Christmas in Sweden

On my way to Sweden to celebrate Christmas. Has a flight ever been so slow? Normally I would fall asleep in a second, but for some reason I can't.
I feel like a little kid, waiting for Santa. Looking at the clock once every 30 second to see if I will soon be home.
Thank god that I have my iPhone, and that I got the idea to write a few rows here.

The staff on this plane really use a lot of perfume...

It still feel very good with the new job and my new home country. I am settling in well and the social life that I have here is practically the same that I had in Sweden, just the people that has changed.

In Basel there's an excellent network with trams, busses and trains. They are almost never late. The funny thing though is that the tickets are very seldom checked. People jump on and off where and when they like and the system anyway seem to work. And people do buy there tickets, cause that's what the rules say!

Now 30 minutes until we land in Copenhagen. We're flying towards a bit darker north. I think we have 2 more hours of daylight in Switzerland actually.

Another thing that was a bit surprising and that I didn't think about before I moved is that since there are no coastal areas in Switzerland fish is not so easy to get a hold of. It's such a natural part in Sweden, fish is common! In Switzerland it's not. A chock really. But friends say that you should go to France to buy fish. :) I could do that.

My Christmas shopping has unfortunately not been prioritised in the jungle of things that I have had to learn about my new country, therefore most of the presents needs to be found tomorrow and on Sunday. Puh.., always the last minute.

20 minutes to go. We're closing in. Soon we're even below the clouds!

On the plane I have quite a few of my colleagues, we are a lot of swedes at the office. There's actually very many different nationalities represented. It's only the Swiss people that's not so well represented.

Now we're landing!!!

Late Wednesday evening

I must say that I'm just so happy right now!had a fabulous evening with some new friends of mine!
I was over at the Irish/American couples house tonight. Met them at the English mingling thing from last week.really nice people, they for sure made my day. Adding up to that I got my iPhone 5 yesterday (which ended up to met not being able to go to sleep in proper time!) that allowed me to talk to two close friends of mine back In Sweden, really enjoyed that. Of course miss those people!!

I have also got invitations to two coffee on Sunday! One from a nice lady from the Swedish club and one from a couple that I know since very long time ago that has moved to Basel just a couple of months ago too!
I must say that The Lord works in mysterious ways! At the moment I feel very fortunate and very blessed.

Tomorrow is Lucia! Up early to conduct a proper Swedish Lucia celebration at work!


Hope I get up in time...

Second week in Basel!

Can't believe that I am this busy already. Feels like I struggle with time. Last week was pretty social. Wednesday I attended a Swedish girls mingling and met some nice people, there I got tipped off regarding an English speaking mingling the next day.... So I went of course! There I met this lovely Irish/American couple and now I will see them Wednesday evening for Christmas drinks!

Friday was the Christmas celebration at work, nice dinner with some nice people that ended up in dancing (not so good music though) we had fun! The timing on my start date was brilliant! I have some really nice colleagues, look forward to get to know them a bit better!

The weekend continued with me going to Germany for some shopping. Switzerland is very expensive! Germany is far less expensive! And they even have this lovely set up with Switzerland that if you live here you just go to the boarder and get a stamp on your receipt and the next time you come to the German store you will get 19% of the money you paid back ! So now I know that I can manage :)

This Sunday I was trying on a different church. It was just as nice as the one I visited last Sunday... Think I will alter a bit between the two until I know which one I would like to go to more permanently (or I will just keep altering! )
In the afternoon I went to a Swedish Christmas party... It was mainly for families and children. Nice though. Won some awful things in the lottery. Accident forgot to bring them home.

Now Monday has passed and Tuesday is closing in. My god, time flies!

First day at work

Now I have officially started! My first day was spent with a lovely team facilitating MBTI. It was great fun! Really nice also to start delivering on something I feel really familiar with. And now I know some people at the office that I can say hi to in the office tomorrow. A day well spent!
It was tricky to find the way to the place though. But I have my city map in my pocket all the time! (Really look like tourist!!!.. But a cute one ;)).
A really nice colleague that has grown up in Basel gave me some tips and another one showed me around a bit. I even had two conversations in German!! One when handing in my shoes for repair and one when talking to a chiropractor's assistant. Didn't know that I could actually manage this language (even if I probably sound like a troubled child when shaping sentences)

Yesterday was also a good day! Went to church for the first of advent service. Found an English speaking church with some nice members :) the children was performing a Christmas play. First the youngest kids sang some songs, they were amazingly cute! Didn't sing much though, but they were dressed out as sheep :) aaaawh. Then the older kids sang and performed. I liked the people and was well taken care of. I will probably go back!

Well after church I went back to the apartment and slept for a while and then met up with two colleagues for weihnachtsmarkt and cheese fondue. Then tea at my place! Now I've had my first visitor :) also found out that we have a Christmas party at work Friday! That will be fun! Already look forward to it.

My new home is almost ready

I have worked in two days to get my apartment into shape. I have to say that I feel efficient and I'm actually a bit surprised that it all went so fast!

Friday:
I was ready and at my apartment with bags and all at 8am. The guys from the moving company were already there waiting for me. I only had to give directions and then they fixed it all. Assembly was easy for them it seemed, they didn't even needed the instructions!
While they were carrying stuff up I started to unpack the boxes. Three hours later everything was in my apartment! The guys asked me if I required any more help or if they should leave. When starting a new life like this I chose to do my own unpacking. When they had left everything got quiet and I just stood there looking at the mess... It became a bit too much. I was standing there with no one to help me, the sofas where just placed by the wall and all boxes where full... I felt so alone and small so I started to cry. What have I done? Ally friends and family are in Sweden, I know practically no one here..
Well, after a while I pulled myself together and went to buy some lunch. I also systematically unpack and get some order around me and I felt much better. When the clock turned 5pm I started the great adventure of going to IKEA. I needed some screws to put a table together. When coming to IKEA I paused for dinner, meatballs :) and bought some other necessary stuff. We actually found the right screws and I could put the table together when I came home!

Saturday:
The first night spent in my new apartment I slept well. The day went on pretty much the same as Friday. Unpacking, unpacking and unpacking. But hey! I have even managed to put up most of the paintings!!! Another adventure to IKEA and to a shopping mall and a visit to the Weihnachtsmarkt to get out of the apartment and then an evening well spent with a movie and now I will go to bed again.

Tomorrow I will visit a church that I hope is a nice one. Found two in Basel with international standard (service in English) just hope I will find my way and not be late ;) (it's very rude to be late in Switzerland... How will I manage?!) in the evening I will meet up with friends for dinner.

By the way, the guy from the phone company called and said that I can't get Internet, tv or my iPhone until I get my work permit, which will be ready in TWO weeks?! It sucks! I'm addicted to social media and to Internet in such... Now I only have my Swedish phone.. This will be expensive...

Home?

Today has been an intense day, but oh so much that are into place now!

The day started with the relocation lady picking me up at 9.30. I was actually ready by then :).( My friends knows that it's really hard for me to get up in the morning... ) we went to collect the keys for my apartment. Went well! Then a trip to the immigration board to let them know that I have arrived and to get my temporary papers to be able to open up a bank account. The real papers come in two weeks. Then we went to the bank of my choice and fixed the account. I think the guy that helped me was younger than I am. He actually seemed a bit nervous, bless him! I got a nice gift as a thanks for opening my accounts! (Chocolate he told me... Feel free to spoil the surprise!!!) he also informed me about the Christmas market, which I look forward to see!
Last year I was in Germany for the Weihnachtsmarkt and had some Glühwein, feels like the same concept here and it's very nice! Apparently it is a quite big and nice one in Basel!

After the bank visit we fixed a commuters card and then paused for lunch! After lunch my relocation lady dropped me of at my apartment where a colleague of hers was waiting for me. The colleague was there to help with checking the apartment for defects and to write the protocol. He was brilliant :) then he dropped me off at my hotel. I was completely worn out, slept for two hours. Then I figured that I could just as we'll open my Internet account, phone and TV stuff. I got some advice regarding which company to chose by the relocation lady and from some friends of mine. Got some good help and now is nearly everything fixed! I however need to come back tomorrow to pick everything up, but that's fine! I will then have my new swiss iPhone 5!!!!

Tonight I've been to dinner with nice colleagues from Sweden. Had some laughters together.

Tomorrow my furniture's will arrive at 8am so I better go to sleep now :)

Back in Basel!

Now it's for real! I am in Basel at my hotel room. Will stay here two nights until I will get the Keys to the apartment and until my furniture a arrive. Tomorrow I will be picked up by my sweet relocation lady and we will go open up a bank account and visit the Swiss immigration office. We will also fix my commuters card. My trip to work will take about 30 min. That's true luxury!! The previous trips took me either 45min or 1,20 h... :) feels good! And the swimming hall is on that way. Hopefully I. Can pull myself together to make a routine out of my swimming.

Got a call today from the coordinators of the move. A really nice Dutch woman. She informed me that my furniture's will be declared tomorrow and will be delivered on Friday at 8am.... Then you know where I will be! Directing on what that goes where :). The coming weekend will be all about fixing the apartment and trying to get everything in place.

On my way from the airport i met a colleague, or actually more than one, the world is so small! Will maybe have dinner with them tomorrow :). If not I might join a choir. I think life will be ok here!

Soon oh very soon...

My head has been about everywhere! Now I will finish yet some other things tomorrow. Today was my last day at work. Felt ok, said see you to some lovely colleagues, but it was not too sad. Probably it didn't felt so hard since I didn't leave the company. Most of them I will see again, and some if them pretty soon!

The hardest thing since last time I wrote
was to say bye to my step sister and to my niece. I know I will see them in about four weeks again, but the feeling that I won't be able to join in in an occasional brunch or dinner was too much. First time I cried!

Since last time I wrote there has been lots of progress :). There's so much to do before leaving the country like this.
I haven't ordered so that my mail will automatically go to Switzerland. Will do that. I have paid my rent, the deposits and the cleaning company. One funny thing about Switzerland is that I pay for the cleaning company that does the movin-out-cleaning. But then the same goes for the next person that moves in, and then I do not have to deal with it!

I had a moving out party, it was probably the best party I have had in my old apartment! Really nice! I have the best of friends for sure! Moving out pizza, nice gifts and some dancing :)
I have gained weight from all the farewell dinners, fikas and so. But I have a plan of starting to swim when I move to Basel, hope that will help.

Last Friday the moving company came and collected my stuff. Two big German guys and one a bit rounder did the packing and all! Thought they would show up at 8 am. One came 8.15, said they just needed a smoke... 9.15 they all started. Ok... Had a friend over for the weekend. We sat in one room watching a movie while they were working! That's life!!
The same day a second hand company came and picked up most of the things that I wouldn't bring. My mom however wanted to save some stuff. Those we moved on the Sunday. The rest of the weekend me and my friend where spending in an empty apartment with only the smallest room furnished. And now I have moved in with my parents for the final couple of days.

Wednesday I will leave the country, then my new adventure starts for real!!

Sleepless in Malmö

Laying in my bed, tried to fall asleep for a while now, not working!

A couple of hours ago I fell asleep at the sofa, and had to force myself to get up and go to bed from there. Bow here I am, still very tired but can't sleep.

I guess it's because of all the thoughts that runs though my head at the moment. It's crazy how many little things there is to attend to. My prioritisation right now is not focused on the packing. It's focused on all the people I want to meet before I go.

Yesterday I had a moving out party and it was really nice! I feel really blessed to have so many nice friends! In my mind it was the best party I've had in this flat.

Now I really should go back to my struggle with falling asleep!

Last weeks in Sweden

Having a really social time at the moment. It's not that I will never meet my friends again, but it's actually nice to meet up with everyone to collect hugs :)

I have just realised that I sort of need to have some sort of goodbye fika at work (fika=the Swedish word for having a coffee sort of). I will not be able to have one fika per office, but it will probably be ok. It's closing in... Turning to an actual reality, I'm moving! Not just switching apartment, moving to another country!

Most things are fixed. The moving company is picking up my furnitures next Friday, the same day a second hand organisation is coming to pick up the things that I won't keep. My piano will live at my grandfathers place for a couple of years. The thing I haven't taken care of is to find a cleaning company that can take care of the apartment and make it beautiful.

I really hope that I'm in control.

Contract signed!

In Basel, it’s been a quite good day.


Came a bit earlier that I was expected, so I could join in on a meeting connected to my new assignment. Not sure if that was good or bad. Since I haven’t had my introduction I of course have a limited understanding of what is it that the new organization is actually doing.... Uh, got a headache when I was asked to give input! But still, I will throw myself in there and hopefully I will get up to speed quickly!
Luckily, my first day at work will be all bout facilitating MBTI, now there's something I know!!

On the way to the office I took care if some stuff that was in the need of termination, like the electricity back in Sweden. Good thing that I remembered that! Now I think I have some sort of control! I even talked to the company that will move my furnitures and decided upon dates where they will come and get my stuff! They needed a week between picking it up and bringing it to Basel. I, foolishly enough, didn't calculated with all that time in my previous planing.... But it will all be ok... I hope...

In the afternoon today I was picked up by my relocation lady. We signed the contract for the apartment and decided upon moving in date. There are some fees in connection to moving in and getting the key's that I need to take care of as well before the moving date. Puh... It's a lot, it's fun and it's ... Yeh a lot again!

Days go by!

Actually my nerves are starting to kick in. There's so much I think I should do in regards to the move... And there's so many other things that I'm planning for. Like dinners and stuff, much more fun. I will write a to do list! Thank you dear God for the iPhone! My whole life is sorted thanks to that little thing. (Sad or what?) there are calls to make, forms to sign and furnitures to move or give away. Found a company that picks up the stuff I don't want to keep and they try to sell it. Yes, I could try to sell stuff myself... But the problem is that most of the things aren't worth anything.

Right now I have a massive headache. But I have a bed time routine that is to check my LinkedIn, FB, twitter, blog, Instagram and yammer....
I guess I've already told you that I've become a social media nerd? Well I am even starting to get the thing with twitter!! I now have 17 followers! That's amazing! So many ways to keep in touch with people I know (and in regards to twitter some people that I don't know at all!)

Today I met a colleague of mine that will also move to Basel. Great! I feel like my social life will be ok, even in a new country!! Have already got three bookings for nice events.

When I was visiting I found out that there's a place for swimming along the way to work. I actually want to start a routine if going swimming at least two times a week. My muscles are no longer existing due to too much rest lately... To get started I brought my sister along to swim in Malmö today... Think that's why I got the headache. ;)

Tomorrow I will make the calls, send the mails and fill in some more forms. It will be good!

One more month

Moving date is closing in. Lots and lots to sort out before going...

Yesterday I had a day off. Took the opportunity to wake up early (?!?) to clean out the attic. I have saved all kinds of things up there. Especially things that doesn't work anymore. I have just been to lazy to go to a recycling station to throw them away. Instead I have put them in the attic in the meantime... To wait for the day to come where I would find my inspiration to throw them. Yesterday it finally came. It was a beautiful day... It rained cats and dogs! But now it's done.

Today I've found a home for my piano! My grandfather is willing to adopt it! Oh joy! I have also found homes for some books and some old CDs.

Feels a bit strange to clear my home out. At the same time it feels good to get rid of the old and in with the new.

Still not found a place for my billy book cases...

Last night in Muttenz

Tomorrow I'm going home to Sweden. This has been a very lucrative visit! I have actually got an apartment already! I sent an e-mail to my relocation-lady yesterday, saying that I would like to go for the fire place apartment. Today I the morning I got a mail stating that it was mine!! Happy day!! Feels like its so meant to be!

Close to my new home there's a tram, going directly to the office, a gym close by (...) and a grocery store. Could you wish for more? (Forgot to mention walking distance to the city centre) The next step now is to sign the contract and book the moving company!

I called my mother to tell the good news. She sure can pull you down to earth! "So nice to hear! ... Which year is the building from?" -no idea... "What's the stove like? Can you really use the fire place? There's nothing wrong? Have you checked the walls? Do you think there's a lot of crimes?" Hm... What to say? I was just happy! It seemed fine to me..

Well tonight I have been taking part in a farewell dinner for my pre-assessor. It was a really nice evening with nice people. Think I'm gonna like it here.

Late night report!

Again I’m writing late at night. Sitting in my hotel room and summarizing the day in my head. The day has been really good I must say, this whole stay in Basel has! I have made some big decisions actually. I have decided to go for the apartment with the terrace and the fire place. Can’t motivate the cost of the one with the fantastic view. I most certainly would like to go to some smaller trips to Alsace and to Germany, go skiing and maybe visit Sweden. So then I can’t put all my money on an apartment.


Had a meeting today with a really nice guy from PWC who gave me some tax advice. Think I have watched too much TV, I thought the tax was much less compared to Sweden. It is, don’t get me wrong! But not much less...

At the office I had some sort of pre-introduction today. Got to meet a lot of people, seems like a fun crowd! I also got my introduction schedule presented to me. Wow, it’s a lot, but feels good and serious .

Other things that has happened today is that my computer had a hard drive crash. Have a computer that I’ve borrowed from the office. Good that they had one! What would I have done otherwise?!!? I feel handicapped without a computer. Especially now when I have started Blogging and Twittering...!

Tonight I have taken tram nr 14 into Basel from Muttenz, to meet up with a friend of mine. Got some nice wine and some food. Really great! I found my way almost by myself. Actually tram nr 14 is my new best friend! I kind of know the tour it takes now!

Night time outside Basel

I must say that it seems like air condition is a no-no at my hotel. Last night I woke up almost once an hour. i thought that was because of my nervousness considering that the day would include finding my apartment to be, but now I'm thinking that it could be the warmth.

I am staying in a hotel outside Basel, in a place called Muttenz. Nice place (except for the air conditioning problem). In Basel, there's right now some sort of a contest which means that all hotel rooms in the city are taken. I have a nice room, a somewhat strange bathroom set up, and the room has windows facing the traffic... And to survive I have to keep at least one window open.

Well, today I have been exposed to apartments that could very well be my future home!!
The day started at 9.00 when the sweet relocation-lady picked me up. She gave me a schedule and off we went! The first apartment we saw was a furnitured one, in case I would need something while waiting for my dream apartment to get free. The second one was a three room apartment, big one, nice balcony and it was placed close to a small river (connected to the river of Rihne).

The ones that i really consider however are:
1) two room, Nice apartment close to the train station, fire place, nice area and a terrace (ok price)
2) two room, newly renovated with laundry room in apartment. 4th floor, amazing view of Rhine, close to city centre. (Very expensive)

Hm... The decisions to take!!
Tomorrow I will meet with PWC, hope they can give me some good advice!

During the day I have been exploring the city and the nice relocation-lady have given me some useful advice. I have found an Irish pub called Paddy Reilly's which is close enough to Paddy's back in Malmö. (I already feel like home!) In Basel there's a Swedish club that I could join, a choir that I found. Was thinking of attending a Rotary meeting in Muttenz today, but I probably got the days mixed up. Instead I went back to the hotel, fell asleep, missed the whole evening, and now I'm ready to sleep again!

Tomorrow will be a day at the office. Hopefully someone can fix my computer who seems to not wanna communicate with me in a proper mannered way anymore... :/

Arrived in Basel!

This week I will spend in Basel at something the company call a "look and see trip".
I must say that even if Switzerland is not so far away from Sweden it takes a lifetime to travel. Not only to here though... It's all this time spent at trains, in waiting halls and standing in line to check in or whatever! But the journey was anyway smooth! Met a colleague in the plain, she was going to the same hotel as me. We even decided to go to dinner together. I met another colleague at the bus from the airport to Basel city. She showed us the way and gave us a recommendation for a restaurant. Very nice! This has been a good day I must say! Basel is very pretty and I think I will like it here!

But I must admit that it's a bit scary too...

On the train

Took the train home after a lovely dinner in Helsingborg, celebrating a colleagues new job. It's amazing how some people have made a mark on you. We have laugh through the whole dinner sharing fun stories. It's not just colleagues, they are friends. Good that they work in an organisation with an
Office in Pratteln Switzerland! ;)

Tomorrow starts with a meeting at 8. It takes me 1,2h to get to the office... There's a possibility that I will be a bit late.... Quite likely actually.

Got a call from the relocation company today. There's not really a good market at the moment when it comes to apartments in Basel.. Hm.. Now I'm getting nervous. I will move in a bit more than a month. Well.. Tjoho! Keep your fingers crossed for next weeks visit to Switzerland!

Monday

This has been a pretty good Monday. Started with an efficient meeting at work. After lunch I joined in on a meeting with my future colleagues! Think I got a good start. But yet you never know.. Can't help analysing what I said (did I say something strange on the phone? Did I make a good impression? Should I have talked more... Or maybe less?!) well, it was an ok meeting.

The look and see trip is next week. However I haven't got the flight tickets and the hotel booking confirmed yet.. :/ but it will probably be ok. Will be nice to go to Basel with the knowledge of that I will actually live there!!

Tonight I have been at a Rotary meeting. And direct after we had a board meeting. (no, Rotary is not only for retired people...) always interesting meetings. Fantastic persons both in the club and in the board. This is another thing that I will leave behind. I will keep my membership for some time. But might transfer to a Basel
Club if I can find some. You know, Rotary is the organisation that is working to extinct polio from the world, we have a network of doctors (like doctors without borders) that we send all over the world. You get new knowledge from different lectures every time you attend. And it's a world wide business network. Oh my! Did you knew that?!
Well, I really enjoy today's lecture, made me think of what good we can bring to this world. It was about how to help people. One guy sold his house to
Buy an apartment building so that they could provide several families with a place to live. Wish I was more like that!!

Instead of selling anything to help I have spend the evening building my business network via linked in.

And I am almost afraid of admitting.... I have started to listen to Christmas music...

Thoughts late at night

This has been a good day. Got to help friends out and then celebrated a birthday boy! My nephew turned 17 today, wow, times really flies.

It's not so very long until I move, realise that I will not have time to meet everyone so many times before the actual move takes place. Strange thing to think about. But hey! It's not like I will never visit Sweden again!

Tonight I have looked though my books and CD's. I will give most of the CD's to my sister. I will anyway use spotify as my main source when it comes to music (love that invention!!) until my sister start to use it she can enjoy the CD's.
When it comes to books... I really love books. It's actually hard even to throw away the bad ones! I have now sorted out which ones to give away, throw away and which to store somewhere. My brother has very kindly offered me some space in his basement. So one or two boxes I will leave behind, the rest will come with me (it's quite few I had the hart to get rid of)

Is there anyone out there who would like some kind of big tree-ish plant?

friday evening

Here I sit, it's Friday evening and I am sitting in my sofa and looking at apartments on the web. I have a very limited knowledge about the city of Basel so it feels quite hard to look at these marketing websites for rental apartments... Don’t know where to start actually.


When I get to Switzerland (in a little bit more than one week) the relocation company will show me some apartments. In my head I have fully relied on that they will show me the apartment that I later will rent! But what happens if I don’t find any that I like? Or if I don’t get any of the ones that I look at and like? Haven’t thought about that... not really.

Today I have cancelled my credit card. Feels good, should have done that a long time ago... Now I will cut that in pieces after finishing my writing! Not very often I have the chans to cut a credit card!

So Friday evening... Both my boyfriend and his daughter are sick, so my evening will be spent by myself. It's ok really, two days of kick off with the organisation is enough to make anyone a bit tired. Actually look forward to spend the evening in the sofa in front of a movie. If I can just find the energy to rent a movie.

Sitting in the sofa writing, looking at the windows... oh they are not clean.. haven’t been cleaned for a while now. I live on the 4th floor, rental apartment. Really hard to clean old big windows. that means it was some time ago since they’ve been cleaned. Do I have to do that before I move?!

A bit more alert!

Today has been very limited in terms of handling the coming move. But it some nice mails regarding the new position. Still happy!
It's amazing when you get that clicking feeling in the heart saying that this will be really good!

Tomorrow is the kick off for the present organisation. Today was a preparation day for that, think it's gonna be super.
It's strange to be a part of creating a future that I myself will not be part of.

I so wonder how my life in Switzerland will turn out. I have great support from
IKEA and from the relocation company. The feeling regarding the actual move is also calming and I really belief that things will go smooth. But the everyday life, what will that be like? I guess I will have much alone time in the beginning. Will I cope?
Lot's of thoughts.

Forgot to call the Union today as well...

watching Spader & Keno...

For the love of God.. I have just watched some sort of pause program.


All not to think of work during my break. It's 7pm in Sweden and I am still trying to get the draft analysis ready. I know that my most creative period is evening time. Hope to get my mind working now after some dinner.

Tonight I have tried to fill in some forms connected to tax legislation and my bank. Not sure i get what they are after. I have 4 boxes to choose between:

- I am an employee of a Swedish trade ship
- I am sent to another country by a Swedish aid-organisation
- I am sent to another country by a Swedish employer
- I am working for Sweden during my visit abroad

Frankly, none of them fits... I will be employed by a Swiss organisation. What to check?

Now, back to the analysis

My head is somewhere else

Day two of blogging...


When getting a new job I must say that it's hard to concentrate on delivering on the present one. I really try hard to write my final analysis of project management and competence development... but I just have a hard time motivate myself. I have to finish a draft version of the project management until tomorrow. How far have I reached? Not far at all.

But what I can concentrate on just fine are all the nice mails with congratulations that are pouring in to my mailbox! you know, people write the nicest things! Really happy to hear, but wished I would have known some of it before I resigned.
I actually know more people in Switzerland than I thought I would! Former colleagues of mine are writing to say welcome to the new position and to the country. Feels good, thought I would be all alone! :) IKEA is such a big organisation, but despite that I feel like I know most of the people working there! (in some weird way! )

Have to work the evening.. not done with the draft.

But I have made an achievement today! Sent in my travel expenses. And that certainly is an achievement in that system!

New things again!

Now I have discovered a blog app, need to see if it works!

Tonight I have printed some more forms to fill in (does it ever end?!) and I have dumped some of my old clothes at a friends place. OMG that was a relief to get rid of them. And for a good cause as well! She will forward them to charity. I am happy. Will go to sleep with a good feeling inside.

But what does feel strange is to walk around in the apartment and study all things and think "hey little lamp, will you come to Switzerland with me?"

Now.. What to do with the piano?

I'm moving!

Finally it’s official! The communication is out! I can start my blog!


First of December my address will be Basel, Switzerland and I will be the new HR manager fo IKEA regional supply team. The communication I edited myself, was almost thinking of adding some made up stuff to see if anyone would react, but thought it would be a bit over the top maybe.

It went pretty fast I must say, from the day I was asked to apply to the day I was offered the job. I hardly had time to think, but now it’s already closing in! 1st of December, not even 2 months to the start date! Scary but so much fun! I actually realized that I have some friends living in the Basel area, so I won’t be alone after all 

So the list of what to do is eternal… I have printed oh so many forms that I have to fill in. I actually have to sign out of Sweden (feels a bit weird) But what I actually started to do was shopping for art. Why? … eh.. yeah… don’t have a good answer to that, just felt right. I have worked hard with canceling memberships and insurances etc. (some things I hardly knew that I had, what’s that all about!?) I have been at the bank, called the union etc. etc. Today some books about Switzerland arrived, sent from out Mobility department, how sweet is that?! “German phrase book” among others, oh how I will use that one!

*sigh* just thinking of all that is needed to be done, and soon too, gives me a headache!

Does anyone fancy some Billy bookcases?