Lately it seems that almost all of my on-line friends are planning a move to Sweden. One friend found a Swedish boyfriend, and boom, she’s moving. Another one got a job with a Swedish company. And yet another one is being transferred by his current company to Sweden. And oh yeah, one is going as an exchange student and another one – she’s just moving there because she loves the country and its unspoiled nature.
And all of them are asking me the same question: how much of a culture shock can I expect?
Unfortunately, I am the wrong person to ask this sort of question. My personal opinion is that if you’re moving to Sweden from another western country, there shouldn’t be any major culture shock whatsoever. I mean, Sweden is a modern, developed country. It’s not like we ride donkeys* here and drink horse urine for medicinal purposes. You know what I’m saying?
True, there are many things in Sweden that might be different or done in a different way than what you’re used to back home. But to call it “culture shock”? Nah! I think that’s overkill.
And those differences? Yes, sometimes they can be annoying (but the same can be said about differences between life in San Francisco and North Dakota, for example), but they’re also the reason why moving to a new country is so much fun. If every place was exactly the same, what would be the point of seeing the world?
So here’s my question for you, my wonderful readers, and I really need your input on this one, because like I said before, I’m not really the right person to talk about culture shock. In fact, I dislike the term “culture shock” immensely, especially when applied to Sweden.
But where were we? Oh yes, the question!
When you moved to Sweden, what surprised you the most? What “shocked” you the most? And what advice would give to someone who’s about to pack his or her bags and settle in the land of lagom?
*) though sometimes I really wish we did – what can I say? I like donkeys! 
24 Comments
It’s the little things that shock you the most. The ready availability of horse meat, the state monopoly on alcohol, said monopoly closing at one o’clock on a Saturday, naked sauna, Warhammer accepted as a normal boy-hood pass-time, the list is endless.
But of course, some of these things, whilst a bit of a “culture shock” turn out to be pretty thumbs-up.
Be prepared to see the words ‘slags’ and ‘slut’ written on official signs everywhere. They are common but innocent words.
Take a turlapp (ticket for the queue) and wait.
Off licenses that make you feel guilty for desiring the products kept behind bars and glass (I exaggerate)
My biggest surprise when I was a young exchange student (30 years ago) was that Swedes generally didn’t use washcloths for cleaning their body. Not only that, but they rarely bathed! They only showered. It was only a little bit of a nuisance, not a shock. But, I was used to a washcloth and taking a bath from time to time in my home in the USA.
What took the most time to get used to was the frequent use of a bicycle. Even in the rain and cold, I was expected to ride a bike to transport myself most places within 5 miles, or so. There were no “soccer moms” driving a bunch of kids to practice or adults jumping in a car to get a container of milk!
The culture was very health conscious in other ways that surprised me, too. We’d have outings to run and cycle in the woods. People would go out for an entire day just to cycle in the country. That seemed pretty weird to me at the time!
Really, the greatest difficulty was how hard it was to make friends and meet people. It was hard to even strike up a conversation with people in passing, on a bus or in an elevator. There’s not much small talk over there. And, I knew folks wanted to talk because they’d stare at me. It was a lot of work to get to know people and make friends. I always tell people that Swedes live up to the stereotype of being “cold.” But, once you break through that hard exterior, they’re soft and warm and friends for life! Loyal to the bone!
What we enjoy (after moving from Holland) is the quiet traffic, the abundance of nature and the pace of the country life. We were surprised however by the long waiting lists and the poor service level of the swedish health care.
The personnumer thing seems to be a big thing, for people who move there.
The subways in Stockholm are different than those in Toronto, where I live, for 2 reasons: there is cell phone reception even underground! and there are vending machines on subway platforms!
When I’m there I notice so many more young, stylish people pushing babies in strollers, and more and more of them are men. Sure, men here hang out with their babies too, but in Stockholm they represent in greater numbers! It’s nice, I assume has something to do with generous paternity leave over there.
Stockholm has sensible bike paths, but on my first visit I didn’t know they were bike paths and I wondered why so many cyclists were riding on the “sidewalk.” But I guess they were wondering why I was walking on the bike paths!
You’re right, these are differences, but not culture shock. I don’t live in Sweden, but min pojkvän does and I’ve been there a couple times. Going again next month!
I have never lived in Swerige; just visiting and when you are on vacation your expectations and tolerance/ intolerance are quite different -not necessarily high or low, just different and that ‘s how I perceive culture shock, simply different/ intersting. Annoyed? Yes, maybe sometimes but I am occasioanlly annoyed at my own people’s habits and customes too. here are what I ahve observed:
- On my first visit in 1988: there were no comercials on TV. When I came back in 1994, there were.
-Cashiers in supermarkets do their job sitting on stools, not on their feet like their counterparts here in my part of Canada. This is nice. (I worked occasionally as a cashier during my university years)
-It’s common to see men taking real young babies out, in strollers, baby pouches… and it looked like part of their daily routines.
-Hospitals (at least the ones in Bora and Skene) have cozy waiting rooms for families on units with art work on walls and display cases, own washroom, coffee machine and supplies, etc. Except the bedroom, they look like someone bachelor suite – instead of the typical hospital cold look.
-Coffee is served a little after meal and after every meal of the day.
-People are not so bubbling even with clerks on customer services but they are polite enough.
-And here is the huge different: they speak Swedish there! (You don’t know?). I love the musical sounding of the language…
Will do more observation on next trip and if you brought up this topic again I would probably have more thimngs to tell you…
Hey hey!
Well, I havent moved to Sweden, YET…but the one thing that really shocked me when I was there last Feb. was that well people in the subway were so, I dont know, quiet? It was as if they tried to sit as far away as possible from each other, and no one makes a noise.
Down here, in Uruguay, you sit in the first place you see empty, doesnt matter if there’s someone next to you or not. And you even talk to the person, say something about the weather , small talk, you know….Haha. Sometimes some guys even get on the bus and sing or tell jokes.
I guess that was the “weirdest” thing I dealt with, “subway-silence”
When I moved here in 2000, there was very little consumer culture. One did not go to the mall and shop – why bother, when the clerks were not interested in your buying anything? Even today the service borders on the apathetic to aggressively disinterested in most stores. But it was good for me, to see where I had been placing my energy (I mean really, to get out of a consumer culture is a GOOD thing) and I started enjoying going out to buy one carton of ice cream, taking it home and watching SVT1 and SVT2
good job
Hey Anna! I think the big thing for me is that fact that people don’t generally say “Hey! How are you?” or greet others when they walk past each other like the states.
You could be jogging for miles in the woods and not see another soul and then you run into another jogger but they just jog right past without an “hej” or “hello”.
I think that’s the big one for me
I’m from Ukraine,so when i first came here everything for me was different.Of course, the high standart of living ”shocked” me. But my biggest impression was that most swedish girls are blondes with blue eyes. It s really nice just to look at this bleach blondies and listen to their speach.
I am afraid that you have lot of things to show but not coming towards the main item directly that is language learning or how you get information about language learning information mean Seedish into English. Can you help me into that.
Hi guys! Those are all great comments. I don’t even think or notice most of them to be honest. But yes, that lack of “hey, how are you?” is something that surprises many foreigners. In fact, I think it deserves a post of its very own. All your comments deserve a post of their own.
Ejaz, please browse through this blog and you will find a multitude of entries on how to learn Swedish – and all the info is in English.
I really like the combination of language and culture on your blog, tack så mycket, Anna!
Hej Anna!
I recently started reading your blog, in an effort to brush up on my rusty Svenska (haven’t used it in almost 15 years!)
It’s been a while since the last comment so I don’t know if we’ll connect, but I wanted to offer a different perspective on culture shock.
To me, culture shock is not about standards of living, how modern the country is, etc. It’s more about emotions than about anything material.
I work with expats, and I recently had an American client who experienced culture shock when she relocated to Vancouver, BC – literally across the border from her home state.
So you can get genuine culture shock even if the two countries are very similar – whenever you feel like a outsider or a fish out of water, you can get culture shock.
For example, take the way Swedes don’t volunteer additional information or offer their help without being asked. That’s hard to understand if you come from Canada, where someone will always stop to give you directions if you’re looking at a map in the middle of the street.
So to the Canadian, Swedish people seem depressingly cold, rude and unhelpful, whereas Swedes are behaving “normally” for their culture, by minding their own business – that’s culture shock right there!
Sorry for the long comment! I just wanted to throw that out there so that no one starts thinking that something is wrong with them if they get culture shock in Sweden – it can happen pretty much anywhere in the world.
What surprised me the most was that Sweden is way more liberal and culturally advanced than America. maybe it’s a good thing or bad thing, but definitely different.
I love it here though!
Well, there are lot of comments here that makes me nod.
I do experienced culture shock, though through my boyfriend’s Swedish blue eyes things make sense, and I understand why they are minding their own business, or why it’s so natural to spit on the street (which would freak me out in my central-european home country).
You got to understand the little things that were listed above in the comments, but somehow you will still have this outsider feeling.
It’s damn hard when you are moving here on your own to someone you love. You deal with relationship, the sensations of your new home, the cultural-social backgrounds, the unemployment, the language barrier, the dos and donts and freedom.
The freedom of choice, speech, wants is a great thing. And you can sense it here when you come from Central Europe.
I should have started to read this blog earlier, when I was preparing to move here. It might have helped me through some hard times.
Will try to catch up with the posts.
Keep on writing Anna.
I love to be in Sweden. It is a nice country with rich culture and lovable people.
Moving from one place to another is not an easy task. It requires great mental and some time physical efforts. Although have services of a professional moving company may reduce lots of tension.
I am a Canadian, and I believe Vancouver is a great place to move to. There are fantastic views, wonderful, comfortable and enjoyable accommodations in Vancouver.
Hej Anna,
Great blog post!
Things that I noticed whilst in Sweden.
- Men aren’t as gentleman-ly as Australian men! They just don’t fuss over you the way Aussie men do!
- Swede’s are very reserved! You have to make a big effort to crack em open. (I am guessing this is a cultural thing? Which is what Emanuelle said how Swedes like to mind their own business. So interesting! I would gladly offer directions to a stranger! lol)
- Swede’s don’t laugh out loud LOL. Reactions are more considered and thought out.
- FIKA! Jag ALSKA DET! “Fika imorgon?”
- Coffee is brewed!
- Kalles is ooshhh
- SO is salty liquorice – what on god’s green earth???
- Vastenbottens Ost is a dream
- Paid parental leave!
- Men are freaking HOT! Women too…
- Reindeer meat, hmmmmm
- Some swedish men can be very androgenous. I’ve only spotted one in Bali and I couldn’t tell if he was or she. He was really pretty. Ever since, I was certainly on the look out when I was in Sweden but to no avail!
I am moving to sthlm in 2 months and cannot wait for the ‘culture shock’! I have visited Sweden so many times with my Swedish partner I cannot believe it has taken me so long to up sticks and make the move.
I don’t know if its a generational thing or because of the Swedes general interest in English but I have always found Swedes, generally, to be a very social and friendly bunch. It always surprises me about the reported reserved nature…I can’t seem to shut them up! A lovely activity when I am wandering aimless in Stockholm is to actually start saying hej to people…the bemused, puzzled but slightly curious and happy look they often give is worth the effort … Who knows, one day we immigrants might get Sweden saying hello to eachother!!
Great blog, only just found it…
många hälsningar xx
I live in Barbados in the West Indies and there are a lot of Swedes living here, I know many of them and out of ALL Europeans, I find them the most generous, friendly, appreciative of others culture and would participate, and even do it better! The are fun loving and like a great party!
Americans and Canadians stick to themselves, never participate in the local culture and as expats return to their own countries (after years of living there) never knowing anything about the culture or people. They bring an attitude of ‘we have the best and our way is the way.”
The fact about Swedish men looking after the children…they have been able to get rid off the housework and child caring abuse that women in most other countries endure! They are great people and a great nation!
I live in Barbados in the West Indies and there are a lot of Swedes living here, I know many of them and out of ALL Europeans, I find them the most generous, friendly, appreciative of others culture and would participate, and even do it better! The are fun loving and like a great party!
Americans and Canadians stick to themselves, never participate in the local culture and as expats return to their own countries never knowing anything about the local culture or people. They bring an attitude of ‘we have the best and our way is the way.”
The fact about Swedish men looking after the children…they have been able to get rid off the housework and child caring abuse that women in most other countries endure! They are great people and a great nation!
We don’t ride donkey! We ride polarbears!
)
Interesting to read about Swedish culture. My husband got interested in visiting Sweden and Norway. He thinks the food and the culture are attractive because it is a very different culture than ours.
My husband experienced culture shock moving from Puerto Rico (Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands) to the USA. He thought people in the mainland where cold, not talkative, too much into making money and work, and did not dance and socialize as much as we do. But he came to appreciate that the USA is more reserved, quiet, commercial, and less social than we are.
I am scared how he might think of the Swedes. They seem a lot more reserved than Americans. And for my husband the Americans are very reserved.
Interesting. I still think he will enjoy Sweden.
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