48 Hours of What I Call Home: Everyday Life in the North

Author: Jennifer Kristensson

My name is Jennifer, and I live in Jämtland, a region located a 7-hour drive north of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. No matter where in the world you are as you start reading this, I’d like to invite you to share a part of my everyday life in the snow covered north. Please let me take you through 48 hours of what I call home.

Morning in the North

Every day now, we get closer to the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. During this time, the sun barely rises before it goes right back to sleep again. In December, we have a Christmas calendar on Swedish television that many people enjoy watching. A new episode airs every day until Christmas, and I like to start my mornings by watching the calendar while waiting for the daylight to arrive.

For breakfast, I usually have coarse bread with butter and cheese and a glass of milk. The bread in the photo is from my grandmother’s recipe, she always bake it with lingonberries to give it a sweet taste. Lingonberries are a tart berry that grows in the northern forests, and we pick them during autumn to use in many different ways.

A Walk in the Forest

Right now, as I write this, daylight arrives around 9:30 am. I usually return from my morning walk with my dog around that time. It’s a wonderful way to start the day by watching nature slowly wake up from its long night of rest.

Office Work in Front of the Computer

From my home in the forest, I run my own company, Mid Scandinavia Tours. I arrange unique travel experiences in the region I call home. Often, these are guided coach tours with frequent stops to explore the local culture and the surrounding nature. My home in the forest doubles as my office, and I spend the early part of the day working from here, handling bookings and staying in contact with travel agencies.

Driving to Town for Meetings

Driving to town(Photo Credit: Jennifer Kristensson)

Thirty minutes away from where I live is the small town of Östersund. This is where I go for meetings with other tourism companies in the area or to take care of business that needs to be done in town. Today, I drove into town to record the voiceover for one of the advertisement videos we’ve been creating for Mid Scandinavia Tours. The media agency working on the project has its office in a charming little house that is actually one of the oldest in town, dating back to the 18th century.

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-contry skiing(Photo Credit: Jennifer Kristensson)

At this time of year, the sun sets around 2:30 pm, so when I take my afternoon outing with my dog, Skrym, it’s usually already dark. I put on my headlamp and skis, and we enjoy the arrival of the night and the first stars that appear in the sky above us. I love this time of day; everything is so quiet and peaceful. Even the birds stop singing, resting in the winter night. Sometimes, I go for a short trip, and other times, I stay out longer if the sky offers a beautiful view of the stars.

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Evening in the North

It’s always nice to come back into the warm house after skiing. I light some candles and prepare dinner. Often, I spend a bit more time working on Mid Scandinavia Tours in the evening. I think many people who work from home or run their own businesses in the north plan their days like this during winter. We make the most of the daylight hours and save office work for the dark evenings.

Day Two: Driving Public Transport Buses

Driving the bus(Photo Credit: Jennifer Kristensson)

On an ordinary day when I’m not doing office work, I welcome and guide tourists around the area I call home. However, during quieter weeks, I sometimes help out at the public transport buses as a driver.

Ending the Day at the Climbing Gym

The place where I meet my friends is the climbing gym in town. People here love being out in nature, and during summer, we do a lot of outdoor climbing together. In winter, the indoor climbing gym becomes our gathering spot. The climbing community here is also the group I go skiing with and share other outdoor activities with.

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