Leaving on a Jet Plane

My wanderlust has struck again. I'm leaving New York and am moving back to Stockholm in two weeks time! I guess there is more to blame than my wanderlust this time though. There's the man of my dreams who has waited patiently for my return back to Sweden and my own longing for that country in the north that feels so much like home to me.

What an amazing year this has been for me. Such an opportunity of a lifetime to live and work in New York City at my age and stage of life. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed and just how much I have done since moving to the Big Apple. To think that I actually moved here without a job or a place to live...what was I thinking?!? I suppose I knew deep down it would all work out just as anything you want enough and are willing to work hard for will. Not only did I get a good job, but we ended up in the most perfect apartment too. They say if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere and it is kind of true. I feel a bit invincible myself, to be honest, like I could move anywhere from here and survive. Like I could move anywhere and thrive.

I admire people who not only "make it" here but those who can stay here permanently because, I'll tell you what, I'm exhausted. New York is an overwhelming and over-stimulating city like no other place I have ever been and after one year, I am somewhat anxious to escape the crowds, the traffic, the crazies, the sirens, the subway, the concrete...everything that makes this place incredible also makes it a difficult place for someone like me to really call home. Someone who likes to think of herself as a city girl but actually enjoys the peacefulness of the countryside when it really comes to settling down.

New York will always feel like my city in some ways. I know my way around, I know where all the great restaurants and cafes are and I even know which places to avoid. I so look forward to coming back and visiting this incredible city with all the fond memories of the time I spent living here. So, in my final days here I have taken every opportunity to soak it all up. Picnics in the park, a trip to Coney Island, a visit to the MoMA, one last meal at all my favorite restaurants, nights spent up on our roof looking over to Manhattan...all things I will miss dearly.

It is bittersweet leaving New York behind. I know I will miss the pulse of the street and the sirens outside my window but I am also so excited about this next phase of my life. I'm heading to the paradise of Swedish summer and am making a stop in California first. Who wouldn't be excited about that? I promise to keep you all updated as the days move on and as I settle back in to life in Sweden.