SwedishSeattlist

I am currently sitting with a standard vanilla latte watching people hustle from one place to another and passing by the coffeshop window. It's a typical Saturday vibe, filled with fast walking people who has an end goal in their mind. From one store to antoher. Or perhaps on their way home, or one their way to a dinner at some friend's place. Once in a while some tourists walk by, rather confused wondering where they are. And then their are a few olderly couple who are out walking, hand in hand. The ground is wet, as a reminder of the rain that poured down some hours ago. Christmas lights are starting to show around the city, being November, and the dark afternoons are coming earlier and earlier. In other parts of Sweden snow has starting to come, but Stockholm shows no sign of white flakes. And here I am, sitting in a familiar space, as so many times before, but in a city that still feels slightly foreign. Both excited for the future and griefing leaving my past community. Life is complicated, and I am thankful for the opportuinties I have been able to grab and the people I've met. Forever thankful.

 

I am back! It´s been some weeks, but I have decided to pick up some blogging. Only this time I will start writing in English, for two reasons:

1. So that I can keep up my English and won't lose too much too fast. 

2. Even more important, so that my friends back in Seattle can have a glimps in my new life and the transition to it. Becuase even though I miss the city, it's the community and the people that truly makes my heart hurt. The genuine love and generosity I've been shown is hard to come about and I will forever treasure it. 

 

So. Where do I even start? The past month and a half has been eventful to say the least, and filled with so many changes and transitions.To be honest, I could write a whole novel about it all, but I will leave some for reflection later on. Because it´s too much too soon, and I´m still a bit overwhelmed with my own feelings. Leaving Seattle and my community was less painful than expected, but also so very extremely hard. I am probably still in the so called honeymoon and still kind of not fully dealing with the deep down feelings of leaving something so important. The feelings that comes from leaving a whole community full of people whom you love, and whom loves you. I can feel it creeping up on me though. My day to day is currently, as one of my favorite band -Walk the Moon- sings, "One foot in front of the other". All I can do is move forward and trust in God that he leads me.

 

Overall, Life in Sweden has been really good so far! It has been amazing to get some time with family and old friends, and to take time to relax. For the first month I had multiple trips from my hometown up to Stockholm for interviews and apartment hunting. And now, I am since about a week ago living in Stockholm (or, a little bit outside the city) working as a digital designer. I absolutely LOVE the job so far and my team of co-workers have been welcoming me so well. I am working for a small digital agency, TDA, and we create websites and apps for other companies. We are a total of 6 people, and I am stoked to be part of the team and to be in a space where I have room to be creative and grow! Stay tuned for more info about where I live and my work, as I will likely share more about it.

 

Transitions are commonly not easy. And especially so when it's not only one part of life, but all. From school to work, from one city/country to another, and from a community to creating a new one. It is and has been hard, but it is also filled with hope and excitement. As most things in life, changes come with all different feelings just as it should.