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The Newbie Guide to Sweden

The Newbie Guide to Sweden

We explain Sweden

Health

Summer is coming – protect your skin while enjoying the sun

1 June 2021 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Written by Rita Cabrita

We all know what Sweden is most known for. Or, let’s put it this way – we all know what Sweden is not known for: SUN!

But you might be surprised if I tell you that Sweden has one of the highest skin cancer incidence rates in the world. Quite contradictory, right?

This is due to the growth in the number of short getaways to sunny destinations at lower latitudes, but the main reason is still bad outdoor habits and mentality regarding how dangerous the sun can actually be.
Although sun is known for giving us the very much needed vitamin D, it can be harmful, if we over-use it and/or do not take preventable measures.

You might have noticed, since you arrived in Sweden, that as soon as there is a ray of sunshine, co-workers enjoy their lunch boxes under the sun, families and groups of friends go picnicking in the parks and people sunbathe in their balconies like sunflowers. And who can blame them? After so many months spent in the dark during winter, having a full day of sun is a true blessing.

But it is easy to get influenced by our surroundings, when we all want is to fit in and belong to our new home. You do not need to feel tempted to do that anymore. Let me give you a few simple tips on what you can do, in order not to skip that picnic in the park, or not to look bad next time your Swedish friend invites you for a barbecue under the sun at the worst time of the day. All you have to do is follow these simple precautions adopted by the Australian SunSmart® campaign: Slip! Slop! Slap! Seek! Slide!

Slip on clothing!

Clothing is our first line of defense against harmful UV rays.

Slop on sunscreen!

Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF-30 before going outside and re-apply every two hours, especially after swimming or other outdoor activities. Do you sometimes wonder whether sunscreen really works? You will find the answer once you realize how the sun sees you.

Slap on a hat!

Hats are not only fashionable but they also provide good sun protection by creating shade around the face.

Seek shade!

This is especially important between 10 am and 4 pm when the UV rays are the strongest. An umbrella or a tree might be very helpful to help you seek some shade. Nowadays, every weather forecast phone app tells you if the UV index is strong in your location, but a simple and maybe faster way of knowing it is by applying a simple shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you, the UV rays are the strongest.

Slide on sunglasses!

UV radiation can be just as dangerous to the eyes as it is to the skin. Get a pair of sunglasses that block UV rays.

Photo by chan lee via Unsplash

It sounds pretty easy, right? It is only up to us to stay healthy and safe.
Get the word out! Raise awareness among your friends and encourage them to take these simples measures, or maybe to read this blog post.

Grab your picnic basket or beach towel and enjoy the Summer!

 

About the Author

I am Rita, and I am from a country where you can taste the greatest custard pastry and enjoy great weather all year: Portugal. I moved to Sweden to do a Phd in Biomedical Sciences at Lund University, but I ended up falling in love and deciding to stay in this cold, but in its own way, so warm country.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: awareness, healthy skin, newbie tips, summer, sun, Sweden, swedish summer, tips

Visiting a doctor in Sweden as a tourist

24 May 2021 By The Newbie Team 1 Comment

Written by Malena Rasetto

Hej! I’m back, after my article about Sweden through an Argentinian’s eyes, I’m here to share my experience visiting a doctor in Sweden as a tourist. Unfortunately, I visited him twice! 

I had the pleasure to learn how to ski in the Sälen mountains. I stayed there for a week, so after a few days of learning the technique, I was confident enough to try an intermediate ski track when I fell and injured my knee. 

Åre, ski resort. Photo by Malena

It happened in Sälen, in a well-known ski resort. Given my knee wasn’t that bad, I didn’t go to the doctor there. However, after coming back to Östersund, I decided to make an appointment and get checked. 

As a tourist and not as a resident, the first thing you need when travelling is travel insurance, it will help you a lot. However, you need to take a few things into consideration: 

  1. Talk with your insurance company before booking an appointment, make sure they cover the appointment. 
  2.  Make sure of your insurance plan. In my case, I needed to be covered for recreational activity. 
  3. Be patient on the phone. YES! Every doctor’s appointment is by phone, and you may wait hours until someone answers. 
  4. Receptionists may not know how much it’s the appointment if you are not a resident, given it changes if you are from the EU or not. 
  5. Ask for every single ticket, and prescription in order to show it to the insurance.

Having said that…

Visiting a doctor in Sweden

https://unsplash.com/photos/yo01Z-9HQAw
Image from Hush Naidoo from Unsplash

I was lucky my host booked the appointment for me in a public health centre, so the communication and the information were clear. Doctors have good English, but some receptionists might have some struggles communicating. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I have very good face-to-face communication, the receptionist was lovely. 

The doctor was very kind too. I wanted to go straight away to a physiotherapist but my insurance didn’t cover it without being sent by a doctor. So I asked the doctor if he could write me a prescription saying I needed physiotherapist sessions, and he did it. In the end, I went to the physiotherapist twice. 

The doctor’s appointment is very expensive if you are not a Swedish resident or have a resident number. In my case, it was around 2100 SEK (206 EUR) because I have an Italian passport. 

Visiting a physiotherapist

Östersund, Sweden. Photo by Malena

I have to say that it was quite difficult to find one because of its fee. I tried to ask for a private physiotherapist thinking it would be cheaper but given I didn’t have a resident number, it was not possible for them to check on me. So I ended up going to a public one. 

Trying to book an appointment was a headache given you should call a number, leave a voice message and wait till they call you back. The time to call is from 8 to 9 am. So, wake up early and call as soon as you can. Luckily, the receptionist called me back the same day I called.

As the receptionist didn’t know how much it would cost me or if it would be possible I was seen by a physiotherapist, she gave my phone number to the physiotherapist, and he called me the next day and gave me an appointment. 

After all the goings and back to have an appointment, I finally visited one and the experience was very good indeed. Everyone treated me kindly and respectfully. The visit cost me less than the doctor’s, it was around 1500 SEK (148 EUR).

As a foreigner, they asked me for my passport, home address, Swedish address (hotel AirBnb, Workaway, etc.), and telephone number. My piece of advice for everyone is to be patient, Swedish people, as I described in my first article, are very kind and warm, and when it comes to work, they are very professional. 

Hope this article was informative and helpful. See you in the next article. 

 

About the Author

Hej! I’m Malena. I’m an Argentinian travelling Sweden. After living in Ireland for 2 years and a half I decided to start backpacking Europe. I’ve been living with different families since then. I love to be around different cultures, I love outdoor activities like hiking and swimming. I love blogging, reading and writing. You can find me on Instagram as @malenarasetto. I really hope you enjoy my articles! Vi ses!

Filed Under: Blog, Health, Sweden Tagged With: doctors, health, healthcare, healthcare in Sweden, Newbie in Sweden, Sweden

Fall in love with the dark season in Sweden

6 December 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Written by Elina Nomad

It’s here. The season of searching for the light. Many newbies and long term expats remember their first winter season in Sweden. As we all more or less have experienced seasonal depression. Myself, I ‘caught’ it too. With humour, my SFI teacher introduced me to this darkness “illness” by saying: “Welcome to Sweden, you need extra D- vitamin intake.” This was new to me, even if I grow up in a Nordic region too. I had not experienced it as I remember winters with bright sun reflecting from the heaps of snow.

My first experience with seasonal depression was in Malmö 2014-2015 winter. Through the years in Sweden, I have collected a few things that help me to survive the winter season. In this article I will share my personal story, maybe it gives to few newbies fresh ideas, maybe not. With the current travelling abroad taboo, you might find an idea on a local “searching joy in winter” trip.

Autumn friluftsliv with hot chocolate. Photos by Elina Nomad.

The colourfulness in daily life


Let’s be honest here. Autumn is very beautiful with all the colours in nature. Although most of us prefer the Swedish summer. And we find it difficult to adjust to this season. To make the pre-winter vibe positive across the world we have several colourful and joyful seasonal celebrations – Halloween, Day of the dead, religious candlelight evenings and in some cultures like Baltics have September and November autumn solstices. Another newbie has shared tips on what to do during autumn in this article. These festivities bring some joy, colour and fun and give us something to love about autumn. 

But how about Sweden? Noticeably, Halloween has been adopted to Swedish culture during the last few years. We do have All Saint’s day here with the candle lights at the graveyard, but it’s not that fun as Halloween, eller hur? In Swedish autumn culture, we are in luck to celebrate a day for something sweet. In this article Swedish pastry calendar you can find the dates to mark in your calendar and have a fika fest! Oh and let’s not forget – it is the “hygge” season. Candles, warm delicious drinks and watching movie marathons under a cosy blanket. 

The foggy autumn mornings. Photo by Elina Nomad.

My personal experience

My personal experience with autumn is melancholic and full of nostalgic moments. October and November have been my healing period months. The months of looking back on a yearly update and trying to stay positive on the job hunt situation. This is a big part of my story which has affected my mental health and quality of life negatively. Yet, to not allow the bad thoughts to get me down, the “healing process” took me to Swedish nature adventures. 

These are the most important activities/things and extra that helped me:

  • Regular sauna and sea swim bathing through all cold season (Malmö Kallbadhuset)
    Malmö Kallbadshuset – public sauna. Photo by Elina Nomad
  • Candles, fairy lights and adding colour in the Swedish IKEA black&white interior
  • Enjoying every single second of the sun. First time I saw Swedish people sitting or standing with heads up, eyes closed outside – I didn’t understand. What, why? Alien abduction? No, you simply learn to take advantage of each second of sunshine here
  • Looking at the forecast where the sunny weather for the weekend in Skåne will be to catch some friluftsliv moments. Or booking a farm stay Airbnb for a weekend.
  • Make regular friend-fika meetings

These five things helped to stay on a more positive note. From 2017 a new adventure opportunity came in my life – house sitting jobs in the countryside of Skåne. Most importantly, I had no idea that nature on the doorstop has such a big influence on my well being. Also, having a dog (even if not mine) was the best antidepressant!

  • Dog walking, dog sitting job
    My best friend from house-sitting in Skåne. Photo by Elina Nomad.

Living in the countryside

I lived in the countryside during the best time of the autumn. At its peak from the middle of October until early November. Seeing how nature changes day by day and noticing the sunlight changes, brought some calmness and peacefulness in me. This moment I realised my connection to nature, why I need it and why I am naturally such a nature weirdo. By MBTI personality test I am the INFP who literally is described as a forest fairy. However, this opportunity lead me back to my photography. I had neglected my photography because of the studies in university and SFI, while also trying to create a good expat life, you know it all.

On the farm, I woke up within sunrise. Me and my little best friend, in a form of Jack Russel, went for morning walks. It was my new routine – a camera, a dog and a take-away cup of coffee, walking through the forest trails. My experience naturally became my second nature and art therapy. I charged up myself with positive energy that the next dark months started to become easier. 

From the countryside life, I took with me to the city the new routine of a daily walk. I know it sounds such old news. I hadn’t noticed the everyday positive habits because my life was a little bit more active before moving to Malmö. Suddenly, the only thing to do was the job hunting which was draining the energy as much as the November’s darkness. As you see, I had enough time on my plate to research how to positively get through the darkest season.

All the beautiful morning moments in autumn. All photos by Elina Nomad.

I hope that this inspires someone to find a house-sitting job for a few weeks during autumn, or rent someone’s stuga out in the woods for your vacation. It is worth it, and it is, I believe that, one of the best ways to get to know Sweden, it’s culture and people. In my experience, the countryside people make better friends since we were meeting for dinners more often than I was meeting the always so busy city friends. To understand Swedish people through the connection with nature kind of gave me insights to their solitude way of life, short language and their funny expressions. Maybe that is a topic for another blog story later?

A little bit more serious note on winter darkness and health

A side note. After reading on Newbie guide’s Instagram the discussion on how to cope with the dark season, it got me to wonder about this whole story and my experience. This experience which I described, is not going to heal you if you suffer from depression. I only speak from my personal experience. My first winter’s in Sweden, I only had the lack of D-vitamin issues and in general the seasonal depression. With my “new habits” I described above, I could get through winter. However, once I experienced an extreme issue with lack of D-vitamin. To some people, the lack of D-vitamin is not so serious, but someone else might have more health issues because of it.

The dark season has treated me in many various ways. It has been a wonderful time of the year. And it has also affected my health and caused some serious issues too. Once the “dark season illness” begun to affect my life so negatively that I couldn’t understand why I felt okay mentally but otherwise I felt like my body is collapsing. I paid a visit to the doctor. I found out it was caused indeed by the darkness and my vegan diet (some products which I was allergic to). In other words, please be on guard with your health during winter.

Nowadays, we are self-proclaimed doctors by google search or listen too much what people say about health online. If you do feel your winter “blues” are starting to affect your life too much, reach out to a doctor, not Instagram, Facebook, online friends. As you know, in the Swedish health system, you need to be persistent when visiting Vårdcentralen.

Autumn fika one day campsite outside Stockholm. Photo by Elina Nomad.

Local tourism as winter medicine

In the summer, I shared with you my philosophy about the local tourism/travelling on an article about bike-packing adventure to Stockholm and back, which you can read here. Having a countryside experience in autumn just in the local region was my kind of “trip to sunny-land”. I was never able to plan such a trip. I focused on what can I do in the local area to survive the seasonal mood. From this mindset, I was lead to these several autumns and even summer opportunities to house-sitting jobs. The main duty was being a “nanny” to 12 dogs (3 different households), two bunches of sheep, several horses and even llamas and pigs! 

I never expected by booking a farm stay Airbnb, it will lead me to this experience. Yes, this is how I got my opportunities by having a connection with the farm Airbnb owners straight away.

  • That one morning when they all had escaped. Photo by Elina Nomad.
  • Soda, the guard. Photo by Elina Nomad.
  • Everything must be approved by a dog. Photo by Elina Nomad.
  • 2 week house-sitting the “Happy dogs ranch” airbnb. Photo by Elina Nomad.
Walking into the autumness. All photos by Elina Nomad.

Now, new beginnings in 2020 autumn

Currently, I live in a forest in a cosy cottage between a lake and the sea. This autumn, I am able again to connect with nature, observing changes and adjust to my recent move to Stockholm from Malmö. Exploring the new surroundings, I felt like a child at an amusement park. It’s impossible, to describe in words my emotions finding a new beautiful nature spot.

The best part of my new neighbourhood is a small sauna with a view of the sea. It is only for the locals of this forest village. Do you think it is easy after this discovery to do apartment hunting in Stockholm? No, it is not easy. But it gave me a dream. Experiencing my autumn’s out in the countryside gives me something to look forward to how I want my future to be.

The dark season has its positive sides with all the celebrations, but the dark side of it can be tricky to get through. Be careful with recommendations. In a few words, I will remind you of this: Get out more outdoors or try the warm healing of sauna. Also, do rent that amazing local Airbnb stay and explore the nearby nature parks. On a serious note, stay alert with your health and you will get through this season! The spring is just around the corner.

Please, share in the comments or on newbie guide’s Instagram your autumn and winter outdoor spots you love to visit.

  • October morning. Photo by Elina Nomad.
  • Värmdö life. Photo by Elina Nomad.
  • Autumn goodies. Photo by Elina Nomad.
All photos by Author.

This is my story for The Newbie Guide blog. If you are curious to see more of my photos of autumn colours – Instagram or read the longer in-depth story, you can find it on my blog: adventures of an introvert. Photographs © Elina Nomad photography.

About the Author

“The queen of the roads in Sweden”, that’s how my newly met Swedish friends called me. To Sweden, I came as a hitchhiker, a nomad with a smartphone capturing my moments. During my exploring, I met a “different Sweden” which is not written about in tourist guides yet. I became curious and fascinated by “Swedishness” which I also explored in academic studies a bit. Currently, I am more or less off the road as a freelance photographer and community manager, and content creator. Occasionally I am a house sitter in the Skåne countryside. About my adventures, I keep a diary blog and Instagram. Hope my stories inspire you to explore Sweden more!

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: seasonal depression in Sweden, Winter in Sweden

This Side of Covid19

29 November 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Written by Bonnie Thornington

For a while now I wanted to write about living in Sweden during the Covid19 pandemic from a Newbie perspective. I hesitated doing so publicly for fear of being judged, criticized and shamed. If I am completely honest with myself, at the root of my wavering is a simple and obvious reason: guilt.

As I read about and hear firsthand the experiences my friends and family are going through around the world, I feel grateful that I am in Sweden. Grateful because, selfishly, I still feel like I am living a somewhat ‘normal’ existence despite Covid19 wreaking havoc worldwide.

Different approach

As we all know, Sweden has taken a different approach to dealing with Covid19. Some would say all of us living here are in an experiment. Some would say the rest of the world is in an experiment.

Whichever side you believe is doing ‘the right thing’, we can all agree that the world is going through Covid-fatigue at the moment and that nobody knows if, when or how it will end.

I follow the news from Sweden, Canada and around the world very carefully. I read various sources of information to gather a well-rounded scope of truth. I know of some people who have contracted Covid19 and recovered. I know a handful of people whose relative or friend have died from it. 

I chat with friends and family around the world to see what firsthand experience they are going through. I formulate my own opinions but they remain that: my own opinions. Still, it is hard to convey to our friends and family who are not in Sweden what it is like to live here during these pandemic times.

We are like any other suburban family: school and work during the weekdays with weekends dedicated to chores, relaxation and getting out to explore a bit. 

However, I feel the difference is we do that with the same level of comfort and ease as we have done pre-pandemic times. I do not feel there is an air of anxiety when I step outside. I don’t cross the road when I see another person approaching me on the sidewalk. I don’t hold my breath when I pass someone close at the store. I don’t wear a mask.

On the other hand, I don’t want to make it sound like we don’t take precautions either because we do. Instead of shaking hands or giving hugs, we will wave to one another as we stand apart. Instead of dining-in somewhere, we will do a take-out or delivery. Instead of inviting people over to our apartment, we’ll organize a park get-together and have a bonfire.

*Update: at the time of writing this article to having it published online, numbers of infections and deaths have increased dramatically in Sweden and I am now wearing a mask in more crowded places, like grocery stores and at my place of work.

Comparison mindset

It is easy to judge, condemn and criticize from whichever angle you look at it, especially when the other person is engaging in behaviour which you find unsafe and reckless. But one can never know what it is really like for someone else because they are not living your reality. 

Until I had my own children, I thought I knew what parenting was all about. I used to say I was the best parent before I actually became one. When I would see other people disciplining their children in public, I would secretly think to myself, “Why are they doing it that way? I would never…” And then I had kids of my own and that promptly shut me up and shoved me off my high-horse. Parenting is a dynamic role with intricate nuances and forces at play.

Today I would never assume I know best how to parent another child because everyone’s situation is different. Also, I would never assume anyone else to know how to parent my own children because they don’t know my entire situation either. Yet it is still so easy to fall into the comparison mindset, to weigh up the similarities and differences, and judge accordingly.

In a way, I feel countries around the world are acting in a similar manner. Each country is so different, in makeup and mindset, that to compare one country’s response to Covid19 with another country is as useful as comparing my child’s development to my neighbour’s child next door.  

Numbers don’t lie and the increasing infections and deaths are facts. However, the why, how and most importantly, response to the situation, varies drastically from country to country.

Lagom feeling

Having moved to Sweden during the height of the pandemic in June, I went from living in complete lockdown for a couple of months in Canada to suddenly living with a new set of boundaries created by the Swedish government. I would be lying if I didn’t say it felt like a huge weight was suddenly lifted off my shoulders. My family and I were still cautious and vigilant, but the contrast was unbelievable. It was not really about schools, parks and businesses still being open, nor was it about the lack of masks around. It was a feeling that was in the air, one that wasn’t heavy with anxiety and fear. 

I came to realize after a few months of living in Sweden, that the feeling I was experiencing was one of lagom. Lagom is the Swedish term to describe something that is ‘not too much, not too little but just the right amount.‘

Upon reflection, living in Sweden has taught me the essence and importance of approaching things with a lagom mindset, which I feel extends to dealing with Covid19 today: don’t ignore the scientific facts and government recommendations but also don’t overreact and cause undue stress upon yourself or others. Take control of what you can take control of, like washing hands, physical distancing and staying home if you’re sick. But don’t let it overwhelm your everyday life. 

Bottom line: be sensible

Having come to terms with only being able to do stay-cations and modifying my family’s social plans is minor compared to many around the world who are in lockdown once again. Therein lies the guilt. 

The Swedish government has only ever issued recommendations (not laws) and due to the drastic increase in infections in Skåne recently, the latest recommendations are to: limit gatherings to no more than 8 people, work from home if possible, avoid indoor environments where there is a risk of crowding, avoid socializing with people other than those you live with or see on a weekly basis, avoid public transport if possible and avoid participating in sporting events for over those over 15 years old.

Fall wonderland Photo by: Bonnie Thornington

It is not a huge effort to shift our behaviour towards these recommendations with a lagom mindset. Think sensibly and consider the well-being of your family, community and country. Weigh up the risks and benefits for yourself in your own situation and take responsibility for your actions.

After all, this is a marathon not a sprint and as winter approaches, a balanced and healthy mind is what we need to see us through the dark months. 

About the author 

Hej! My name is Bonnie and I’m a Chinese-Canadian who has lived/visited over 60 countries, most recently travelling with my family on our 42-foot sailboat for the past year from Canada down to the Bahamas. I love music, yoga, swimming in oceans and lakes and will try anything at least once. I am excited to be moving to Lund and look forward to immersing myself in Swedish culture – especially fika and lagom! Hope you enjoy my posts as I recount my experiences of relocating and settling into Swedish life during a pandemic!

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: Covid19, life in sweden, Newbie in Sweden

Departures

16 July 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

This post is written by Letty

Moved by a personal episode, our observer considers human endurance in the face of disaster and the Doctor phobia of the male of the species.

I know I am attempting to take a wry look at this crisis but something happened the other day which removed any possibility of jollity. My husband, the undisputed love of my life, went into the hospital. He couldn’t breathe.

It is really strange how much we take our bodily functions for granted. That is, of course, until they cease to function. The older you get the more your body wears you instead of the other way round. I mean do you remember consciously thinking about your body when you were in your twenties and thirties? OK, you may not have liked the look of it but you never had to consider its competence.

Walking down the stairs now is like being followed by a mariachi band. Getting out of bed is accompanied by a lot of creaking and moaning. This is a design flaw. We should have sockets that open so that the limbs can be lubricated. Of course, if that were the case, Big Pharma would get involved and those, like myself, who are on the financial margins would be left creaking until COVID-19, or another virus, dispensed with us.

I watched without looking as my beloved man struggled to get even one breath. It was agonising. He is an asthmatic and uses a spray but this distress was in another league. He thought he might pass out and, in the event of that happening, I would have needed to keep calm and call 112.

My anxiety was reaching stellar proportions at the thought of having possibly to contend with a lot of Swedish options on an answering machine, none of which I would understand and as, in this scenario, my husband would be comatose, I couldn’t ask him! I made a mental note to do some research and be more prepared in the future if there was one. He had been ill for at least three weeks but men are difficult. I don’t understand their psyche. If you feel sick, call a doctor. Do not pretend, as you lie gasping, that everything is fine. His illness had been following a COVID-19 pattern with the exception of no fever.

But then again what is a COVID-19 pattern? You don’t have to have a fever, the coughing may be mild, you could have diarrhoea or a sore throat and so the list goes on. So after a lot of nagging, as he defines it, gentle persuasion as I define it, he calls 1177. In our case, with absolute honesty, my husband can trot out the well-worn line; ” my wife doesn’t understand me.”

My Swedish, despite my best efforts, remains at the level of a fairly inarticulate three years old. He emerges from the bedroom, wherein he had incarcerated himself in order to speak to the nurse out of earshot, wheezing that the nurse had given him the COVID-19 all clear. So that’s sorted then! No Corona, no need to worry.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER DISEASES?, I yelled internally. ‘It could be something else’, I ventured outwardly. I was rewarded with a warning look. The coughing, asthma attacks and general lack lo lustre continued unabated. The nurse had informed him that, as he had no fever, he could go into work. That Thursday he got tested for COVID-19.

He was told that the result would be sent to him in two or three days which seemed ridiculously long to me. At the time of writing, a week has already passed and no results. By the time they arrive, it will be time to get tested again! Miraculously, he then seemed back to normal and we had a great weekend.

Disaster struck on Monday. That was the day his breathing changed gear as he fought to control his panic and get some air into his lungs. I felt powerless because I was. The second 1177 call resulted in us taking a cab to the hospital without delay. We arrived at the emergency entrance and this is where things took an Orwellian turn. We went through the double doors following the clearly marked signage in Swedish and English. Ahead sat two men. One was a security guard and the other a nurse. There was a chair placed behind a yellow line onto which my husband was directed to sit. He must have been at least three metres from the men. I stood behind him.

The purpose of this was to determine whether or not he had COVID-10 – like symptoms so that he could be directed to the appropriate part of the building. We were sent to the COVID-19 tent. I was afraid. He was apprehensive. We walked together to a barrier beyond which I could not go. I hugged him and stood watching him as he disappeared into the tent. He had not looked back which was just as well or he would have seen a weeping woman. It had suddenly struck me that this separation could be final.

Back in pre-COVID times, I would have been with him, there to reassure or annoy but ‘there’ nevertheless. I would have waited with him while he got checked, waited with him while he was admitted, come back with pyjamas and toiletries. I would have made sure that he was in his ward and registered his surroundings, checking out his fellow inmates so that, when I thought of him, I could visualise him there. I would have gone to the hospital shop, purchased magazines which he would not read and grapes which I would eat myself. I would have stayed until he got tired or I was told to go and have left feeling that I had done everything I could to help him and knowing that I could come back the next day. I would have called our friends and, if he was going to be kept in, they would have come to visit him bringing more grapes which they would then consume as they chatted over his recumbent form.

What about now? You hug and say good-bye.

Thankfully he doesn’t have COVID. Yes, he is sick but he is home. I couldn’t help thinking about all those people whose relatives, partners, friends, children did not come home. We are all great at spouting statistics, using them to support our views on the relative successes or failures of other countries’ strategies but we should pause and consider. Every figure is a person who laughed, cried, loved and deserved to be given the best chance of life. Every figure is grief for some-one.

There are two episodes which stand out in my mind during this crisis and both of them happened in the UK. The first was a case of a thirteen-year-old boy who contracted COVID-19. His parents had to adhere to the lockdown rules and their son died of a cardiac arrest without a hand to hold. The last face he would have seen would have been that of a masked and shielded surgeon. How is this loss and the manner of it possible to cope with? I have no idea. I suspect that you don’t. It becomes life before and existence after. A gaping wound that is never healed. There are so many sorrow-crippled people as a result of this cruel virus.

The second image that haunts me is one of two nurses clad in their PPE holding one sign each against a hospital window for the excluded, anxious relatives and friends to see .

One read; ” HE IS AT PEACE”

The other read; ” WE ARE SORRY”

It says it all really doesn’t it?

Letty’s bio

New
Born in 1957 when dinosaurs roamed the earth and televisions were black and white.
Still New
Teenage years.  Counting pimples, writing valentine cards to myself, dodging bombs in war torn Belfast.  Waiting to be invited to the party.
Newish
Adulthood.  I am the party.  Developing a talent for addiction, unfortunate choices  and bad hairstyles.
Discovering that work is a necessary evil and that marriage is a life sentence without the satisfaction of murder.
Embracing contraception with enthusiasm until a dodgy diaphragm left me embracing my son.
Counting  wrinkles.
Renewed
No more work
No more husband
No more Belfast
Much more Stockholm
Much more love
Much more me.
SLUTET

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: COVID-19

Don’t Stand So Close To Me

18 June 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

A beginner’s guide to The New Normal. Focusing on Stockholm, this is the first of three blogs written from a bemused Irish woman, as she attempts to understand the Swedish reaction to COVID–19.There are no answers, only observations.  ” It’s a long road that has no turning. “

This blogpost was written by Letty.

It’s like being in a low budget, high risk, reality TV show. The players know the rules but there are unidentifiable enemy forces whose job it is to subvert them. The land is a mythical one of Norsemen and Vikings. The winner has to negotiate this perilous path of determined dwellers in order to emerge victoriously. The prize? Survival!

The leader of this band of recalcitrants is one Anders Adamant. Daily he patiently reminds the inhabitants of the risks and what they must do to stay safe. Ah but poor Anders is a trustworthy soul and he cannot conceive of a world in which his loyal countrymen, oft characterised by their integrity and belief in the welfare of others, have metamorphosed into a bunch of back-slapping, fun-loving, wine imbibing, gregarious dicks. Where he muses, as he is adorned in his colourful robes, is the surly Swede of yesteryear?

COVID-19, it seems,  has removed inhibitions. The rest of the world, except Brazil and parts of America, is in lockdown, removing themselves from unnecessary human contact. His People are abandoning their traditional reserve. Soon they will be kissing each other and , God forbid, dancing in the streets. Anders must be more Adamant and restrain his populace. A horrifying thought occurs to him. Maybe he got it wrong. Kanske.

There they all are obliviously chatting , drinking and eating in the cafe across the road. I stare at them, voluntarily imprisoned. I raise my fist and roar imprecations. They probably think I am dancing!

Anyway enough of that. I am not an ‘ologist’ but I don’t think lockdown is the solution. Eventually, you have to come out and, yes, the virus may appear to have been controlled but, without a vaccine, what has really changed except that people are even crazier than before they were incarcerated?

However, if people cannot stick to the recommendations then they have to be forced to do so. I know the Swedes do not like the force word but I am not suggesting welding people into their homes or shooting them. I simply mean that if restaurants and cafes, for example, are completely ignoring instructions, then they should be closed down. Otherwise, chaos reigns because, much to Anders’ chagrin I have no doubt, it would appear that the Swedes are as law averse as anyone else.

One thing is for sure the virus is spreading exponentially. Granted it appears to be wiping out those with impaired immune systems and the elderly in particular, but seemingly healthy people have also died and no-one is sure whether immunity exists or what the long term effects will be on those who have recovered from the disease. Why are children developing Kawasaki – like symptoms?

My head is melted.  I am sick of the phrase “the new normal.” Listen up, people. There is no new normal, there is “this” normal. However, if you live in countries such as Africa, South America or India, Corona is a mere bagatelle. What is a bit of COVID-19 when you already have AIDS, Cholera, War, Dengue Fever, poverty and starvation. How can you lock down in India or socially distance? Do you care if you have COVID-19 in The Congo? The thing is, nobody in our privileged countries gave a toss about the previous Coronaviruses because they didn’t affect us. Guess what? It’s our turn now so suck it up.

Here’s another ponder. Who wants to fly? If the God of Ryan Air, Michael O’Leary is saying that the only way to fly safely is to stay at home, then it is time to listen. Michael, don’t forget, is the guy who was thinking of making his poor unfortunate passengers pay to use the toilet.

Seriously, do you really want to pay to be on a plane where the air is contaminated, the toilet, if accessible, is full of all sorts of germs and your fellow travellers are breathing down your neck or lying on your lap? Don’t get me started on the cute super spreaders, yowling their way through the journey. Of course, if you are not Cattle Class then you might enjoy a less stressful experience but it will not be less hazardous.

Back to the window. The sun, the enemy of social distancing, continues to shine and the bar opposite is heaving. So I watched. A man and a woman,not in the first flush of youth, at a table together. Maybe they were from the same household, maybe married, maybe fed up with living. I don’t know. She seemed unsteady on her feet. With some difficulty, she managed to sit herself down and position her very large shopping bag on the ground beside her, handles on the pavement.

The man, meanwhile, was ignoring her which leads me to think that they were married. Suddenly he produces from his pocket what I originally thought was a rag but, as he affixed it to his face, I realised that it was a mask. He looped the article around his chin and seemed satisfied that he was protected from all ills. The waitress came out and positioned herself between them.

They gave their order but not before the woman had sneezed into her hand. She then put the germ infected hand onto the table as she attempted unsuccessfully to manoeuvre her bulk out of her coat. The waitress, being young and kind, assisted her.

Are you getting the viral load picture?

On returning with their beverages the waitress caught her foot in the handle of the big bag and a farcical interlude ensued wherein the unsteady woman tried to help the struggling waitress, resulting of course in detrimental spillage. The woman was covered with coffee, the waitress was covered in embarrassment and they were all covered in Corona. To compound the scenario, the waitress then took a cloth from her apron and proceeded to wipe down the customer who by this stage had her snot ridden hands everywhere. The man remained impervious throughout, sipping his coffee and wiping his lips with his mask. I had had enough!

Locked and loaded  I exited my apartment for a run. This is another COVID-19 anomaly. Prior to the global disaster, I had never run anywhere since I was seven and now sure I am like Usain Bolt’s Mother.  Mask away, sanitised gloves away, hand sanitiser away. It was like the COVID-19 striptease. Throwing caution to the winds, moving my limbs rapidly, I inhaled and exhaled deeply, focusing on the task ahead.

” I am a lethal weapon. Stay out of my way or I will smite you with my viral load”

No-one moves aside. They seem to deliberately push their babies in front of me.

I feel morally conflicted.

” F∗ck you” I shout joylessly as I take another route.

I hate having a social conscience. I am going to work hard on getting rid of it once I get my breath back.

Letty’s bio

New
Born in 1957 when dinosaurs roamed the earth and televisions were black and white.
Still New
Teenage years.  Counting pimples, writing valentine cards to myself, dodging bombs in war-torn Belfast.  Waiting to be invited to the party.
Newish
Adulthood.  I am the party.  Developing a talent for addiction, unfortunate choices and bad hairstyles.
Discovering that work is a necessary evil and that marriage is a life sentence without the satisfaction of murder.
Embracing contraception with enthusiasm until a dodgy diaphragm left me embracing my son.
Counting  wrinkles.
Renewed
No more work
No more husband
No more Belfast
Much more Stockholm
Much more love
Much more me.
SLUTET

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: COVID-19

What Covid-19 has taught me about Sweden

6 May 2020 By The Newbie Team 2 Comments

Written by Hayu Hamemayu

When you’re living in a foreign country, it feels like you’re living in two different worlds. As if you set your feet on two different places: your hometown and your current place. Consequently, you can’t stop wondering, comparing, and analysing, which one gives you the better fit. This makes you feel wobbly and restless sometimes, especially in the situation of a pandemic of Covid-19 like what we have lately.


The last couple of months have been a really hard time for everyone. We are forced to embrace the new normal and to redefine the concept of life as we know it. New vocabularies now become part of our daily life: COVID-19, social distancing, flatten the curve, flock immunity, lockdown, and so on. However, the situation had also brought a new revelation for me.

And this revelation revolves around one word: TRUST.

Can you trust the level of trust in Sweden?

I don’t have any trust issue, but when it comes to politics and government, I was raised and taught to be sceptical or at least questioning the system. But in Sweden, this has been constantly challenged.


In the context of COVID-19, Sweden has a different approach from my home country or any other country for that matter. Sweden employs quite loose regulations, even compared to neighbouring countries like Denmark and Norway.

The Swedish lockdown

Sweden doesn’t impose any kind of lockdown. Preschools, elementary schools, restaurant, shops and cafés remain open. People are not forbidden to gather or to exercise outside, unless it’s more than 50 people or if you have any symptoms. Travel is not recommended but the decision is very personal it’s just a piece of advice, not a strict rule.

In short, Sweden puts the decision on individuals and expects them to understand and consider their actions carefully and thoughtfully, which I found was a lot to process at first.

My mind was always full of cautions: What if people don’t listen to the government? What if the situation gets out of control? Why don’t we act more aggressively? And so on.

Surprisingly, Swedes do listen.

A study conducted in the last week of March 2020 shows that two-thirds of Swedes said they had stopped travelling, meeting people and using public transport – an indication that people follow the recommendations of government agencies (Sweden.se, 2020 – Archive).

There are some exceptions, apparently (as some people are still sunbathing in the town square and my neighbours are still throwing a party on Saturday night), but the majority still trust the country’s approach and the responsibility of its people.

Yes, some of them agree that the response is slow. Some others admit that maybe different approach is needed. But at the end of the day, they still have some degree of trust in the government agencies.

A personal reflection

I don’t want to get into the debate about the effectiveness of the strategy or whether the Swedish government is doing enough to halt the spread. Honestly, I don’t know which stand to take. This post is purely a personal reflection. The only thing I know for sure is that there’s still so much I don’t know about Sweden.

I believed that after living here for more than three years, I had figured out most of the things in this country. But I was wrong.

Before the pandemic, I didn’t know that Sweden has no law to impose a curfew. In life before coronavirus, I never knew about the trust cycle: people trust the authority, government trust independent expert government agencies, and government trust people. Or other Swedish things I should have known better.

But maybe the essence of living in a foreign land is never-ending learning, because the more you learn, the more you realise how little you actually know.

About the author

Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.

Filed Under: Blog, Health, Social Tagged With: life in sweden, Newbie in Sweden, newbie story, Sweden and Coronavirus, trust society, trust system in Sweden

Sexual Education in Sweden

5 May 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

As a sex counsellor, I have held seminars for different schools, groups and colleges and I have remarked one thing; young Swedes have quite some knowledge when it comes to sex and sexual education.

Okay, now I’m generalizing but still. I held a seminar at an international school in Sweden, where some of the kids are Swedish and other international. I remarked that the Swedes knew more about sex than the others. Furthermore, this younger generation does actually know quite a lot in comparison to me and my friends when we were their age.

Now, as you may know, I am half Swedish half French (born in Paris) and I have always had in mind that Swedes have more knowledge about sex than French people. How come? I mean, France is the country of love, shouldn’t Frenchies have more knowledge about sex? And most importantly, what is Sweden doing?

Sexual education in school since 1955 – sex och samlevnad

Sexual education for pupils has been compulsory in schools since 1955. That’s 65 years of sex knowledge thanks to RFSU and the Swedish State. Hurray!

First, sexuality education is compulsory in schools and has been since 1955. Second, there is hardly any opposition to sexuality education in Sweden. It is included as a part of the general health objectives for public health work and often referred to as an important part of STI* prevention and promotion of sexual health.

Read more on sexual education at RFSU page.

More knowledge – better sex life and understanding

Thanks to those courses/seminars about sexual education, kids get to know their rights, the laws, but most importantly they get the chance to know themselves and their sexuality.

Sexual education in Sweden conveys facts about sexual and reproductive health such as anatomy, sexual functions, sexual orientations, STIs, HIV/AIDS, abortion and contraceptives.

Sexual education in schools gives all kids the chance to some good basic knowledge about sex and relationships. The knowledge they might not be given at home, perhaps because their tutors believe that sex is a taboo or not age-appropriate.

The thing is, kids are curious about themselves and their surroundings, and sex is a part of it. I believe it is very important to give them the opportunity to understand themselves and the world. Whether we want it or not, sex is a topic that will follow us all our lives. Hence, it is beneficial for teenagers to be introduced to sexual education from an early age and in an appropriate way.

Sex isn’t shameful. Sex should be pleasure, nice encounters and self-exploration.

Written by Delphine Cartier

Delphine Cartier is a sex counsellor who specialized in sexual trauma, trafficking for sexual exploitation and prostitution. Delphine has worked as a volunteer for several organizations helping women who have been sexually abused and/or been trafficked for sexual exploitation. Furthermore, she is a board member at RealStars Stockholm, an organization that seeks to fight trafficking for sexual exploitation by spreading information about trafficking and the sex purchase law throughout Sweden and Europe.
Being born and raised in Paris, France by a French father and a Swedish mother, Delphine speaks fluent French and Swedish. Furthermore, she speaks very good English and good Spanish as she has lived both in London and Madrid a couple of years ago. Hence, she can have sessions in any of those languages at her office in Stockholm.
Visit her website for more info.

Filed Under: Blog, Education, Health Tagged With: sexual education

How to Donate Blood in Sweden

1 April 2020 By The Newbie Team 2 Comments

Donating blood is a simple act, but it can save lives! It only takes around 20 minutes, but to a person, it can mean a lifetime! I started to donate blood a long time ago. Back home it was very easy. Go to the donation center, sign up, and you are good to go. Here in Sweden if first seemed so much more complicated! But it’s not. Keep reading to find out why donating blood is so important, and how it works in Sweden.

Why do we need to donate blood?

As you maybe know, blood can not be manufactured in a factory. Despite a lot of research that is going into this field, it is only our bodies that produce blood. And there is a lot of need for blood. According to the Swedish blood donation organization GeBlod, we use one bag of blood every minute! 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Around 100 000 people in Sweden need blood per year. This is a tremendous amount. To have enough blood, there is a constant need for blood. In Sweden, this is done on a voluntary base and without compensation.

For what is the blood needed?

One obvious answer is of course for peoples that have been in severe accidents and lost a lot of blood. But that is actually not for what most of the blood used for. Most blood is used for people undergoing cancer treatment, orthopedic surgeries, cardiovascular surgeries or are treated for inherited blood disorders.
In elementary school, you most probably learned about the different blood types that we have. There is A, B, AB and 0. Besides that, you are either rhesus positive or rhesus negative. Depending on your combination (like A+, or B-) you can donate blood to certain other people, or receive blood from people.

If you are interested in learning more about the different combinations, OneBlood has a nice overview graphic.

In Sweden, the most common blood types are A+ and B+. If you are O-, you can donate to everybody else. But people with O- can only receive blood from other 0- donors!

How can you donate blood in Sweden?

To be allowed to donate blood in Sweden, you need to fulfill a couple of criteria. You need to be between 18-60 years old, being healthy, weight at least 50 kg. In addition to these, there are some additional requirements to minimize the risk of transmitting any diseases. As an example, after traveling to certain countries you need to wait a little while before you can donate again. You also have to wait a couple of months after you got a piercing or a tattoo, or when you changed sexual partners. These are just some of the standard requirements.

You will be asked all these (and more) questions every time you donate blood. It’s important to answer them correctly. Some more unique requirments for Sweden are that you need to have a Swedish person number and be able to talk and understand Swedish. For me, this last part was for a long time the reason I did not donate blood. I thought my Swedish would not be good enough! If you are also still learning Swedish, read more on the Newbie blog how to learn Swedish.

Some special considerations for Newbies.

Since recently, English speaking people are welcome to donate blood in Stockholm. To certain times and at certain places. Find out more here.

If you were born and lived the first five years in a region with Malaria, you need to wait three years until you can donate after each visit.

Were you in the UK for more than six months between 1980 and 1996? In that case you can not donate blood in Sweden. This is due to the outbreak of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in the UK during this time.

If you are not sure if you are allowed to donate blood, check out the GeBlod.se or call your local blood donation center.

How does donating blood work?

The first thing I did was to register myself at the Swedish blood donation organisation GeBlod. At this first appointment, I needed to fill in a general questionnaire. A very friendly nurse then went through the questionnaire with me. I already know the procedure from before, which gave me the confidence to have this conversation in Swedish. They took some blood to check whether there are any infections. Quite quickly afterward I received a message that I was accepted as a blood donor.

@Geblod

Donating blood

At my first proper blood donation, I needed to fill in another questionnaire. They design the questions to see whether you are currently healthy. It is also there to check whether you have been exposed to any potential risks within the last couple of months. For many diseases, like HIV, there is a window where you are infected, but a test will still be negative. Therefore, you are not allowed to donate blood as an example if you got a tattoo recently.

After I filled in my questionnaire, I briefly spoke with a nurse. Then I laid down on a chair, and the nurse places a needle in the vein in the arm. Over all the years I have donated blood, this was never hurtful. The nurses at the blood donation center are very skilled and professional. So it will hurt less than a normal vaccine shot! Once the needle is in and the blood is running, they will collect the first blood to run some blood analysis and send it to the lab to check for infections. They will do that every time you donate blood. After that, they connect you to a blood bag and you just have to wait until the blood bag is full. This usually takes between 10-15 minutes. During this time, the nurses will keep an eye on you and check that you are okey.

After donating

Once they collect enough blood, the blood flow stops automatically. During a normal blood donation, they collect 4.5dl blood. This is around 1/10 of your total blood. As your body is producing new blood every day, it will soon compensate for this loose. However, you should not do any heavy exercises right after you have donated blood.

In Sweden, you receive a text message when your blood has been used! Isn’t this such a great way to make you aware how important your donation is!

Are there alternatives?

Yes, there are. Many research centers/universities need regularly blood samples for their research projects. In most cases, they will be happy to have you as a donor even if you don’t speak Swedish. Usually, they take less blood than during a normal blood donation. Donating your blood to research helps scientists to understand more about our blood and diseases, and allows them to develop new therapies. So in the long run, you might also save lives by donating blood to Science! Keep an eye out for advertisement of this at your local university/research institute.

Have you donated blood since you moved to Sweden? Tell us about your experience!

Written by Michaela Roth

My name is Michaela and I grew up surrounded by mountains in Switzerland. When I moved to flat Lund to do my Ph.D., I initially thought it would only be for the 4 years that it takes to obtain this degree. Of course, life had other plans, and falling in love with a Swede changed my life completely. I am passionate about science, outdoor activities, and balancing multicultural traditions.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Tagged With: blood donate, donation, Sweden

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sweden: Updates and Q&A

16 March 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

We know that lack of information, language barrier, and feeling uncertain makes the current situation even more difficult for Newbies in Sweden. That’s why we decided to create a list of reliable sources that report information regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) status in English, as well as post short summaries from Swedish media.

What are the most reliable sources available in English or easy Swedish that I can follow?

We recommend the following:

  • The Local (English)
  • Radio Sweden (English)
  • 8 Sidor (lätt Svenska)
  • Krisinformation (multiple languages)
  • Red Cross
  • God Hjälp

What is the current status of the Coronavirus and how is the situation developing in Sweden?

Update: 01.04.2020

  • new rules regarding a-kassa: it is easier now to get the employment insurance paid out (you must work for a minimum 6 months for 40 hours per month – not, as before, 80 hours)
  • Swedish Public Health Agency advises against travelling on public communication and gathering in crowdy places
  • sports organizations are advised to cancel the upcoming matches
  • there are guidelines regarding the limits of the number of people in buses, trains and stores

Update: 28.03.2020

  • 3046 confirmed cases in Sweden, 92 dead coronavirus victims
  • Sweden bans gatherings of more than 50
  • Sweden gyms remain open
  • Swedish restaurants offer only table service now

Update: 20.03.2020

  • 1623 confirmed cases in Sweden, 16 dead coronavirus victims
  • everyone who is sick must stay home, avoid traveling, work from home and visit elderly people
  • people above 70 are urged to avoid social contact and spending time in crowded areas as much as possible
  • Volvo Cars pauses production in Sweden on March 26
  • Swedish public health agency advises against taking an Easter break in ski resorts

Update: 18.03.2020

  • 1196 confirmed cases in Sweden, 10 dead coronavirus victims
  • Sweden is closing borders to most non-EU travelers
  • Unionen reaches Coronavirus layoff agreement. From now on, employees’ working hours can be cut. Then, the Swedish state will step in. It means that the employee will retain around 90% of salary.

Update: 17.03.2020

  • 1121 confirmed cases in Sweden, 8 dead (all the Coronavirus victims in Sweden were elderly people with other health conditions)
  • The Swedish government advised doing distance learning in upper secondary schools and universities. The Swedish government is currently considering closing preschools and primary schools as well.
  • New rules for public transport. From now on, the passengers do not board the bus by the front door to protect the drivers. It means that you don’t need to validate your ticket the same way you did before. But you still need to have a ticket with you (either in the SL app or on SL card).
  • CSN states to continue to pay the support for students who study remotely.
  • Filmstaden closes all the cinemas.

According to the following sources: Dagens Nyheter, Dagens Industri, Aftonbladet, SVT (since 13.03.2020):

  • 1059 confirmed cases in Sweden, 7 dead (all the Coronavirus victims in Sweden were elderly people with other health conditions)
  • Finland shuts schools and universities to try to slow virus
  • Stockholmsbörsen (Swedish Stock Exchange) is down. SAS, Scandic and some other Nordic companies massively lay off their employees.
  • Stockholmers are urged to work from home.
  • Sweden launches 300 billion kronor crisis package.
  • Karensdagen is temporarily cancelled – it means that, unlike before, the first day of your absence at work will be still paid.
  • The Swedish government has decided to ban public events with over 500 people. Anyone who breaks this law can get fines or up to six months in prison. This law will stay in place as long as it is considered necessary to limit the spread of the virus.
  • The spring’s högskoleprov (scholastic aptitude test SAT) has been cancelled.
  •  To alleviate the health care sector, to request of a medical certificate for the first 14 days sick leave is not available.

What can I do if I was fired because of Coronavirus?

Currently, there is no additional help for those who lost their jobs due to Coronavirus. You might be entitled though to get the standard unemployment benefits.

What if I have the symptoms of Coronavirus?

As you might have heard, they are testing people only in special cases. Even if you have it, you’ll probably have a fever and dry cough. You can try to call Vårdcentralen (1177) or a special Coronavirus line (113 13). Currently, lines are very busy and it usually takes around 1.5 hours to speak to a medical nurse. Most people develop only mild symptoms that are similar to a common cold or flu. In this case, you don’t need any specialistic help. In case you have a high fever and respiratory problems, contact the numbers above.

Read More

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): what, when, where, how
  • Coronavirus, (COVID-19): what to do when you have to stay home
  • Important Emergency Numbers in Sweden
  • The Swedish Health System
  • Labour Unions

Filed Under: Blog, Health, Sweden Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, health

Covid19: What to Do When You Have to Stay Home (List)

14 March 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Covid19 is spreading around the country and more and more people are affected by it. Many of us have decided to stay home to work or study remotely, take care of the children or simply protect yourself from being infected or spreading the virus.

You may find this article written in a bit too dark humorous manner considering the circumstances, but I want to let you know that I am affected by Covid19 as well and I do take it seriously. My family member is in quarantine, nobody knows when and if I’ll graduate (the university I study at is completely shut down), my country closed the borders (my first Easter without a family) and I cancelled a trip that I was looking forward to.

As a person used to having a very active life and meeting a lot of people, after two (yes, two!) days of this unexpected quarantine I felt like I am going to start climbing the walls if I won’t do anything. Also, compulsive reloading the websites with news from two countries (Poland on my phone, Sweden on my laptop) at the same time didn’t help to decrease my already pretty high level of panic.

But after getting a good 8-hour sleep time, I came up with a few ideas on how to make the best of the time spend at home and how to get organized with some home list of things to do while in quarantine. And these ideas are much better and saner than sanitizing all your door handles with alcogel (done that) and building storage for a 30-years nuclear war.

Work & study from home

Working from home has pros and cons. I need to say I kind of like this feeling of sitting with my laptop in a comfortable armchair, baking while having a call (guilty as charged) and wearing my fleece pants instead of heels (don’t judge me, they are really comfy!). But what helped me to get organized and work efficiently was:

  • Finding a space where I ONLY do my work. It doesn’t have to be the whole room, a piece of a desk or a table will be just fine.
  • Have an agreement with my family members that when I work they don’t disturb me (OK, this one was easy. I don’t have children – the parents I know spread the care between each other and communicate about it up to their needs).
  • Trying to be a bit strict with myself – I was working eight hours from 9 to 5 before. I do the same now. I don’t reschedule meetings, I am taking them online and do exactly the same as I used to do before.
  • Keeping my place of work nice, organized and aesthetic.
  • If you can’t work remotely, take a shower and wash your clothes after you come home. Follow the WHO advice on how to avoid Covid19.
  • If you’re a student and your classes have been cancelled, follow the information from your school/university. Join e-learning or any substitute form of teaching provided.

Cool things to do when you’re in your home jail

OK, that’s it when it comes to normal life and performing your chores and duties. But being at home 24/7 saves you a lot of time. You do shopping rarely, you don’t have to travel to work…

So here comes the home list of what you can do:

  • take a course online
  • read books
  • answer emails
  • organize your wardrobe
  • watch a movie
  • bake
  • exercise at home
  • do spring cleaning.
  • study Swedish
  • get a long sleep and a lazy morning
  • give a lot of love to your family members and spend this time with them
  • take a virtual museum tour on your couch
  • schedule an online fika – common, we’re in Sweden, right?!

That’s my home list.

Do not neglect the danger. It is a fact that for some people Covid19 is very dangerous and we have to do all we can to stay safe. As The Newbie Team, we wish you a lot of health. We know it’s difficult and scary, but staying sane is as important as following the hygiene routines.

Let us know what do you do! We will add the best ideas to this list so we can learn from each other!

Read More:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): what, when, where, how
  • Coronavirus, (COVID-19): what to do when you have to stay home
  • Important Emergency Numbers in Sweden
  • The Swedish Health System

 

Filed Under: Blog, Health, Info, Sweden, Swedish, Work Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, mental health

Party or Poverty – Can You Eat Well On a Tight Food Budget?

6 March 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Food is not very cheap in Sweden. Why? Well, this country is far up in the North where things don’t grow year-round. Which means that a lot of food is imported from far away. And that (big surprise) will affect the price – and sometimes the quality.

Note: To keep The Newbie Guide free, we use affiliate links (marked with *) and may get a commission if you buy using these links. This does not affect our opinions and our writers always recommend their best for your Swedish experience. So if you want to support our work, simply use these links if or when you need to buy a service or product.

Some of our newbie readers have sometimes not too complimentary things to say about Swedish supermarkets. “They are too expensive”, “the quality is poor and there is not enough variety.” However, many other newbies quite like what is on offer – although no one is too fond of the prices 🙂

So, it seems that there are as many opinions about food in Sweden as there are newbies.

Here we have put together a little guide to help you get started on your Swedish food journey.

Sweden’s supermarket chains

As in most other countries, Sweden has a number of different supermarket chains. They vary in price, quality and location so my best bet is to try out a few different options before settling for “your” grocery shop. The most common shops that you can find in various locations are:

  • Willys
  • Coop – there are types of Coops, like Coop Forum, Coop Nära etc
  • ICA – there are many types ICA’s, like ICA Nära, ICA Maxi etc
  • Lidl
  • Hemköp
  • Netto
  • City Gross

Tip: On the different websites, you can find where their shops are located. Mostly it is under the heading “hitta din/min butik“. Or just do a Google search for the name of the shop and the name of your town.

Online food shops

The online food business exploded a few years ago and there are now many options available for you – as long as you live in the bigger cities. Newbies who live in less urban areas may have slightly fewer online food options.

  • Linas Matkasse* – if I am not mistaken, Linas Matkasse was one of the first, if not the first, to offer a matkasse. Their concept was that it is not necessarily the buying of groceries that is annoying but the coming up with what to eat. And as the question “what shall we eat tonight” is said EVERY single evening in my house, I can only applaud their business idea:-) Linas Matkasse therefore offers 5 recipes for four people and all the groceries you need to cook the meal. They do home delivery.
  • Matsmart* – this is the place for those of you who are very price-conscious and/or want to contribute to less food waste. Matsmart sells food that “normal” shops can’t or won’t sell, such as items with old or incorrect packaging, short or passed sell-by dates, overproduction or seasonal items. They offer 20-90% discount and deliver all over Sweden.
  • Hello Fresh* offer you their own super easy and healthy recipes, then they deliver you home all the desired ingredients. They update their “cookbook” every week with 12 new exciting options!

  • Most of the “physical” grocery shops like ICA, Willy’s, Coop etc. also offer an online version. Some with home delivery and others give the option of picking up the ready packed bags at your local shop. Check out their websites.

Tips to keep in mind when buying food

Don’t buy the wrong thing 🙂 As most product labels and special deals are in Swedish, it can be a good idea to use Google Translate or a friend to avoid some usual pitfalls. Mostly you will know what you are buying but some products can be a bit confusing. We asked our newbies what products they got most confused in the beginning and have set up a list to help you out during those first supermarket visits:

  • “I bought fil instead of yogurt and then threw it out because it was “sour”. I just couldn’t understand how it would go bad so quickly.
  • All the different types of flour. I just couldn’t keep them apart.
  • The weird smell of packed chicken, I though it was off so took it back to the shop:-) “
  • “Mörkt muscovadrörsocker instead of brunt farinsocker! PS. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep the farinsocker soft? I usually put in a dried orange slice at home but it doesn’t seem to do the trick here…”
  • “I bought filmjölk and put it in my coffee. Thought the milk had gone bad so went back to she shop. Bought filmjölk again, same thing. I now drink my coffee black:-)”
  • “I bought messmör thinking it was butter. But it wasn’t. ?”
  • “A guy in my student halls bought hair mousse thinking it was squirty cream. “
  • “For the longest time I thought that apelsinjos was apple juice or a bizarre mix of apple and orange juice. Why don’t these crazy Swedes have pure orange juice, I wondered each time I was at the grocery store.”
  • “I bought filmjölk—like four or five times. I started thinking this was a country to worry about food safety..”.

Bring your own shopping bags. Sweden is working towards more sustainable goals which means that you have to buy paper or plastic bags in most shops today.

Sign up for membership programs. Pretty much all shops offer memberships and membership deals. Sign up and wait for the deals to come.

Make comparisons – Every year, there are surveys mapping the most expensive and the cheapest grocery shops in Sweden. Here is a comparison between food chains all over Sweden (article in Swedish).

So, I hope you enjoyed this post and that you found some good tips for your future grocery shopping. If you want to read about traditional Swedish food, check out this blog post. Aaaand before you go, please let us know what were your early “grocery shopping mistakes” in the comments, it is always nice to know one is not alone in making these kinds of mistakes. 🙂

Filed Under: Blog, Health, Sweden Tagged With: cheap shopping, concious shopping, food, matkasse

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