Nurse goes viral with over 5000 mile job commute from Sweden to California

A nurse is getting a lot of attention on TikTok and Instagram for her incredibly unique commute – she travels to work from Sweden to the United States! It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true.

A commute of less than an hour is a huge benefit for most people. It frees up valuable time for things they enjoy, like spending time with loved ones or running errands without feeling stressed.

TikTok creator Courtney El Refai has a unique work situation. She’s a nurse in the United States who works shifts only when extra help is needed. But instead of living near a hospital, she and her family actually live in Sweden.

Courtney and her family relocated to Europe in December 2024. She’s been sharing her experiences traveling extensively while living there, and her TikTok and Instagram followers have been very impressed.

Courtney El Refai travels from Sweden to USA for nurse work

Although she’s known as a ‘super-commuter’ on TikTok, she doesn’t travel between continents regularly. Instead, she flies to the United States every few weeks for about ten work shifts.

She explained to Business Insider that the income covers several months of expenses in Sweden and gives her the family time she needs without feeling like she’s sacrificing anything.

My temporary job allows me to have a flexible schedule, which is great because I can focus on things like learning Swedish, building friendships, spending time with my daughter, and enjoying my hobbies while I’m here in Sweden, she explained.

Courtney doesn’t receive standard benefits like health insurance or paid time off. Instead, she earns a high hourly rate – at least $100 – as a form of compensation.

Traveling does have its downsides, and it’s not just about the expenses like flights and lodging, or feeling tired from changing time zones.

She finds it challenging to stay connected with loved ones in the US whether she’s living in Sweden or California.

Courtney mentioned she doesn’t work for ten days in a row when she’s in the United States, always taking at least one day off between shifts.

She explained that while the daily commute is terrible, the job offers a great perk: six weeks of time off after every ten days of work.

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2025-09-23 13:48