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At the end of a red gravel road in Lemland, Linda and Morris Eriksson have found their home in Åland. Among cats, Lego constructions and blooming flower beds, the small family is thoroughly enjoying life at the farm Erikas.
Linda Eriksson grew up in Hellestorp in Lemland and still has most of her family nearby. She has loved the Erikas farm since childhood. Nowadays she and her son Morris, 6 years old, rent the house that she used to sneak off to when she was little.
- I wanted Morris to grow up the way I did when I was little. Living in a village where you know your neighbors and have family close by.
Linda left Åland as early as nineteen, then stayed in Sweden and Stockholm for 27 years.- That's a lifetime! Before Morris was born, I had truly left Åland behind, even though I always went home to visit family, of course.
Since Morris's father is also from Åland, the new parents started talking about moving back to Åland. Maybe when Morris starts school? However, those thoughts never became reality – instead, life came to a sudden halt. When Morris was 10 months old, his father passed away.
- It then took a few years before I had the energy to deal with everything a move entails, I needed to rest and recover. Before I could tackle the administrative side, I needed to find my footing again. There's a lot to think about when moving, beyond clearing out, throwing away and packing up an entire life.
At the time, Linda was working as a manager at a subsidiary of Lantmännen, focused on grain seeds. It was fast-paced and highly demanding.- I enjoyed it, but still reached a point where I felt like I was done with this! Even at work, there was a lot that needed to be wrapped up and handed over before I could move, both practically and emotionally.
After that, the rest of the move fell into place quite easily.- When things are right, they almost happen on their own. Finding jobs and a place to live was no trouble at all.
During subsequent visits to Åland, Linda started driving around looking at houses for sale. First in Geta and Saltvik because she finds it beautiful there. Then she realized that being close to her family in Lemland was more important.- I wanted to find a home that my siblings and parents pass by on their way home, so they always have the chance to pop in to see us!
The solution turned out to be Erikas in Lemland, which happened to be vacant while waiting for a new tenant.- We agreed with the landlord that my brother would renovate the bathroom, and after 10 months, Morris and I moved in.
Finding work was just as smooth. Through friends, she ended up at Café Viktor in Mariehamn.- I'm the world's best café assistant! says Linda with a laugh. I've worked in a café before, so it was just a matter of picking up the knife and starting to chop again. It's wonderful, I love it. It's a fun and rewarding workplace that's constantly evolving. We're a fantastic team!
The first year in Åland was then spent settling into the new life. Linda felt at home right away, but for Morris the adjustment was tougher.- It was hard losing friends and routines, he had a wonderful daycare in Stockholm. It took almost half a year before he was himself again, then another six months before he had settled into his new life and felt comfortable.
The closeness to family is otherwise the biggest advantage. Despite having many friends in Stockholm, it was difficult to socialize due to long distances and fully booked schedules.- It was always almost an hour's travel wherever you needed to go. Unlike Åland, where we have easy access to both work and activities. Here we can fit in four visits in a day if we want to.
As a parent, Linda also appreciates the safety and the fact that Morris can cycle to friends' houses or to the shops.
Right now, life is otherwise ticking along nicely. The combination of work, a 6-year-old and various activities means that most days are busy. Linda, who used to dance a lot when she was younger, has meanwhile found her way back to dancing again. Morris has also started dancing.
- Thursdays are our dance day. First he goes to the children's group at DunderDans, then I dance lindy hop and charleston in courses run by Swingskeppet.
They're both happy.- How can life be this good? Living close to everyone you love, in Åland where nature and the archipelago are magnificent. As a single parent, I'm naturally somewhat tied down with a 6-year-old, but still incredibly free!
Welcome guide – everything you need to know before moving to Åland.
Information for those looking for a new job.
Find your new home – tips and advice for those looking for housing in Åland.
Det finns många anledningar att välja Åland. Ibland är det jobbet, andra gånger familjen, kärleken eller möjligheten till en enklare vardag. Läs mer om hur livet på Åland kan se ut i våra intervjuer med nya ålänningar.
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