A few months ago I felt that I was going round and round in circles – I decided I needed to give myself an extended break from London and I needed to give myself a new challenge.  I spent most of July in the Alps, joining a group led by my brother walking from Lenggries in Bavaria to Sterzing/Vitipeno in Italy.  Although we didn’t cross the entire Alps, at least we crossed Austria.  Following that I arrived in Trelleborg (Sweden) with my bicycle on 30th July and cycled north to an interview with Papyrus, on the edge of Gothenburg.  I started work two days later with a one year commitment.  Sometimes I say ‘one year’, sometimes I say ‘at least one year’.  I work in an attractive office with friendly colleagues.  Canteen, showers, sauna, fruit, wifi.

Why Sweden ?  Forests, lakes, space; friendly, approachable, unpretentious people; never lived here before, no old memories, only new memories.

I’m facing a number of good challenges.

• Java based challenge at work with a large ecommerce and b2b website.
• Learn the language as fast as possible
• Registration process (another couple of weeks to go) so that I can get paid
• Find somewhere to live – at the moment I’ve got a temporary place in Bergsjön until the end of September

Gothenburg : Sweden’s largest port, University town; Volvo; 500 000 people – more than Edinburgh, Zurich, Croydon; less than Bremen, Leeds.  This evening I’ve got an audition for singing in a church choir.  There are a lot of Church choirs here.

Bergsjön – ‘Mountain Lake’ – is on the eastern edge of the city.  Built between 1967 and 1974, it houses 15000 people, mostly immigrants like me.  It is an unexpected mixture of urban and wild nature.  Looking east from the balcony is just rocks and forest.  The lake is now set in a park, with amenities for swimming.  There is a local Lidl and an ‘oriental’ shop that sells baklava – two reminders of Peckham.

Many people consider my path as an adventure, but for me it all seems quite straight-forward.  The challenges are stimulating and helpful.  I cycle everyday in the fresh air, I keep myself busy, I am dry, warm, clean, adequately fed.  These are the things I need in my present and I am very grateful for them.  Sitting in the quiet kitchen looking at the leaves move in the wind, rather than this being a big adventure, it all feels quite normal and ordinary.