So, here I am in Jukkasjärvi, a place I’ve heard my grandfather speak of with passion while I was growing up. My grandparents even had a dachshund named Jukkas (an abbreviation of Jukkasjärvi used by the locals) that was in our lives for about 15 years
December 26, 2024
This was the date I first visited Icehotel and fell madly in love with it. Returning home to Sölvesborg was with mixed feelings. I had a good life in Sölvesborg, a beautiful village on the coast of Blekinge, the garden of Sweden, and the only thing missing was a job that I liked. My working life had revolved around leadership, organizational development, and communication. And I still had my business, which I had been working to find a new direction for. Honestly, I had had it with what I had been working with for my professional life so far; I was done, and wanted to find something completely different.
A new twist in working life
I was on the yoga mat, meditating, when a picture of my favorite spot in Jukkasjärvi, in beautiful light, appeared. I was a bit surprised, and then went on with my day. About three hours later, I received a link to a job posting for a Guest Service Agent at Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. I read through the job description and applied immediately. It sounded like so much fun!
Only hours later, I got a reply, and long story short, three weeks later, I got the job offer. Slept on it and said yes. April eight, I boarded the flight in Ronneby (yes, with several suitcases) that would, via Stockholm, take me to Kiruna. On board, I thought, “What have I done?!? “
Jukkasjärvi
At the airport in Kiruna, a taxi was waiting for me, provided by Icehotel. The ground was still covered with snow, and on the way to Jukkasjärvi, a 15-minute ride, I spotted the first reindeer in the woods. What a start! I was checked in by the great colleague, Linnea, and slept well in my new home, staff housing in a one-story house, shared with 10 other staff members. A house located within a three-minute walking distance from work. What a treat!
Snowmobile northern light safari
The next evening was a staff activity, a snowmobile northern light safari! It was fabulous driving in a row with snowmobiles, led by new colleagues, along the Torne River through the woods, ending up at an Icehotel campsite by the river. Some colleagues built a bonfire, and we had a BBQ with sausages, lingonberry juice, marshmallows, and, of course, coffee cooked over the fire, “kokkaffe.”
When we finished by ten o’clock and sat on our snowmobiles, Mrs. Aurora started to dance over the sky! I had wanted to see the northern lights for years, and here they were. It was an unexpected and unbelievable experience driving back to my new home and job, on the Torne river in the light of Mrs. Aurora’s dance.
New, new, new
New job, new colleagues, new home, new surroundings, new climate – well, more or less new everything. The best part of it all was being close to my son and his new family, and my new grandson. With three suitcases, a big happy smile, and a bit confused smile on my face, I was now to live in Jukkasjärvi. For how long? Until, and if life takes me somewhere else. I always have to go with the flow of life, like the river flowing freely.
Happy to hear your thoughts. If you want to share your experiences of going with the flow, I’d be glad to read about them.
Love and hugs,
/Cathrin
