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10 telltale signs you’ve gone native in Sweden

Ever find yourself doing something more... Swedish than you expected, after a few years living in the country? You've probably gone native. Here are 10 signs it has happened.

10 telltale signs you've gone native in Sweden
If you dress like this, you've probably gone native. Photo: Christine Olsson/TT

You are wearing your spring coat in April

…but putting great slabs of meat on the barbecue, on the still snow covered patio in nearly sub-zero degrees because “it is officially spring”.


Photo: Ali T/Flickr Creative Commons

You pretend not to see the poor person in front of you

…that just dropped all their shopping over the floor because you “don't want to cause them embarrassment” by drawing attention to their plight.


Photo: Consumerist Dot Com/Flickr Creative Commons

You find yourself thinking that the old lady smiling at you on the tube

…has either spent the last few hours in a beer hall or is secretly planning your murder.


Photo: Marko Säävälä/TT

You stick up your first “angry note” in your apartment building

…because talking about the problem would be far too confrontational.


Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

You place every item on the supermarket conveyor belt barcode up

…because asking the cashier to turn them while scanning would be far too much effort.


Photo: Nils Petter Nillsson/TT

You argue during Eurovision that it is just so unfair

…that the other countries all vote for their neighbours, when it's obvious that Sweden has the best song.


Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

You actually watch Eurovision

In an organized fashion, of course.


Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

You think it's normal to plan your weekend alcohol consumption in detail early on a Friday

… just to make sure you beat the queues and get there before the state run retailer Systembolaget closes for the weekend at 3pm Saturday.


Photo: Isabell Höjman/TT

You find yourself telling your friends back home that the Swedish Chef doesn't speak Swedish

…and the Muppet really sounds Danish, if anything.


Jonas Ekströmer/TT

You look appalled when a friend tells you they don’t have Swish

…and will pay their share of the meal in cash instead.


Photo: Erik Mårtensson/TT

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