It seems like I moved here yesterday, but has been one year already and I’m still in love with this city!
We had one of the harshest winters according to my work colleagues and I survived! The most difficult part for me was the darkness. Even though I was used to light shorter hours of in London, here’s still a little bit less and does make a difference but the trick is to not think about it and just concentrate on the fact that after the long Winter you’ll get the glorious long days – it does work!
One year on and I feel much more confident speaking Swedish, I speak every single day at work and it’s still not perfect but I can speak fluently since around November/December, which everyone gets a bit surprised given the fact I was here less than a year at that time.I guess being very strict and trying to speak Swedish all the time – even when I was butchering all the Swedish grammatical rules – paid off. I’m now my usual self chatterbox, Swedish version.
Personally, the most difficult part was actually the hearing, with English people have it in school, hear it all the time in movies and series etc but Swedish was completely alien to me, I never heard it before nor learned it in school! So, to be honest, I was a little annoyed when I moved that some people – who learned English at school but can’t speak it fluently – asked me if I was already fluent in Swedish… like, really? You learned English FOR YEARS in school and cannot even speak it without pausing between words and I just moved here and you are asking me if I speak fluently already?! I know that most likely there was no bad intention, but kind of annoyed me nevertheless.
Now, Swedes contrary what most other people think, are super friendly and welcoming. I experienced that more when I started working, I felt so welcome in the team or maybe I’m lucky to work with the nicest people. However, I think it’s one of those myths..
I don’t want this post to be extremely long, just wanted to do a little recap of the past year but feel free to leave me any questions you might have! Sometimes it’s just easier to answer direct questions! :p
P.S.: Sorry that I haven’t updated the blog so often lately, I’ll try to be more consistent now that I have more daylight to work with! Btw, do you like the new face? Still needs some tweaks, but getting there 😀
Tusen tack för att hänga där <3
Thank you for hanging there <3
I think that the way you talk so eagerly and proudly of Sweden makes me want to visit the country even more than what i ever did before, and that is something to say knowingly that until very recently Sweden was not even part of my list of countries to visit.
Even though i don’t know in you great extent i feel happy to know you feel so well in there, so welcomed and just “at home”.
Thank you Jo! For some reason your comment went to Spam, that’s why I’m only replying now 🙁 Sorry!
Sweden really is a beautiful country and knowing that you didn’t even think about it before and now you even want to visit, makes me really happy! I also didn’t know it’s wonders until I visited it myself 🙂
Beijinhos!