Hello and welcome! A common area of issue for expat families is following a partner or spouse abroad. These situations can put a lot of pressure on the individuals, relationship, and family so it is important to prepare yourself. Would you move to Sweden with your family? Have you already followed your partner overseas? What fears or concerns did you/do you have? What advice would you give to partner or spouse moving to Sweden? Do you have tips, advice, or experiences to share? Thanks for your recommendations, tips, and advice! Other forum users appreciate your expertise.
My boyfriend and I had a long distance relationship between Sweden and the US before I decided I would move to Sweden. I think it is the best thing I could have done in my life. Long distance relationships are extremely hard to deal with and it makes people feel more sad than happy. I made the decision to move here after two years of trying the long distance thing. Every time we met up was so amazing I don't have the words to describe, but saying goodbye ripped out our hearts each time. Sometimes I wondered if we were worth the heartache and so we talked about moving in together. I couldn't be any happier living in Sweden. I have a sambo visa, which they nicknamed the love visa, so I get all the benefits of Sweden as long as my boyfriend and I stay together. Sweden is a great place to live. They have beautiful cities, great work benefits, and free schooling (for most, it depends on your visa). For me living in Stockholm isn't that different from living in Chicago, or any other big city. The only difference is that people speak Swedish here. Other than that, I adapted really fast. The food is the same with he exception of a few strange Swedish dishes. They have malls and stores, movie theaters, cafes, etc. I would recommend joining some hobby groups to make friends. It helped me adjust faster I think. When you move here, you probably wont know that many people so it's good to get out and find things you like. Keep in mind that just because I love it here, doesn't mean you will. I would definitely visit a few times first and make your decision in time and take it seriously. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience Cataclysmia! So glad your move abroad has been a success and you are sharing your advice with our community. I tweeted your response so others can get the benefit of your response! We hope to see a lot more of you in the forums!