8 Things We Can Learn From the Swedes
It’s been 10 years since I first landed at Arlanda International in August of 2010, wide eyed, terrified and ready to take on a semester abroad in Uppsala, Sweden during my senior year of college. Since then, I’ve returned twice to visit my family I connected with - and a forever best friend I met at school - and I have taken so many pieces of wisdom from the culture.
Overall, I always am reminded that at the end of the day we’re all human and we all are SO much more alike than we are different, but the Swedish culture taught me some unique values that we don’t seem to widely practice on American soil. Here are my favorite learnings:
Be quiet. The Swedes do not small talk or use their phones like we do in public. The subway is quiet, the busses are free from stranger chats and for the most part, they all keep to themselves. Of course we have outliers, and this could be based on where I was, but there was something oddly comforting about knowing that you could enjoy some peace and quiet on the ride. I quite appreciated the lack of loud dramatic one-sided conversation in the grocery aisles.
Take a vacation, and some maternity leave. Six weeks vacation and 16 months maternity leave for the parents to share until the child is 8 years old - what?! Needless to say, everyone is really relaxed. They actually get to take breaks!
Take a fika, too. “Fika” is a fun and highly practiced occasion for Swedes - basically an afternoon coffee break that involves conversation, and maybe some pastries, too. It is very common to see professionals crowding the cafes for a mid-afternoon break.
We’re equals. The gender equality in Sweden can be pretty off-putting if you’re a traditional woman, but I actually found it super refreshing for the men to treat women as true equals. They do not give up their seats on the subway, they don’t normally hold doors or even offer to pay the tab. I enjoy chivalry but looking at something done in a different way had me questioning what was really required if we want to be represented equally in the workplace and in government. Maybe we should start opening our own doors! I’ll never complain about seeing so many dads pushing strollers, either.
Read. Sweden is the one if the most literate countries in the world, and it’s not typical of them to spend a lot of time watching TV.
Keep it minimal. It’s easy to want multiple versions of clothing items and to collect a lot of clutter in the US. I noticed after visiting several Swedish homes that they go for quality over quantity and they often find multiple uses for their items. My friend even took her boots to be re-soled one day for the new season. It’s probably one of the biggest learnings I took with me.
Recycle. Wow, the first time I went to the recycling bin at my dorm was a trip. The Swedes are so obsessed with recycling that they separate their items into several bins - paper, plastic, batteries, light bulbs, etc. so that they all are properly reused or disposed of.
Health Matters. It was really interesting to feel a collective sigh of relief that healthcare is not a big concern in Sweden. It’s free for all and readily available, so it’s not a big stressor to have a sickness or to worry about paying for it. My friend didn’t even understand the concept of paying at the doctor’s office. The grass is always greener of course, and I’m certain that we have quicker care available here - but they also embrace the concept of treating minor ailments or illnesses at home before running to the doctor right away.
