Carolina Lass
“Every 27 years, planet Saturn regresses to the exact same position it was when one was born, marking the beginning of a new cycle in one’s life. Regardless of our beliefs in astrology, as I approached the age of 28 years old, I felt the need to change my surroundings drastically and pursue a mission in my life that truly resonated with the person I wanted to present to the world."
Sweden - a dream coming true?
I packed my bags and left my dream job, my people, and the life I had behind. With me, I had a couple of suitcases, some savings, and an acceptance letter into one of Sweden’s best universities that represented a new chapter in my life: a master’s student in Scandinavia. It was truly a dream coming true!
I arrived in Sweden in August 2023 with a lot of energy. The first year as a master’s student approaching my 30's felt refreshing and bright. Lund University is a one-of-a-kind place to develop knowledge, experience diversity, and employ ideas.
Life after graduation
In June 2024, the Master’s came to an end. Most of my international friends started to leave back to their countries, and I remained in Sweden with an even stronger desire to build a career here and give something back to society after experiencing how great this country is. A new chapter started, and I must admit that I underestimated the task of finding a job here. Because I had a five-year-long career in marketing from back home and then held a master’s degree from Sweden, I thought that landing a job here would be no big deal - I was wrong.
The first 4 months were full of rejections. And they continued. Then, I humbled up and realized that I needed help to navigate my professional life in a foreign country. Here It does not matter as much how good you are at what you did before - until they know you through their own lenses. That was when I stood up from the couch and started to make contact with the world.
Hotspot for internationals
It was one afternoon when I was leaving the Lund City Library after having hours of unsuccessful job applications, that I saw an old and rusty sign saying, “International Citizen Hub”. Immediately I got intrigued by it because after studying in Lund for a year, I thought I knew all the hotspots for international in the city. So, I googled it and saw that they offered a “Kick-Start Program” for internationals looking into employment after moving to Sweden ‘with focus on the spouses of relocated employees'. But before I got sad about not being able to participate, because I am not a spouse but rather a master’s student, there was an additional line saying they would ‘accept master’s students for the first time.’ I signed up - maybe it was some constellation alignment after all.
Getting YESes!
Joining the kickstart program changed everything. I met people, I felt that I belonged, and I felt hope. Since then, I changed completely my job hunt strategy and, although I still get some no’s, I am happy to say that I also have been getting some YESes! It only takes one yes to change everything, and Sweden is a country of opportunities if we know how to navigate it.
What I want to say to you, who might be struggling now and thinking that this country is not for you, that people don’t see you for who you are or what you’ve done, is that you need to be patient. This is a completely unknown place to you, and adapting takes time. The good news is that we humans can adapt to almost everything as long as we have basic living conditions. Enjoy the process, be loyal to who you are, and take part in the great opportunities that Sweden has to offer.
/Carolina Lass
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