Göteborgare

I've been in Sweden for about 3 weeks now so i thought it was about time we did this. Some of the photos are a little old but i'll try to get some more off Annie's phone. I haven't yet figured out how to upload any off my own phone as i'm a bit of a technophobe. I like typewriters, books and the abacus. Computers, calculators and the ipad are all very bad and don't like me. My grandma used to say that i've been here before in a past life; maybe my brain's still trying to catch up. But, anyway...

I think there are three major challenges to moving here: learning the language, getting a job, and being alone again. Learning a language i can do and getting used to be alone again is slowly coming back. However, getting a job is a bit trickier. I've handed out my cvs, i'll continue to do that, and i email as well but after that it's really out of my control. I won't give up before i've exhausted all my options, but money vs. time is the issue. I've been stressing inside a little about the job/money situation and trying not to let it show, but after talking to my parents and them telling me what i should be telling myself i feel a lot better. I've come to the conclusion that, if, in another month or so i can't get a job then i'll just have to go home. It's not exactly something i want to do but i'll just accept it and we'll start afresh. I'll go home, get a job there and carry on learning the language in the hope of returning.

When i was home i got the feeling from a lot of people that think think i'm crazy and wreckless, or that this is stupid and pointless; just another one of my whims. Well, you know, maybe it is, but i stick by my decision to come here even if it was a bit rushed. I was well aware before i came here of the realities of living in a foreign country with a foreign language. I'm not stupid. But i wanted to try. I got asked 'why sweden?' I've been here before, so it's relatively familiar to me and i know i like the place. I've always had a fascination with Scandinavia and the north since i was little. I came here two years ago because i always wanted to and i had a couple of contacts along the way. So it's no surprise that after a lot of effort of keeping in touch that i now have a lot of friends here. I also wanted to do something more for myself. I moved to Australia for me and Ingrid, and now i decided to pick somewhere i'd like to be. After having a lot of positive encouragement from people here it seemed like a no-brainer.

For me, Australia and Sweden are almost polar opposites. Sweden is closer to home geographically so there is always the comfort of knowing i can go back to England. Whereas Australia was far away and a lot of the time it was very difficult to come to terms with that. I felt like i was constantly trying to decide whether or not to stay there, knowing if i left i couldn't afford to go back. However, although it was far away, it was English-speaking and thus easier to find work; whereas as Sweden is not. In Australia i had a girlfriend, but none of my own friends for around 7 months which was very difficult. Here, i have a good, solid group of friends who really help me out and rally around me and that has definitely made it a lot easier as far as settling in goes.

I really can't say enough good things about everyone here helping me out. I'm eternally grateful to Annie for finding me a place before i even got here! I moved in straight away. It's clean, 10-15 minutes on the bus (40 mins walk) from the city, and cheap. It works out to only about £250 a month, with all bills included. I can't believe it. So i have the friends, i have the place, and now i'm just looking for the job and the language to start to slot in. I've been having a great time with everything except with the job situation so i really can't complain. If it doesn't work out then at least i know i gave it a shot. It would've been too easy to stay in England. Life isn't easy in the first place, so at 22, why bother trying to make something it isn't?

Reading: Neil Kent, 'The Concise History of Sweden.'

Listening: The Futureheads, Nada Surf, Mew, The Early November.

Learning: Swedish.

...and then there was England.

I came back to England for a fleeting, three week visit. I'd been looking forward to going back to Manchester for so long. After a year away and a 40-odd hour journey back from Australia via Hong Kong, it was surreal to see how little had changed. I don't know what i was expecting but it was a shock in itself just to be back.

It was great to hang with old friends, watch a lot of football and carry on the drinking bender. We even had visits from two Swedes and a Norwegian which spiced up my visit a little. We went to Parklife festival in Manchester, went to Old Trafford and spent a lot of time in the pub and on the sofa. Time well spent i'd say.

I've spent so long away from England over the last year or so that it didn't feel like home anymore. Sure, the friends, the family and familiar places and faces are all there, but i feel like my head must have left it firmly where it was a long time ago. I knew that although i was happy in Australia there was no way i was going back to stay. I think a few people were shocked that i came and left so soon; but with money being tight and just wanting to get to the next place it seemed like the right thing to do. Mum and Dad have moved away from Glossop and Manchester now so i think i can safely say it'll probably be the last time i'll ever live there. I don't want anyone to feel like i don't like the place or that they won't be missed, it's just i feel that after living abroad for so long i have to keep going with that and see where it takes me.

I'm glad we all had a great time and i can't wait to see all the loved ones again. I didn't get to see a lot of people in the short amount of time i was back, but hopefully we can figure out something for the next one.

Booze, Shrooms and a Shit-Load of Amyl: How we destroyed my last two weeks in Melbourne

This is a little overdue but i felt i couldn't move on without a post about Australia. It all seems so long ago but i have to remind myself that it isn't. The last two weeks were absolutely fantastic. It was great to see all of our friends rally around us and make sure we felt loved. They definitely made it harder than i thought it would be to leave.

I'll always think of Australia as an interesting turning point. I've never had a time in my life that's been punctuated by such extreme highs and lows and i certainly learnt a lot. For all that it's worth, on the whole - i really enjoyed my time there. I'm sorry to everyone who i love so dearly if i ever made it seem like i didn't. Maybe geographically it wasn't perfect, or the timing wasn't right for what i wanted to be doing or where my head was at: but i made some great friends there who know they can always depend on me to do anything for them. All i would be doing would be returning the favour. I think it's fitting that when reminiscing about my year in Australia i don't have much to say about what i saw, more than who i met and spent my time with.

There's no point in going into specifics but it was basically a two week fuelled bender complete with goodbyes. What a great way to end it! These pictures are stolen from you and are posted for you (you know who you all are). Enjoy!

Always Love

There's only three weeks left until I leave this place. It seems pretty set that I'll be on my way to Sweden in the near future. The main worry is money, and while that does play on my mind from time to time, I'll shut it off and just go for it anyway.

There's nothing new to report (hence the apathy and lack of update). It's just been a constant cycle of work, drink, and yearning to leave. Although, I have to say that having a solid friend base here has kept me sane. Both in work and out of work people have been fantastic and it's such a shame that we're only starting to get close as I leave.

As for work itself I'm definitely, well-and-truly over it. With the bringing in of a new manager, increasing pressure from the top and simply knowing that I won't be there anyway soon - I've just lost all interest. I'm sorry Puma but you used to cool and now you're just fucking over the only people that actually care. Well done. Good job everyone. I just wish I had more pictures of you all and the laughs we’ve shared.

It's easier said than done but I'll be enjoying the last three weeks here. There's Norway celebrations to be had, an exhibition of Titanic, a last hurrah on the 5th, and anything else that comes my way. Here are a compilation of goings on over the last month, in no particular order, not particularly flattering, and full of the usual culprits.



I'll meet real, honest people and have a good time wherever I end up. I promise.