The dictionary defines vocation as:
1. a particular occupation, business, or profession; calling.
2. a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career.
3. a divine call to God's service or to the Christian life.
What speaks to me is vocation as a "calling". I have often said the work that I do is "life work", more than a job, more than a paycheck but a way of life. The Rotary and the YMCA have very similar missions, to build strong communities locally, nationally and internationally. I have formed my life and career around the impulses that I have of doing good to others and I see this trip as a calling to absorb and share all that will enrich my life and the work I do.
I began my vocational experience in Östersund with an afternoon at the Yoga studio and spa but I am on a journey to immerse into the culture to see what Swedes are doing as it pertains to health and wellness. Karin, my host "mom" who is one of the reverends in Gävle, will guide me on my first day of vocational experiences here. I find that the Rotary hosts are having difficulty understanding what I do. They narrow in on the Christian piece of the Young Men's Christian Association and set me up to tour with Karin as she makes her rounds for the day. I am curious to learn more about this aspect of the culture so I am dry as a sponge, ready to absorb every bit of moisture for the day. Karin shares with me that many Swedes do not go to church and that as we heard in Östersund, volunteering is not popular among Swedes. With 50% taxes, the people feel they are giving enough. This is not to say that Swedes are not giving, as we have found them to be very kind and generous as they have opened up their homes and lives to us.
Our first stop is a homeless shelter known as Ria (www.helamanniskan.se), where Karin gives a short sermon and I am introduced to the small staff and many of the people who are utilizing the services for the day. This organization began in Stockholm in the 1950's as a church based organization to help those with alcoholic and drug problems. They offer breakfast every morning, offer a woman's group and take the people who use their services into the community to participate in such activites as gym or swim time. They speak of the struggles they have collaborating and again, finding volunteers. I share that the work I do at the YMCA is largely based on community collaborations and the need to support and grow or services to help more people is the basis of what we do so we are constantly looking at ways to enhance our programs and services. They are very impressed and even re-energized to pursue some of the connections that have been lost. Karin and I thank them for their time and we are off to our next deistination.
We find our way to the Gävle senior center and meet a woman by the name of Cina Kedvall, who is the Volontärsamordnare (volunteer coordinator) for Gävle. Yes, the city created a postion (just 3 years ago) to help provide volunteer support to such organizations as the Senior Center (where Cina's office is located), the Church of Sweden, Lions club and the Red Cross. The city funds this position and the participating organizations supply volunteers to staff the Senior Center. As Cina and I speak, a curios senior man hears me speaking English and is eager to talk with me. He introduces himself as Bo Berglund and explains that he is an interpreter by profession and shares that he comes to the senior center a few mornings a week as well as attending a local gym. Ahhh... a gym! The first I have heard of since arriving in Sweden. I know they exist but I have not seen any so I ask Bo to tell me more and he says, "Tell you! I'll show you!". He invites Karin and I for a tour and guides us to Korden gym where he is a member. and attends regularly. We tour the facilty which houses a descent amount of free weight equipment, a number of cardio pieces and a large studio. Karin and I continue talking with Bo as he shows us around and he shares that he enjoys getting out and volunteering when he can. Karin takes the opportunity to ask him if he'd be willing to help take some of the people from R.I.A. to the gym or swimming and he says he would. He gives us each his business card and she tells him she will be in touch. Bo must leave us but Karin and I are both touched and realize the significance of what just happened. Random occurances of kindness which can lead to such signifcant change in the lives of all that will be affected by someone saying "yes" to volunteering.
In the afternoon, I am invited to the University where a special guest professor (Terry Hartwig) is giving a lecture in English on Environmental Psychology. At the beginning of class he hears me speak English and as we begin talking he shares that he grew up in Michigan, has been living in Sweden for over a decade and his mom lives in Saukville, WI... which just happens to be 20 minutes away from me. Small world! Professor Hartwig's lecture is based on the theories about restorative environments and the social ecology of stress and restoration. The rotary leadership in Gävle was aware of my psychology degree and thought I would be interested in attending a lecture in this field, escpecially as it was being held in English which is not usual. This is the first I have heard of the topic and I am curious to learn more. A restorative environment is one that promotes a process of recovery from stress... ahhh... I immediately think of the Y and our new Healthy Lifestyle village. Every bit of our project was designed and built to allow for restoration, to allow for an environment of reducing stress and being well.
On Thursday I am told I will be given the vocational experience I have been looking for with a visit to Fjärran Höjderbadet, also known as Tropicanaland (www.gavle.se/fjarranhojder). I arrive there first thing in the morning and am greeted by Bernt Jonsson, general manager of the facility. He and a couple of his staff sit with me, I have lot's of questions and we enter into discussion about how the message of being healthy has been pushed more strongly in Sweden over the past couple of years through media and culture. They talk about the high level of stress that all people share across the world when it comes to all we juggle with work and personal responsibilities but there seems to be an increased amount of pressure on Swedes to be good in all areas of their lives and accept the stress with grace. We speak of the obesity epidemic in America and the influence that it increases to have throughout Europe. Surprisingly though, a recent study comparing American and Swedish boys shows that American boys are actually more fit, the main reason being that in the states, sports are incorporated in schools while here in Sweden, children and parents must pursue sports through the community centers.
Tropicanaland is actually a city run facilty but they are working to reach out and work with the community by offering swimming lessons to the local schools as well as many water aerobics classes for all ages. Corporate Wellness is one of their newer focuses and they have been trying to reach out and engage companies to ptomote employee wellness with partnership opportunities but have found some difficulty in making this happen. They are eager to show me around and I am introduced to the gym manager who takes me on a tour of their small work out facilities, and then Annica Tropp who oversees Aquatics for the facility, who takes me on a tour of over 6 pools which include a water park and outdooor 50 meter pool.
Tropicanaland is actually a city run facilty but they are working to reach out and work with the community by offering swimming lessons to the local schools as well as many water aerobics classes for all ages. Corporate Wellness is one of their newer focuses and they have been trying to reach out and engage companies to ptomote employee wellness with partnership opportunities but have found some difficulty in making this happen. They are eager to show me around and I am introduced to the gym manager who takes me on a tour of their small work out facilities, and then Annica Tropp who oversees Aquatics for the facility, who takes me on a tour of over 6 pools which include a water park and outdooor 50 meter pool.
I am energized to continue my day and in the afternoon I am taken to Frikis & Svettis and shown around by Jonas, one of the managers. From the first time hearing the name, the first thing that came to my mind is Frisky and Sweaty... I share my renaming with Jonas, which I'm sure I have not been the first to refer to it as such, and we have a laugh. You can check them out at http://www.friskissvettis.se/. This non-profit organization was founded in Stockholm in 1978 on the idea that sports associations and health care should be able to benifit from each other's knowledge. I find that the concept of combing health and wellness is not a new one here in Sweden and while they do not have the facilities to combine both at this point, they have been collaborating for some time, including a prescription referal program that Dr.'s will write to their patients reccomending excercise at a health club. Friskis and Svettis currently has over 150 locations throughought Scandanavia and Europe with over 500,000 members. A signifcant piece of their business is that all of the fitness instructors are volunteers! This has gone against a lot of what I have been hearing so far but it seems Friskis and Svettis has it down when it comes to engaging fitness enthusiast, so much so that they are happy to teach for free in exchange for their certificaitons being paid for as well as uniforms and access to the gym facilities. Sounds like a great trade off to me!
As I end my day of vocational experience, my mind is full with new knowledge and I am eager to return to my work in the states although I realize there is still more to be learned here in Sweden, and so the journey continues...
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