Resistance is futile.
Oh, wait! That’s a different movie!
I was going to write about something else, but then I started to read The Local, (because someone sent me a link to one of their articles – an opinion poll on the Swedish language) and now today’s topic has changed.
I don’t normally read The Local, because I have very little need for it at this point, but once in a while when I have to, it proves to be a very edifying read. So, what is The Local? In short, it’s an internet newspaper about Sweden in English. Put out by expats for expats. And it’s that expat perspective that sooner or later gets to you.
True, The Local might be the only way that fresh arrivals to Sweden can access any sort of news in English. But that’s not really true, SR (Swedish Radio) also has English language news, and they are not as biased as what The Local presents.
After a while you will notice the pattern – it’s always about how hard Swedish is, what a strange foreign country Sweden is, what odd creatures the natives are. And though I can almost agree with the last bit – they do seem odd until you get to know them, a steady diet of such info can really affect a person’s perspective – in a very wrong way.
I strongly believe that the sooner new immigrants can break the grip of The Local, start reading Swedish newspapers and forming their own unbiased opinions about the country, the sooner they will feel at home in Sweden.
It’s not as if Sweden was some wild, undeveloped country (with sincere apologies to all wild and undeveloped countries out there) – it’s a mainstream, western, European nation not that different from other mainstream, western nations. It might have a few quirks here and there, but all countries have them. That’s what makes them special.
You’re stuck in The Local rut but want to learn Swedish? Then make friends with the natives. How? Talk to them! It’s not as hard as it sounds. They may seem shy and skittish at first, but get a six-pack (though even half a pack will do, really) into any Swede and his/her cold, icy exterior melts to reveal a funny and engaging personality underneath. This is the ideal season to meet people. There are parties going on practically everywhere. And despite their tough appearances, Swedes are very curious people – chances are they WANT to meet you and talk to you, they’re just painfully shy and don’t know how to begin.
If you’ve come to Sweden to be with your Swedish partner, you already have a built-in support network at home. Use it! There are many of us who didn’t have that luxury and had to assimilate the hard way. But then again, how hard is it to make a new life in a modern, developed western nation when you yourself come from a modern, developed western nation? Or even from a modern, developed eastern nation, for that matter.
So, when you read The Local, take its opinion on expat life with a grain of salt. And then go out and form your own opinions on Sweden, Swedes and Swedish.
The Local does serve a purpose, it helps to make the initial transition from an English speaking environment to a Swedish one a little bit easier. Heck, our own regional newspapers could use a weekly section in English to cater to the rather larger foreign population in Västerbotten. But once you become proficient in Swedish, it is essential that you embrace the new language, and make every effort to use it on a daily basis. Even if it means getting your news in Swedish. Even if when you speak Swedish with a thick foreign accent, people automatically answer you in English. Don’t give up. The sooner you take that plunge, the sooner you will begin to feel at home in Sweden. Tough love baby, tough love…
PS. And I feel like a total hypocrite giving this pep talk, because I have one of those whiny and complaining expats at home. And he stubbornly refuses to take my advice.
