Monday, August 27, 2012

My Scandinavian fairytale

Well, it was meant to be a fairytale but rather turned into an adventure.
I was finished with school, wanted to be abroad for a year. Working as a nanny was what was possible and so I only had to find out in which country. I love France and would have loved to spent some time there, but I had a really stupid teacher the last years and lost the passion for the language. Next on my list: English, well the US was too far away and I actually didn't feel that my English was so bad, so England was not an option either.

As my mums family is from Scandinavia I finally chose to move up here in order to learn the language and find out where this part of me comes from. My grandfather died when my mum was very young so she grew up in Germany, but we had been to Scandinavia every summer and spent the holidays here. My family is still owning a cabin up here, which I use from time to time.

Yep, I had chosen a country, just had to find a family to stay with. That was not so very difficult, the Internet is full of families in need of a nanny to look after their kids. I finally found a nice one, well I had my doubts from the beginning, but they seemed ok. The contract was written and I was going to move in 2 months later.

I remember that summer at the cabin, we were staying there for some weeks and visiting the family before I moved in. A bit strange to know that you are going to not go home again with your family, but really exciting too. I moved in, my family went home again and I stayed with a totally strange family, that turned out to not really wish another family member, but an employee to boss around. After several months of feeling exploited and lonely I found myself another family. That family stuck to the rules and I had a lovely time there. Working my hours and being a part of the family.

This year went by pretty fast and I suddenly was forced to think about my further future.
I had applied for some colleges and universities and was waiting for an answer. While I was waiting for replies I spent the summer working at a clothes shop. I got in at a Norwegian college and started studying close to where I live now. Since I am a German citizen I couldn't get any study loan, so I worked besides the studies, or perhaps I should say that I studied besides working my ass off. I actually worked at a gas station for a while, until I got a job at a institution for disabled kids. I loved this job! It was so fun to work with those kids and I learned so very much from them. I worked, studied and worked and studied. I was social with friends when I had the time, which was pretty seldom.

After two years of that lifestyle my body and mind said stop and I fell into a big depression. My back pain, which I had had for a long time, got a lot worse. I think that is about 4,5 years ago now, and since then my life has been a mess. A lot of pain in my back, hips, neck and shoulders and depressions. I have been on and off anti-depressants for about 3 years, lately stopped taking my last one and although it is hard, I am fine. I haven't been able to work for about 2 years and am suffering of a lot of pain. It is an art to find the right balance between activities and rest.
Things are improving, but it takes time. It is really frustrating, I am 25 years old and should have a great time. A great job, fun with friends, training, traveling and just enjoy being young and single. Life is definitely not easy and perhaps it isn't so bad to learn about it at a younger age, I mean all the experiences I earn now will help me in life later, won't they?

Although life is hard and I am struggling right now I still have some great times. I have some very nice friends, I have a loving family and I have the two cutest and lovable dogs in the world. And I have good days, days with laughter and little pain. It will take time to be in good shape again and start to work, but I am really looking forward to that day.

So for now, have a nice day :-)

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