Hoa Thu Le

"...Sweden is the easiest place for me to adapt to among the places I've been. Everything is quite accessible; people are friendly and always ready to help you. But one thing that surprised me here is that they are very open to foreigners; they have many non-profit organizations from the city community that help newcomers by providing information and creating a community for us to easily integrate into a new life."

Sweden is the fourth country I have lived in, you could say Sweden chose me to give me a residence permit; why is that? I came here because my partner got a job at the European Spallation Source, ESS, and we moved here. Saying that Sweden chose me doesn't mean I don't like it here; it's just that I never dared to dream of being able to live in such a wonderful country.

Currently I live in a small town called Eslöv, about 10 minutes by train from Lund. I was born and raised in a small countryside in Vietnam, and since I started university and working, I have always lived in big cities, very big and very bustling. But somewhere deep inside, I still feel more comfortable living in small towns. Maybe because of the small town, everything here is still more unique and Swedish than in other cities like Malmö or Lund, but that's what attracts me. A small town with concerts on the weekends, people singing and dancing around the Christmas tree in the square on holidays, people not hesitating to give each other hugs and warm smiles, or when people celebrate Truls Möregårdh's return from the Olympics. Everything creates a sense of togetherness and warmth, making me feel like I'm a part of this place.

I've lived in countries with many different cultures, so I didn't have much trouble adapting to life in another country. I can say that Sweden is the easiest place for me to adapt to among the places I've been. Everything is quite accessible; people are friendly and always ready to help you. But one thing that surprised me here is that they are very open to foreigners; they have many non-profit organizations from the city community that help newcomers by providing information and creating a community for us to easily integrate into a new life. In other places, if you are not in a university or a company, it will be very difficult to integrate into life with the locals. I was lucky to know about the International Citizen Hub Lund through the Kick-Start program for spouses of employees at some local organizations. I will call it a learning session because I have gained a lot of new knowledge. Spending nearly 2 months with everyone here makes me feel like there is a place where I belong (something I have never felt in the places I have been). In addition to the knowledge I have learned, I now have new friends and expand my relationships. And it was here that I learned about a new home called Social Hub—a place that gave me the opportunity to visit MAX IV, a place that showed me that I could actually draw through fun art classes, where I met people from different fields and listened to their success stories.

I moved here in October when the weather started to get cold, but the first winter was not cold at all because I was warmed by the International Citizen Hub and the new energy from Social Hub.

When I came to them, I was like a young child, but now I am older, more mature, and more confident in myself to continue pursuing the path I have chosen. Although I have not really achieved certain success, I have made progress since moving here. I am volunteering at Lund Matvarukooperativ, where we connect people with clean products from local farms with Anicée and her team, another home with new friends.

I really have to give a big thank you to the International Citizen Hub Lund and the Social Hub team for what they have helped me with. One thing I would say to anyone who has just moved here is to come to them, because it will be your second home and the place where you will regain your confidence.

/ Hoa Thu Le

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