The peace and quiet in Sweden in particular is what is different from the Netherlands, Esra shares. “I now only have two neighbors and they are also a lot further away,” she says. Once every two weeks Esra goes to the nearest town in Sweden, where she has a coffee.
Esra enjoys life in nature. She also notices that people in Sweden are less in a hurry and less stressed than in the Netherlands. “If I spent two hours packing my groceries here at the supermarket, no one would care. In the Netherlands you don’t have to try that. Then everyone thinks: ‘Hurry up!'”
Of course, there are also things that Esra misses about her life in the Netherlands, when she still lived in Arnhem. “The only thing I miss are my friends and family,” she says. Now that she is in Sweden, the spontaneous wines on terraces are of course a thing of the past. And although making new friends is possible, it is a bit more difficult because she does not yet speak the language well. Fortunately, Bram has a group of friends in Sweden, so the couple has nice social contacts.
Esra was also able to teach Bram some new things. She says that she has added a feminine touch to the house. “He had made a work of art from the walls, but it didn’t have that peaceful look vibe. Those walls are now painted a solid color. In any case, we are both creative and we encourage each other in that regard. Then I will make another dress or crochet something new.” Esra is not bored at Bram’s Swedish farm. “I just lack the time, hands and energy to do everything.”
