Last Thursday night I saw something that I will never forget. Stand-up comedy in Gamla Stan, Stockholm. In English. By Swedes.

It’s not that the comedians were snort-inducing (they weren’t), or that the crowd was lively (we weren’t), or that the beer was cheap (it never is), it’s that all but one of these men performed stand-up comedy in a second language. I understand this is a place to learn Swedish, the language, the culture, the people, but watching stand-up comedy in English, in Stockholm, performed by Swedes was well worth mentioning.

There were the classic comedian stereotypes. The awkward guy. The young guy. The crass guy. And of course, the guy with the guitar. They hit on everything from Systembolaget to the iPad. In the end though, it’s not necessarily the jokes that will bring me back. It’s the language.

The stand-up comedy reminded me of the power of words. How different degrees of fluency allow us to truly master a language. To stand in front of a group of 20-30 people (most of whom were native English speakers) and tell jokes bilingually is not just impressive, but encouraging. The comedians were able to meld two worlds together, and to do so in a second language. They kept their distinct Swedishness, like their self-deprecation, but presented it in English. It’s something that I strive for everyday trying to preserve my own identity from having grown up in the US, while still adapting to being me, but being me in Swedish.

Some of that may stem from the fact that Swedes are capable of being on stage and doing a quick stand-up routing, in English. Swedes are notorious for being able to speak English very well. So much so that, often, if a hint of an accent appears when speaking Swedish, they will switch to English. As Ola Lustig says in his video “Simple Swedish - Episode 1,” “My English is still better than your Swedish.” (The video can be found on YouTube but because of some somewhat questionable language, in English, you’ll have to search for that one on your own time. Just type in the title and you’ll be good to go.) And it’s true, their English IS better than your Swedish. Which can be horribly frustrating, but also very motivational. Because when you get to that point and Swedes stop responding in English and respond in Swedish, you’ve accomplished something.

I have always believed that there is a responsibility when moving to a different country. A responsibility to adapt, to an extent, to the culture you find yourself in, just as it is important to never forget your own culture. It’s a balance that must be struck; one that I think allows you to pick and choose the best of both worlds.

So move to Sweden. Celebrate President’s Day. Learn Swedish. Or don’t move to Sweden. But celebrate Santa Lucia. And of course learn Swedish. Because who are we kidding, knowing a language that is only spoken by about ten million people is just kind of fun.