Bursting the Bubble: 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?