There’s a small town, near a lake, in the middle of South Sweden, a 5-hour drive from Göteborg. Walking around, it looks like a pretty city. Families walking around and small boutiques facing the streets. Pretty average town, I thought, until I saw colourful overalls filling the streets. I remember the confusion of those first few hours, unaware that these garments were the uniforms of a life I was about to embrace. With this letter, I want to remember this chaotic, challenging, and unforgettable time.
To my house, to the little apartment that became my home, the time for myself and the loneliness, to the terrible cooking I tried because I felt inspired, and the table where I sat chatting with friends. These walls saw me transform from a stranger in a foreign land into someone who knew her way around and how to make a meal out of almost nothing.
To the snowy weather that challenged me all autumn and winter, the cold that would freeze my hands and nose, the slippery ice, where I fell more than once, together with the unexpected snowball fights and the ice skating skills I tried to improve.
To the host university that showed me a new approach to studying, that challenged me, the place that allowed me to learn, to exchange, to network and grow. The lecture halls weren't just for credits; I enjoyed every moment of it - anxiety before exams as well - and it showed me a different point of view.
To the people who made my Erasmus city, the city that I know, to the coffee shops, breaks around town, the study groups at uni and the unforgettable travels. To every intercultural night, to the random and crazy ideas, and to the kick-off that started many friendships. To the talks, the shared moments and hard goodbyes. To my temporary family, bound by the knowledge that our time was limited, which only made every late-night conversation more urgent and every trip more vibrant.
To the ovvies, a symbol of belonging that made this period unique, to patches I kept looking for to fill it, and to every moment wearing this apparently simple piece of clothing, which I still keep in my wardrobe.
To my Erasmus City that feels so magical to this day, to the quiet streets in the centre and the peace of the lake, to the last night bus full of students, to every fika I had around town with friends, and to the colourful overalls that brighten your streets. You reminded me that home is not a place on a map, but it’s about the people, the moments and the experiences you live.
To Jӧnkӧping
