A new chapter

Written by Oussama Echchalim

    I arrived in Lulea nearly three weeks ago, and life here has been a striking departure from what I'm accustomed to. It's like experiencing the opposite end of the spectrum. The city exudes tranquility; there aren't many residents, and the weather is remarkably cold. This is in stark contrast to Casablanca, a city characterized by its high population density and constant noise. In a way, I believe that's precisely the point. It's why I chose to come here. I could have applied for projects in other countries with more cultural similarities, but I deliberately chose this path. I yearned to live and experience the extreme opposite.

So far, life here has been incredibly fulfilling. Josh, Elisabeth, and I engage in a variety of activities in Sundet, namely gardening. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we prepare dinner in EFS church. The community meals that we share are a open and everyone is welcome. Even many individuals on the fringes of society join us regularly. The leader of each meal is not necessarily the same. It really depends on the schedule of each person. But I'm having fun getting to work and to cook with each one of them. These activities not only provide a sense of fulfillment but also imbue purpose into my journey here. 

    Thanks to our dedicated gardening efforts, we are not only able to harvest an abundance of fresh vegetables but also share them within our community, as opposed to simply purchasing them. This endeavor not only benefits me as a volunteer but also helps me gain a deeper understanding of the vegetable-growing process. I take immense pride in the fact that our garden's produce allows us to prepare and serve meals right in our church, using the vegetables we've nurtured ourselves. We are working towards the goal of providing six meals this fall, and I'm thrilled to report that we've already achieved five. Through these practices, we also aspire to inspire others to appreciate the value

of healthy and sustainable food production and we hope to encourage more people to recognize the benefits of making such choices for a healthier, more sustainable future."

    Another thing that I would like to touch on, is the spiritual side of the journey. I have been able to enter different churches and have interesting conversations with Christians in complete peace, something I could not do back home. Consequently, I have learned a lot about my new faith. something I am really grateful for.

    I am really happy that I came here to Lulea, as the time that I will be spending in Sweden will prove to shape the rest of my life drastically for the better.