that there never seems to be enough time to see it all. Last time I was there, I took a moment to really... Continue Reading →
Today, I'm thinking about my great grandmother Dagny and her bravery. 131 years have passed since Dagny set out from Norway to start her life as a missionary in China. It must have taken a lot of guts and stubborness for a woman to travel across the vast oceans on such a dangerous and uncertain... Continue Reading →
111 years ago - by the end of September of the year 1912 - Dagny and Robert were on the move again after having spent two years in Sweden. During this time, Dagny had given birth to a baby girl - Helfrid - at the age of 42, and another eight-year period in China awaited... Continue Reading →
Researching family history is interesting in many ways. Aside from understanding more about where you come from, you can connect with present-day relatives that you might not even have known existed. This has happened to me on a few occasions since I started researching and writing about my geneaology findings, and is also a big... Continue Reading →
Today, students all over Sweden, get to wear their student hats for the first time. In Sweden we call it "mösspåtagning," and it's a sure sign spring is here. Tomorrow, we celebrate Walpurgis night/Valborgsmässoafton, and all the bonfires will have choirs wearing their student hats, singing to welcome spring. Looking back to the beginning of... Continue Reading →
This year, September is a month of celebration in Sweden. A hundred years ago women could finally vote in the Swedish election of 1921. On the 17th of December 1918, the Swedish parliament decided in favour of voting rights for both men and women. This was the first procedural decision that paved the way for... Continue Reading →
How do you explain the meaning of life to kids who grow up while the world around them is burning? How do you answer their worried questions about their future, when people are are dying from meaningless violence by the minute, all over the world. I'm asking, because I know I'm not alone thinking about... Continue Reading →
Berlin is ever changing. Last week I read that they've decided on building four new skyscrapers in the city. They were first planning for a hight of 150 metres, but now it seems they will make do with 130 metres 🙂 They're also tearing down old buildings around Hakescher Markt, where the area is becoming... Continue Reading →
Some choices are bigger and more life changing than others. Last weekend, I went to Falun - a beautiful world heritage site, hosting the Falu copper mine, the Carl Larsson Residence and many other historic buildings. Falun was a big part in keeping Sweden afloat hundreds of years ago. Today, they still produce the famous... Continue Reading →
Thérèse Amnéus 