I will be blogging about living abroad and my impressions of Sweden, as well as the world of a debut author (me!), history, and the political situation in Europe, where people fear Putin intends to seize NATO countries after the Ukrainian war is done. For those who did not follow my Facebook posts in April/May and August through November, Strömstad is located on Sweden’s west coast, midway between Oslo and Goteborg. Sven’s summerhouse sits atop a hill and has one of the best views in town (see fall photo below). Sven built the house himself in 1980, with the help of a carpenter friend. The road is steep, which is why we are now living at Selater Camping, in an A-framed heated cottage, because Sweden is experiencing its coldest winter in 25 years. On November 1, I fractured my wrist in a freak accident. We discovered the Strömstad hospital has closed. Such injuries are now treated at NAL, a monster of a regional hospital two hours away. I was denied transport in an ambulance because I am not Swedish. We decided it was impossible to live here without easier access to hospital care. But we do love this beautiful seacoast town. Since Sven owns the house, he does not pay rent. Three of his four sons live in Lulea, a 20-hour drive away. (Sweden is a larger than maps of Europe indicate.) Were we to move north, a two-room apartment would cost 10,000 kronor, which is around $1000/month. At 85, how would he fare upon making the trip down here every summer to the place he loves the best? Hence, the dilemma of what to do. Stay here, or head north? Meanwhile, my debut short story collection. The Nansen Factor, is to be published in the USA, where I need to be for reasons of promotion. (How can you help? Pre-order a copy. Need more motivation? Check out author Marjan Kamali’s recommendation: “The stories in this impressive collection beautifully express the enrichment and estrangement of displaced lives. With a single phrase or tiny detail, Grabbe accurately captures an entire soul and the fractured, complicated state of living between worlds. A bold and engrossing debut with unforgettable characters.”)
