My first experience with the Swedish language....

Although it is hard to believe, seven years ago, I couldn't speak a word of Swedish.  However, growing up in the Vancouver Bach Children's Chorus, I remember we sang a folksong in Swedish.  I was probably about twelve at the time, Diane Loomer was the conductor, and I just assumed the song was from Sweden.  It would not be until 2010, during my first visit to Israel, that I learned ¨vem kan segla¨ actually originates from Åland, an autonomous group of islands belonging to Finland and where the primary language is Swedish.   I have visited Åland at least three times and think it is pretty neat that my journey into learning Swedish began with a song from such a beautiful place.

Earlier this summer, we attended a concert presented by the EuroChoir, approximately forty singers from sixteen countries who come together for a week of rehearsals and performances in a different city annually.  This year, they happened to be in Helsinki -- and they sang several songs from Finland, including ¨vem kan segla.¨  Here is a video from that concert and even though this arrangement is a LOT more complicated than the one we sang in the VBCC when I was a kid, it brought me on a trip down memory lane and reminded me how much those early days of singing in a children's choir has impacted my life to this day.

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/vem-kan-segla-who-can-sail.html

Who can sail without wind,

Who can row without oars,

Who can part from their friend

Without shedding tears?

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/vem-kan-segla-who-can-sail.html

Who can sail without wind,

Who can row without oars,

Who can part from their friend

Without shedding tears?

I can sail without wind,

I can row without oars,

But I can't part from my friend

Without shedding tears.Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Here is an English translation:

Who can sail without wind?
Who can row without oars?
Who can part from their friend
Without shedding tears?

I can sail without wind,
I can row without oars,
But I can't part from my friend
Without shedding tears.