Caroline Swedenborg: Family History
About Caroline Swedenborg
Caroline was a witness to the world trade center attack. She studied in New York at the time. Caroline is a mother of 3 children. She was also born and raised in Sweden.
What was it like going to New York for the first time?
I was very young and the suitcase was bigger than me and I was very, very excited.
Have you always felt the same after what happened at the world trade center or has it changed over time?
“Right after the world trade center? It was a very hard years after that. I couldn't really talk to anyone about it, and after I got my family and my kids, , it felt much easier to talk about, and I really now feel that I want to tell people about what I saw and I really want my kids to remember what happened...”.”I thought there was a very small accident, maybe, , microwave that had exploded. I saw everything, but I didn't really see the plane. I think I saw a wing, but I didn't really understand what it was. I was very young…“ Caroline said she had trouble talking about the 9/11 attack for a couple of years but once she had a family and kids she could feel that it was much easier to talk about.
Do you have any advice for your younger self or young people who also have slash may have similar experiences, One in, about being in New York or what happened there?
“If I had been younger and would have been through something like that or something similar, I would have asked for help, I didn't do that. And I think that's why it took me years to go through it. I think today that younger people especially should ask for help. So they feel healthy and can be happy. Again.”
Did you feel affected by your identity in school?
“I loved school and I had a very easy time in school. I had a lot of friends and I think I just enjoyed it. We did and went through the flow and I think my personality and identity was good in that school where I was.”
Did you, or what privileges did you have as a child compared to other people?
“I know that I had that really good childhoodI didn't really understand it at that time. I do it now. , and I figured it out, and I told my friends that I was very proud of my parents. Um, but I also know that they taught me how to behave in manners and protect nature, and also how to use money. I always had to work with my own money if I wanted to buy something. And that was a really good thing for them to learn from me.”
We follow traditions from Sweden a lot, so that's how we get shaped. And our family has a lot of traditions that are very important to us.”
-Caroline Swedenborg
Do you think that being privileged, privileged impacts the way you see the world around you? How can you give an example?
You can miss things when you've felt or heard someone you need to help. You can, you can miss it, or you can also be, I know maybe some of my friends that they, they are very privileged and then they want to help, but they maybe don't help the people who really need it, the right way. Maybe they need more love and you show them other things than just give them, you know, new clothes in a certain brand. Those people don't need this.
Have you ever felt discriminated against because of being Swedish?
“Not really when I grow up, but I think Sweden is rumored to have a good reputation. I don't know if it changed by time and that my kids may have some issues with it. I never noticed it. I'm proud to be Swedish.”
“I think it was, we were very sweet, so proud. We are very good listeners to other people. I think my family has very, very many values that I like that my parents try to teach me and I try to teach my kids.”
