Welcome to Norrland Living!

Welcome to the first issue of Norrland Living! And welcome to Skellefteå. We’ve lived here for 10 years this coming summer, and this innovative little city has changed a good deal in that time. What was once a little bit of a backwater in Sweden has gradually become one of Europe’s most-talked about cities – we’re sure you’ve read all the press about the magnificent Sara kulturhus and Wood Hotel building. But moving anywhere new can still be a bit of a cultural shock when first you arrive. We know we certainly found it to be a challenge when we rocked up here in the summer of 2012. A year later and we had our twins, and it became even tougher, especially for Donna, marooned here with baby girls and without any family to fall back on. It wasn’t just about the language. Wherever in the world you are originally from, you’ll find a new culture, traditions and way of doing things different. There’s no getting away from that. But we’ve been through that culture shock and have come out the other side, and we now love living here and want to share that love with you. We’re also here, as society opens up after Covid-19, to help you acclimatise to life here – to offer advice, empathy and tips on how to crack Norrland life, whether that be a guide to northern Swedish supermarkets, (p10), how to deal with Swedish workplaces (p22) or a guide for what to do with the kids this Sportlov (p18). Anyway we’d love you to enjoy this magazine, and, if you don’t, email us and let us know how we can improve! We’re open to new ideas. Just like Skellefteå!

Best wishes, Paul and Donna