Exploring the region. The next day we got up early. It was still dark outside, but full of energy and adrenaline we embraced this beautiful day ahead of us. Today we had a big plan—it was our last day before the big day. The big day, which would arrive tomorrow, was the day we would buy our dream home. But before that, we still had this wonderful day ahead of us.

Exploring the Region

Today we went exploring the Region, see the surroundings. Of course, we had already looked at everything on Google, but for us, seeing things in real life is just as important. We are people who live by our feelings; feelings say more than words, in our opinion.
So on this beautiful day, we set out.

First, we visited the village of Bjästa, which is only 7 minutes from our house.
Here you’ll find a small ICA supermarket, two gas stations, two gyms, a school, a library, a pizzeria, a snack bar, a pharmacy, and much more.
It felt small and very different compared to our life in the Netherlands, but definitely better than we expected. The biggest adjustment was the silence, the small number of people in the village, and the endless nature surrounding it.

Our second stop was the larger city of Örnsköldsvik.
It is 30 km from the house—about a 30-minute drive.
Here, you can really find everything: supermarkets, a swimming pool, the town hall, a police station, hardware stores, gyms, a hospital, a veterinarian, and much more.
This felt more familiar because it was busier, with many more people and cars around.
We could get everything we needed here, which gave us a safe and comforting feeling.

On the way back, we drove past the ski slopes, de Bjästa Alpina Klubb—what an incredible luxury to have that just 7 minutes from your home!

Our third stop was another village on the other side, Sidensjö, a very small village with few residents, but we wanted to see this as well.

After that, we drove back to the house, and upon arrival, we truly felt at home.
We spent the rest of this beautiful afternoon in the house—taking photos, doing measurements, and making notes.
Since we wouldn’t return until March 2023 to officially come home here, this allowed us to plan and buy things in the Netherlands in the meantime.

We emailed the real estate agent to say we were fully committed and that we would be at the agency the next day at 10 a.m. to buy the house. We had become so excited!

Tired but fulfilled, we went to sleep again.
Tomorrow was the big day—the day our lives would never be the same…