Traffic of LIFE

Ok, where do I start and how do we go from here?

It seemed so far away when we first received the news about Covid-19 happening in China during end of December. For me, I had a feeling it was going to “hit” Europe and at the end even Sweden. But I did not expect it to go as fast as it has been and now here we are…

We are lucky in Sweden. We have not been forced into quarantine (as for now, this all can change in a blink of an eye). Crazy times and in a wild windstorm we all are in! How we react to it are so different from one person to another.

To be completely honest with you. For me, who has been unemployed for a few months before this hit the fan, I’ve already gotten into certain mood, a special kind of flow to go on with my day. Family and friends have been busy with work/school during and I got used to be home (a lot), therefore this per say is not a big change for me. This self quarantine.

The difference for me is…
I can’t be at my favorite coffee place, sipping coffee and do all the fun things socials as I want. All due to this situation happening around us. I must make a confession though: I do feel less lonely now that I know we are all in this together. Selfish maybe, but that’s the truth.

Our everyday life in self quarantines
This has brought so many good things still, not just bad things if you ask me personally.

Let us focus on this part, shall we?

If you don’t know what to do and want to find inspiration by reading some highlights you should continue reading this blog post. I truly want to share some with you down below:

  • Live-Stream through Social media (Instagram, Facebook, Zoom etc)
    There are many organisations, companies and other amazing communities which offers educations, performances online. Make sure to check with your network, ask around and search for channels who share this love with their audience.
  • Virtual coffee/tea dates
    Grab a coffee/date and set a time to meet up virtually!
  • Connecting with random people on Instagram
    Find your passion, connect with your interests. Be brave and send that DM you wouldn’t otherwise do, we are all in this together and you may never know.
    That person on the other side maybe will answer and you all of a sudden found a new soul to connect with?
  • Go out for a walk around your block
    If you can. Try to cherish these little moments by taking it slow, no rush. Just walk. For me, I try to take more and more photos. Photos of the nature but also the random surroundings I have the chance to discover and see along the way.
  • Lists!
    Categorize your music lists, “clean” your digital photo albums. I mean, how many times have you procrastinated and put this activity aside, for something else that have caught your attention?
  • Work out
    There are plenty of videos on Youtube, per usual, even since before all this happen. Nowadays more and more people are offering their classes online and sending them live, specially on Instagram or Zoom. Please check with your family and friends, they might know someone who can teach you online.
  • Read books
    I just discovered a listening service, and through my wireless headphones plus the app, I can “read” a book while I’m doing other boring adult things such as doing the dishes, folding laundry, cleaning.
  • Watch TV-series
    I am the right person for this, to say this: BINGE-watch series. Catch up on your favorite ones and do not feel bad about it. Re-watch your oldies but goldies, watch your guilty pleasures and have days with absolutely NO plans a head of you.

I genuinely hope this brings some joy, some light during these difficult times. If you have anything you want to share, do let me know. I’m around here and I’m curious.

You know where to find me.

Cheers,
Jen

Some cherry blossoms to cheer you up!
Photo: Jenny Chiem

Getting it back

Saturday night.

Sitting here with a cup of coffee (caffeine free of course otherwise this girl can’t go to sleep for days) and trying to think of what to write, how much to write and when to publish. Honestly I haven’t done as much of the “thinking part” before, as I just have gone through and clicked the publish button after finishing the writing.

I miss that! Gonna try my very best to bring some of that feeling back during this year! Have used Instagram quite a lot the past years, which has been my everyday diary to update a photo or video instant and attach a feeling to it.

To blog for me have been more of a “struggle”.
To actually sit done, take the time to write and choose pictures in relation to what you want to say. Going to be change! Just gonna type whatever comes up and let it become more of a natural flow…

Beautiful Store

We walked in to the most beautiful decor store ever. Maybe not ever like in ever and ever, but one of the most beautiful ones I personally have spotted in my life!

Not sure if it’s the specific things around, combined with the warm lights that caught my attention or if it something else?

Friends, let me introduce you to Bon Vent Barcelona.

What do you guys think?
Be sure to not miss out on this one if you’re in Barcelona at some point.

From the airplane

The feeling you have when going somewhere, heading towards to an adventure…

It doesn’t matter, as long as you are on that flight to another destination. My favorite spot has always been by the window (thanks to Dad who showed me on our family trips abroad).

On our way to Barcelona, we decided to let me be the one to sit by the window to capture the clouds, mountains and the feelings around it:

Gusto del Born

Little did I know that Gusto del Born will be a place we come back to during the week.

This little gem in the middle of the passage of El Born, which played all the cheesy 90 ‘s RnB songs you can think of (yes, including the boy bands!). I lip-synced to almost each and every song (except the few Spanish songs that came out, hehe). Even though we had a pretty late flight in the afternoon (which gave us time in the morning to get ready), it always take more energy out from you than you expect. So during our first evening in Barcelona, we aimed for a pretty small place around our area just to get us through with a dinner and a drink. He fell in love with their vegetarian lasagna and I was just completely satisfied with the waitress giving me a full glass of white wine (since some restaurant usually charge a lot for a little amount of drink!)

Thumbs up for the wine!

Barcelona + Life Update

Ok, so let’s go, let’s start!

Feels a bit weird, different to blog again but this time I will definitely give it a honest shot because through year 2020 I really want to document a lot on this blog.

My 35th year on this planet by then.

Came back from Barcelona a few days ago, Saturday November 9th.
Went on this trip with Him, that special someone who catched my heart beginning of this year! This was our second trip abroad together. First one we made was earlier this Summer all the way to London, UK.

Have published a lot of pictures on my Instagram already, make sure to check them out if you haven’t already. Many of you know that I always have a tendency to post a lot while I’m on events, specially when I’m out travelling. It’s because I use this specific platform as a travel diary, to remember the feeling I had at that very moment plus a genuine passion (some see this as an obsession/addiction) to share with family and friends.

For the moment, I don’t have a full time job to lean on to and this blog is and will be my little baby to take care of and grow a bit. Have quite some time on my shoulders and already have some ideas to bring this blog forward, adding new categories and such, so please do stay tuned!

Love, Jen.

Here I am

I’ve sorta, kind of promise you friends back home in Sweden that I will blog about my trip. I have been here over a month and to be honest I’ve thought that I will have time to sit down and write about my impressions of Aussie. 

I haven’t been able to find peace to collect my thoughts.. until now.

The first two weeks were overwhelming. Good with the bad of course. Met friends I haven’t seen for ages, learning the left hand traffic and to be brave enough to visit the city and other places outside by myself. It might seems quite easy for some of you, but for me the first week was terrifying. To step outside my comfort zone and dare myself to get lost. Which I did! Haha. The trams stop here doesn’t make any sense to me (still doesn’t). I have 2015 to thank for with all the apps for my phone and the extra batterykit comes perfectly in hand. I can’t imagine how this blogpost would have turned out if this trip were made.. 10 years ago?

What have I been up to these weeks?

  • Trying to get use to the left hand traffic.
    I have a confession. I am use to it now but that doesn’t mean I like it, ok?
  • Met my friends that I haven’t seen since five years ago
    Not everyone yet but hey, we still have time!
  • Road trip through Great Ocean Road
    The 12 Apostles. Stunning. Indescribable!
  • Celtic wedding and camping for two nights in Warrnambool
    Never have I put on a fancy dress and makeup in a cold tent before. As they say, there is a first time for everything
  • Have my own room just outside the city 
    With my lovely housemates/friends Jack and Kirsten
  • Met new girlfriends
    All the way from Sweden. Fika? Oh yes!
  • Speak english on a daily basis
    Using my third language as my main language so bare with me
  • Dating aussies
    Message to swedish boys back home: I’m sorry. You have a lot to learn!
  • Experienced homesickness for the first time in a month
    I don’t want to go home but it’s the fucking timezone I need to get use to.. 10 hours!
  • Learning new aussie words “heaps, reckon, no worries, breakky”
    And yes, I am falling in love with the accent more and more for each day..
  • Hanging out a lot with my dear friend Emmelie
    #30going22 in Melbourne!
  • Been on 3 jobinterviews
    No such luck but I will keep on swimming! Yes guys, a finding Nemo reference. To add, I am not going to follow other (read: swedes) peoples footsteps therefore a different challenge for me
  • Celebrated my 30th birthday
    I am actually 22 so don’t ever forget that and I couldn’t ask for a better one. 

Yup. This sums up my month pretty well.
I would love to hear from you friends back home, so leave a comment or a message. 

Warrnambool

Down under

So…

Now I am finally here and it’s been a first great week. Where should I start?

What should I write about? It’s been overwhelming these past few days. Not just fighting the jetlag (felt like I’ve been partying two days in a row without any sleep whatsoever) but also the traffic on the lefthand side, the charming australian accent and me speaking english all day long to my friends. 

I have published a lot of photos on Facebook (over one hundred for just one week! For you family and friends that are not on this social platform, you are all missing out the good ones). Ha, I’ll try to upload a few of them here within shortly. 

 

 

Travel fever

Anxious, nervous, happy, sad, frustrated. All emotions at once when you have a hell lot of travel fever. Now it’s just days ahead! Leaving on Thursday (from Gothenburg) and to not be in a country where I am used to everything, is a bit frightening. I do experience calmness though through all of these and I strongly think that it has to do with the decision being made a while ago.

Two more weeks

Today in two weeks I’ll be leaving Sweden for Australia. It’s quite amazing how time flies by and I remember when I first told my family and friends about this trip. 
Time is something I have realized how precious it is. Sounds like a cliché but I haven’t reflect over time as much before as I have done during this summer. Decide who I am spending it with and so forth. Do things I want to do and not something someone else expects me to do. More of that as a lesson!

I feel much more calm now since all the administrative and some other work is.. done!

Ticket to Aus 
Work and Holiday visa 
Travelinsurance 
Workplace before summer 
Paper for Union 
Place to stay the first days ⍻