People have asked: What made you decide that you wanted to move to Sweden?
In March 2018, my husband and I entered our mid-fifties, thinking about our future and retirement like most couples. It was time to downsize, so we decided to sell our home (the fourth one we had owned over the years) and choose where to move next. We wanted it to be our last move.
Some of the things we were contemplating were:
- How can we do this better?
- How can we be happier?
- Is there a place where we could feel better and get more enjoyment out of life?
Struggles of living in the USA
We were dissatisfied with our lives in the US for many reasons. We faced the same struggles and difficulties that everyone else had, but we decided to devise a plan. Here are some of the things we were facing.
Our projected retirement age was 67. However, the US retirement age is constantly increasing, and we want to retire earlier.
We were unhappy with the skyrocketing healthcare costs. It was hard to see how health insurance was even worth it anymore. It barely covered anything. The co-pays and prescription costs were enormous. Worst of all, we were in constant fear of losing our house to pay for medical expenses if either of us were to face a severe illness.
We always felt rushed and stressed out. Even at government offices, where we went to handle certain mandatory things, such as getting a car registered or applying for a license plate, the clerk was generally pushing you to hurry up and annoyed that you had questions. We would feel this same pressure at grocery stores and the post office.
Driving was another major stressor. Nearly every time I got in the car, I encountered at least one distracted driver who almost hit my car because they were on their cell phone. I saw an accident nearly every day, and road rage was a serious issue.
People barely took days off, even if sick, because they feared losing their jobs. There were very few vacation days, if any, and paid holidays became scarcer. It seemed most employees were being taken advantage of and expected to make their jobs their number one priority. Even workmates could seldom be trusted because they would do anything to make sure they looked better than you so they would not be the ones laid off next time. Job security was almost non-existent.
The unpredictable weather, causing major catastrophes in various parts of the country, was always a worry.
The mass shootings and the crime rate didn’t make for a peaceful environment and always left you feeling a bit of anxiety when you left the house.
The Search Began
As we got through the hurdles of listing the house, cleaning, and showing, we decided that we were long overdue for a nice vacation, and I started looking for places we hadn’t seen before. I began my internet searches, and as I looked at different locations, I viewed them in the back of my mind as potential places for us to settle and retire.
We decided on Ireland, Sweden, and Denmark for our vacation. I began researching where we would go in each country and making an itinerary. The more I researched Sweden, the more I liked it.
The Benefits of Living in Sweden
- Sweden consistently rates in the highest range for happiness of its people
- Sweden has free college education
- All Swedes have medical coverage
- The law is that you get 25 days of vacation per year, with an average of 33 days actually given
- The culture has a mindset of work-life balance
- Beautiful outdoor spaces with nearly none of it off limits
- There is so much water: lakes, rivers, and the ocean surrounds you everywhere you go
- Public Transportation is incredibly reliable
- Fika: This is a time in the day set aside to enjoy some relaxation and association over some great coffee and delicious pastries
- Food quality
- Children and the elderly are treated with dignity
- People respect each others’ personal space
- People are generally quiet in nature and non-confrontational; they will avoid heated discussions
- Low crime rates
So, we continued in our efforts to sell our house. In the meantime, we decided that once it sold, we would plan a temporary move to SC to be closer to my husband’s work until we made a final decision on where we would be moving. Then, we set our vacation date for June 2019.
Solidifying our Plans to Move
The house finally sold in March 2019, which was perfect. We moved to SC as we had planned, with a six-month lease. Then, in June, we headed off on our vacation. We started in Sweden, first visiting Stockholm, then Malmö. From there, we went to Copenhagen, Denmark. Next was Ireland, then a return to Sweden, but on the west, in Göteborg. Lastly, we drove back into Stockholm before we headed back home. We had our 21-year-old daughter with us, and between the three of us, we all decided that we loved Sweden. It was a place we all agreed on, and we immediately felt at home. We then started to discuss our next move. It was going to be Sweden.