Kyra: Would I do it all over again? Thoughts after two years abroad

Expectations

I remember being both really excited and really nervous about moving abroad. I already knew I loved Sweden, but having fun on vacation is very different from actually living in a place. I was very happy to move to a place so close to nature and to live so close to the university. I cannot express enough how happy the thought of not having to sit (or usually stand) on a train for an hour every morning made me. And I can confirm, that still makes me very happy. I was especially nervous about making friends. I was very worried that I wouldn’t meet anyone and that moving abroad, despite having my partner, would become very lonely. Luckily, I made some wonderful friends along the way.

Studying in a new country

Swedish university was a bit of a culture shock for me as a Dutchie. The idea of lagom really seems to come through in the way things are handled in class, and that was something I had to adjust to. In many ways, it was nice that there was not as much pressure, but at the same time it also felt a bit less structured than what I was used to. Another surprise was the amount of papers we had to write compared to the number of exams. During my bachelor’s, multiple-choice exams were very common, while in my master’s, there were many more papers to write and be graded on. Personally, I really liked this, since I am not that great at multiple-choice exams, but it was still a notable difference. Overall, I have really enjoyed my master’s degree, and I will leave with a lot of skills I did not have before.

Hardest part

Unfortunately, living abroad is not only eating cinnamon buns with your new friends. I think the most difficult part for me is being so far away from my family. Before moving to Sweden I still lived at my parents’ home, together with all my siblings. Being the first to move out has left me feeling like I’ve been missing out on a lot of things at home and that can be pretty tough. Luckily keeping contact with everyone is very easy these days and my family has taken the time to come visit me multiple times throughout the last two years.

What made it worth it

I have learned, however, that I can still enjoy the place where I live now. I am very grateful for the little life I’ve built here in Sweden, over time Örebro was no longer just the city where I studied but it became the place I now call home. I made friends, found my preferred supermarket and discovered my favourite spots to go on a hike. I think that is what made Örebro feel like home in the end, all the small moments combined. Walks around the city, hanging out with friends, going to campus, seeing the seasons change, and slowly realising that I had built a routine here. It does not mean I miss my family any less, but it does mean that I can feel homesick and still feel happy in Sweden at the same time.

Would I do it all over again?

Yes, absolutely. I definitely wasn’t always easy, but it was worth it. In these past two years I met wonderful people, learned a lot, gained more independence, a second home and a lot of memories I will take with me into the next chapter of my life.

So, if you had the chance to build a life somewhere completely new, would you take it?