A few of my favorite things from a recent trip to Stockholm.
When graduating from college, I didn’t forsee that one day I would be able to use both my areas of study (journalism and Nordic studies) simultaneously. Oddly enough, it never occurred to me to write about my heritage (I’m Swedish, Norwegian + Danish) and my love for all things Scandinavian (meatballs, included). But then that all changed about six months ago when I started writing for Umgås Magazine, an online publication created by Swedish Match. The website was created as a meeting place (which is what umgås loosely translates to) for Swedish Americans or Americans who have a deep appreciation for Scandinavian culture.
For the site, I’ve written a variety of lifestyle pieces ranging from a brief history of Swedish Colonialism in American to a profiles on organizations such as the American Swedish Museum in Philadelphia.
Recently I wrote a profile on my alma mater University of Colorado at Boulder’s Nordic Studies program, which was fun to write, as it was a trip down memory lane. While at CU-Boulder, I received a concentration in Nordic Studies. I read Icelandic Sagas, J.R. Tolkein’s books (yes, there is a class for that), and Norse mythology. I also learned conversational Swedish (hejsan!) and all about the social welfare state.
For those of you who know me, I can’t help but write about food. So naturally, a portion of my Umgås writing has been food-related. Here are a few of my fave posts:
The Incredible Rise of Magnus Nilsson
A Taste of Fäviken
The Five: Nordic Cookbooks
Swedish Breakfast Spreads
Fika from the Ones Who Write the Book on It
And, as a fan of the clean, contemporary Scandinavian aesthetic, I also have written a few design pieces, as well:
14 Must-Haves from the Fall IKEA Catalog
6 Scandinavian Design Shops that will Transform Your Home
If you are a Scandinavian American like myself, or have an interest in Swedish culture, feel free to reach out and let me know of any stateside happenings that might be of interest for Umgås.
med vänliga hälsningar, marissa
Marissa Hermanson 
Uff da! Your return to your roots warms the Nordic part of my heart. Med venlig hilsen, ja! (Pretty much the extent of my Danish.)
John, that is right! I remember you telling me you are Dane at the CEC. A GREAT Dane, I might add. I was just in Copenhagen a few months ago. Probably one of my favorite cities. The people are so friendly!