Florian Steiner had never set foot in Sweden when he decided to leave Germany for Sweden. A decision, in his view, that led him to Piteå, the city he now considers his hometown.
There was nothing wrong with life in the Bavarian town of Neumarkt, near Nuremberg. Florian, who is a trained architect, worked at a small firm and enjoyed it very much. However, when the firm started to receive fewer assignments, thoughts of trying something different began to grow.
– I've never been a typical corporate guy and felt curious about exploring other forms of work. Architecture is, of course, close to my heart, but there are so many more possibilities than just agency jobs that allow you to combine your interest in architecture," Florian explains and continues:
– At the same time, I met Christiane, who would later become my wife. Christiane, who is also German, was studying the concert organist program at the School of Music in Piteå and had started working in Piteå. Even though I had never thought about settling in Sweden, it felt exciting to move to Piteå.
The family in Germany expressed some surprise but followed the move from the south to the north with interest in 2008. With the help of a CD and a book, Florian embarked on his determined linguistic journey to master the Swedish language.
– I was determined to learn Swedish, no matter how short or long the stay would be. There were certainly many strange mispronunciations. I've talked about 'tomtar' instead of 'tomter' and said 'eder' instead of 'er,' but the feeling I got from conducting job interviews in Swedish is hard to describe!
And jobs there were. In the same year, 2008, Florian started a position as a physical planner with Piteå Municipality as his employer. Eight years later, he was appointed as the city architect for the municipality. A position that comes with a wide network within areas such as business, culture, and civil society.
– It's a truly fantastic life in a city that allows for both work and family life. Today, we have two children, which further strengthens the sense of community and belonging.
Certainly, one needs a certain amount of luck in a new country and a new city, but the most important thing is probably the willingness to engage with society. To dare to make contacts. It's easy here in Piteå, and it's so beautiful here. Just look at Rådhustorget! It's probably my favourite place.
