A Vernon expat living in Sweden was given a slice of her hometown for her birthday.
Boyfriend Per Liljered contacted the Vernon Morning Star seeking a transatlantic newspaper delivery to surprise birthday girl Laurisa Dohm.
“She was born and raised in Vernon and her family still lives there,” Liljered said. “Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we an’t go there for her birthday and she misses her hometown very much these days.”
Dohm said she was definitely surprised when headlines from her hometown arrived in the mail.
“It was thoughtful and also something very original that fit perfectly with his M.O.,” Dohm said of Liljered. “He loves to read the newspaper every morning and is notorious for giving everyone books as gifts.”
Dohm has called Gothenburg, Sweden, home for the past two years. Before that, she was residing in Quebec.
“Moving to Sweden was a big change for me,” the Vernon native said. “Especially moving to a bigger city.”
Some culture shock came with the move as well, Dohm said.
“When I first came here, I remember trying to make small talk with a cashier at the grocery store. I asked the lady how she was doing today and she replied with a very confused, ‘do I know you?'” she wrote in an email.
“So, it took some time to learn Swedish social rules.”
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