We explain Sweden
Marstrand, advertised as the sailing metropolis of the west coast, is a beautiful island only a stone’s throw from Gothenburg. It comes to life during the summer, but it’s just as lovable during other seasons. I have been there several times and it never gets old, so do yourself a favour and visit Marstrand. Past and […]
Fika is much more than just a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. At work, fika is a social event, in which one gets not only to relax and take a break but also to know the colleagues a little better. The art of fika doesn’t rely on the quality of the coffee, […]
If you are arriving in Sweden with a baby or young child, you will no doubt be keen to find activities to fill their days with almost from the get go. Sweden’s fantastic network of öppna förskolor (open preschools) can be a wonderful place to start. Open preschools (sometimes known in English as ‘stay and […]
So what is this Semla that I’ve been hearing excitedly from everybody so very often this month in January? Well, it is to (my) no surprise that the Semla turns out to be this sweet creamy burger-looking thing that’s available in almost every bakery in Sweden by now. A Semla is a wheat flour cardamom-flavored […]
There are things that are just not done in Sweden and things that you definitely do. Here are a few I have picked up on… mostly the hard way. Recycling Swedes are very environmentally conscious, and recycling is a huge ordeal. My first week, I remember lugging all my recyclables down the street to the […]
“There’s not bad weather, only bad clothes”, a Swedish proverb says. Mm… Is that right? The hassle to wrap myself up with infinite layers of clothes, including two pair of socks, waterproof boots, gloves and a hat it’s not something I’m looking forward to. Although I love being outdoors, doing activities close to nature, this […]
After three months of immersing myself in Swedish, I’m going to make a small resolution. It is one thing to pass the language course but to actually apply it in real world is another. And because spring is here, let’s get out more! For a shy and introvert person it can be hard to force yourself out […]
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 […]
Want to make Swedish friends? Want to know them more or want to learn more about Swedish behaviour? Yes? then there is a ‘Short & Sweet’ way to do that – and in Sweden we call it a ‘Fika’. When I heard this word for the first time, I had several thoughts ranging from fika […]
”Ska vi fika?” when you are asked this question in a Swedish office, the only answer you are supposed to give is ”Yes”. What have you just said “yes” to? Probably to the most common moment of relax in any office worldwide: the coffee break. The Swedes have this little word, Fika. If you wonder […]