Scandinavia and the World Characters' Childhood

Happy Indirect Colonization!

It was Teacher’s Day, and the excitement in the classroom was palpable. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Sister America sat at their desks, trying to contain their energy as they exchanged glances, ready to surprise their Geography teacher, Ms. Sundberg, with gifts. It was one of their favorite days of the school year—a day to celebrate the teacher who had made Geography come alive with stories of explorers, maps, and grand tales of colonization.

Ms. Sundberg was standing at the front of the classroom, finishing up her lesson about the impacts of colonization. “And remember, class, colonization wasn’t always about direct control,” she said, her voice enthusiastic as ever. “There were more subtle forms, too—like indirect colonization.” She winked at the class as if she had just revealed a secret.

Sister America, ever the prankster, whispered to Sweden, “I’ve got a perfect joke for Teacher’s Day. Just wait and see.”

Sweden chuckled, though he was more focused on his own plan. He had picked out a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Ms. Sundberg—a traditional gift, but one that showed his appreciation. The four friends had agreed to give her their gifts after class, right as a surprise.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson. Ms. Sundberg smiled at the class. “Alright, everyone, that’s it for today! Don’t forget to read the next chapter for tomorrow’s lesson!”

As Ms. Sundberg began organizing her notes, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Sister America huddled together.

“Let’s do this,” Sister America said, her eyes gleaming with mischief. She pulled out a card she had made for the teacher. It was decorated with bright colors, swirls, and glitter, looking absolutely beautiful—except that it wasn’t a regular card. Inside, she had written only two words: Indirect colonization.

Sweden looked at it and laughed quietly. “That’s actually pretty funny.”

“Are you really going to give her that?” Norway asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course! It’s the perfect Teacher’s Day joke!” Sister America replied, grinning. “Trust me, she’ll get a good laugh out of it.”

Sweden held his bouquet nervously. “I hope she likes these flowers. They’re traditional Swedish ones—she might appreciate the thought.”

Denmark, always laid-back, gave him a nudge. “She’ll love it, Sweden. And if not, you’ve got me and Norway to cover for you.”

The group walked to the front of the classroom, and Sweden cleared his throat.

“Ms. Sundberg, we have something for you!” he called out.

The whole class fell silent, watching the four friends approach their teacher. Ms. Sundberg looked up from her desk and smiled warmly.

“Oh, what’s this?” she asked, clearly touched by the gesture.

Sweden stepped forward first. “Happy Teacher’s Day, Ms. Sundberg!” he said, holding out the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

“Oh, Sweden, thank you so much! These are beautiful!” Ms. Sundberg exclaimed, her face lighting up as she took the bouquet. “You’re always so thoughtful.”

Next, Sister America handed her the colorful card. “And this is from me, Ms. Sundberg. It’s a little something special,” she said, trying to keep a straight face.

Ms. Sundberg looked at the card, her smile widening as she opened it. Her eyes scanned the two words inside: Indirect colonization. She paused for a moment, processing the joke, before bursting into laughter.

“Oh my, Sister America! What is this joke?” she asked, laughing so hard that tears began to well up in her eyes. “I guess it’s ‘Happy Indirect Colonization’!”