Small Maine city felt better than living in Sweden

My husband and I moved from New York to Sweden in June hoping for a quieter life, but logistics made it hard to stay. Four months later we found ourselves settling in a small city in Maine just south of Portland. On New Year’s Eve we sat in a cozy New England restaurant wearing paper crowns; the owner stopped by our corner booth, friends from a local bakery slipped away to say hello, and my husband leaned over and said, "I love this." Sweden softened things for a while — walks to the beach, well‑maintained conservation areas that weave through cow pastures, and affordable, healthy food at the grocery store.

Still, staying required planning and more time than we had, so leaving didn’t feel like failure but a choice for something more permanent. The Maine city itself, with a population under 23,000, quickly felt like home. Friends helped us secure an apartment before we arrived, and we can now walk to a bakery, the pharmacy, a grocery store, or the river.

United States, Maine

maine, sweden, portland, new york, moving, relocation, small city, new england, bakery, grocery store