People of Stockholm: Ia Wik

Ia Wik is a 24 year old Swede living in the nation’s capital, Stockholm. As fashionable as she is funny, she also happens to be my best friend’s sister. Like most of the people I’ve met in their twenties, she’s trying to figure out how to make her passions a reality and where she fits.

If she’s not working or studying, she’s listening to podcasts, eating popcorn and trying to find time to have a beer with friends. At 24, Ia has held several different jobs/careers and traveled more than most people I know at that age. 

“(In Gothenburg) people start talking to each other for no reason, and enjoy it,” she says. “In Stockholm it would be weird if some random person just started speaking to you.”

Ia was born and raised in Alingsås, a town right outside of Sweden’s second largest city Gotenburg, right on the West Coast. She’s moved around, and traveled internationally, from a very young age before moving to Stockholm at 19, Sweden’s largest city. Stockholm is almost a four hour train ride from Gotenburg, and the cities certainly have some differences. 

The biggest difference between the two that Ia notices is the mentality; for better and for worse. “Here (Stockholm) most people are egocentric, always on the run, minding their own business, that makes you feel kind of invisible,” she noted, “but I like that a lot because I feel free…though if you ever feel lonely here, it can definitely become a negative thing.” 

In Gothenburg, the vibe is much more relaxed and chill. “People start talking to each other for no reason, and enjoy it,” she says. “In Stockholm it would be weird if some random person just started speaking to you.”

Despite the culture and size difference, Gothenburg and Stockholm also differ in opportunity. Ia chose Stockholm because there were far more jobs available in her field, media. Ia has always been interested in media, “there’s something about movies/films that just drags me into them and I can’t ignore it.” She hopes to combine her skills of copywriting and strategy with media and film. Ia previously worked for Swedish Idol, web editing and recently enrolled in university to further her studies in the field. 

When I met Ia before, it had been in the United States. Now, with me visiting her in Stockholm, we mused on the differences between our two countries. “The social codes are just different here,” which I agree whole heartedly with. “You’re supposed to behave in a certain way: be a part of a group but also be yourself and stand out…that’s in everything from the style of your clothes to what you do for a living…it’s hard to explain, but there’s just a certain way of being that we all adhere to and if you’re Swedish, you just know how to handle it/how it works.” 

“I like that there’s no limit in what you can dream of career-wise…you can really make it here.” 

Sweden isn’t perfect though. “We’re not open enough…we’re afraid and especially afraid of the stuff we don’t know. We often close the door instead of opening it,” which she thinks has contributed to the political problems that Sweden is currently experiencing. “We don’t see the bigger picture and care far too much about ourselves individually instead of letting others in and realizing that we’re stronger together.”

Despite her struggles with the aspects of the culture as a whole, it’s the people and her environment that she truly loves that causes her to exclaim “I just love it,” whenever I ask her how she likes Stockholm. So what does she love exactly? The beautiful environment, the variety of places to eat, drink and shop at. “I like that there’s no limit in what you can dream of career-wise…you can really make it here.” 

Ia sees herself in Stockholm for awhile, but she also wouldn’t mind spending a year or two in the states, preferably New York. That being said, “I’m also dreaming of studying or working in France, Italy, Denmark, Spain, etc…but I think I’ll be living in Sweden long term or when it’s time start a family years from now.”