Helene and I met over a decade ago through a friend who also worked in the health and wellness industry. Helene always had a dream to move abroad and 4 years ago, she and her husband finally got the opportunity to make expat life become a reality and moved to Mallorca. I myself absolutely love Mallorca and therefore asked Helen to share her experiences here.
What made you move to Mallorca ?
Both my husband and I always dreamed of moving abroad. We wanted to widen our horizons and try a new way of life. None of us had done that previously. We never studied or worked abroad as so many young Swedes do. My husband, Andreas, is in real estate development and saw an opportunity to bring his business to Spain. He now has two big building projects over here which is an amazing opportunity for us. The first couple of years I stayed at home to focus on our daughters and our life over here but I recently decided to become an entrepreneur and started allspajobs.com
I worked as a beauty and Spa therapist for many years in some of the most prestigious Spa's in Stockholm and I know the industry inside out. It is yet to be launched but I think allspajobs.com will be a great platform to make it easier to find jobs in the Spa industry worldwide.
Was it hard to leave your life behind in Sweden?
Actually the whole move was very smooth. Our daughters were very young and adaptable to change. We also have a home back in Sweden that we visit frequently. It is a fairly short flight to Mallorca from Sweden so we do not feel that we are that far away from home. The only challenge for us was the language as none of us spoke Spanish when we moved here.
What has been the biggest advantages to move abroad ? In what way has your life become richer ?
Beings Scandinavian, light and sunshine is hugely important as we are deprived from that during the long and dark winters. Moving to a country where it is warmer, shorter and milder winters and 300 sunny days per year was one of the biggest advantages for us.
Who moves to Mallorca ? It's a fairly small island - what do expats work with ?
It really depends. Some people move here to take a break in their lives .. to not work but just enjoy life. These people normally just stay for a year or two. Some people commute… they might run their businesses in Sweden from here and go home a few days every other week. Others find permanent work on the island.
Where in Mallorca did you decide to settle down and why ?
If you are thinking of moving here I would suggest that you first rent accommodation. There are so many different areas and it can be hard to know what best suits your family. The prices also vary a lot. There are no set rules for what certain properties should cost whereas in Stockholm you know exactly what different properties are worth. We first tried living in the city but decided that was not right for us so we ended up buying a house 10 min outside of Palma instead.
What was it like to arrive to a new place not knowing anyone? Was it easy to join the expat community?
So many people here are in the same situation so people are very openminded and friendly. Everyone wants to make new friends and have a good social life. Our children go to a Swedish school and as many of the children have Swedish parents we end up socialising a lot with other Swedish families.
What did the children think ? New place, new home, new languages ? New schools and friends…
They do miss their Swedish friends and extended family at times but otherwise it has not been a problem to move here at all. I think it helped that they go to a Swedish school. It was not such a big transition. They have learnt Spanish really well now though.
What kind pf schools can you find in Mallorca as an expat . Are there many international schools ? Which school did you chose for the children and why ?
There are lots of international schools in Mallorca. We chose the Swedish school initially as the children were very young to make the transition easier. We are now however considering moving them to a more international school next year.
What is life like in Mallorca off season ? Which season do you prefer ?
I actually think October is the best month over here. There are less tourists but the weather is till lovely with warm evenings and good water temperatures. The winter is ok but it can be a bit cold and damp in January and February.
What are your favourite things to do on a day off?
Our children normally play tennis, golf and go to swimming and dance classes although we avoid some indoor activities now during covid. We started to go trekking on weekends with the family to get out in nature and social distance. There are many beautiful trekking tracks on the island to explore.
Do you see yourselves staying here longterm?
I do not know if we will retire here but I think we will stay for some time. As I am from Stockholm which is a bigger city I can sometimes miss that pulse. It can feel a bit too quiet for me here sometimes. Having said that I still appreciate the lifestyle here. It is amazing in so many ways. People are less stressed, more spontaneous and social. We can do a lot of things on weekdays that we would never have time to do back in Stockholm. And of course the sunshine and the good weather means so much.
Having worked as a beauty therapist - which Spas and Spa hotels would you recommend ?
There are so many beautiful Hotels, retreats and Spas in Mallorca. Unfortunately I have not been that good at visiting them all. I spend most of my time at the tennis court in Palma where we have memberships. They also have a pool, restaurant, fitness classes and a Spa. I have become obsessed with Yoga which is my new passion. It has become my way to recharge.
Can you share your best skin care secrets ?
I think my advise are very classic ones… sleep is so important.. and to exercise and drink lots of water. And of course for the skin: you must use sun protection. I always hide my face under a hat when I am out in the sun.
As a mother of two daughters : how has motherhood had an impact on you ? How has that changed you as a person ?
I think the biggest change is the sense of gratitude I feel these days. I feel humble and grateful for the gift of having two beautiful daughters.. that we are all healthy and that we have had this amazing opportunity to live on this beautiful island. I think I took things more for granted when I was younger.
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