Three years ago today I made a step that turned out to be a major turn of events in my life, because three years ago today I moved to Sweden!
It reminds me of the first day I came to Sweden. I hadn’t really thought the whole thing through…
Why was I leaving all my family and friends and a good job to move to the Arctic Circle where I had never been before and knew absolutely no-one? The last couple of weeks had been really crazy, saying goodbye to everyone, partying and getting ready to leave without having time to think and then… I arrived at Stockholm Central in the middle of rush hour carrying my own body weight in whisky and realised… OH SHIT! What have I done!
I had got a last minute rental of a student room in Lappis just before I left, so I made my way there, dragging my whisky trolley, eh, I mean luggage, behind me. I could not believe how hot it was, it must have been 30 degrees and I was dressed for the expected Arctic conditions and encounters with polar bears.
Just as I was about to pass out with heat exhaustion, I reached my student corridor, cursing this bloody country called Sweden and longing for the refreshing drizzle of the Scottish summer. When I got inside I quickly realised that I was sharing my corridor with half a dozen glamorous Swedish girls and I understood that there really was a God.
After introducing myself in my best English, I went to my room for a shower and a lie down in a dark corner to recover. 30 minutes later there was a knock at the door and there stood Irina and Johanna with what appeared to be a delicious looking plate of dessert.
“We made you an apple pie to say welcome”, they said.
“I’m going to like it here” I thought, as I grabbed the plate and shut the door…
