SHARE
COPY LINK

STOCKHOLM

#MySweden: ‘I have found a little Budapest here – in terms of culture and art’

Every week one of The Local's readers takes over our Instagram. Today, Barbara Majsa shows us her Sweden.

#MySweden: 'I have found a little Budapest here – in terms of culture and art'
Barbara Majsa lives in one of Stockholm's suburbs. Photo: Private

How old are you and what do you normally spend your days doing?

I turned 30 last year in November and I always try to keep myself busy because this helps me stay creative and organized. I work as a freelance journalist, film critic and copywriter, so I spend most of my days watching, writing and/or editing something – in addition to reading/watching the news and checking out Twitter.

Now that I've got a bit more free time (after finishing my second master's degree), I can finally focus on my personal projects as well, including my website launched back in January. There I publish interviews, (film and book) reviews and other types of articles. When I'm not working or studying, I enjoy running, reading, going to the gym, spending time with my family and friends, as well as baking bread and/or cakes. I also love going to the cinema to see films I don't need to write about.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Hello everyone, it’s an honour to join the other expats and show #MySweden to you. My name is Barbara, and I work as a freelance journalist, editor, film critic and copywriter. I’m originally from #Hungary but have been living in #Sweden since 2012, with shorter and longer breaks. I worked as an au pair in #Trollhättan, studied #communication in #Gothenburg, and I’m graduating from #StockholmUniversity with a degree in Cinema Studies soon. I moved to Sweden because I fell in love with Nordic/Scandinavian cinema; and I also learnt #Swedish at the university in #Hungary (because of a #Norwegian film). So, it kind of made sense to settle down in the north. Even if it’s sort of summer now, I thought I would start with this picture, taken by @kata.bognar89, because my friends tend to visit me during winter. No idea why, it just happens. When Kata, my friend of nearly 20 years, came to spend a few days with me in Stockholm back in January, I was playing the role of a tour guide once again, which I enjoyed a lot. The other pictures remind me of my first time(s) in Sweden. The second picture was taken in #Täby, the third in #Trollhättan, the fourth in #Vänersborg and the fifth one in #Lysekil. I do hope that you’ll enjoy exploring Sweden/Stockholm with me. I’m an avid (trail) #runner and #cyclist, passionate about #cinema, attend all kinds of workshops and events (mostly related to human/civil rights), and enjoy exploring new places, so I’ll post about a mix of things during my takeover. Stay tuned! And, of course, I’ll try to answer all your questions. You can ask me about studying in Sweden, living on the west coast, films to watch, cinemas/cities to visit, etc. #Expat #ExpatLife #VisitSweden #TheLocalSweden #outdoors #sverige

A post shared by The Local Sweden (@thelocalsweden) on May 31, 2019 at 4:46am PDT


When and why did you move to your neighbourhood?

I moved to Bandhagen/Högdalen, Stockholm, nearly three years ago, in the autumn of 2016. Technically, I live in Bandhagen, but it's more like Högdalen for us. Stockholm has a housing problem, so I was very happy when a former mentor of mine, whom I met in Trollhättan, introduced me to one of her friends looking for a (another) flatmate. I didn't know so much about the neighbourhood but I made a decision quite quickly.

I tend to be spontaneous most of the time, I guess. All I can say is that I enjoy living in the south of Stockholm. I have the best flatmates ever.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

? I like going to the cinema whenever I can but I’m not fond of shopping malls. And while there are a few great independent #cinemas in the city centre, I’d like to introduce you to two venues situated in the south of #Stockholm. The first one is @cyklopens in #Högdalen where they sometimes screen films. Cyklopen generates a vivid, eclectic, pulsating vibe one can also experience in #Budapest, a vibe that I sometimes miss. The second one is @stadsteatern_skarholmen. It’s not a typical cinema, but you can see some great #films there. I like these places because they bring #art, #culture and many more to people living in the #suburbs. ?? What are the places in Stockholm/Sweden that remind you of your hometown or the city/village you used to live in? #TheLocalSweden #MySweden #cinema #suburb #skärholmen #expat #exploring

A post shared by The Local Sweden (@thelocalsweden) on Jun 1, 2019 at 7:15am PDT


What do you love the most about your neighbourhood?

The fact that Högdalen is situated close to the city centre of Stockholm, even by bike, and that I can be in a forest or near a lake within just ten minutes. There is so much I still need to explore here actually. I also love the vibe in Högdalen, which is influenced by the diversity of the neighbourhood. Even though I don't get homesick easily, I think I have found a little Budapest here – in terms of culture and art. I also think it's important to bring culture and art to the suburbs, and people do a lot in Högdalen regarding this.


What annoys you the most about your city?

Public transport. However, not only in Stockholm. I generally dislike crowds, so I try to avoid using public transport whenever I can. Unfortunately, some places are just too far from my home to go there by bike… In addition to this, I can't cope with the fact that after film screenings, the room (in shopping malls at least) is covered with garbage. This seems pretty odd to me; I assume this is not peculiar to Stockholm.


How should I spend a day in your neighbourhood?

It very much depends on what kind of person you are, I would say. If you're interested in (sub)cultures, I would totally recommend you to visit Cyklopen and the Snösätra Graffiti Wall of Fame. If you're an avid (trail) runner, I would encourage you and others to grab your running shoes and explore the areas near Magelungen and Långsjön.  

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Since the weather is amazing, I thought I would share some photos taken in my favourite area in #Stockholm. I love living in #Högdalen but I just love #running and spending time near #Långsjön. It’s a quiet part of town; probably this is what I love about it. You should definitely visit it if you want to avoid the crowds in #Tantolunden but would like to have a similar experience. I’ve only visited the neighbourhood in #summer and early #autumn, so no idea what it’s like during #winter, but I assume it looks beautiful covered with snow as well. Fun fact about me: Långsjön is the first lake I have ever run round. ?‍♀️?‍♀️ #TheLocalSweden #MySweden #trailrunning #trails #exploring #expat #outdoors #nofilter

A post shared by The Local Sweden (@thelocalsweden) on Jun 5, 2019 at 6:45am PDT


What's a fun fact not everyone knows about your city or neighbourhood?

I can't really tell you any fun fact about either Stockholm or my neighbourhood. I like the idea of the ABC City (ABC-stad), though. Högdalen is such a neighbourhood, a place where people can/could work (arbete), live (bostad) and they also have a centre (centrum). Not every neighbourhood, but some parts of Stockholm were built with this philosophy.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

I can’t believe that it’s already Thursday. Time flies with #TheLocalSweden, that’s certain. It was a pleasure to share a fragment of #MySweden with you. To say bye, I’d like to show you Högdalen’s highest point, which is a popular meeting spot in the neighbourhood. Reach the top of the hill and you’ll see the city! ⛰⛰ It’s a perfect location for trail runners as well. The concrete water tower shown in the first and second picture sits just next to it. Many people probably consider it ugly, but I find it interesting, and inspiring in a way. If you want to escape the noise of the city, explore the south of #Stockholm! It’s totally worth it. Bye for now! You can follow me on Instagram at @majsabarbara ; I hope you all have a lovely celebration today! ?? #Högdalen #trailrunning #trails #exploring #expat #outdoors

A post shared by The Local Sweden (@thelocalsweden) on Jun 6, 2019 at 6:21am PDT

Follow Barbara Majsa on Instagram here. To find out how you can become The Local's next #MySweden host, click HERE.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.