Recently I’ve had an opportunity to participate in the on-arrival training for new long-term volunteers in Stockholm from 7-th till 10-th of April. During these 3 days we had many activities, meetings, and I feel like I drank the annual amount of coffee for fika. One of the things that we did was writing a letter to ourselves about our goals, expectations and e.t.c. that we’re going to read during the mid-term training. So, instead of just describing all 3 days in detail, I’d like to write a letter for future volunteers and for myself with some tips about the next training.
Tip 1: Bring warm clothes with you even though it’s sunny outside. The weather in Sweden is one big scam and you can’t fully trust it. And it changes 100 times a day! Besides, if you’re going to explore the night city it’s always nice to have a scarf and a pair of gloves with you.
Tip 2: Be prepared to stop every 5 minutes for having a ‘tourist moment’ and taking photos and videos. The architecture in Stockholm is extremely beautiful! And I’m happy that we had a city tour on the second day of our training, cause it was really refreshing after staying in the Bromma folkhögskola for hours. If you’ll ask what is my brightest memory about the walk, for sure it’s the Cherry Blossom Season in the Kungsträdgården (King’s garden). In the mid-April this place transforms into the most romantic and magical place in Stockholm, which surely is worth a visit!
Tip 3: Get an extra place in your stomach for coffee, because having ‘fika’ is not a choice, it’s a rule of any Swedish day. Having ‘a coffee break’ isn’t only about drinking tea or coffee, but about taking a pause, interacting with people and enjoying small things which make you happy. For me it was also a way to keep on track during these 3 active days of training, as I’m still getting accustomed to a life of an early bird here in Sweden.
Tip 4: Don’t believe stereotypes. We were told during our training that Swedish people are closed and hard to interact with, but after meeting several Swedish people, who were friendly and talkative, I don’t think that this stereotype is truthful. Afterall, people are different, and if one person can make friends in 5 minutes and another needs more time it doesn’t mean that they are not up to talking with you. However, when you have only 3 days to build networks it’s pretty important to overcome embarrassment. But I’d like to talk about it in the next tip.
Tip 5: Don’t be shy! I truly believe that our doubts and fears stop us from having new, unforgettable experiences and build connections. Personally, I started to volunteer not only for travelling, but also for gaining my self-confidence by interacting with various people. I’m still not perfect and feel embarrassed in a new company, but I do my best to change it. That’s why for me it was a huge surprise, when quite many volunteers from other programs were stuck in their own groups and didn’t want to talk with others, which felt pretty weird. But as there was a big group of people I likely found like-minded people and exchanged contacts with them to keep in touch. However, I advise you to be more easy-going and chill about interaction with other people. They’re as embarrassed and scared as you’re, but to ‘break the ice’ between you somebody needs to take a first step. So, don’t miss an opportunity to be the first one!
I hope that this letter was useful or at least joyfull to read! I’ll keep you updated about my further experiences in Sweden. Hej då!
Ulyana, ESC volunteer in Sweden