2024 was a big year for us. After living in the US as a family for 13 years, we sold our house and moved back to where Jackie grew up––Stockholm, Sweden.
Despite the trans-Atlantic move, life in the high north is as we expected. Long summer days, extra short days in the winter and year-round Swedish culture.
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Jackie (37) is in her natural habitat––living in Stockholm and working in the pattern design industry that the city is known for. She celebrated uploading her 98th pattern to her site Jaykaiy.com. Jackie also completed a rigorous 3D pattern design course and learned how to harness mind-bending 3D software (Clo3D) to design and digitally render clothing. But she didn’t stop there! She hit a bullseye with an internship at Fjällräven and landed a job as a pattern drafter at H&M’s kids department. As they say in Swedish, “grattis”!
Dane (34) is still a Dane, but now lives with the added irony as “Dane the Swede”. The trans-Atlantic move has expanded his network as he navigates the European film industry. Although, Dane’s commute did get quite long with the majority of his film work still based in the US. He is working on a feature length environmental justice documentary and continues to teach his experimental workshops in new media. Dane celebrated his 12,345th day of life with a Lego Derby Party.
Alfa (a newly minted 9-year-old) has a bright and active imagination. She illustrates her own stories about dragons, mythical animals, and even her stuffed pig who saves the day. She moved to Sweden with some anxiety, but quickly made friends in her 3rd grade class. She has a near-native command of the Swedish language and will correct her father’s Swedish. Alfa’s palette has also expanded from her ketchup obsession thanks to the plethora of new Swedish tastes and sauces––her current favorite is the original sauce from the Swedish burger chain Max. Alfa has learned to sew this year with mom, and has an affinity for soft, squishy toys. She’s currently reading Swedish chapter book series “Luna and the Superpower.”
Cruz (almost 7) is an excited and, at times, rambunctious little kid––can you guess where he got that from? He “gets” to repeat kindergarten because of the difference in school age cut-offs in Sweden. However, that resulted in Cruz being in the same school class as his Swedish cousin. Win-win! He started the new school year speaking like a “cowboy” as reported by his new classmates, but now speaks like a Swede according to his kindergarten teacher. Cruz’ love for Transformers grows ever stronger, although his interests have expanded into legos, basketball, and Onewheeling with his Dad. Cruz’s most recent obsessions involves plastic bead crafts and reading Swedish beginner books and comic series “Bamse, the world’s strongest bear.”