Meet Will Steele

For Will Steele, it's been the unexpected that best captures his experience trading places in the GROW program, exchanging the U.K. for Sweden and books for magazines. Unexpected like massages at work, starting - and ending - work earlier, and the extras on the job. "I've gotten to go along to some events, such as the Vårruset race and the Topphälsa training camp, taking photos for the magazine and website, which is a welcome break from being in front of a Mac every day," he says. "It also gives me a chance to see places I probably wouldn't normally think to go to."

Steele says that he welcomes the faster pace of working with a magazine, Bonnier Tidskrifter's ToppHälsa versus books at Templar Co., and "to have a chance to experience a different sector of the publishing world and also explore another part of the world in the process."

Not that it's always been smooth sailing. Steele had an interesting experience with the ferries that ply Stockholm's archipelago, going from island to island. "Make sure to ask where the boat is going before getting on board," he says. "I thought I was boarding a taxi boat over to Vaxholm from the Kastellet, but ended up going to a remote island with a private party who were going there for dinner. I had to try and explain to the crew that I wasn't part of the group, luckily they dropped me back to Vaxholm free of charge."

The best thing about GROW is meeting new people, Steele says. "I've met some great friends already, everyone is so friendly and helpful and speak good English, even if they don't think so."