We explain Sweden
Swedes are usually very good at English but sometimes, as you are likely to notice if you hang out with Swedes long enough – things can get a bit confusing. And it quite often has to do with proverbs that really don’t work when directly translated. But what are proverbs? A proverb is a popularly […]
We are sure you’ve noticed – winter has well and truly arrived in Sweden. Temperatures have been hitting rock bottom for the last couple of weeks with arctic Russian winds coming in over the country. So with the cold biting at our cheeks, a post about how to survive the Swedish winter is just the thing. Dress warmly […]
Christmas is soon to come and even though The Newbie Guide to Sweden writes about life in Sweden – we think it’s only fair to test our Newbies knowledge of Christmas traditions around the world. So let’s get international in true Christmas spirit! And just so you are warned this is a difficult one.
It’s Nobel Week! It’s the second week of December and the Nobel prize laureates are being awarded their prizes. Parties, speeches and presentations happen all over Stockholm but – how much do you really know about Alfred Nobel and his famous prize? Go on – test your knowledge.
It’s December and let’s face it – the darkness sucks. In some parts of the country the snow has arrived already and in the rest of Sweden it’s simply cold and wet. All in all, not a great set up. So it’s not surprising that Swedes, being resourceful creatures, have come up with a a […]
December is here which means Advent is upon us, and few celebrate it as much as Swedes. And not only do they abide by many traditional Advent customs but they eat and they drink and they light candles – all to help battle the darkness of December. So the question is – how much do you know about Advent and the […]
Every country has its fair share of weird expressions and Sweden is no different. As a Newbie who speaks Swedish you will soon encounter Swedish expressions that will make you a bit confused. And if you don’t speak Swedish yet, don’t worry – it is quite common that Swedes will take their expressions and just […]