Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 20 “I always find it fun to share my life and everyday activities with other people and to perhaps add a new element to their own lives. I travel a lot myself and it’s always fun to socialise with the local residents when I’m abroad. You get closer to the country and its culture that way,” says Maria. Booking a time to meet with Maria or any of the other local ambassadors involved in the Meet the Locals programme is easy. Apart from yoga, you can also experience graffiti and street art at Hisingen, go mountain-biking in the Ulricehamn forest, or cruise around in a classic car in the areas around Kinnekulle and Bil- lingen. Or why not just enjoy the fika (coffee or tea and pastries enjoyed socially) that Sweden has become famous for? All those involved in Meet the Locals are private individuals who have registered their interest in sharing a piece of their everyday lives with visitors to West Sweden. “First, you visit the website and find a local whom you’re interested in meeting. Then you simply register yourself and send a request to meet. It’s then up to you and the local you contacted to decide if, how and where you want to meet,” explains Anna Martinez, Project Manager for Meet the Locals at the West Sweden Tourist Board. Meet the locals Thanks to the West Sweden Tourist Board’s Meet the Locals initiative, visitors now have the chance to get to know West Sweden through the people who live here. Maria Johansson is one West-Swedish local who has volunteered her time to give tourists a glimpse of everyday life in the region. You can meet Maria and join her for a yoga class at the Hagabadet health club in central Gothenburg via the meetthelocals.se website. T E X T J O H A N W E T T E R B E R G Maria believes that the Meet the Locals initiative helps satisfy people’s growing interest in authentic experiences that go beyond classic tourist attractions. She explains: “As an example, I met with a British journalist who was in Sweden for work and who also had a female friend along with her. It was a great success! Their experience of yoga differed so- mewhat, but they really enjoyed themselves. Despite the fact that they didn’t understand a word the instructor said, they still en- joyed the experience and felt that they were able to relax.”