Anna and Maria take turns talking and finish each other’s sentences as they excitedly tell the story of the adventure of their lives. Boden! The road here wasn’t straightforward, but once they’d found their way here, they were all the more determined.
After their 14-week internship at Rånisgården, which offers western riding within the visitor industry, Anna and Maria were in tears when it was time to pack their bags for the trip home. Right then and there, they decided they would come back to Boden.
– The agreement we made before we went back to Austria was that next year we’ll come back on holiday, and after two years we’ll come back and stay for a year!
This summer they came back again, looked for work and housing, and finally found a way to continue their lives here—thanks in large part to the Swedish Laestadius family, who did everything they could to help the girls they had welcomed to the farm build a future here.
But let’s rewind to how it all began. Anna and Maria had known each other for several years, but it wasn’t until the programme equivalent to Swedish upper secondary school that they really found each other. Today they are best friends and describe each other as soulmates, with the same interests and values about what matters in life.
– We studied agriculture and nutrition and wanted to find an internship somewhere up north.
Different options were discussed, and since both of them are interested in horses, that was also a criterion when choosing a place.
– We also looked at Ireland. But then we found Rånisgården in Boden, with western riding, they say.
(Private photo)
A WARM WELCOME
Rånisgården welcomed them not only as interns, but made them feel like part of the family. The girls lived in a cabin on the farm and helped out with all the chores around the horses and activities.
The weeks flew by, and they describe life in the north as a dream come true. With winter, rural life, the northern lights, the midnight sun, peace and quiet. And horses.
– What really made us feel at home and want to come back is the nature and the people—especially Roger and the family we stayed with. He really wanted us to find something here in Boden to come back to, and helped us search and view places to live.
They found a cabin in the neighbouring village of Vittjärv, with central Boden, work in Sävast and the horses at Rånisgården all within a 20-minute drive.
– Every free minute we’re at the stables, they say with a laugh.
WORKING IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
When they’re not on horseback, they both work at the Peetgården conference venue in Sävast, which also runs the restaurant at Boden Business Park. That means the girls get to spend time both in a genuine rural setting with smaller groups, and in the buzz that “the park” offers with popular lunches and events, major international visits, business lunches, gaming companies and game-development students.
Language isn’t a problem, as both the work team and the guests include many nationalities and the restaurant uses English as its main working language. But alongside riding and work, they’re studying to learn Swedish.
– We study remotely and take lessons twice a week. It’s actually kind of funny that our teacher is a guy working from North Macedonia. But he can even hear from our Swedish pronunciation that we live in northern Sweden, the girls say, and demonstrate a number of sj and ske sounds in the Boden dialect, German and standard Swedish.
The goal is to make the most of everything Boden’s proximity life has to offer—at least until next summer.
Their best tip for others who want to come to Boden is simply to do it.
“Or as our favourite song goes: “Veränderung heißt Risiko, schiefgehen kann es sowieso! Tu es.“
“Change means risk; it can go wrong anyway! Do it.”
TEXT: ANNA BERGSTRÖM
