So frustrated with Sweden

For a number of year’s my daughter’s elementary school in Sweden organized an annual field trip where students traveled to popular destinations in the region, such as Stora Sjöfallet, Luleå, Lofoten (Norway), Rovaniemi (Finland) and even Tromso (Norway).

Of course I was excited for my daughter to experience a school trip. However, there was a staff change the year she started school and the new staff did not take on organizing the field trip. In fact, the school had problems with the new staff and struggled to even maintain staff that year.

I tried to get parents together to organize the trip but there wasn’t much interest, so a trip never occurred. Now a new school year has started and it appears there will yet again be no school trip.

I posted to a local Facebook group for Gällivare kommun, the county that the school is in, asking if my daughter could possibly attend a trip with one of the bigger schools in the city. Instead of being given suggestions I was shocked to receive many negative comments stating it is absolutely not possible for her to join another school and I would have to just settle with no school trip.

While I have had issues with Gällivare in the past, the responses I received on this topic really crossed the line for me. To think not one person could respond with sympathy or suggestions for an important experience for a child. This led me to create a Youtube video discussing my experience.

I have been planning for some time to start a Youtube talk show, but this event motivated to finally start it. I am planning to produce a video weekly, mainly discussing life in Sweden, experience as a parent, the public education system and other topics I find interesting.

As for the school trip, I am continuing to search for avenues where a field trip can be possible even if the school and parents are not on board.