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Dear Be,

I hereby welcome you to spend the spring and summer with me in Sweden.

It would be an honor to introduce you to our endless nights, where the sun barely has time to set before the birds begin their morning song. There is something magical about this light, something I cannot fully describe, but that I cannot wait for you to experience.

May is a blooming month, as beautiful as it is fragrant. If you pay attention, you will notice how color slowly returns, rising from what was once a long, grey stillness. It is the month that makes you fall in love with Stockholm—followed by June, when you realize you already are.

You will get to experience some of our most traditional things: herring in its many forms, färskpotatis with dill, and strawberries served with unwhipped cream and sugar (but maybe we can find some condensed milk). There will be picnics in the park, long evenings by the water, and the maybe-a-bit-too-cold swims that you may hesitate before, but never regret afterwards.

You will also experience Midsummer, where we will dance around the midsummer pole and celebrate under the open sky. I look forward to seeing you wearing a flower wreath, taking part in this strange and beautiful tradition.

I will guide you through it all. From the unspoken rules of not kissing in public, to understanding that silence here is not distance, but simply a different kind of presence. And on the days when the sun is shy and the air turns cold, I will make sure to keep you warm.

Stockholm has much to offer, and I hope you will come to appreciate not only this beautiful city, but also my Stockholm with the favorite places, friendships, and life I live here. And beyond the city, there is more I wish to share with you: perhaps a road trip along the west coast, and a journey to Gotland.

I am looking forward to sharing these bright months with you, to experiencing everything they have to offer, and to the life we will live together. Sweden is waiting, and so am I. But more than anything, I just want you to be with me.