Nine Things I’ll miss about living in Sweden
Disclaimer: I know I haven’t been writing much (or at all in fact), but I was just caught up with stuff. But now, with job hunting, staying home and lock downs, I have all the time to write.
So when I moved in 2018 to Sweden to study, I had very little expectations of the place and where I was moving too. The only things I knew/thought back then about Sweden was that: 1) It’s cold- It snows EVERYWHERE and 2) You can see the Northern Lights from your window. So naturally, apart from being excited to see the lights (which I never got to see, btw), explore Europe and study and make new friends, I didn’t expect much from Sweden. What I definitely didn’t expect was to fall in love with that country and not want to leave. So, as I sit my quarantine facility room in Sri Lanka, I am reminiscing the times/things I took for granted when I lived there and how much I’ll miss it. With that, here is my list of things i’ll miss most about living in the Nordic land.
Efficiency
Coming from a country where things are generally inefficient and mismanaged, the efficiency in Sweden was nearly a shock to me. The transport network is great. Buses and trains (usually) are on time, and every bus/train station has information, showing the stops, routes and directions and the times that the buses and trains come. It was a huge step up from being used to going to a bus stop, standing and waiting, hoping for the bus to come. The other thing that was great is the fact that you don’t need to carry cash around. Nearly all shops use cards or mobile pay (the great Swish), which makes it not only safer but even easier and quicker when you’re trying to split bills with your friends (plus its so much safer to use card during this whole pandemic). It’s such a cashless society, that I have a 100kr note still with me which i haven’t been able to use in over 6 months. And how can we forget the personal (social security) number. Makes it so easy that I didn’t have to spell out my long name at the doctors, and I could just say the number and all my details are there. Ah efficiency!
Fika
While ‘fika’ can be seen as the equivalent to grabbing coffee, it is so much more. It is a well deserved break to catch up with your friends, colleagues, family and can be even used as a line to ask someone out on a date “Hey, would you like to go grab a fika?”. During fikas, you indulge in delicious baked goodies, like the famous cinnamon bun (kanelbullar) or the mouth-watering chocolate cake (kladkakka). Fika is a daily ritual in the lives of Swedes, and is probably one of the greatest things. So, if you ever go to Sweden,always go for a fika.
Dairy
How can I forget the dairy in Sweden? Honestly, as a person who really doesn’t like dairy products (I barely drank normal milk back in Sri Lanka, and occasionally- must emphasize very occasionally- ate yogurt/curd), I couldn’t stop purchasing and eating dairy products in Sweden. The dairy (from yogurt, sour milk, milk, cheese, sour cream to normal cream) tasted amazing! I used to eat everything with some form of dairy. My oatmeal would have milk, my fruits would be mixed with yogurt or sour milk, my pastas and even rice were decked cream and cheese and I would even drink plain milk in the mornings. Not only did it taste good, but the choice is endless. To give an example, there was at least 5 selves in supermarkets solely for yogurt, not including the vegan and lactose-free options. Ah… Sweden is a dairy paradise.
Post Office in the Supermarket
This might have been a super simple thing, but it is very convenient having the post office in the supermarket. Not only do you have to not go to another building to mail your post, but you can also pick your groceries while doing this. Two birds with one stone!
“Lagom”
“Lagom” is a Swedish word that doesn’t have an English translation. Roughly speaking it means- “not too much, not too little. Just right. Just in the middle”. In the Swedish way of life, “lagom” means doing things in moderation and living a balanced life. “Lagom” was even part of my academic life. I remember a professor during our orientation seminar say “Although the libraries are open on the weekends, I suggest you rather go enjoy the weekends than study”. I had friends who would prefer not to work on group assignments during the weekend, as it was a rest day and studying was meant to be done during the week. The weekend was for fun. While at the start I found this a bit strange and too relaxed, I grew into and enjoyed it. I was able to do so much more things in Sweden, than just study. “Lagom” is also practiced in the work sector, where working long hours is unacceptable and employees recieve paid vacation leave, to maintain the work-life balance.
The changing seasons
One thing i will truly miss about not living in Sweden is the changing seasons. Coming from a country that has only one season; hot, humid summers all year through (with a few places that do get relatively cool), experiencing four seasons was amazing. From the long, endless summer days where sunsets are at 10pm and where temperature goes up to around 25 degrees, perfect to taking a dip in the ocean or relaxing on a benches in the city’s main square while eating ice cream, to the freezing cold winters where the sun is only in the sky for around 5 hours in the day.
Spring was nice too, but my favorite season is Autumn (or Fall). Fall is beautiful, with all the fallen leaves decorating the streets, slight chill in the air and yellow,red leaves brightening up the sky. The only downer about the changing season is the need for a new wardrobe for each season (and I’m not much of a fan of shopping).
Sustainability
If there’s one thing Sweden is known for, it’s for the country’s commitment towards the environment and sustainability. Sweden has a very strong recycling systems. There are at least six different categories of recycling materials. There are some perks too. For instance, plastic bottles and aluminium cans (“pant”, in Swedish) can be recycled and you can get money for every item you recycle. Pretty cool right?
Also, Swedish society is very sustainable. They are very appreciative of the term ‘second-hand’. You can buy almost everything and anything, from clothes to games to furniture, second-hand and no one would judge you or stereotype you for it. Plus, you can get some really cool stuff for pretty cheap.
Swedes love cycling too. Every city you go, you’ll see cyclists. Sometimes the cyclist path is broader than the road. Priorities. If the distance between point A to point B is even 10km, the Swedes would cycle it.
The other ways that Sweden is very environment-friendly is that people tend to have their own coffee cups/cutlery in take out restaurants, paper bags are used for fruit and vegetables and you are encouraged to bring your own bag to take your groceries. Bonus: Cities in Sweden are CLEAN AF and you can smell the crisp, fresh air.
The nature and the need to be outdoors all the time
From mushroom and cherry picking, to cycling, to hiking and camping, to swimming, to skiing, to just taking strolls in beautiful old streets, there is an abundance of activities that one can enjoy all year through. Also, nature reserves are free of charge (no entry fees), and are open 24 hours of the day.
Also, Sweden has huge efforts to conserve green spaces and make more green spaces, such as parks and gardens, accessible to the public. There is at least one park in every second neighbourhood, and sometimes you even forget you’re in the middle of the city (since these parks are so nature-friendly).
The people
The biggest thing i’ll miss about living in Sweden is the people I met there, especially my friends. I wouldn’t have been able to make it through these last two years without each and everyone of you. I miss you all!
