- Now I felt a little that it was now or never because I should have gone last year and it did not happen, she says.
Everything was ready for the trip already this spring, she had been admitted to a semester at the University of Hawaii and had already taken leave from her job. The only thing left was a visa, usually a standard procedure - a form and then a 10-minute interview on the US Embassy in Stockholm.
She had an appointment for the interview on June 22 here in Stockholm.
But in May, she received an SMS that her time had been canceled.
- When I contacted them, they said that because of the corona, they only accept American citizens - "try again next year" type.
"Extremely psychologically stressful"
Today, the United States is trying to attract foreign students and for Susanna, who has already postponed her studies for a year, it was now or never.
She contacted the embassies in Copenhagen, Oslo, Amsterdam, Berlin and Madrid, no one could help her.
Finally, she got a pacifier at the American embassy in Poland and flew there.
- It has been extremely psychologically stressful.
They closed the visa periods for Swedish citizens just before I was to leave, but since I already had a booked time, I managed to get help with my visa.
My friend and I ran out and screamed when we got our visas, it was a huge relief.
Full of Swedes
Susanna Mardini is far from alone, hundreds of Swedish students have flown all over Europe to get their visas approved.
- It was really full of other Swedes when we came to the embassy in Warsaw, she says.
She had to stay in Warsaw for almost a week waiting for her visa to clear.
But despite big expenses, hard work, and a trip to Poland, it was worth it.
Today, everything is booked and ready, the semester fee is paid and the flight to Hawaii takes off in just a few days.
- We can really hope that nothing gets in the way now because then you are out with a lot of money. I do not really dare to trust it 100 percent until I land in Hawaii. But now it's starting to feel a little real.