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Internationals in Lund and southern Sweden

At the International Citizen Hub Lund we are happy to get in contact with people from all over the world. There are a number of internationals who have been with us from the start and have made the journey you're about to embark on. These internationals represent several countries and do a fantastic job welcoming newcomers to southern Sweden. Get inspiration and guidance by reading their stories!

Stories written by internationals

And I saw a large number of men and women from different parts of the world, excellent professionals, very educated, but just like me, having difficulties finding a job in Sweden. It was very important for me because I suddenly realized: I need help.

For me, it had also a bigger meaning: to support my fellow countrymen suffering from the war in Ukraine, being here in Sweden. We approached to work as a startup. We needed to build an effective and at the same time flexible structure with different

Much like my own relocation to Sweden, the Entrepreneurship Journey is never straight forward and is often thwart with challenges and difficulties. When the stresses, trials and tribulations pile high, we often have to have a reminder of why we do it

I offered my work in order to return what was given to me and to contribute as an active member of the society, and yet this community keeps donating me the marvellous gifts of friendship, care, cheerfulness, sense of belonging and delicious fika...

he Swedish concept of "lagom" is a standard that embodies comfort and balance. From work-life balance to the design of IKEA furniture, "lagom" is a concept that has been perfected in Sweden.

What was special while coaching, was that I shared with some all the feelings of disappointment, anger and frustration of receiving the ‘’we regret to inform you…’’ and with others, I shared the feelings of stress, anxiety and insecurity of living...

Meanwhile, I was also juggling all sorts of other perplexing life tasks. Swedes generously offered to help, but I quickly realized that this wasn’t the role I wanted them to play in my life. I wanted them to be my friends — not language translators

Internationals

It is one thing to move away from your home country for the first time and live in many ways in a society that operates so differently from what you know and have grown up with. But to my surprise the real identity crisis came when my curiosity led to a career change.

I believe that the whole Universe is a manifestation of energy and all changes in the universe are maintained by the flow of energy through giving and receiving. If you have set a goal and you are consistent with your efforts, sincere to the...

Internationals

The transition to my new Scandinavian home proved challenging. I searched for something that would bring me joy and reflect the vibrant colors, sounds, and aromas of my childhood home. That is something I hold dear in my heart. Makeup!

It was cold and windy, and both streets and sky seemed fused with the same gray filter. But I was on my new life adventure, so I just put on my pink glasses and decided I was going to love this country and succeed here.

Internationals

I have been wondering when I would get to a point where deciphering a foreign world would not occupy my brain every single day. The sheer amount of assimilation we have to do, new clothing, new vegetation, new birdsong, new colour palettes, new groceries, new shop names, cycling/driving on a new side of the road…"

People from all over the world

  1. "For me, it had also a bigger meaning: to support my fellow countrymen suffering from the war in

  2. "And I saw a large number of men and women from different parts of the world, excellent

  3. "Much like my own relocation to Sweden, the Entrepreneurship Journey is never straight forward and

  4. "The Swedish concept of "lagom" is a standard that embodies comfort and balance. From work-life

  5. "What was special while coaching, was that I shared with some all the feelings of disappointment,

  6. "I offered my work in order to return what was given to me and to contribute as an active member of

  7. “I believe that the whole Universe is a manifestation of energy and all changes in the universe are

  8. "Meanwhile, I was also juggling all sorts of other perplexing life tasks. Swedes generously offered

  9. "It is one thing to move away from your home country for the first time and live in many ways in a

  10. "It was cold and windy, and both streets and sky seemed fused with the same gray filter. But I was

  11. "The transition to my new Scandinavian home proved challenging. I searched for something that would

  12. "It had been a Jobbsprånget session! I was ecstatic, hoping that this opportunity would help me

  13. "I have been wondering when I would get to a point where deciphering a foreign world would not

  14. "Your willingness to participate is key, whether be it at networking events, job fairs, hobbies – be

  15. "At a surface level, a Fika is just a coffee break with a cinnamon bun. But after a while in Sweden,

  16. "I met so many fellow expats with rich experiences and multiple solutions for mitigating problems

  17. "I do not change myself any single day just to fit in my working environment. Instead, being myself

  18. "I have started exploring different things and hobbies and capturing all the little moments for

  19. "In October 2020 I decided to stop looking for jobs and work fully on my idea to establish my own

  20. " I love Swedish weather and enjoy the rains and dark days. The cold breeze with sometimes foggy

  21. "In Sweden, you will often find that information is out there. There will undoubtedly always be a

  22. " I finally realised how valuable my previous work experiences are: I have lived and worked in three

  23. "Ultimately it was my social and professional network that helped me get my foot in the door to

  24. "Out of all the excitement I felt, there was one thing that worried me the most: being unemployed.

  25. "Each story is unique, and, frankly, mine is far from perfect. It has ups and downs, local

  26. "The key to survival in a new country is “POSITIVITY”… It is all a matter of perspective and how you

  27. "Therefore, I would like to give a word of advice to organisations, and HR managers. Give everyone

  28. " You might ask how did I know if I was doing the right thing or not? How do I know if I am moving

  29. "One of the best things I gained from the program was the network of friends. A group of fellow

  30. "Moving to a distant country involves many emotions. It's a mixture of feelings, I feel curious

  31. "All in all, I think Sweden is a country that is really trying to helps immigrants integrate into

  32. "The following years brought different feelings to the surface and I started to develop this

  33. "So, returning to the point, If I could give a tip, I would say: I am not the first one having these

  34. "Be an open-minded person to take advice from the professional and experienced people. Keep updating

  35. "While my partner took the next step in her career, I took a year off. A sabbatical. A planned break

  36. All I needed was just 1% of their trust and I’m fully prepared to earn the remaining 99% to show my

  37. "I realized the things I should and should not have included in my applications and how my CV

  38. "How was the job hunting? Well, I won’t lie, it has been blood, sweat and tears. So many times, I

  39. "My other advice is to never be afraid of starting over again, be persistent. You are never too old

  40. "When setting up my new business in Sweden, I was astonished by the support provided by various

  41. "While starting the mentorship program I received a message from my former employer in The

  42. "As a non-Swedish speaking resident, I realized that I have very limited access to Swedish history

  43. "As the interview was being done online, why not use this technology in my favor? So, I decided to

  44. "The passion of the entrepreneurs amazes me, and I believe this passion is what we need when we are

  45. "Having an updated and well-tailored LinkedIn profile is super important in Sweden to portray your

  46. "Knowledge is power, and as a newbie you can end up feeling very powerless. The great thing is that

  47. “Moving to a new country is not a fairytale. Moving to a new country is a lot of hard work. And

  48. "Job hunting in another country is the storm I am facing. Going through it will make me stronger and

  49. "Networking in Sweden is Godsend especially in your job search. Yes, sounds bizarre but true in

  50. “International Citizen Hub Lund is not just a place providing sessions for the job hunter but also a

  51. "Not a surprise – you will meet new people! I can honestly say that people here are nice, welcoming,

  52. "I also found out about the Kick-Start Program, which came highly recommended by one of the alumnus

  53. "With the advice and guidance of the staff of International Citizen Hub Lund, I managed to join

  54. "My philosophy is that introducing fresh perspective and new techniques allow you to grow and thrive

  55. "Every step I have taken on my journey has led to something in the end - I am convinced of that. You

  56. "Don’t expect anything to happen quickly. This goes for everything from enrolling children for after

  57. "Many times I have been insecure about my chances into the Swedish job market. However, in all the

  58. "My demanding studies during the two years in Lund passed by quickly. I applied for jobs in my field

  59. "I came to know about public employment service “Arbetsförmedlingen”. There I found an interesting

  60. "The year 2020 brought us one more thing to deal with, covid19…and everything switched to virtual

  61. "All of these activities helped me in some way. I would even credit that they brought back my joy

  62. "In Sweden, you are seldom out of options unless you give up yourself. What I learnt over these

  63. "I have also ‘found my voice’ during this time, and started writing about what I do and why and also

  64. "Important note! You need to stay yourself and not to lose your authentic personality. I often hear

  65. " I quickly found out that your previous experience doesn’t really matter, nor it matters if you are

  66. "It sounds unbelievable: only a year before I was in their same situation, sitting on those chairs,

  67. "Living abroad inspires me to do things I always wanted to do but did not have the time or

  68. "As for any other society Sweden too has definitely its do's and don'ts and one does not have to go

  69. "One sentence in one of these sessions stuck with me, 'A lot of you expats have a lot of skills that

  70. "Don't waste your energy trying to explain why your home country is more appropriate in some aspects

  71. "Lund is actually a city of opportunities, offering a lot for learning and development, especially

  72. "After few weeks of being regular at International Citizen Hub Lund, I was able to understand

  73. "Office environments here tend to be a lot more informal than my previous jobs. It is likely that

  74. "Take the time to read up on cultural etiquette and you’ll make the transition from tourist to local

  75. "Getting accustomed to a new culture, new habits, new traditions is indeed challenging but at the

  76. "I read about the International Citizen Hub Lund when I was still in Barcelona, and I went there the

  77. “So here is my first advice to the newcomers that plan a long stay here — if you have the option to

  78. "Another important aspect for me to settle down is to be able to bring positive energy to my

  79. Integration in Sweden: how to do it faster than in ten years "I watch, listen to and analyze myself

  80. "Despite all good things about the country it was very tough for me to leave my identity behind and

  81. "I would say it's still difficult getting used to my new life, and it's going to take more time for

  82. "In my case the breaking point was when I understood the meaning of the most important advise I’ve

  83. "I think newcomers who are creatives face additional challenges compared to those who have careers

  84. "In my case the breaking point was when I understood the meaning of the most important advise I’ve

  85. "I lived in 6 countries. My strategy was always: 1. Join relevant local member organisation to

  86. "One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve faced around here was getting to know the International

  87. " the ceramic studio became Ateljé Råbygård and grew from my hobby studio into a course center and

  88. “I was lucky to join the Kick-Start Program, I think that was a life changing moment for me. It’s

  89. "International Citizen Hub Lund has opened up not just one, but many doors of opportunities for me.

  90. "We chose a house out in the countryside with 30 minutes’ driving time for my husband to get to work

  91. " all the partners are connected: International Citizen Hub Lund will lead you towards Malmö

  92. "Participating in the Kick-Start Program was a stepping-stone towards a career development and

  93. "Upon arrival we had the normal challenges of opening bank accounts and applying for the all so

  94. "Here you get a warm smile and support on all different levels of life! The International Citizen

  95. "What I think was a big advantage of this program was great guest speakers. We met experienced

  96. "What I want to say with this is: Do not be shy to mingle with people. Attend the events at