Happy anniversary

One year ago today, a very sad, very nervous, Englishman was on his way to Heathrow Airport with a suitcase that weighed an impressive 43kg (I was charged €100 for excess weight, it should have been far more than this but the lady felt sorry me). I really didn't want to move to Sweden, all my friends were in London and it looked like finding a full-time job would be mission impossible.

My first day in Stockholm I spent working at Global Water Partnership (GWP). I had contacted them before arriving in Stockholm and they had offered me some part time work. Without working at GWP, I am not sure I would have survived. I met some lovely people there, and they all wanted to help me. The first thing the lovely folks at GWP helped me with was finding my first flat in Aspuden (if you recall, finding a flat to rent in Stockholm, is like winning the lottery, almost impossible), but most of they helped me take my mind off things.

Finding a job was still proving elusive, and I felt an almost constant pressure on myself to get one, otherwise, when my contract at GWP was up, I would have to return to London. By the time October arrived, I was desperate because the lease on my flat in Aspuden was up and I had nowhere else to live and the job front was very quiet. I knew that by the time December rolled around nothing would happen for a few months, and I did not have the money to just sit in my flat in Stockholm and wait for the phone to ring.

I kept looking for both a job and a flat, and I was lucky to find an amazing flat right in the middle of Stockholm. I am still in this flat today, and it looks like I can be in this flat for a long time as the owners are in America (I have some vague plans to sell my flat in London and buy in Stockholm, but we'll see when that is). The flat is still as empty as it looks in the picture on the left, Sam and I prefer it that way!

I also had found myself being interviewed for two positions. One was a familiar role, working for an organisation and looking after their website, and the other was working for an agency, a role I had never done before.

In the end, I was lucky enough to be offered both roles, but I surprised myself by taking the unfamiliar role because I felt it offered the best long term prospects. I cannot tell you how happy I am that I made that decision. I started at JG Communication on December 6th (my birthday) and straight away I knew I had made the right choice. The people there are amazing, friendly, warm and welcoming. There is a large ex-pat community within JG, and they knew what I was going through. The security I felt through having a full time job really helped.

After Christmas in the UK, I decided to try and be as positive as I could about living in Stockholm. I had a great flat, a great job, and I was starting to make friends. It had been nearly a year since my relationship started to break up and I felt that the only way was up. As odd as it sounds, as soon as I decided to be positive, I felt so much more happy. The Swedish winter was still there, and some days it knocked my new found positivity, but not enough to break it entirely.

In February I met an amazing lady called Ulrika. Our first date was at an Indian restaurant, and it was ok, so we went out again on a disastrous date, after which we decided to become friends. Of course over time, Ulrika couldn't resist my English charm, and eventually she gave in and we have been in a relationship now for three months. I am very lucky to have met her, and she makes me really happy. She has the nicest bunch of friends in Stockholm too, including Carro and Mark, whose wedding I was lucky enough to be invited to. That was one evening I shall never forget.

But all of this neglects to mention the reason I moved here. Samuel Roy Corless. As hard as Stockholm got, as bad as the winter was, I never once regretted moving here because he is worth it. I am so happy to say that the divorce has never seemed to dampen his spirit once, and he is a wonderful little boy. I wish I could explain in words what he means to be, but I cannot.... I just hope he knows how much I love him. Friends have said that what I have done in moving to Stockholm has been really impressive, but I honestly answer, that it just seems very natural because of the love I have for Samuel.

So there we have it, my first year in Stockholm. My newly married friends Dave and Jenna are coming to stay with me this weekend, so I think it is entirely possible I will be having a drink tonight to celebrate making it through the first twelve months. At times it was really difficult, but now I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. And who would have thought that a year ago?