Angeline Tria
“Why come to Sweden?” is a question I get often. The answer usually starts with how I have long nurtured a dream of studying abroad, and how a random chat with a friend doing her PhD in Gothenburg led me to the Swedish Institute scholarship and Lund University. Since arriving and settling in, the question evolved into “Why stay in Sweden?”
Trusting my gut (more than the weather forecast)
Moving to a different country is a bizarre adventure. I was excited, I was scared. I was happy to meet new people, I miss my old friends. Every little discovery gave me childlike joy. Every other moment made me think of home. It feels like an endless flipping of a coin—a pendulum of emotions swinging back and forth. I found myself welcoming the spectrum. Probing the edges of the discomfort of life in a completely different cultural context. Curious about aspects that were new and unknown—the language, systems, and norms. Relating to values that were important to me—equality, trust, balance, freedom, and yes, coffee.
My gut told me there was so much to explore in this country north of the hemisphere. The values I resonated with grounded me. The unknowns made for exciting surprises (weather unpredictability notwithstanding—but we all know what Swedes say about weather and the right clothing).
Making connections, one “Hej” at a time
I was told to network even before I stepped on Swedish soil. For an introvert, this mandate is a nightmare, especially with the awareness that networking is important anywhere in the world. There was no way around it. What made networking less of a tedious task for me is to not think of it as networking. I said “Hej”. I made eye contact. I smiled at people. I made small talk with my classmates, asked one or two out for fika, and then for potluck at my apartment. I volunteered as a student ambassador at Lund University, and then at events with Social Hub Lund. I had tea with my friend’s landlady. I signed up for ICHL’s Kick-Start Program to meet people embarking on this strange adventure just like I was. As someone who of her own volition uprooted herself from home and replanted herself in new soil, it seemed logical to seek new connections. I craved them. And with every new friend, mentor, coach, and LinkedIn connection, Sweden felt a little bit more like home.
It’s a big move, but it’s also one tiny moment at a time
It’s easy for me to feel frightened—or more precisely, to frighten myself. I worried about my grades, my readings, and our Master’s thesis. I worried about saying goodbye to my new friends. About job applications and rejections. I lost hours of sleep about the moves I have made—firstly, the decision to come here, then the decision to stay. Then I reminded myself that that is exactly what I have—decisions. I have made them before, and I can make them again. At any time, I can course-correct. Right now I have chosen to stay in Sweden, jumping into the next phase of my adventure with a new job—embracing the culture and the people, navigating even more new things, drinking (way too much) coffee, and having Friday fika.
Why stay in Sweden?
I choose to stay because I value the culture of openness, the balance between individuality and community, of enjoying life and nurturing what that means, rather than anchoring one’s identity solely on one’s work. These are foundational anchors that help me, but of course, no place is perfect, and being new to a country continues to be challenging, and that’s okay.
When it starts feeling overwhelming and large, I stop, breathe, and recall—it is a big move, but as with any forward motion, it’s one small step after the other.
/Angeline Tria
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