On Top of Skellefteå

Last week my boyfriend took me to a place called Vitberget, right in the middle of Skellefteå. Even though we are currently living outside of the city, he used to live there, so it was astonishing to me that I had never visited it before. From there you can see the entire city, the view so amazing that I had to catch my breath. It was lovely up there, with what felt like the world at your feet. We could hear the faint traffic noise, which from afar almost sounded like a calming lullaby to me. In a way, I guess it reminded me of my own previous city life (it is, however, a very different place).

But not only that, it gave the city a new outlook in my mind. When we're down there, in the midst of it all, we can't see the big picture. See all of it at once, for what it truly is. When we are immersed in our lives, walking around on the streets, going from place to place, it's impossible to see how majestic it is - even if it is a small town. I really loved standing there, with the cold wind on my face, just looking down and taking it in. It made me feel rather small, but in a good way. It was a beautiful moment for me and I'm very glad I got to experience it.

After being there, I started thinking back about all the fond memories I have been fortunate enough to make. When combined, my previous visits added up to approximately 3 months of living in this city. I started reliving them bit by bit through my photographs: each one brings a smile to my face and reminds me of simpler times in my life.

The first time I left my country was in the summer of 2014 to come to (you guessed it) Sweden! As I had never traveled or been on a plane before, you can probably guess I was a bit nervous to be doing it alone on my first time. Thankfully, everything went perfect and I ended up having the most magic summer of my life. In this silly picture, it was the first day I got to explore and experience our charming little town.

2014

Fast forward two years and you can see me attempting to fish for the very first time! As the idiot that I am, I didn't dress appropriately at all. It was deceivingly cold for a late summer afternoon, but it didn't matter to me. The location was so beautiful, it felt like a dream. The sun was setting, but still shinning so brightly, the wind rustled the trees ever so lightly and the water reflected the sky as if it was a painting. Granted, I didn't catch anything on my first try - but two fishes were to follow later on, at a different (yet also so calming) location.

2016

It was also in 2016 that I first got to visit the Old Church Town, called Bonnstan. It dates to the 17th century, when the village was the center of what we now call modern Skellefteå. That is where most people lived or gathered for vacation from the countryside, so they could be close to the church. The feeling you get once you step onto the soft grass is surreal and pretty indescribable - I couldn't shake the feeling I was in one of those movies where the characters arrive to a deserted town, completely lost in time. Not a soul to be seen, just consecutive rows of dainty little houses that have managed to retain their charm from olden days. All of them are made of wood, most consist of a small room that served as kitchen, bedroom and living room (for entire families, mind you!), with no running water or electricity. Some of them are over 150 years old, but they remain timeless and lively.

2016

In the summer of 2017 I found myself in Sweden again. I had just made a very important decision about my university life and I didn't have any responsibilities - I guess you could say I was truly on vacation from work and my studies. But I needed some direction, so I knew I had a lot of soul searching to do. With this much stunning nature around, I believe I could've done a lot worse than Skellefteå... It was during those two months that I discovered some of the loveliest landscapes the city had to offer me, if I chose to look and dared to explore it. I took many long walks in the sun or even on rainy days (summer here doesn't play by the same rules...but it was still beautiful). It didn't matter much how the weather was, as long as I could hit the road, with music playing in my ears, and be alone with my thoughts. It was truly fantastic. 

2017

I was lucky enough to not only wander alone, but also with some very dear people. My best friend came with me from Lisbon and she stayed for a few days, which was the best experience I could've wished for! To me, that was a really special summer, one that will stay in my memory as something precious. It wasn't like the magical one I had experienced the first time I visited, because it was much harder and much more real in every way. I struggled a lot because of my relationship with my boyfriend. But in the end, we came out stronger - I became out more resilient and learnt a lot more about myself. And I also managed to have a great time and make amazing memories. Not too shabby, if you ask me...

This picture was taken on the last week of February. It somewhat marks the start of my 2019 memories, the ones I will write about someday in the future or at least think about, looking back to this time of my life with, hopefully, a big smile on my face. I don't know where this journey is going to take me or how life will develop during this adventure in Sweden, but I'm curious to find out. Let's make some memories, let's make it count. 

2019