Their love story is a blend of serendipity, transatlantic adventure, and a generous dash of Swedish nostalgia. Two young Americans boarded the same plane to Sweden to study in Lund in 1976. This past summer, 48(!) years later, Eric Rodli and Laurie Rodli (formerly Thor) returned to visit the city where not only their relationship sparked for the first time, but also where they went on their honeymoon. But it wasn’t love at first sight…this story begins with a casual “hello.”
Eric Rodli (UC San Diego, Economics & Political Science) and Laurie Thor (UC Berkeley, Economics & Film Studies) joined a long-standing transatlantic exchange with Lund University. They first met on a charter flight from Los Angeles to Sweden in June 1976 for KV’s intensive Swedish Language program. Both had left previous relationships behind, and among 34 students, they started as friends, until, as Eric recalls, the cold weather changed that.
“The truth is that we remember meeting each other on the charter plane flying from Los Angeles to Sweden in June of 1976, on our way for an intensive Swedish Language summer program,” he explains. We then saw each other quite a bit that summer as part of our group of students, but we were just friends. She and I both had left a girlfriend and a boyfriend back home. However, we joke that after a long Swedish winter, our relationship changed.”
Married in 1981 and honeymooning in Lund
When Eric and Laurie discovered that Lund wasn’t just a place on a map, but where their paths converged, the spark ignited into a full-blown love story, culminating in a wedding back in the US in 1981. They even returned to Lund for their honeymoon.
Laurie built a successful legal career before choosing to be a full-time mom to their three kids, while Eric worked in the entertainment technology world in Los Angeles. Now, they are both 69 years old and can afford to travel more.
Finally inside Lund’s Grand Hotel
This past summer, Laurie and Eric had another nostalgic “homecoming” to the city where it all began. Sure, the city had evolved, with modern developments popping up here and there, but the timeless charm of its historic quarters remained just as they remembered.
“It was very special to be back. Obviously, Lund and the University hold a special place for us. Lund had changed a lot; there was so much more development, but the older parts of town were as we remembered them. This summer, we stayed at Lund’s Grand Hotel, neither one of us had ever even been inside it in the ’70s. We were poor students when we were there and sadly never enjoyed the great bar,” they recall.
The Language of Love – Swedish?
One of the many joys of their Swedish experience was the very useful “secret language” they developed; a playful way to discuss matters like Christmas gifts right under their children’s noses.
Both Eric and Laurie did their best to maintain their Swedish over the years. Eric highlights that “after 2 weeks in Sweden, it came back. I was able to speak with my 97-year-old second cousin of my mother… that was very meaningful.”
Happy Valentine’s Day to all our alumni
Today, Eric and Laurie’s story reminds us of the magic born from unexpected meetings and the adventures that unfold, many right here on the campuses of Lund University.
Do we dare call Lund the city of love?
At least for today, we might just give Paris a run for its romances. 😉
A big thank you to Eric and Laurie for sharing their story and Happy Valentine’s Day to all our alumni — here’s to love, laughter, and memories that never fade!
If you have a story to share, don’t hestitate to give us a shout at info@alumni.lu.se
Please note that the feature image has been digitally altered to remove an individual for visual composition purposes.