From California to Sweden, a Search for Adventure Meets Unexpected Silence
Fundacion Rapala – When Arabella Carey Adolfsson left California for Sweden, she imagined a life shaped by beauty, balance, and fresh beginnings. Raised in sunny San Diego, she had grown accustomed to noise, family gatherings, and constant movement. Sweden, by contrast, promised nature, calm, and a deeper connection to her husband Stefan’s roots. In 2022, an online listing for a “beautiful” lakeside home sparked a sudden decision. Within weeks, they bought the property and moved to Torpön, a small island surrounded by Lake Sommen. At first, the stillness felt magical. The air was clean, the water glassy, and traffic nonexistent. However, as days passed, the quiet revealed another side. The move delivered peace, but also isolation, forcing Arabella to confront how much of her identity had been shaped by people and constant interaction.
Life on Torpön Island Brings Nature Closer Than Ever
On Torpön, daily life unfolds at nature’s pace. Arabella spends her summers fishing by the lake, photographing forests, cliffs, and endless skies. Together with Stefan, she often takes their boat onto Lake Sommen, where the scenery feels untouched and cinematic. Every direction offers fields, trees, and silence broken only by wind or birds. She describes the island as “gorgeous,” and the word fits easily. There is no traffic, no crowds, and no rush. Yet, the island’s beauty comes with distance. Torpön sits at least half an hour from what Arabella calls “civilization.” There is no public transportation and only one restaurant. As a result, errands require planning and patience. While the landscape nourishes her creativity, it also reinforces how physically removed she is from everyday social life, especially during long, empty stretches of winter.
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The Quiet That Felt Peaceful Slowly Became a Challenge
Despite having lived in Sweden before, Arabella found Torpön’s remoteness deeply different. Days often pass without seeing anyone besides her husband. For someone who draws energy from people, this silence feels heavy. Back in San Diego, she was surrounded by extended family, shared meals, and constant conversation. In Sweden, that community vanished almost overnight. She describes the loss as a “huge slice” of her life disappearing, with nothing obvious to replace it. Making friends on the island has proven difficult, not out of unkindness, but because residents tend to keep to themselves. The cultural reserve, combined with distance, creates invisible barriers. Over time, loneliness became the hardest adjustment. While she appreciates the calm, Arabella admits that peace without connection can feel incomplete, especially for someone shaped by warmth, touch, and shared presence.
Winter Deepens Isolation and Forces a Mental Reset
Winter on Torpön transforms the island completely. Snow piles high, daylight fades early, and the island grows almost deserted. During these months, Arabella and Stefan plan grocery trips carefully, stocking up before retreating indoors. When storms hit, they stay home, cooking, eating, and waiting for days to pass. The silence grows thicker in winter, making adjustment unavoidable. Arabella realized she needed a mental reset to survive emotionally. She describes it as “reworking the program in your head” and learning to run a new one. Instead of resisting the quiet, she tries to reshape how she experiences it. Acceptance became a skill, not an instinct. Slowly, she learned that adapting to Sweden required more than relocation. It demanded a psychological shift, especially in a place where nature dominates and human interaction fades with the seasons.
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Travel and Creativity Become a New Emotional Anchor
To balance isolation, Arabella turned outward through travel and creativity. Living in Sweden placed much of Europe within reach. She and Stefan sometimes drive to Copenhagen or Stockholm, then fly onward to Portugal, Latvia, Slovenia, Germany, or Mallorca. These journeys inject movement and connection into her life. Along the way, Arabella documents her travels through photography, creating collages for family and friends. She also began writing a children’s book inspired by her grandchildren. Creativity, she says, gives her purpose. It fills emotional gaps left by distance. Through these projects, she transforms solitude into reflection rather than loneliness. Travel helps her feel connected to the wider world, reminding her that even in a remote place, life can still expand. For Arabella, movement became medicine, and creativity became survival.
Technology and Language Shape the Expat Experience
Staying connected to loved ones in the US relies heavily on technology. Video calls, especially Sunday family chats, anchor Arabella emotionally. She describes how her three-year-old grandson hugs the phone before saying goodbye, a moment both joyful and painful. Technology makes distance survivable, even if it cannot replace physical presence. Language has posed another challenge. Although she studied Swedish, fluency takes time. Limited language skills slowed integration and reinforced social distance. Cultural differences also required adjustment. Arabella jokes that as a Hispanic woman, she comes from a culture full of touch and warmth, while Swedes tend to be more reserved. Hugs and kisses are rare. Learning these unspoken rules took patience. Over time, she accepted that integration is gradual, shaped by language, culture, and willingness to adapt without losing oneself.
A Quieter Life Brings Lower Stress and New Perspective
Despite the challenges, Arabella acknowledges the upsides of her Swedish life. Stress feels lower, and the pace gentler. The cost of living is far more manageable than in California, especially housing. Water comes directly from the lake, free and abundant. Health care also shocked her in a good way. After spending days in a Swedish hospital following a fall, her bill totaled less than $100. These experiences reshaped her understanding of security and quality of life. Still, not everything fits. She misses good Mexican food, decent tortillas, and the convenience of American life. Sweden’s strong do-it-yourself culture both impresses and overwhelms her. Looking ahead, Arabella plans to remain in Sweden for now, returning to San Diego often. Her advice to others is simple: build connections, expect loneliness, and allow time. Great memories, she says, grow alongside hard days.