E059 - The Journey of Moving to Sweden Embracing Swedish Traditions and Celebrations

James Doran (00:06.424)

So hello and welcome to the ExpatPod. My name is James, your host. I'm joined by Andy. Andy, you and I are old colleagues, I suppose, from when I used to live in Sweden. You're also someone who now lives in Sweden or still lives in Sweden. If you'd like to give us a bit of an introduction to who you are, you're from, where you've lived. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for having me on, James. My name is Andy and I originally grew up in Scotland in a small

small town called Bonnets actually, just outside of Edinburgh. And basically was living there and met a Swedish girl called Anna and then followed my heart and moved over to Sweden. Called myself a love refugee almost. Over to Sweden and I was originally working in the music industry before, working as a musician and performing.

which took me to really great places and done loads of great shows around Europe and whatnot. But now I decided to take the leap of faith six years ago now and move to Gothenburg, Sweden and be with Anna. And we're actually getting married just in a couple of weeks as well. So I guess I'm stuck there now. But I'm working now for Polestar and really working with

everything you can think of with electric cars as you know, as we work together, James. yeah, exciting times and I think I've really spearheaded myself into the corporate world and Sweden and it's quite some place to do it, especially in a town like Gothenburg with so much heritage in the car industry. it's, yeah, that's a quick rundown of how I ended up in Gothenburg really. But it was, if you want

a little bit longer story to it, was quite a journey to get there. I was in the music industry, I had contracts that I had to finish off, so I planned to move. It took me a year further to move. So I actually got a job at Sky TV for that year to gain some more money and prepare myself for the move to Sweden. I was obviously coming back and forth from a long distance relationship, so every time I would go over, took...

James Doran (02:30.488)

clothes, belongings, my bike, know, everything bit by bit, every flight when I took it over, which actually was quite a good top tip. think if you do visit where you're going to move, take stuff every time because then it makes it easier when you do make the, you know, And then, yeah, no, I've been living in Sweden for six years. I have a Swedish passport now as well. So I could never think back then six years ago that I'd be where I am now. I think if people were

thinking to move or to make the jump to a new country do it because it really opens up so many doors and avenues that you don't expect to happen when you go to a new country. Well that's a great introduction I'm sure we'll unpack that a bit further into the house and why as we go through it.

James Doran (03:25.282)

welcome to section one of the podcast or getting there. So this is essentially a rundown of everything you need to do from deciding you're moving abroad, getting all the plans in place and then I guess getting on that last plane in that case or first plane overall drive or however you managed to get home. So I guess let's go back to the start. So before you met Anna, did you have any

dreams or visions of living abroad or moving abroad or the UK or home and then just obviously touring a lot for your previous job. Yeah, I mean, you always go, we visited loads of places when we were touring around and of course you visit cities and you think, I could live here. You know, when you go to a really nice, a really nice city or town and you feel like this would be a great place to live. And I still do that today, even though I have moved to a new country, but sometimes you visit a new city and you always think this is it.

This would be a nice place to live. no, to answer the question fully, would say I never ever thought I'd see myself moving to Sweden until I met Anna and the way it all worked out really. it's amazing the way that life's journey takes you sometimes. So obviously you met Anna and you decided, yes, I want to live in Sweden and see where that relationship kind of goes. And now it's going to be legally bounding.

or binding, When you decided to say that I moved, what was the first thing you needed to do? What was the kind of, you go, yes, I'm moving. Then what? Yeah. mean, it was like we've kind of discussed before. It wasn't easy. know, it was a long distance relationship, which is never easy for anyone. And a lot of visits back and forth. And then it kind of built up to, okay, maybe I should take the leap and just move here.

I was working self -employed as a musician. So went and spoke to my accountant and said, so what do need to do? How do I close things down? How do I let HMRC know that I'm not going to be here and pay tax and how do I move? So actually he helped me a lot to get everything sorted for the last year of working in the UK. Basically started already for like a year looking for work and looking for jobs in Sweden.

James Doran (05:50.766)

Anna already had an apartment so that was kind of an easy part because I think as anybody might know it's very difficult moving to a new city and trying to find a place to live, especially in Gothenburg as you've maybe experienced James, it's not the easiest to find apartments. Yeah, now they're getting those first -hand contracts. Yes, so luckily Anna had a first -time contract and we have another place now that we've upgraded to but so that helped me a lot and then obviously

the paperwork and getting into the Swedish system. And that's very difficult if you don't have a job lined up first of all, which I didn't when I first moved actually. getting your personal number it's called in Swedish and your taxation number. To get all those details you need to get into the Swedish system and you need to get a bank account. You can't get one until you have that number.

So that was very difficult, I would say. Some hard couple of months until I actually had a job contract in hand and was able to go back to the Skatteverk at the tax agency in Sweden and say, okay, I got a contract, got the signature. Everything was there. Then things started to move and you got the tax number and everything. it was really funny. And I don't know if you had this experience when you moved to Sweden, but you can't...

set up a bank account until you have that number, like I said. But then you can't actually, the bank account I set up, and it might be different with other banks, but you had to pay for a national ID to get the Swedish bank account. And you could only pay for your national ID online. And I didn't have a Swedish bank account to pay for, but...

Luckily I still had my British bank account so I could pay for it but I just always thought to myself, what if this was someone who didn't have another bank account or didn't have another means of paying? So sometimes you consider yourself lucky from where you come from and the background that you have but it would be very difficult if you didn't have another way to pay for that way to get your ID card and then go get the bank account set up.

James Doran (08:10.316)

Yeah, I look back at those couple of months now, because it did, I mean, it took a few months before you get all the paperwork through and you get to bank account set up and everybody uses swish and bank ID and everything in Sweden. So everything's all digital on your phone. So if you don't have any of those things, you really don't feel part of society in any way. So it's kind of a, it's a funny situation, but it was, yeah, that was

a hard few months to get everything into the paperwork and get set up but as soon as you get in there then you feel part I mean it's a very rewarding feeling to okay now I've got it I've got this now I might be able to make something work here in Sweden so and Sweden has a great system actually as soon as you're in there it's a very good system to to be in and then then it turned out to

Not very long after that, because I'm working in the automotive industry, I started to look at things like, okay, my driver's license, I need to swap my UK driver's license over to a Swedish driver's license. that was also a very funny thing to get to start letting go of your British ID cards and stuff, because you have to swap it over. You don't get to keep your British one. then you swap it over. And then

that all kind of starts building up because then you've been there for a few years, you're working, you've got all the system, then you start thinking about, maybe I should apply for citizenship. And it goes without saying, since we're both from the UK, James, that obviously Brexit made people think differently when they start moving to different countries. And actually made me, because I was obviously on a European passport and then Brexit happened and then

you're not anymore. then that was very eye opening because everything was pretty, even though was difficult to get into the system at the time and get all the job contracts signed up and everything. But I think it was a lot easier for me than it was for people without a European passport. And then as soon as Brexit happened, I had to go to the migrations office and then I had to get another ID card because I wasn't European anymore. So that was actually quite

James Doran (10:27.544)

I think scary sounds like such a strong word, but it was quite like, this is different now. I've been here for three years. I will have to, no, I have to go into this. So then I started looking at citizenship and because I've been living with Anna and was together with the Swedish person, then it was, you know, you need to live in Sweden for five years, but you can apply sooner if you're with a Swedish partner. Sambo, right? Yeah. So it's like this Swedish Sambo, bright silk.

actually happened just after Covid. So I mean, we look back at the timeline, you have Brexit and you have Covid. It's been probably one of the hardest times ever to emigrate to new countries. So it's not easy. I remember I had driven my car from Gothenburg back to Edinburgh to prove that long distance EV travel was possible, just so people know that.

Took my car back because I still had a few belongings here or there and if I bring the car then I can bring everything in the car because I didn't have much. I hadn't taken most things over. And then that was during kind of when COVID started lifting and people could travel again. And then I took the Euro tunnel and everything was great. I had a good Christmas and saw family after not seeing them for a few years. And then France decided to close the borders to British passport holders.

So, and I had to urethonal book to drive back. Had to change all my plans. Luckily the Netherlands still allowed British people in. So I took a ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam instead. and then drove back to Sweden that way. And then it was literally the day after, and this was like the second of January. So basically right at the beginning of the year, I okay, I'm applying for my Swedish citizenship. Yep. Yeah. I drove back on New Year's Eve. I'll never forget that New Year's Eve.

I was long drives and it was, quite excited to drive through Denmark when all the fireworks were going off at midday. but yeah, so that was a kind of rush to get back because of COVID things. And then I decided to apply to my Swedish citizenship and that took almost over a year and it takes even longer for some other people. I'll consider myself lucky there as well that I managed to, to hear.

James Doran (12:53.166)

after a year or so and got a Swedish passport and luckily you can keep your British passport as well so you can have British and Swedish citizenship at the same time. So now I'm European again, I have a Swedish passport and I have a British passport and that's something that moving to a new country and trying to know build yourself up into the society and live there you never think you're going to get

I mean, it's still to this day, I think it's weird when I have my Swedish passport because it says nationality Swedish, but you're still British at heart, know? Yeah, it's true. Yeah. Yeah, you're right. It's very interesting thinking about all the stuff you just said. And because I moved after Brexit, after COVID, I was looking at, I worked at the same company and they made it happen in that sense of because I worked for a Swedish company, made getting the visa application much easier. It still took a lot of time.

Yeah. Much longer than I thought. And I happened to move during the summer break. So I didn't actually know my visa got approved until two weeks after and he got back from the summer holiday that my visa got approved and my flight was booked like four days after. So was a bit nervous not knowing when my visa would come through. So I could fly in a lot. but I was lucky it did. but yeah, you're right in terms of Brexit, it made it absolute mess of it all really. And men that my visa was only one year.

I mean, because I didn't need a visa when I went over at first because it was, we were European, we had a European passport, European Union passport. And then when Brexit happened and I had to go to the migrations office and apply for another like ID card and because then you're not your European Union anymore. it was very, that was very strange because it very

unnerving times because you don't, no one really knew what was happening because it never happened before. so the rules were just kind of, you, you read something and then it changed every now and then. so it was kind of, yeah, I think I had that when I visited, Sweden during COVID, was 2021, think was like summer 2021. And it was, you needed a letter to break it had happened at that point because it happened at the start of 2021, think officially anyway.

James Doran (15:15.758)

And we needed a letter to be invited into Sweden in order to conduct work. But I didn't need a visa because it was only a short work trip, but it was two weeks. But when I got to the border for land Vetter airport in Gothenburg, the lady or the person at the customs or passport control was saying to me,

You can't be here for work because you've not got a visa. I said, well, no, can't be a tourist because I'm not allowed to travel during COVID unless it's for work. I've got a letter saying I'm allowed to be in the country from my employer inviting me in for a short term contract, for a short term visit. He's like, no, you can't be here. You haven't got a work permit. It's because of Brexit. no, don't need one. It's only two weeks. And then I had to wait for like half an hour for the police to come. Yeah, it's fine.

Let him through. This is like half 11 on a Sunday night. So there's nothing open. I don't want to get there and starving and didn't know where I was going. I was wearing a mask and no one else was and all this stuff. You look back at them and say, you know, where is it? How hard it was to do anything. But going back to before you moved then in terms of did you have any, did you have a house? Were you living at your parents and stuff? What were you, did you have to give up loads of things before you moved? Not too much. mean,

I didn't own a house when I was renting and then it was easy to get everything together because I was working as a So mainly I started to sell a lot of my equipment that I had actually and fund the move, as to say. And as anyone who's a musician might know, I didn't get rid of all my instruments, but I got rid of a lot of the hardware and speakers. But that's still kind of...

something that's close to you as a musician because you've built all this gear up over time, you know? And I remember selling a bass amp that I had, an Ashdown really tall cab. And I had this custom made case for the amp head and everything. And I loved it so much. I remember selling it to a guy in Glasgow and it it sounds really sad, but was quite sad when I was driving away after selling that.

James Doran (17:38.798)

Like you look back at all those things and you don't think about it, but you were doing that to move basically so you didn't have so many belongings. And did you not think of trying to be a musician in Sweden? Was that not an avenue you could possibly try and think about? You said obviously you looked for work when you got the, know, continued that same career, but from a different home base. I was working for a music agency and I did ask if they had any...

any work because it was like a pool of musicians that you worked in, but they didn't operate in Sweden. So then I started looking for things similar, of course. And I don't know if this is too early to touch on it now, but when I jumped into Swedish lifestyle, I actually, know, there's great Facebook groups and things where you can meet other like -minded musicians. I think music is an international language, which is

something great to have if you move to another country. I think you should really touch on it because that's the first time when I moved to Sweden I posted up saying, I'm a musician I can play this instrument that instrument and if anyone's looking for a new band member, we're not. And I managed to join a band after just being in Sweden just for a couple of weeks actually. So and that was like the first friends I made and I still speak to some of those guys now we don't actually we

we met up and we were just, we didn't perform or anything. We just met up and jammed out and had some rehearsals and stuff together. But that was like for the first year or so when I left in Sweden. So that was really nice because then it felt like I didn't say goodbye totally to the music world. I still did that, but it was, and it's like I said, I mean, they were playing similar music and songs to what I played in the UK or other places. it was

You can really connect to people through music and I think that was one of the easiest ways to make friends but now the job that I'm in now I don't have so much time to do music and it's kind of questioning myself now saying that I should probably think about it more myself and get back into it because it's not only good for making friends and making music together but also for yourself. It's mentally rewarding and it's a good way to get away from the stresses of life music.

James Doran (19:58.37)

Completely. Yeah. I guess it's probably a good home city for you, guess, is to play songs which you used to play back home as an escape, if you had the time into this and things like that. Well, is there anything else you wanted to discuss before going into the next days of well -being though, which I think is going to be most of the meat of the podcast from your point of view? I mentioned earlier that I got a job at Sky TV working in the other big office in Scotland. And I just...

I'm a person who's very loyal when I've had jobs. I mean, I've been at Polestar now for just over five years. And when I was working in a music agency and stuff as well, that was up to seven, eight years. But when I got the job at Sky, I knew that after September, because I started working there in September and then I think that was, I moved in 2018. So it must have been 2017, 2016.

and I knew that I was only going to work there for a year and I felt quite guilty in a way and because I'm like I said quite a loyal person and I mean obviously loads of people jump into a job to make money and to do things so you shouldn't feel guilty and I did work hard there and I you know put overtime in and stuff as well I didn't and the colleagues I worked with they were great but I just always knew that when it

come to September 2017, I was going to leave because then I had a gap in my schedule for music stuff because I was slowing down the music bookings and trying to finish that off. And then I had a couple of months actually where I left Sky and then I moved, basically moved to Sweden and started looking for work for a couple of months there. But then I had to come back for the full month of December because I had a full month of gigs and stuff.

booked in December so then I had to come back and basically finish all that off which is also quite strange because then I just finished off a job and left the job. Tried to live in Sweden for a couple of months and try different jobs here or there or apply to different jobs. Come back to Scotland for a month, play all the gigs, have Christmas and then basically the Boxing Day, day after Christmas I took a flight and then that was the day I literally moved to Sweden so.

James Doran (22:23.976)

probably one -way ticket, you know? your last day living in the UK, I suppose. And it was Christmas Day, so I guess that was quite nice. Well, it's Christmas Day in the UK, it's not Christmas Day in Sweden. That's true. But I've never had to thought about that when you said that's the last day living in the UK was Christmas Day. Let's say I've never had to thought about that since I've lived, so that's quite nice to say it that way. Well, what a great way of ending the first section, and then we can go into section two.

James Doran (22:57.326)

Welcome back to the podcast, welcome to section 2, which all about being there. Andy, this is where I kind of talked to my guests about their initial impressions. Obviously, you've kind of been climatised to Swedish lifestyle, obviously dating in Sweden, of will be asking questions here and there as you've been dating and things. You kind of knew more than most before moving and obviously with your time you're back and forth. But still, it's a culture shock when you get there and it's new and it's different and if you're looking for jobs and things. Talk us through that in terms of

when you first arrived to actually live there on Boxing Day, what was it like? What was the, was cold and dark, I assume, and probably raining or snowing. How did that help or hinder you? Yeah, I mean, you touched on it in the last section because they, to me it was Boxing Day, but to them they say it's celebrate Christmas on the 24th. So Christmas Day is a different sort of celebration for them. It's different to how we do it in the UK.

Yeah, normally in the UK Boxing Day you have your traditions that you do with all your families or you go shopping and they don't have that and well, they do have Boxing Day sales and stuff as well in Sweden but like when I met Anna's family and everything we didn't do that that way. So it was kind of that was like, this is different to celebrate Boxing Day this way. But like you said, I had been lucky in sense that I got to really

be immersed in the Swedish lifestyle quite early with my visits back and forth because obviously you go to Anna's parents house and they have your postcard picture house that's a red wooden house next to a lake in the forest. mean you couldn't make it up really as picture postcard stuff. That was one thing that kind of makes you want to move because Sweden is so quiet where they live. The trees, the air, just everything's simmed. Really good in that sense but it's also

We live in Gothenburg, so they live obviously out in the countryside and as parents and the proper nice Swedish lifestyle. And that's kind of what I strive for now that I would really like to live out in the countryside in Sweden and have that type of life. But living in the city, Gothenburg, would say is a very nice city to move to if you don't want to be, you know, I've been in London a lot, work there and

James Doran (25:21.782)

I'm currently in Madrid right now with work and Madrid is an amazing city, but my gosh, it's so huge and busy with people and traffic and you could imagine moving to some big cities and some people love the hustle and bustle and the fast pace of life, but it's actually, I think I prefer Gothenburg in a slower paced city. And so I think Gothenburg was quite a nice place to move to because it's not so overwhelming to become.

But the Swedish culture is very different and culture is obviously the biggest aspect of moving anywhere. the working cultures, I mean, everyone's very, very hard workers, but you have lots of different workers' in Sweden. And summer vacation is like legal depending on like where you work. basically, the government says that you must take four weeks off during the...

and most people have the full four weeks off and in the UK I mean I'm not saying you don't get good holidays in the UK but you're not like legally bound to take a full four weeks off on the road as an industry holiday and I know some other countries in Europe do the same sort of thing as Sweden and actually I still find that strange now I mean I was looking at summer weeks off this year and it's like it's strange being able to take you just it just reminds me being at school when you used to get your summer

It did feel like that because I moved during that time and no one was here and no one was there to help me. That was about it. Adi and Victor. You've seen it firsthand. It's very, but I think that's something that you must look at. Swedish people that they do things correct here and they're very, very, very structured in that sense. they do look out for their health. physical and mental health. mean,

That's why they have these certain vacation times throughout the year in the summer and they have other sports holidays throughout the year for school kids and obviously parents take those times off as well to go skiing and to do sports and activities. it's like that's something I think is lost in the UK where you need to think about your health and your mental health and everything because we all work so hard that you forget to

James Doran (27:47.672)

to take time off and to do things correctly. And I think that's something that's really changed my perspective and the way of working with being in Sweden. And also another cultural thing I would say, if I can touch on other things outside of work as well, that I don't want to do. I think the joke that when it was COVID time in Sweden, basically,

everywhere else had the two meter rules, you had to stand two meters apart. And in Sweden, that's just normal. People don't really sit next each other, they don't sit next to each other in the bus, which is kind of like a stereotypical joke in Sweden. But then in COVID times, it was like, we have to stand two meters apart. That's quite close. Normally it's fun. So yeah, just like public transport taking the bus and doing things. I think another thing that

was really nice in Sweden is everything so digital. So you have your bank ID, you have your swish on your phone to exchange money to friends and can't tell you what Swedish cash looks like because no one uses cash. I actually have some. Do you have some? Maybe you can show me that. I don't know what it looks like. It's in my, it's in my car. It's funny when you mentioned about your bank situation in the first part of podcast. I also did have a bank when I moved.

And I had to get a haircut. And the guy only said with swish or cash. I was like, well, I've got a Monzo card, which I was paying for most my stuff with because I had no foreign transaction fees and then I could get paid and stuff. Because I was just getting paid by the Swedish bank, by Swedish business into my UK bank account. But I had to then go withdraw some Swedish cash to pay for my haircut. And I still got the change. like, can't possibly use it.

place I can think of is Lisebay, which is you might be able to get rid of cash. Go and play the pop -up bill and stuff. Yeah, and like coins or coins, or set coins for playing the game where you can win a massive bar of checks or something. Yeah, I was so disappointed. I won a big Toblerone at Lisebay once and I thought it would be like massive triangles of chocolate, but it's just full of small ones. So it's a con.

James Doran (30:11.33)

It's false advertising. No, but yeah, I mean, it's a very advanced country. Sweden is very modern and I don't think people realize that if you do that. I think also the funny thing for me, especially coming from Scotland, where we have a lot of lochs everywhere, as we call it in Scotland, but in Sweden they have so many lakes. Gothenburg is by the sea. You have loads of archipelago islands. And the summertime in Sweden is actually beautiful.

is very warm, which you would never think of in Sweden. You just think cold, dark snow. But the summers are amazing. You can go swimming like all the time. And I always have this image of like just going to the lake and going swimming and having all the trees and just it's a very outdoors country. And I think that really is something that I enjoy about Sweden as well. So yeah, I think when I I first went I went to Delkund.

which is just as I got off the bergen, I also went to the Capenegos and a weekend I had there because I was told to go and you can pay for the tram you can get all the way there for no extra money so I spent time in Ixtiso or something which is one of the south islands of the Al Capenegos and it was incredible like I took my drone I had loads of fun with it because nothing else to do was by myself just traveling around and yeah it was was incredible because you know you're right that because the days are so long you have so much time to explore and

kind of be outside and see things and look for things, which is really quite incredible. And Gothenburg's wonderful for that. have Slottskugen, which is in the city, but it is this massive forest effectively. And it's beautiful there. And I think you just trickled me to remember something. And it's quite funny because I went to the same island that you were talking about and stuff. We took our bikes there. And I think that's so beautiful in Sweden that you have so many cycle lanes. It's so safe to cycle. I mean, all the way to work or

You have basically roads for the bikes everywhere and you're never on the road next to cars, you're on a separate part away from the car. So you feel so safe to cycle. I actually took my bike from Scotland over to Sweden, wrapped it up and put it on the plane in the oversized cargo and it arrived safely actually. I put the wheels back on and I've never cycled my bike so much since I've been in Gothenburg.

James Doran (32:38.944)

so much so that I actually had to get rid of that bike because I'd been using it so much and it was a very old bike I'd had it all my life which was actually one of my biggest milestones of living in Sweden was like when I finally got like first paycheck in from work and I went and bought myself a new bike because I was like that cycle to work and it was such a nice feeling to just go get a new bike and then cycle because you cycle so much and I really

got into it more and cycling and we'd just like you said, we'd take the bike and go on the ferry and go to the Acrebella by then. you can just, you can basically get rid of it. It's so nice. But that, that to me is like something when you move to a new country, you want that, that memory, that rewarding memory. And it was a buy my new bicycle. Yeah. It's a great first milestone for sure. And getting back to you mentioned people about work and

When you arrived, you you'd been applying for jobs, you'd been looking for stuff. How did you find work? Was it through LinkedIn, job sites, agencies? How were you trying to find work? I guess you didn't speak Swedish at the time. Did that hinder you or did that help? What were your steps in order to get a job? Yeah, no, it was very difficult. mean, Swedes are so good at English.

I mean you and I both grew up in the UK and I actually think most Swedish people have better English than we do. They learn it in different Yeah, but I'm from Liverpool and you're from Scotland so it's not very good. It's much of a lie, that's it. Yeah, we're probably not the best example of that. coming from where we come, we pick up bad habits and bad slang, I would say dialect from where we come from. So Swedes are so bloody good at English that it's...

difficult to learn language because if you go somewhere and you really immerse yourself and learn the language, then you need to talk if there's not much English speakers. It did take me quite a long time to learn Swedish. And I mean, I'm at a level now where I think I'm better and I can speak to colleagues at work and take meetings at work in Swedish. But I'm still nowhere near as good as a neat Swedish speaker the way that they are to switch between bilingual English and Swedish.

James Doran (35:02.478)

So yeah, was definitely a struggle in the beginning, not speaking English, but luckily I found a job that I did for the few parts of being in Sweden, which the owner of that company was Australian. and he spoke English. He couldn't learn much Swedish. So that was handy because I found a company that was robbed by someone speaking English. So that helped me, but we were dealing with a lot of Swedish customers and having to

Yeah, speak Swedish and that helped me to learn Swedish a bit faster, but then people would normally just swap to English anyway and we'd start speaking English. But then when I got the job at Polestar actually, and this is quite funny, the way you asked this, it's almost like you rehearsed it, James, but I promised everyone listening we did rehearse this, but I applied to a job at Polestar where we were travelling around launching Polestar 2 and they were looking for a mixture of different...

native speakers because we were travelling around Europe. So they were looking for obviously English speakers, for German speaker. We had Swedish speakers as well because Swedish people were on the team as well. We had Spanish speakers and it was like I actually ended up getting the job where I needed English because I was a native English speaker. So and then I started that job and that was

kind of the strange part of my story is that I'd only just kind of been in Sweden for just about a year and then obviously just done long distance for over a year.

was super nice to be living together and then being in Sweden for a year. Then I ended up going travelling for six to eight months for work. So then was never back in Sweden for, I was on a back flight every now and then. So, which was an amazing experience because I got to go and see some great places around Europe and travel around some cities that I'd never been to before and meet all the different cultures and different cities.

James Doran (37:04.29)

It's very, very nice to hear the different types of questions that people ask about a car in different countries and what they're focusing on. So I learned so much going on that tour and luckily I got kept on at Polestar afterwards and I've been there over five years now, but it's, yeah, that was kind of difficult actually. I I look back at it because we just been living together for a year, just moved over to Sweden and then I started traveling again. So, and I think I actually got that job mainly because I'd been in the music industry and been used to traveling and stuff. So.

But also I'm very into cars as one of my biggest interests in life. You're that's one of the things that will be tickling off CV was probably your enthusiasm for vehicles as well. Cause I'm the opposite. know a lot about cars, but I don't really like them too. Well, I like cars. I've got an appreciation for them, but I've got other things I spend my money on or spend my weekend with. I still get to caffeine machine and things like that. But I, you know,

for things like talking to people, you know, I spend time about living abroad. Yeah. It's more my bag or sustainability. Fun podcasts would be good to listen to. Yeah. Exactly. I could be, you know, working on a project car, but no, I'm talking to you. You mentioned project car. I know that I've been living in Sweden too long because I now have a Volvo PV 444 from 1956 that I found in Anna's sister's house when she bought that. was in the barn.

So, and I basically worked it up for a few years together with Anna's dad and we got it back in the road, got it road legal, cleaned it up and now it's like an amazing weekend toy to go out and play in. It's a classic car from 1956. It doesn't have any seat belts actually because fun fact, the seat belt was invented in 1959 and there's a printed on the belts and Volvo and Polestar cars. yeah, that's

car before the CPELT was in. that's a new podcast about car history now isn't it? I'm changing the topic. But that was a thing that really, we're living in a new country and obviously a car brand that's very loyal to Sweden of course, found in an old car like that and that was something as well which was very rewarding because I've made friends and have good colleagues and everything in Sweden but

James Doran (39:32.768)

It's still not the same as being home. sometimes so it's quite nice to have a project car to go and work on and take your mind off things as well. So I'm kind of that hands on person. I either go and do music or go out in the bike or exercise and running and things. And I have the project car as well where I can go and get lost and take my time up. So I think that's a, I mean,

everybody has their own types of hobbies, but I mean it's important to keep them when you move to another country because then it makes it easier to live there I would say when you're away from home. Fight the homesick a little bit. When you first moved in terms of like making friends, you talked about friends before, was it easier having Anna and her circle of friends to kind of just be a tag along into? Was it hard because I guess they were probably speaking

predominantly Swedish if they're all Swedes as well and you were the Scotsman on the side. Yeah, I definitely was easy in that sense that we could hang out with our friends and they all speak amazing English as well to be honest. But then again, it's not your friends. So it's not like you feel like you're borrowing her friends and there are as much my friends know as well, but it's a

you still feel like you need to go out and meet your old friends. And actually, I remember I met a friend from England who now lives in Stockholm, so I don't see him that much, but he was kind of similar. He'd moved over, was in Gothenburg with his partner and stuff. And I met up with him a few times and we just met basically on a Britson Facebook group, which I think is it. now I've mentioned a music group and...

know, expat group and stuff. very, it sounds very cheesy because it's on Facebook and stuff, but it is actually very helpful. So I recommend them a lot actually, because yeah, I just reached out and then I met with him for a little while then. But now I've made like been living in Sweden a bit longer. I've made my own friends now and stuff as well. So, and lots of good colleagues that I can hang out with after work as well. So that's great. It's really good too.

James Doran (41:48.142)

I mean, to go back to your question, it doesn't happen right away. It takes some time. But luckily I like my own company as much as other people. I mean, that's one thing I was taught was you have to be by yourself a bit more. like, yeah, I know, but I'm by myself already. I lived alone at the time when I moved and I got off from a store in the UK, so I kind of want to spend time away from myself. Yeah. Just so I'm not bored. Which is why I started this podcast, because I was bored. Yeah, but then sometimes that's when the good things come out and...

you're doing so well with it now as well. But I think it also grew me as a person. Like for example, I'm in Madrid right now for work and the other day when I had some time I went on a bus tour of my own and I don't think I'd ever done that before. So I like going, I can do loads of stuff on my own now and stuff as well. it's... You're a seasoned solo traveler. Exactly and solo traveling is quite rewarding actually because it's quite refreshing because you can go and do what you want to go and do.

You don't have to ask anything, you just go and do it. Is it a compromise? it's I want to do this, I want to be here. Touching on food then, as a good segway into it. How you sound Swedish food? Have you found the Raksmorgas to be your favourite dish or Sill? Definitely not Sill. No, I actually think, I I come from Scotland where we don't have the best food culture in the world, everything is just deep fried. I really, really enjoy food in Sweden. think...

the quality and level of food that they have is really high. Yeah, I mean you could get a really reasonably priced meal or anything like that, then you can really have good food. one thing that really is, and maybe you noticed this when you were in Sweden, James, is that people love to cook in Sweden and everyone is pretty competent in the kitchen and can really make some good food. So I feel like a lot of dinner parties and people cooking at home, which actually is quite nice.

rather than going out all the time. Because then you would play like a board game after or just hang out after. it's quite, that is a really nice thing about Swedish culture. And I mean, it happens everywhere in many countries, but I think that's something I noticed happens a bit more in Sweden than I did back home at least. So yeah, and I think, of course I love some Swedish meatballs and cannebulla, cinnamon buns are really good.

James Doran (44:12.558)

My favourite Swedish cake is called a Charlox Mums, which is basically like a chocolate cake with some chocolate icing and coconut on top. That's the favourite one. Yeah, not the one that's from Skåne. Is it the Semla cake or something? the Semla. That's basically like Sweden's pancake day. Or Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or whatever it's called.

I must say actually I like Sambalas now but when I first tried them I didn't like this. It's the marzipan one right? green. You got the almond paste. Not a fad. The almond paste is like a bun and you got loads of cream and I actually don't like too much cream so that's changed me now. like that now. The only day is October 4th was Cannabla Day. It's all I remember. It was quite an important day. James I don't know if you get sponsorship on this podcast or not but you should because it's so good but

If you were to get sponsorship from me, it would be for Tunnock's caramel wafers because that's what I miss the most about being away from Scotland. I mean they are pretty good. And the tea cakes as well. And I'm pretty sure you visited the UK once and you brought me some back when you came back. You made them once for me. Yeah, I had my own Gemma Dodgers and things in my bag too. I think I'll still repay you to that day. need to...

I need to get you some Ribena and some Dairymilk and chocolate for I'm in the UK now so it's fine. You can bring me back some maribou or something. Yeah I'll bring you back some for the Swedish. But yeah that's... Obviously you miss your family, your friends and home life and that way you've been homesick but you do miss some of the food as well so I do miss tonic camomile first and Dairymilk and stuff because Sweden has great alternatives as well but it's just not the same. It's never the same.

For me it was TV and things as well, music. I used to watch a lot of BBC on a VPN or I'd watch like How I Got News For You or know, I'd sing Cat's Cat. was random silly things on YouTube and stuff just so I felt like I was back at home as a way in. Probably why I didn't learn much Swedish, know, told a little bit of Spanish because it was all I could do but just bought a little bit and went to bed. Because I didn't really immerse myself too much into living alone meant I basically lived a British life but it didn't.

James Doran (46:29.614)

But then like we said, Swedish people speak such good English. I mean, you probably didn't struggle once the year you were here, I imagine. no, no, only when I first moved, went to the supermarket because I was, it took me two hours to do a shop when, which would take me half an hour because I was reading everything. It's like, what's this? Is this the right kind of bread? No, I bought the wrong stuff.

And like, cheese, cheese in Sweden is awful. Like, unless you know where to get it. Cause the standard cheese in this year, it's all wasn't good. It was really quite disappointing. And then all the like, the nachos and the Mexican food, there's a whole like aisle full of just tacos. It's a huge thing in Sweden on Friday. And they love their tacos. It's such a strange thing to be a part of, but I really liked those kind of like remember like Ravita, the other like bread, but they have the ones with the fitting. Yeah, they're good. Yeah. I like them.

And that's actually when I first moved here, just a simple thing like, would you have a bag? Or are you a member? And it's just like, obviously you could probably imagine or work it out what they're going to say when you're at the checkout because it would be the same in the UK. Are you a member? So those were like the things you learn first in Swedish because I was like, okay, what are they saying?

I mean that was like the fear, the anxiety of like, okay they're going to say something again, need to learn what it is that they're saying. Well you have a receipt. I mean the first thing I learned was Stanna a Nordstanna something. Because the bus stopped. You know, just constantly on that tram, like on a bus. Yeah I get told that I sound a little bit like the voice that speaks that on the tram on the bus. I mean it was probably what you learned the most because it's like, you know, exposed that.

more than most Swedish voices maybe. I remember once I was back to speaking Swedish I went to my girlfriend was visiting and we went to a restaurant and I was like I've been practicing my Swedish I can ask for like and they responded but not what I was expecting so I was like damn I can't have it right there and then they and if I feel like going to use

James Doran (48:54.744)

Well the menu food wasn't too bad because I you learn random words and things but I didn't realize vitlok was a white onion it's garlic. That is a good point actually. I don't even met Cinsa but there's the intern who was working with me before I left and he made a mistake of he was he was didn't really eat much meat so he was like he knew the word shot was meat k -o -t -t or k -o -t -t so he thought not shot was not meat but it's beef.

So you got ready, you got out of the room you're yeah, true. But not that he's logic was there. Yeah, that's actually a good tip that I learned when I was learning Swedish was stop thinking about the English translation in your head and think about like, like, shit. Think about what that is in your head, that picture of it instead of the English translation because

because it always made you get confused with the actual word because that teacher I had actually, she was really great. She made you think about the language like you probably would if you were learning it without knowing English, if know what I mean. Like if you were learning it as a child growing up. And that's how I kind of sped up a little bit was, okay, think about the image of what that is in my head. Don't think that I'm...

and last bill as a lorry or a truck to think a last bill think of a truck in my head. Yeah, it's like you use word associations, isn't it? I suppose because I learned German quite a lot before moving to Sweden and I knew quite a lot of German. I could speak it quite well. Not anymore because I'm not really apt to, but I noticed a lot of it was very similar to the point where I mispronounce words because I'd be speaking it like a German would. Yeah. And it would help me if I didn't do that.

It helped for the sentence structure, really helped. And lot of words are quite similar, but like, English would help more with Danish, because Danish is like the German meets Swedish kind of language. it's interesting how it works. I think, for me, it was a confidence thing as well, because you can get to a point where you can really understand and listen and read, but you're so anxious to speak it, because it's quite nerve wracking, because you know you're going to say something wrong and

James Doran (51:10.424)

people are going to correct you or what not. Then Swedish people are so glad when you speak Swedish. And I had to get over that point as well with people. Sometimes they would giggle or they would laugh because you would say something in Swedish, but they weren't meaning it bad or meaning it because they were happy. you can speak Swedish. So it's just getting over that, the fear actually of trying to do it. So and I think once and do it, it's

Yeah, it's really good. I mean, my nephew must know, I mean, he's only three years old, but he must know that I'm really crap at Swedish because he always asked me to read the bedtime book. And I'm like, I've got, but to be fair, helps me because then I can learn the children's books along with themselves. I was taught some tips. So I bought Swedish children's book, which has sluts at the end, which is quite funny.

They said because my Swedish age is a toddler's right, because I'm learning Swedish like I'm a two year old because I'm doing World Association and putting simple sentences together and you have to go out to yeah, I'm in Sweden, I'm a toddler. So you have to kind of go through and maybe go to the library, get like children's books in Swedish and learn it that way is a potential way of learning a language is to

except your reading age is much younger in your second or third or fourth language because you are not as proficient in it. I mean, all these tips are for people listening is a great way to help to learn a new language. And Swedish is quite a difficult language. mean, technically there's 10 million people in Sweden, roughly. So it's like it's not the biggest language in the world either. it's... You could throw in some Norwegians, but... Yeah, you can get by in the...

But even the Swedes can't understand the Danish people even though they say they can but they can't. It's potato isn't it I suppose, is the odd saying. Is there anything more you wish to discuss about life in Sweden? You obviously touched on quite a bit of it. You mentioned about already getting citizenship and that whole journey before and now you're working there and that life. Is there anything else that stands out to you? something different? I mean of course like the daylight hours and stuff is quite similar to Scotland really in terms of winter and summertime.

James Doran (53:30.476)

I mean, kind of, I guess this happens when you move to any country. I don't know. But I mean, you kind of start to change a little bit from what you were before to fit into society or, you know, go with the trends. I'm not really the person that follows trends that much, but I didn't used to have long hair and then I started growing long hair because lots of Swedes have longer hair. I think like that. And I just think that the lifestyle that they lead is they're very

They're very hard workers in Sweden, they, and we mentioned earlier, they'd look after themselves. They're very family orientated. They make the most of life. And I think that's something that some other countries could learn from, from Sweden, actually. you should look at it as a sense that it's quite lucky to live here because you do get a lot of different outlook on life. So I think the Swedes have a lot of good way of looking at

Living life, basically. Yeah. The holistic approach to our work and life actually is balanced and it's not one or the other. That's why Fik is so important and, you know, breakfast is second breakfast. The Volvo way, the Volvo routine of being vegans is having lunch at 11am. Yeah. I still can't get used to lunch at 11am. I'll need to stop there with the culture thing. I mean, of course you get hungry in the morning before lunch, but I mean, lunch is 12 o 'clock.

You got 11 this is 11, I'm being Scottish Well great, we can kind of cap off section 2 and we'll go into section 3

James Doran (55:14.926)

So hello and welcome back to the podcast, Vlogs Section 3, which is essentially a review of all these times living in Sweden. So as you heard already, it's been quite a rollercoaster at times and there's been quite a lot of things you've done in your time in Sweden. Let's kind of hop back to when you first moved. If you could kind of give yourself some advice before going, which might help you now or helped you throughout the journey, would you change anything or, you know,

Maybe tried learning Swedish earlier or would there be something which would have really helped elevate your journey or your life so far? Yeah, I think you answered two of the questions for me already. think the first thing, and this is very much easier said than done. The first thing would have been to have a job lined up better and to have like the paperwork and all the bureaucracy all sorted before moving over, basically.

because that was not the nicest couple of months. You tried to make a leap of faith and move to a new country and be with the one you love and, and do everything. But it was, it was tough trying to get work in and get, but also, I mean, I come from, I came from a very different industry and background and I couldn't do what I wanted to do in Sweden. So it was, my circumstances maybe didn't lead me to the way I've been able to, you know,

be with a bigger company, move there because the places I had worked didn't have places in Sweden. that, mean, if any advice there, would say to try and at least have something lined up, so you're not going in totally blind. And I wasn't going in that blind. did have contacts and the job that I started with and stuff, but that didn't come to fruition right away. You know, I came a few months.

But it was, it was that way. did. And the second one, I did actually begin to learn Swedish because of course Anna was Swedish and, she is Swedish and I was trying to learn before and then I did start taking some lessons in Scotland before moving over. But it was like, and I did quite a few lessons, but it was still like, was busy trying to finish up work with everything. I didn't have time to study much. So, and I think I could have been a lot better myself for the

James Doran (57:42.786)

couple of months where I was in Sweden before I actually came back to Scotland for a month and moved back I could have probably went to more courses I've done stuff stuff then but I just like yeah finished a stressful job and stressful time so it was more just kind of trying to find my feet again so and that's you you look back in hindsight but maybe it was for the best of it was how it turned out

and how it's progressed as well. mean, I was doing Swedish on Duolingo for a year before I moved and so I knew a few words, knew a few things and I got there and they were like, yeah, Wrong, you're saying it completely wrong. was like, and what happened to our duolingo? It's so useless, like saying a teladrile is an animal. I you were going to say a wheel pan. I was like, when I was on Duolingo Swedish, I don't forget.

I you don't even know who talks about turtles in real life, you know? I know, I know, know. I that. I learned that. I that. I learned that. I learned that. I that. I learned that. I I learned learned that. that. that. that. I I I learned that. learned learned that. learned that. I learned that.

So not being too bad. Then looking back more more your time there in Sweden in of your life so far. Now you're settled there and I think you're not planning on leaving anytime soon or exploring anywhere else. How do you integrate the belief in the city or in the culture? you think you're...

It was easier than you thought. Or it was harder or was just those things which maybe you thought, that's gone really smoothly, but actually other things haven't worked so well. I don't think it stands out. In that situation. I think that's quite a difficult question actually, because it's, yeah, I feel like I'm part of Swedish culture and society now. I hope so, been there for six years, but the...

James Doran (01:00:04.726)

It just kind of naturally happens. And I think everyone will have their own way of getting into society and culture because we all have our own interests and hobbies and all different aspects of life. yeah, I think I was lucky enough that I kind of learned a lot and Anna's family is super great at taking me in as well to make me feel included actually.

I must say kudos to people like yourself who are just going to come over on their own and do it because it's more difficult if you don't have support from a family or something as well just to be there on own. So guess I was a bit lucky in that sense that had Anna's family and was included in culture and learned all the proper traditions and singing songs and all these things.

I guess I'm quite lucky in that sense to be honest. kind of... and that's what I think maybe changed me as well because when I go to new countries I really want to see the culture, the real culture like that and go and eat the food and everything because you appreciate it. Go off to tourist traps. Yeah, avoid tourist traps and go to the real places that are...

I think that's one thing about having friends in different cities and cultures because you have the opportunity to go and do that. So one thing I've learned from just meeting random people on this podcast is I know lots of people now who live in different cities. So if ever I'm travelling I'm going to be like, hey, can you just be my tour guide for little bit? Or where should I go? Even people who just visit places, it's good to have that kind of pride knowledge. There's all these great apps and places to tell you for places to go, but there's no better knowledge than a local person.

you get to those hidden gems that aren't listed everywhere you know so it's maybe that could be a cool feature on your podcast to get like hidden hidden gems of the cities that people are from. Yeah I'm like I went to the website at some point and try and make a blog from it I suppose each city can have its own its own blog post or something it's it's it's working for it. I think the only question I have is like

James Doran (01:02:14.414)

How do you find midsummer and things? Are you scared of being sacrificed like Florence Pugh or traditions in Sweden like the Jumulust or anything like that stands out as being quite quirky or you just enjoyed it going feet first and everything? Jumulust is quite a funny one because I used to love, I don't drink so much anymore but I used to like 7 Comfort and Cola. Don't judge me but that's just what I like to drink.

and I feel like you must actually taste like that. first I've got a lump in my It's your mocktail. Yeah exactly. And it's quite funny because like the running joke of if it's different at Christmas to it as at Easter because they have Poscumus almost and people say it is different but it's exactly the same in my opinion. But I quite like sweets have all these little fun

running jokes throughout the year and it's like similar things throughout the year. I quite like that they're very loyal to their traditions, is, I mean, so is Scotland as well. We still wear the kilt and do things as well, of course, but I feel like Sweden's maybe a little bit more traditional in sense of like the midsummer celebrations, like you said, and the barbaric celebrations that's just been a couple of weeks ago. it's like, I quite like that people continue traditions and that's quite...

nice and important and Sweden I think is good. guess Scotland does it, Sweden does it more locally I think, Scotland does it bigger. Like the tattoo in Edinburgh is incredible and you've got like Highland Games and things like that which are a huge, so it's a heritage in Scotland. But Sweden does maybe not as a gram to scale as that but they do it locally. Yeah, that's a good way to look at it maybe. mean of course the

I'm sure they bigger celebrations as well but yeah it's a good way to and I think it's gonna be quite funny because we'll be wearing our kilts for the wedding in a couple of weeks and Swedish women have the traditional clothing as well so actually been to wedding where Anna's auntie and cousin were wearing the traditional Swedish dress and I was wearing my kilt but men in Sweden don't have.

James Doran (01:04:38.722)

really traditional they just wear suits so that was quite nice to see like the Swedish national outfit which is different in all different regions and families but it was really nice to see a Scottish cult and the Swedish ladies and their nice national clothes as well so it was that was quite cool actually I liked that. they have ones in the same tartan right? Well I have my Blair tartan so my surname so I got my family one which is

Which is lucky, it's actually quite a nice one because you can be, you can't choose your name. So sometimes you can have one that's your family name and it's not as nice. It's interesting how Tartan only stuck in Scotland, even though Ireland has got a similar history in terms of being like Viking settlements and stuff like that. obviously see it Scandinavia. Interesting where Tartan came from and why it didn't spread across other parts of the British Isles. Yeah, that's a good point actually.

My dad actually used to work up in the Shetland Isles, which is quite funny because me and Anna went up to visit him once and it's very Scandinavian in terms of the namings of the towns and because the Vikings used Shetland as a... So actually Anna understood a lot more of the naming of restaurants and town names than we did because it was more Scandinavian. We were grew up was called Formby which ends in B -Y which is Formby which is...

know, village of form or something where the form is but we just, a similar thing. Yeah, it's very similar to the Swedish word. It's all going on, especially the north, I suppose, on the coast. Thank you for giving me your time, especially your busy week or two weeks, Hobbes. Yeah, and your kind of preparation for your wedding. It's quite a stressful time, I'm sure, for you. So I really appreciate that. Time to catch up and call on and not just talk about girls or car companies or...

We got some of it into the podcast at least. Now thanks for having me. It was good and I didn't want to let you down. I wanted to join this one and make sure that we could have a good chat. So it's been really nice to be on. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. And as always, you have enjoyed the podcast and you have found a bit of information which has made you giggle or been really informative, please let us know in the comments. Please do, you know...

James Doran (01:07:01.504)

share around with friends or people who maybe live in Sweden or are from Scotland or living anywhere or living anywhere. be really good to share Andy's tips of his life living abroad. So yeah, I've been very Swedish centric because it's the one thing I know most about when it comes to living abroad. I do often get into my own energies of talking about what I know. But yeah, thank you for joining us and we'll see you next time for the expat pod