How was Abisko? ❄️
Kim here 👋🏼
Yes, I did enjoy my stay in Abisko this winter. A lot!
But the goals I had set for myself to achieve while there were too much, so I ended up not doing as much as I had hoped to do. It's a fine line between having goals that drive and motivate you, and having goals that stress you out and consume you.
I did understand that it would be very tough to try having a long-distance relationship. Initially I believe we thought it would be easier to meet more often, but heck, Abisko is really far away! 17 hours by train - one-way.
Also, that the trains didn't work for most of the season made it much more difficult.
I also thought I would make more friends.
But for an introvert living in a tiny space shared with other people, while at the same time never working the same schedule as any other person there that I wanted to hang out with, made it harder than I had set out to believe.
The upcoming surgery also caused me a lot of stress. Not just the surgery itself but also how to get to the appointments 1 hour from my hometown (16 hours away), getting time off, getting tickets... I ended up in a moment 22 situation where I could not change my residency nor get help with getting to my appointments on the almost other side of the country, and had to solve all of it on my own.
I was also so excited about learning how to Nordic ski. I rented equipment for the whole season and brought up to Abisko. But in the end I couldn't ski as much as I had hoped, because the boots kept breaking and there was nothing holding them together, neither tape nor glue. Not for long anyway. In the beginning of the season, I also had to cancel a lot of plans due to storms - of course during _exactly_ my days off from work, which was quite demoralising.
❄️
But was it worth it?
Yes.
Trying something new is always worth it.
The lessons you learn about yourself are worth it. I never expected myself to enjoy working with people, but this ended up being my favourite job I've had so far.
I'm so glad I had the courage to try.
Nothing lost.
But a lot gained.
How to continue from here?
Who knows.
But I'm sure it will be an interesting journey ahead too.