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Maryam Latifian

"International Citizen Hub Lund has opened up not just one, but many doors of opportunities for me. All the ideas I once had and left as a dream are now becoming a reality. Now I have actively started an NGO for supporting underprivileged children in my country. I have also started to work on my business idea related to art and design, which has always been my hobby."

About me

I moved to Sweden with my husband, with the intention of pursuing my education and then going back to my home country. But after I graduated, my husband continued his work, so we decided to stay in Sweden. Thereafter, I started looking for a job in my field which is in Environmental Biotechnology.

My previous experience in finding a job was super easy back home. I had so many options to choose from unlike here in Sweden. I was totally not prepared to get rejected, over and over again. Not being qualified in your own field, even with a PhD, sounded ridiculous. And then I started wondering, if anyone is even reading my CV. I had been living in Sweden without knowing the language until now when I realized speaking Swedish is a top priority in getting a job. That’s when reality hit me in the face! I knew absolutely nothing about Swedes, their job-hunting culture and their written and non-written rules. I was totally a “new comer”.

Drowning in my thoughts, I decided to attend a job fair at Medicon Village in autumn 2018. Walking around, not finding any positions related to my background was so disappointing but as I was looking around, I saw a stand from International Citizen Hub Lund. That was the beginning of a new chapter for me.

Since then I have attended almost all events at International Citizen Hub Lund and this year’s Kick Start Program. The hub has opened up not just one, but many doors of opportunities for me. All the ideas I once had and left as a dream are now becoming a reality. Now I have actively started an NGO for supporting underprivileged children in my country. I have also started to work on my business idea related to art and design, which has always been my hobby. At the same time I take every chance I can to apply for positions related to my educational background.

I am so thrilled to finally find a place in Sweden where I feel like I belong. International Citizen Hub Lund is truly my home away from home.

To all the Internationals coming to live here; good news, International Citizen Hub Lund is here for you so you don’t have to learn the hard way. At International Citizen Hub Lund you feel smart, special and qualified, as you are. And soon you will be able to follow your dreams!

/ Maryam Latifian

About my painting

The wave with all different colors is an illustration of us internationals with different cultural backgrounds coming together and becoming the new beautiful and powerful wave.

I specifically chose this painting for International Citizen Hub Lund because it is a reflection of my emotions right after going through Kick Start program in spring 2019.

The painting was done last year with dark and rough colors. When I decided to hand it over to International Citizen Hub Lund, I gave it a whole new look; adding lots of bright and vivid colors, making it softer yet depicting a stronger wave. That is exactly how I feel: confident, inspired and happy. And I believe it can speak for most of us who visit International Citizen Hub Lund.

Link to the website of Maryam Latifian

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