Laura's homebaked chocolate chip cookies. John and Laura Mogensen at home in Ursviken.
You always hear how friendly Americans are — like how they offer you fresh-baked cookies the moment you walk through the door. It might sound like a stereotype, but that’s exactly what happened when I visited Laura and John Mogensen at their home in Ursviken.
Laura, 31, from Georgia in the United States, met John, 34, from Skåne, Sweden, in 2015. John was studying software engineering at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden and had the chance to study abroad.
He chose the Georgia Institute of Technology, where Laura was also studying for a bachelor of science in civil engineering. They met via John’s roommate who was on the same course as Laura, and that’s how their friendship began.
The pair have many stories about their college days, which I was more than happy to hear.
– I remember a story about you studying for an exam on a bus back from Orlando, says Laura to John.
– It was a long weekend, and we had an exam the day after. We flew down to Orlando to visit Disney World for one day then took the bus back to Georgia, on which I studied hard. Disney World for one day is a crazy thing to do, laughs John.
John and Laura Mogensen playing stigegolf in their garden in Ursviken. "Think about your hobbies and then search for them because there’s probably an association, or förening, for it."
– This was before you met me. I was being a good student.
– I was probably just being very stressed in my dorm room, replies Laura.
John explains that he went to the USA with the intention of exploring and having fun (in addition to studying!) and discovered he welcomed the opportunity to do things he wouldn’t normally do back at home.
– There was another time when a group of us flew from Atlanta to Alaska to see the northern lights, now that was an adventure. For two nights we sat in the car waiting to see them, but we saw nothing! I’d never seen them, coming from the south of Sweden, laughs John.
Once John’s American studies finished, he returned to Sweden. Their friendship had developed into a relationship, so they took it in turns to visit each other's country.
“Well, he's either going to murder you or you're going to get married.”
– I remember my first trip to Sweden. I was working on site on a pre-construction site doing geotechnical engineering at the time. I was talking to the contractors I was working with, all in our dirty clothes and hard hats. I announced, “I'm going to Sweden to see my boyfriend”, smiles Laura.
– And for whatever reason, the guy I was working with said, “Well, he's either going to murder you or you're going to get married” says Laura.
Luckily for Laura, the latter happened, and they married in Georgia in 2019.
Married life for the couple started in Karlskrona, and they then moved to Skellefteå in 2022 so Laura could start a two-years master of science in wood technology at Luleå University of Technology.
By chance, on the day of our interview, Laura had just presented her master's thesis on ‘cross-laminated timber and glulam (glued laminated timber)’. With only a few minor corrections to make to her paper, she’ll be finished the course within a matter of days.
John and Laura Mogensen at home in Ursviken.
– My interest is in making buildings sustainably. In the US we're very much lacking both the long-term thinking and the human aspect that it should be comfortable when you're in a building. One of the things I've noticed going back to America, a kind of reverse culture shock, is that it's so loud. Even when you're inside, it's loud. And it's to some degree the way the building is made and the interior design. But also it's just because Americans talk very loudly, says Laura.
On the subject of culture shocks, I ask her how she found the transition to Sweden.
– A big challenge for me is the sun, or lack of it, even though it’s expected that's hard to adjust to. Even in the south of Sweden, that was something that was difficult for me to understand because Georgia is much closer to the equator. The sun is always over your head in the middle of the day, even in the winter, says Laura.
"A big challenge for me is the sun, or lack of it."
Laura and John have lived here for three years, so I ask them what tips they’d give to newcomers.
– Think about your hobbies and then search for them because there’s probably an association, or förening, for it. I’ve found that Swedish people, in general, have this sort of reserved front. So if you're bold enough just ask them, and they will definitely answer and help you.
– Be bold and say “I need help” or “Can I join you?”. They almost always answer “yes, let’s have some fun!” concludes Laura.