Xmas letter 2016

(you can click on some pictures)

Today, December 18, 2016, marks our 40th wedding anniversary. We look back with pride over the love and friendship that have carried us through these years. There have been periods of major sorrows and difficulties, which we could only deal with by enjoying laughters with our children, grandchildren, relatives and friends from across the globe. Our putting together notes from each year that we cross has kept us going and this year is no different. Life, with its various faces, deserves to be celebrated. To life!

The New Year started with a jump into our pool in Gaborone. January was an excessively hot month in Botswana. There were days when our thermometer recorded 45°C. Despite the extreme heat, we continued working on the book project "Botswana-Sweden 50 Years of Partnership, 1966-2016". The project went extremely well as, on July 1, we had the book delivered from the printer to our house in Sigtuna. With the help of BOTSFA, the Embassy of Botswana, Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sweden, Embassy of Sweden (from Pretoria) and Sanitas Tea Garden, the commemorative book was launched as part of Botswana’s 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations, in both Sweden and Botswana. The book project turned out to be a very worthwhile engagement. Thanks to the other members of the editorial team, Viera Larsson, Roger Bergström and Mats Ögren Wanger, the process that began in 2011 was successfully completed!

As an extension to the book project, Per organized a photo exhibition, in Stockholm, with a theme "Focus on Botswana". He put together 50 photos he had been taking from when he first came to Botswana in 1973. Two of the co-editors for the book, Viera Larsson and Mats Ögren Wanger, also displayed their artwork. Viera had water colour paintings based on Botswana, while Mats, like Per, exhibited photographs.

Another 2016 milestone for us was the visit by 47 BOTSFA members to Botswana to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Independence. BOTSFA had a committee led by its extremely capable treasurer, Anders Hjertstrand, to prepare for the visit, but we also got extensively involved due to our familiarity with contacts in Botswana. All in all, we had a memorable visit and time. We continue to receive messages of gratitude from those who were part of the group! Spending time with our son Moleko and his family, Julia’s mother and other relatives in Botswana is always a pleasure.

During our two visits to Botswana this year, in January and September, we had time for our favourite pastime - trips to the wildlife parks. We went to Khutse Game Reserve, Nxai Pan National Park and Moremi Game Reserve in January. The early year safari frenzy in Botswana was followed by our first ever visit to Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. We used whatever opportunity we had for celebrating our lives together, and the widerness provided the serenity.

Following the end of the formal independence celebrations programme, we travelled north to Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi National Park with our friends from BOTSFA, Bosse and Jana Önnerlöv, Christina Nelke and Tommy Andersson. After camping at Nxai Pan and not seeing much wildlife we decided to go to Makgadikgadi National Park by the Boteti River. It was a new place for all of us with lots of animals and a place we would happily return to.

We also had time for several fun activities in Sweden during the summer. Together with Per's Folkdance group, we went to Tranås in southern Sweden and later visited a very interesting place, Julita, with our Sigtuna soup group gang. Other visits included Larv, Ulricehamn, Tjörnekalv, Göteborg, Falkenberg and finally Smedstorp in Skåne to spend time with our son Petter and his family.

The year brought some changes to our intercontinentally-spread family. Our son Petter, who works for Ericsson, and his family transferred to Abu Dhabi mid-year and we have both had a chance to visit them. Very interesting how oil has lubricated the region’s development to emerge from sand dunes to sparkling cities and a very rich life for its people! Our daughter Anna and her two children decided to relocate to Sweden following three years in Kenya where her husband has a job with Ericsson. We are back to being actively energized grandparents, as they live 10 minute’s walk from our house!

This year we will be in Sweden for Christmas and New Year. If the weather signs that we are seeing are anything to go about, we will have a white Christmas. The past 2 to 3 years have been too grey for a real Christmas celebration. It’s high time!

As we reflect on the happy moments we have had and the sadness from the loss of friends and relatives who were dear to us, we continue to be thankful that we are soon about to cross over to another year.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2017!

Per and Julia


	(you can click on some pictures) Today, December 18, 2016, marks our 40th wedding anniversary. We look back with pride over the love and friendship that have carried us through these years. There have been periods of major sorrows and difficulties, which we could only deal with by enjoying laughters with our children, grandchildren, relatives and friends from across the globe. Our putting together notes from each year that we cross has kept us going and this year is no different. Life, with its various faces, deserves to be celebrated. To life! The New Year started with a jump into our pool in Gaborone. January was an excessively hot month in Botswana. There were days when our thermometer recorded 45°C. Despite the extreme heat, we continued working on the book project "Botswana-Sweden 50 Years of Partnership, 1966-2016". The project went extremely well as, on July 1, we had the book delivered from the printer to our house in Sigtuna. With the help of BOTSFA, the Embassy of Botswana, Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sweden, Embassy of Sweden (from Pretoria) and Sanitas Tea Garden, the commemorative book was launched as part of Botswana’s 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations, in both Sweden and Botswana. The book project turned out to be a very worthwhile engagement. Thanks to the other members of the editorial team, Viera Larsson, Roger Bergström and Mats Ögren Wanger, the process that began in 2011 was successfully completed! As an extension to the book project, Per organized a photo exhibition, in Stockholm, with a theme "Focus on Botswana". He put together 50 photos he had been taking from when he first came to Botswana in 1973. Two of the co-editors for the book, Viera Larsson and Mats Ögren Wanger, also displayed their artwork. Viera had water colour paintings based on Botswana, while Mats, like Per, exhibited photographs. Another 2016 milestone for us was the visit by 47 BOTSFA members to Botswana to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Independence. BOTSFA had a committee led by its extremely capable treasurer, Anders Hjertstrand, to prepare for the visit, but we also got extensively involved due to our familiarity with contacts in Botswana. All in all, we had a memorable visit and time. We continue to receive messages of gratitude from those who were part of the group! Spending time with our son Moleko and his family, Julia’s mother and other relatives in Botswana is always a pleasure. During our two visits to Botswana this year, in January and September, we had time for our favourite pastime - trips to the wildlife parks. We went to Khutse Game Reserve, Nxai Pan National Park and Moremi Game Reserve in January. The early year safari frenzy in Botswana was followed by our first ever visit to Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. We used whatever opportunity we had for celebrating our lives together, and the widerness provided the serenity. Following the end of the formal independence celebrations programme, we travelled north to Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi National Park with our friends from BOTSFA, Bosse and Jana Önnerlöv, Christina Nelke and Tommy Andersson. After camping at Nxai Pan and not seeing much wildlife we decided to go to Makgadikgadi National Park by the Boteti River. It was a new place for all of us with lots of animals and a place we would happily return to. We also had time for several fun activities in Sweden during the summer. Together with Per's Folkdance group, we went to Tranås in southern Sweden and later visited a very interesting place, Julita, with our Sigtuna soup group gang. Other visits included Larv, Ulricehamn, Tjörnekalv, Göteborg, Falkenberg and finally Smedstorp in Skåne to spend time with our son Petter and his family. The year brought some changes to our intercontinentally-spread family. Our son Petter, who works for Ericsson, and his family transferred to Abu Dhabi mid-year and we have both had a chance to visit them. Very interesting how oil has lubricated the region’s development to emerge from sand dunes to sparkling cities and a very rich life for its people! Our daughter Anna and her two children decided to relocate to Sweden following three years in Kenya where her husband has a job with Ericsson. We are back to being actively energized grandparents, as they live 10 minute’s walk from our house! This year we will be in Sweden for Christmas and New Year. If the weather signs that we are seeing are anything to go about, we will have a white Christmas. The past 2 to 3 years have been too grey for a real Christmas celebration. It’s high time! As we reflect on the happy moments we have had and the sadness from the loss of friends and relatives who were dear to us, we continue to be thankful that we are soon about to cross over to another year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2017! Per and Julia