Where are you from, and what brought you here?

[Sabeine]

There are many new members to this site now. It would be nice if we can say where we are from, give our age if you want and what brought us here.

I'm Anna, from San Diego, CA. I'm 32 and have lived in Stockholm, Sweden for almost 3.5 years.

I met my sambo in 1999 here in Sweden. I was here visiting family and happened to meet him through my cousin. My parents are from Sweden, from Skellefteå (Hi Maja!) and moved to the States where my sister and I were born and raised. I came here for a long visit in 1999 and stayed with my cousin. A friend of his was having a "end of summer" party on a boat, and Anders was there. My visit here to see my relatives and family was to see if I really liked it here and wanted to move. I had been here before for trips and family vacations, but living here was a whole different ballgame. Long before meeting Anders I had told my family that I would be moving here, it was just a matter of when. It was by chance that I met Anders and then really decided to move here. I'm glad I did.

On a "Grrr..." note, though my parents spoke Swedish, they never taught my sister and I the language. So although I have a Swedish first and last name, I am in the same boat in terms of trying to learn a new language.

And now I pass the microphone to someone else... what's your story?

[Carolyn]

Hello, my name is Carolyn, and I'm a Swedoholic - oops, sorry, wrong forum for THAT. ;D

Carolyn, 53, last place of residence before here was Albuquerque, New Mexico. Met my Swede on-line February 1999, IRL in the U.S. June 1999, applied for residency November 1999, married in the US January of 2000 and got my residency end of March 2000. I moved 2 weeks later (I was READY!)

After 18 months, we did go to the US for a job I had and at that point, my husband decided "nice place to visit, never want to live here", so we came back, I got my PUT and then went back to the States to set up a computer program so my employers could continue to send me work here.

I'm back for good now, working regularly, MUST visit the tax people here and get the number thing and tax situation set up, and my Swedish is progressing nicely.

On a personal note, my health is better here (better eating habits, more exercise and fresh air), I've got a great circle of friends and acquaintances, both Swedish, American, Australian, Canadian, etc., a husband personally created in heaven to make my life incredibly great, and even wonderful step-kids.

[Natooke]

I've been sitting and reading post here a little too much cus I thought the thread was about

.... Where are you from and what did you bought you here

I'm one of the last breeds that met my husband IRL in my home town. Peter was building a sawmill in the woods of Alberta (Canada) ... & decided to come into the "city" for the weekend. My best friend ( our MC at our wedding) was running a 50's Pub & I decided to go and & chat before heading home ... "OHHHHHHHH before you go home you [glow=red,2,300]must[/glow] go & introduce your self to these guys from Switzerland Sweden ;D... I did & the one fellow I struck a conversation that night wanted to know where to buy Cowboy Boots... the next day we went shopping & the rest they say went Click .... forward 13 years later I'm what you say a lifer.

We are raising two kids Kyle 9 & Ellen 6 (she thinks she's 22) ... a dog ... a cat ... two Volvo's .... a house ... one motor bike ... We both work (cus the money tree we planted hasn't produced too much) we have needless to say a fair bit on our plate. My husband travels a fair amount with work ... which gives me the control ;D The Cowboy boots are still with us ;D

[Beverly]

I'm thirty years old and I'm from Idaho. I got my first computer in April 2000 (a late bloomer, I know ), and starting chatting on ICQ. One of the first people I talked to was a guy from Sweden and we struck up a friendship that took a romantic turn. I wasn't totally sure what was going on with him, so I started talking to a bunch of other Swedes in an attempt to figure out what made Swedes tick. Long story short, it didn't work out with the first guy (even though I did come to Sweden to visit him), but it has worked out quite well with one of the others, and now we're married with a big house, two kids, two dogs, and two cats. ;D

I've been living in Sweden for almost three years, and I'm here for the long haul.

[lizardek]

I'm Lizardek ;D and I've been in the south of Sweden for nearly 7 years. Came here in January of 1997, from Chicago, but as a military brat, it's hard to say where I'm FROM, exactly. Born in Detroit, though.

I met my Swede in Chicago in 1994, we married there in 1996 and moved here 6 months later. We're also here "indefinitely."

[Maja]

I'm Helena, and I'm 25 (also known as Ompigruvan on 'kanska). I've been in Skellefteå (woah, Sabeinne, do you ever come up here or have any family here still?) Sweden for 1 1/2 years, although I visited here once before I moved.
I come from Wooster, Ohio. And as most of us here, I came for love.
I met my hubby on ICQ and I developed the hugest crush on him in about 2 months. So we talked online but neither thought anything would happen, so we dated other people. I got really jealous though when Fredrik was seeing this one chick, so I said, "WAIT NO! I'm coming to visit!" So I came here 7 months after we started talking. He came to visit me 2 times and we got married the second time. He came back here and I joined him a couple months later.
He's the best guy I've ever met, and I think we're really made for eachother. Okay, that's a little too cheesy, but I really think we make a kinda nice couple. (I hope it doesn't sound rude to say that.)
So, that's my story.

[Sabeine]

Hey Maja,

I still have some relatives in Skellefteå, second and third cousins mainly. My grandparents (dad's side) lived there until they died. I have an Aunt who lives not too far away in Luleå, some relatives in Kalix, and farther away in Boden. A good portion of my relatives including another Aunt, and 6 first cousins live here in Stockholm.

I will probably always feel like a San Diegan though.

[Vember]

Hello hello

Well my name's Melanie but I've been "Vember" since 1991 on the internet (back when ya had to type commands for your modem to dial, and ooh, I had 1200 baud!) In 1998 I met Fredrik online and he has been one of my very best friends ever since.

I'm a nomad, a road-tripper, and an explorer so it was only a matter of time before I made the trip to Sweden. In the States I've lived mainly in Texas, Georgia, and Colorado. In these six years I've moved a dozen times, dated two other fellows, but my friend Fredrik remained a constant. And finally it hit me (like a Mack truck) that, since I loved Fredrik and noone has ever been more compatible or amazing to talk to (be it politics or emotions), I should saunter on over to Sweden.

The rest is a fairy tale, yet somehow true Aren't Swedes amazing? *happy sigh* (Yeah, I know, young love ... well I'll try to hold onto it as long as I can! (Currently a 27-year-believer in the possibility of 'happily ever after'))

[Suzanne]

Hi All,

I'm Suzanne from Northwest Indiana but will be moving to Trollhättan in June or July 2004. I met my Swede in an internet chatroom in July 2002. After basically swearing off men, I curiously wandered into a chatroom one day and soon I was sure this was someone I had to meet.

Almost exactly a year later, I came to Sweden to spend about 10 days. I knew the second day I was there that I had found the person I want to spend my life with and where I would like to spend it. He felt the same way and we decided I should come there to live.

I'll be spending Christmas and New Year's with him, leaving 38 days from today. I'll send my application for residency when I return. That's where my story begins....

[SteveH]

I'm Steve, and I'm in the Authorised Guy Auxiliary (AGA) on this site. I might be the AGA, I'm not sure. Born and raised in on a Nebraska farm and also lived in Wisconsin for 11 years. I moved to Västra Götaland on Dec. 29, 1999 to live with my Swedish partner. We split up eventually, but I decided to stay in Sweden because I like it here and had not mastered all of the Swedish irregular verbs. I have lived in Stockholm since January '03 and I work as a freelance business copywriter for a software company.

[Natooke]

AGA having a little giggle here ... AGA is the major Distributor for gas (propane etc) Authorised Guy Auxiliary ... works for me

[SteveH]

I'll try to refrain from dispensing too much gas and hot air!

[Sabeine]

ROFL ;D

[Sandy]

I'm Sandy from Wisconsin (also San Diego county for 11 years). I met my Swede in a chatroom in early 1999. He came to meet me in July 1999 and we were married September 1999. I moved here with one teenage daughter in January 2000.

Suzanne, if you can squeeze in coffee while you are here, it would be fun to get together.

[Suzanne]

Sandy, that would be so great! I'll be in Trollhättan from December 25 and leave early January 6. Per will probably be working some of those days so he can put me on a bus or chauffer me wherever you want to meet.