Daily life in Stockholm
People envy and admire me when I live abroad, but my actual life is quite simple and far from the overseas life that people imagine due to some TV drama. At least, that is the case for me.
When I think about what I will miss when I return to Japan after completing my work in Sweden, I think I will miss my daily life. And one of the scenes of my daily life is this walk in my neighborhood.
May15th, 2023
When I moved to this area two years ago, there was really nothing around. There were no commercial establishments around the apartment where we lived, only pizza shops, grocery stores, gas station, and so on. And instead, there is a really beautiful lake just a 10-minute walk away. Walking around the lake was my daily routine, and even if I couldn't do it every day, I made myself to try to walk for 30 minutes.
The lake really was beautifully surrounded by water. And there were wheat fields and rape fields spreading out. However, in the past two years, the area has been developed and populated quite a bit. The population of Stockholm seems to be increasing rapidly among major European cities, and in this area where we live, they have started to develop such farmland and build more and more apartments and residential areas.
The beautiful farmland that used to spread out is now under the construction of residential areas. The flocks of geese and ducks that migrate every year are very lovely and raise their young from May to June. This is also the time of year when you can hear the chirping of the baby birds at this lake, which is very soothing to watch.
There is a church near the lake, and the trail goes around the church, and it takes roughly 30 minutes to go around it. With temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius for almost six months of the year, Sweden is generally thought of as a cold country with harsh winter, a climate unique to Scandinavia. Until I came to live in Sweden, I also thought that winter was the only season in Sweden. LOL! I was under the delusion that winter was the only season in Sweden until I came to live here. In reality, however, you can enjoy four distinct seasons. However, the four seasons are not divided exactly into three months, but rather, summer is short and winter is long.
I love Swedish summer. It is truly a special time of year, and as we approach the summer solstice, the sun sets past 23:00 in high-latitude Nordic Sweden. Even after midnight, the night sky is still slightly bright during the summer solstice, reminding me once again that I am in Scandinavia, a country with a high latitude. The sun comes out around 3:30 to 4:00 in the evening. The dry and crisp weather is refreshing, and sunbathing in the sunlight through the trees makes me feel like I'm dozing off.
June 4th, 2023
The same walkway will show a different view in a few weeks. flowers start to bloom on the walkway in June. rape blossoms are in full bloom in Sweden in June. I remember that in Germany they were in full bloom around May, so in Stockholm, where the temperature is a bit cooler, they are probably in full bloom a month later.
I am sure that when I return to my home country, I will remember and feel nostalgic about my daily life, which is nothing special, and I will feel that I would like to come back to Sweden again. When my father went to see cherry blossoms with my mother before he passed away, he said, "I am pretty moved to think that this is the last time I will see cherry blossoms in my life". I am sure that I will still come back someday, but I will surely miss this walking path. And, I understand how my dad felt to see the cherry blossom with my mom.
日常の生活
海外で生活していると、羨ましがられたり、憧れたり又にされるのですが、実際の生活は結構地味で何かのドラマの影響で想像されている海外生活とは程遠い生活を送っています。少なくとも、わたしはそうです。
スウェーデンでの勤務を終了し、日本に戻った時にどの様な景色を思い浮かべ、懐かしがるかと考えるとわたしの中では日常の日々を懐かしく感じると思います。そして、その日常の生活の一コマがこの近所の散歩道です。
わたしがこの地域に引っ越ししてきた２年前は本当に周りには何もありませんでした。わたしたちが住んでいるアパートがあり、その周りには商業施設などまったくなく、ピザ屋さん、食品店、ガソリンスタンド、などしかありませんでした。そして、その代わりに、本当に美しい湖が徒歩１０分の場所にあります。その湖の周りを歩くのがわたしの日課であり、毎日できなくとも、なるべく３０分は歩こうと心が得ているコースでした。
本当に湖の周りは美しく水辺が広がっていました。そして、麦畑や菜の花畑がひろがっていました。しかし、この２年でかなり開発が進んで人口が増えてきました。ストックホルム市内は人口が欧州の主要都市の中でも急速に増えている都市の様で、わたしたちが住んでいるこの地域もそのような農地を整備してどんどんアパートや住宅地を建設し始めています。
かつては広がっていたきれいな農地も住宅地の建設が始まって、少し寂しい気持ちを持っていました。毎年渡りで渡来する雁や鴨の群れはとても愛らしく、５月から６月にかけて子育てをします。この湖でもこの時期はひな鳥のさえずりが聞こえる時期で、とても見ていて癒されます。
湖の近くに教会があり、その教会を回るようにして歩道が整備されていて、ぐるっと回ると大体３０分になります。スウェーデンはほぼ１年の半年が１５度を下回る気温で、一般的には寒い国、北欧特有の気候を思い浮かべる方が多いと思います。わたしもスウェーデンに住むまでは季節は冬しかほぼ無いのでは？とかってに妄想していました。しかし、実際はとてもはっきりとした四季を楽しむことが出来ます。ただ、四季といってもきっちりと３か月ごとに分かれている四季ではなく、夏は短く、冬が長い四季になります。
わたしはスウェーデンの夏が大好きです。これは本当に特別な時期で、夏至の時期に近づくにつれ緯度の高い北欧スウェーデンでは日没の時間が２３時過ぎになります。深夜を過ぎても夏至の時期などはうっすらと夜空が明るく、改めて緯度の高い北欧に居ると実感させられます。そして、日のでは３時半から４時ごろには太陽が顔を出します。カラッとした乾燥した気候も清々しく、木漏れ日のなか日光浴などをしているとついついうとうととしてきます。
同じ散歩道も数週間すると違う景色を見せてくれます。６月に入ると花々が散歩道に咲き始めます。６月はスウェーデンでは菜の花が満開になります。ドイツでは５月ごろが満開になっていた思い出があるので、少し気温の低いストックホルムでは１か月遅れて満開になるのでしょう。
Tired 👉 Nap
Sad 👉 Music
Stressed 👉 Walk
Angry 👉 Exercise
Burn out 👉 Read
Feeling lost 👉 Pray
Overthinking 👉 Write
Anxious 👉 Meditate
🥦 ᚨᛚᚢ 🥦
🥦 ᛗᛁᛉᚢᛟ ᛫ ᚾᛗᚱᚲ 🥦
🥦 Ha det så bra!🥦
🥦See you again!🥦
🥦ほなまたねぇ～🥦
#Okonomiyaki #Osaka
How to cook Osaka okonomiyaki?
💨 Don't get carried away by the Eight Winds 💨
🌬1) Prosperity - 利
🌬2) Decline - 衰
🌬3) Disgrace - 毀
🌬4) Honor - 誉
🌬5) Praise - 称
🌬6) Censure - 譏
🌬7) Suffering - 苦
🌬8) Pleasure - 楽
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