Getting used to living in another country can be quite difficult and you might be making some mistakes. Swedes have some “rules” that no one tells you about, but can do wrong many times. Are you doing something wrong? Paying in cash Sweden has the most beautiful banknotes in the world (literally), yet they actually don’t really want you […]
culture
Libraries, the best kept Swedish secret
Written by Sara Costa I am a book lover and undeniably a library lover as well. There is something cosy about the rows of shelves full of stories, the air filled with imagination and the smell of books that co-exist in libraries. I have visited many libraries and I have always wished to live in […]
Learning Swedish with TV shows
Written by Sara Costa When I was a child I was only allowed to watch TV after I was done with my homework. Now, back as a student at SFI and SAS, I hear the teachers advising to watch TV and practise Swedish. Things have changed and I have actually learned a lot by watching […]
Integrating in Sweden: easy or not?
As a Dutch girl, I come from a culture somewhat similar to the Swedish culture: we both work hard, aren’t too social but also not unsocial, we always talk about the weather and we’re both in the list of the happiest countries in the world. You’d think that integrating in Sweden would be really easy […]
The social guide to understanding Swedes
In most cultures across the globe, people have habits and quirks that make perfect sense in that particular country but that can totally baffle a newbie. Swedes are no exception and have certain lifestyle codes which can be good for newbies in Sweden to keep track of. As a newbie, it can sometimes be hard […]
How to act like a typical Swede
Unsocial, cold and candy lovers is often how people describe the Swedes. However, I had noticed many more things in Sweden, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. I decided to really pay attention to the Swedes around me and wrote down everything I noticed. Here is 5 things to know on how […]
Expectations vs reality in Sweden
Expectations vs reality in Sweden can be a bit of a shock an eye opener when you arrive. What you thought was a universal truth may not at all be the case, while other expectations hold totally true. Expectation: Sweden is expensive Reality: Yes, Sweden is more expensive than many countries, but it’s definitely not […]
Swedish supermarkets – what can they teach us?
Written by Sara Costa If you want to know more about someone, go and look in their fridge. If you want to know more about a country, go and look in their supermarket. There you will not only find out about the most common shopping routines of the locals, but also other hints about their […]
Is there such a thing as something genuinely Swedish?
With the winter solstice around the corner and the streets waiting for snow glistening like Christmas cards, the Swedes are turning inwards, in space and time. Knowing there is no way we can overcome the darkness, we embrace it. We collect and bring home warming fragrances of citrus, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, saffron, conifer needles. Stars […]
Christmas in Sweden
Christmas time is here, finally, many of us think. But look around you. If you live in Sweden you probably know someone who actually doesn’t celebrate Christmas. I had never thought about it until I had a Swedish class in which we discussed celebrations and festivities. There and then, I understood that those who do […]
Instant fluency with conversation fillers
Every language has its very own way to stall a conversation. When the speaker suddenly comes to a halt because the brain can’t keep up, there is this short buffer time, which gets filled with a set phrase. In this case I’m not talking about uhms and ehs. But about actual words or sentences that […]
Sweet Swedish Days
Have you heard of special food days such as fettisdagen, våffeldagen or even kanelbullens dag? As a newbie myself, finding out that such days exists just amazes me! Traditionally, there are various types of sweet stuff that are consumed by Swedes on certain days throughout the year. Fettisdagen – the Swedish cream bun day It is […]
