Ett år i Sverige

Jag trivs i Sverige

 Today; the first of April, 2018 marks the first anniversary of Kara and I setting out to live in Stockholm. In fact, on this particular anniversary, Kara is traveling home from Scotland. Making an almost identical trip as she returns from seeing friends and working at the Scottish tattoo convention.

 Our little apartment on the island of Södermalm has been a base of operations for beautiful walks around the city in summer and the site of a couple of dinner parties, which was something we so rarely did before, being the self-imposed hermits that we were. The proximity of our workplaces to our apartment has been truly appreciated through our first winter in Stockholm, as we realised just how deep and treacherous the snow gets here. Of course, my closeness to work didn't stop me from slipping on ice and opening up my knee on the sharp stones that Stockholm city council uses instead of grit. In true Ross fashion, it was just while I was checking to make sure that everyone in my group had shoes equipped for the detour I had just decided to take. Suffice it to say that despite my allergies and general distaste for warm weather, I am looking forward to the weather clearing slightly. 

Getting this off the ground has taken a lot of work, but it's fun!

 My little table in the corner of the living room has also been the place where I've done most of the work for my new podcast which is slow-going, but for all the best reasons. First of all, researching for a Podcast isn't something I've ever had to do before. The effort involved is a part-time job in of itself. A full-time job if I'd planned to get one out weekly. This is a good thing, as it's giving me a lot of satisfaction to make sure I'm researching properly, even if I know it's all for nought if I never get around to recording and releasing the bloody thing. 

Teambuilding at work involved silver-smithing a set of rings for the team.

 The second thing holding me back from releasing a regular podcast is the fact that I actually leave the house in the evenings these days. Between hanging out with Kara, going to our nearby cinema or just hanging out on a Sunday afternoon to watch a Ghibli movie, it's really nice to have options that involve going for walks around an old city or seeing friends. Speaking of friends, this past year has introduced me to some of the most lovely, charming, interesting and caring people I've ever had the luck to meet. As a couple who don't go out drinking, living in a city where 3 rum and cokes in a pub cost roughly the same as a nice bottle of rum back home didn't seem like the best set-up for making friends. That prediction failed to account for the wonderful colleagues that I have become close to in the last year, and the team-mates from the Stockholm Berserkers who have welcomed me into their fold.

I've never trained for rugby indoors before, but these guys make it fun!

 When I first considered the move to Stockholm, the first thing I did was look at rugby teams and the possibility that I could jump back into the sport after 13 years away. While I had considered that my years spent playing 4 days a week would make me an asset to a team who needed a 19st packhorse, I hadn't pictured that within 6 months, I'd be helping to coach the team. In the past few months, I've been attempting to up my game, both literally and figuratively, as I come to terms with being expected to know what I'm doing on the pitch. This has involved late nights, poring over videos of rugby drills, playbook moves & the basic laws of the game, which have changed a bit since I played at 18. It's a challenge that I'm enjoying, and I'm looking forward to a camp next weekend, where hopefully we can put it all into practice. 

 So things are going well in Stockholm, but like everywhere, it has its downsides. It's incredibly expensive to live here, which was the only downside I had when we moved. In my first year, I also learned that Brits shouldn't have to be mocked for the blandness of British cuisine. Admittedly, our love of curry comes from horrific imperialist colonialisation, but if you want a good curry in Stockholm, it's probably best to learn how to make it yourself. We live next door to a curry house that tends to be quite busy at the weekends, but having sampled some, I just don't think that Swedes have the same standards for curry that a Brit might be expected to have. On top of the aversion to strong spices, Swedes are also obsessed with some of the worst flavours in existence; especially when it comes to sweets. I already knew about licorice and cinnamon being dramatically over-represented in Swedish cuisine, and I was aware of the horror that is Surströmming, but I've also discovered that they love food in tubes. Caviar, prawn mayonnaise & cat vomit all seem to be popular options. I assume that this is a diet choice that makes it easier to transition onto pureed food in later years.

A wall of Swedish food in tubes.

The other thing I've learned about Stockholm that is unfortunate, is that it has a communal mentality that reminds me a little bit of London. While Swedes love their friends and are certainly bigger huggers than Kara and myself, (anyone who knows Kara's stance on hugs will probably laugh at that bit) the general feeling as you walk around Stockholm is a bit more cold, with people pushing in front of you, not even smiling if you hold a door open for them or glaring at you for wearing shorts in the winter months. Ok, that last one might be very specific to me, but I think it's still a poor show.

 All things considered, Sweden is working out really well for me, and I am determined to make the most of my time in this wonderful country. The rugby team will have some games out of town this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing more than just the little towns and villages that used to be distinct, but are now just outer suburbs of Stockholm. Will year 2 match or even beat year 1? With Kara and I planning some holidays and a new group of wonderful friends, I look forward to finding out!

From the day we visited the Aquarium in Stockholm. It was too cold for smiles.

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