EXAMPLE PAGE - MAGAZINE - LIVING - Flipbook - Sida 14
’I really didn’t think I
would ever fit in here’
In 2016 Cheryl Carvalho moved from the UK to Skellefteå with her family.
Six years later, she has no regrets - but it wasn’t an easy ride.
It was in 2015, after a family holiday
to visit my sister and her family who
had recently moved to northern
Sweden, that we thought seriously
about making the move too. As
Brexit became more of a possibility,
so the UK was becoming a less
desirable place. We learnt from my
sister’s experiences in Skellefteå that
we could have a higher quality of life
as a family, and live in a better society
for our three daughters to grow up in.
With my then husband unhappy with
his work and house prices at a record
high in the UK, we decided to take
the plunge and sell our Essex home
for a new life in Västerbotten.
Our first year in Sweden was wonderful, like an extended holiday.
Life was simple, just settling in and
figuring out everyday life.
But the next couple of years were
incredibly tough for me. I was
missing loved ones terribly. The girls
had settled almost instantly and had
many lovely new friends, and I longed
for that myself. Making new friends
as an adult in a new country can
be so difficult and I was extremely
lonely.
My previously outgoing personality
had taken a beating and I had lost
Cheryl with Bella, Ava and Freya
~ 14 ~
my sparkle. I distanced myself from
social media and contact with friends
back home became less frequent.
I simply couldn't bear to read about
all the fun they were having when
I was feeling so isolated and alone.
Perhaps this makes me a bad person,
but it was the space that I was in
at the time. I do have regrets about
this and maybe I should have forced
myself to reach out and try harder,
but I will not beat myself up over
it. After all, friendship is a two way
thing and we all have busy lives. I
knew that we had made the right
decision to move for our family, but
would I ever fit in here?
I honestly thought that after two
years here I would feel settled and
have found a great group of friends as
I had back in the UK. I had never had
a problem making friends before, and
I like to think that I am a friendly