Moving to another country during the pandemic

Though it was relatively simple for me to move to Stockholm, Sweden from Helsinki, Finland, there were still multiple things that had to be taken into consideration because of COVID-19.

Why on earth did I move to Stockholm in the first place - during a pandemic?!

Let's start with a cool, simple, a little cheesy but true quote that has been circulating in the internet on multiple blogs and inspirational quote sites. I'll use it once more even though I couldn't trace back if Meister Eckhart from the 13th century has actually written these words. All credits to him if it is so.

“And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”

In autumn 2020 I began my study leave from my current job as a Marketing Coordinator for a cinema company in Finland, and decided to start studying Tourism Sales since it has always seemed very interesting to me. I know - not the best job or education industries to have while we are in a middle of a pandemic, but I'll keep my eyes on the future. Best time to study, right?

As I already have a strong background of studying and working, my plan was to start studying while working, begin my study leave and apply for an internship anywhere and graduate in an year. Easier said than done. By February 2021 I had called and messaged to at least 70 different travel agencies or travel companies in Finland but the situation didn't look bright for me or the companies, and I of course completely understood why it wasn't the best time to take on interns. Most of the companies seemed to stay positive though and were encouraging me to call them again for autumn internships.

I didn't stop there because I really wanted to get my studies done by summer. Finally I got very lucky with a language travel company, who seemed to be looking for interns. The only thing was that the internship would be in Stockholm, Sweden, which was in another country and we were living in the middle of an pandemic.

Things I had to consider when starting the process of moving to Sweden

The COVID-19 cases in Sweden were so much higher than in Finland - this was emphasized when I read the news so my first thought was whether or not it will be safe for me to move to Stockholm. I had heard and read that they were not doing as much in Sweden to keep their citizens safe as they were in Finland, so the feeling of moving to our neighboring country now was making me feel unsettled. I talked with my friends about it and they made multiple good points on how I could ensure that I was safe during the process of moving and after it.

Finding a place to stay was the first bigger decision to make. If it were the normal times I would have looked for a hostel or a group accommodation of some sorts, enjoyed the company of new friends and room mates and paid much less for it too. Now it didn't feel comfortable for me to do so, so instead I headed out to Facebook groups and to a few apartment hunting sites and was trying to find a room or a small apartment from a reasonable distance with reasonable price just for myself. And then I got really lucky.

I was contacted by a Finnish landlord who had bought an house two hours away from Stockholm but still owned an apartment in Slussen - a very much central location in Stockholm. She wanted someone to rent a room from her apartment, to care for her plants and to get a little income as the apartment would otherwise be completely empty. We video chatted, send pictures and messages and she called for my ex-landlord for references and it was decided. I would move to Slussen, 750 meters away from my future office.

The next thing to do was to book the flight or ferry tickets. Normally, again, I would've taken the ferry. Much less of a fuss, relaxing time on the boat and no need to think about what to put in your carriage. This time though it felt too long of a time with other people inside the same closed space so I decided to book flights instead. Finnair flew from Helsinki to Stockholm in a little more than an hour, and they had very clear instructions on their website for the procedures that they had taken to ensure everyone's safety.

COVID-19 test. Just weeks before my departure Sweden informed that no one will get across the border if they don't have a negative COVID-19-test taken a maximum of 48 hours before entering the country. Previously it had been 72 hours or no test needed at all if you arrived from Finland. Finnair had very good instructions and deals for the test on their website, so I ended up booking one according to those instructions. It cost around 210 € and I got a small 10 % discount as I was a Finnair customer.

As I was moving to Sweden for an unpaid internship for just three months I didn't need to think about getting a Swedish personal identity number at this point. It is easier to get medical treatments if you have one, as I quite soon realized, when on the second week of me being in Stockholm I slipped on ice and stretched my other knee and ankle and had to go to the hospital for a check up. It took its time as the Swedish medical receptionist had to create a 'client number' of some sorts for me to be able to get treatment in Sweden, but everything worked out well in the end.

Is there something else you are wondering about moving to another country? Would you do it now? I have been 100 % happy with my decision in the end as my internship and life in Stockholm has been really rewarding. I have not done much on my free time except walked around the city, seeing and experiencing new places for the first time. Stockholm is a beautiful city and for now it feels like there is still so much do and see. I can't get enough of Gamla Stan and still am a little baffled that my actual office is situated in one of the most beautiful places in the middle of it. I'll write another blog post about Gamla Stan later!