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LIVING IN SWEDEN

OPINION: Ten things about Sweden that are actually quite good

After interviewing dozens of enthusiastic Swedophiles, The Local's contributor Richard Orange finds himself grudgingly starting to appreciate the country he has made his home.

OPINION: Ten things about Sweden that are actually quite good
Shared parental leave is the single best thing about living in Sweden. Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson/imagebank.sweden.se

I am in Sweden by mistake. Like many other foreigners, I got dragged here for love, on the promise (I might even go so far as to say, downright lie) that it would only be for a year or two.

I look with something between fascination and horror at true Swedophiles: those who came after developing an obsession with Sweden’s social democratic model; those who have concluded that Sweden is the world’s best country after a thoroughgoing analysis of international statistics; those with an unhealthy obsession with Abba and Melodifestivalen.

What I find most frustrating is the consensus culture.

I miss being able to have a passionate, barnstorming argument about literature or politics, where voices and tempers get raised, but you’re all still friends at the end of the night (which I concede may be less possible in the UK post-Brexit than it was when I was growing up there). 

So to witness the way the consensus on coronavirus has developed over the past year has been agonising.

The media’s unwillingness to raise the really big questions until well into the autumn; the public’s acceptance of a performance from the government and its agencies which compares very poorly to those of other Nordic countries, it confirms some of my worst preconceptions. 

But as I see the tone get ever more angry and disdainful, I’m finding myself wanting to defend Sweden. 

It is still, after all, a fairly well-run place. So here are ten things about the country which are actually quite good.

Parental leave and massively subsidised daycare

That fathers are more or less expected to stay home with infant children for as long as six months, and sometimes more, is where Sweden really stands out (along with the other Nordic countries). 

The country’s 480 days shared paid parental leave, at as much as 80 percent of your salary for 390 of them, has huge knock-on effects for gender equality, and for the way the family functions. 

Instead of the mother sacrificing their career while the man continues more or less as normal (which has happened with just about every straight couple I know in the UK), in Sweden both partners make time for childcare.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to take half a year off to look after both my son and my daughter.

People born and bred in Sweden perhaps take it for granted, but it would have been very difficult to do in the UK, and I feel it has given me a very different kind of bond to my children. 

So thanks for that, Sweden. 

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Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson/imagebank.sweden.se

The ‘lagom’ approach to work 

One of the knock-on effects of Sweden’s more gender-equal parenting is that no one, male or female, is expected to work really long hours. Of course there are exceptions, but in general, it is absolutely OK to clock off at 4pm. In many big Swedish companies, working unusually long hours is more likely to get you a referral to the in-house psychologist than a promotion. 

This doesn’t mean Swedish office life is bereft of back-stabbing. You still may have to play office politics. But when it comes to work hours, it’s ‘lagom’: everyone needs to do just enough hours for the system to function (which it obviously does), but no more. 

This makes family life much more manageable than it is in the UK. Working mothers are less likely to risk total cognitive collapse. Fathers can generally eat with their children every evening and then put them to bed. 

Those without children have much more time and space to play in bands, renovate houses, or do sports. 

The downside, of course, is that there’s very little after-work socialising with colleagues.

Also, as a freelancer, the only way I benefit is that the pressure put on me by my wife and peers prevents me working late into the night. 


Stockholmers taking an early afternoon walk. Photo: TT

The ‘lagom’ approach to play 

Whether it’s nightlife or entertaining at home, socialising definitely seems lower key in Sweden than it is in the UK (something reflected in the smaller number of bars and pubs).

This seems especially the case for parents. My family and friends in the UK will often hire a babysitter and roll home well after midnight. In Sweden, or at least in the circles I move in, people tend to socialise as a family, so a late night just means keeping the kids up past 10pm.  

The sort of smart parties my brothers’ friends put on, where people lay on an impressive spread and serve expensive wine, seem fairly unusual (perhaps I just move in the wrong circles). 

You might think this is a bad thing, but I’m starting to appreciate it. It’s quite relaxing not feeling you have to make an effort to stay up past midnight, or perform socially at glitzy drinks parties. It’s nice to break up adult chat with games with the kids. It may be that I’m getting old. 

Abundant nature 

While most foreigners tend to live in the big cities, one of the things that makes Sweden so special is the extraordinary nature that you can access very easily from even the centres of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. In southern region Skåne, where I live, nature trails are all mapped out and colour-coded, with excellent visiting centres at most of the big reserves. 

Outside of pandemics, it is easy to get out to nature on public transport, so you don’t even need a car. 

Most of the official trails have barbecue spots, toilets, and rudimentary shelters spread out at sensible intervals, and Sweden’s allemansrätten ‘freedom-to-roam’ law means you are free to camp almost anywhere.

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Someone relaxing by one of Sweden’s estimated 100,000 lakes. Photo: Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se

The seasons (and particularly the summer) 

This is something Sweden has in common with all of northern Europe, Russia and Canada, but the enhanced contrast between the seasons is for me one of the real pleasures of living in the north.

In most of Sweden (but not in Skåne, where I live), you can expect at least a month of proper snow cover every year, and then, when you finally get some sun, the forests explode in greenery and spring flowers. 

I’ve started to love the contrast between the near hibernation of the winter, when social life in Sweden slows down to a near standstill, and everyone huddles home with friends and family, and the summer, when there’s a lot going on.

Summers in Sweden are wonderful.

Most people take at least three weeks off and move to some idyllic part of the countryside, where they then live a simple, stripped-down life of swimming in lakes and the sea, country walks, barbecues, visits to flea markets, berry-picking, and lots and lots of ice cream. 

Elin and Casper, the young couple in the latest edition of SVT’s building and renovation series Husdrömmar. Photo: SVT

How practical people seem to be

In my experience, Swedes loving bonding over doing tasks: chopping wood, painting a house, putting up a new door in the shared office. It perhaps reflects the puritan work ethic: it’s easier for Swedes to relax with one another when doing something useful, without an overhanging sense that they’re somehow wasting time. 

As a result, people here can be very generous with their time if it’s for something practical. It’s almost a tradition to get friends to help you move house, pick up a piece of second-hand furniture, or fix your car in a way it isn’t in the UK. 

I’ve also learned to appreciate the ‘practical Swede’ you see wearing tool belts and many pocketed work trousers at out-of-town DIY supply shops. Sometimes they’re hobbyists, sometimes members of the prosperous class of small-time builder, plumber, or electrician that seems to be a big part of the local economy, at least where I live.

Swedes sometimes seem a bit out of place to me when discussing high culture. The role of the cosmopolitan intellectual comes more naturally to the French, Germans, Italians, and even Brits.

But when they’re sawing a piece of wood, Swedes are in their element. 


A family bike ride. Photo: Ann-Sofi Rosenkvist/imagebank.sweden.se

Bicycles and box bikes 

The UK is catching up in this regard, but I love living in a city where there are fewer cars, and so many people ferry their kids, dogs, shopping, and newly acquired furniture around in box bikes, be they Christiania cycles, Cargo Bikes, or one of the more upmarket battery-powered brands. 

It’s not quite a classless society, but it’s better than most

“It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him,” George Bernard Shaw opined in the preface to Pygmalion, back in 1912. It’s still a bit true (although it doesn’t seem to have hurt the career of the ultra-posh Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg). 

Economic inequality in Sweden has been on the rise for years, but it remains one of the most equal countries in the world, and is certainly a lot more equal than the UK. 

The parents at my children’s school come from a wide range of backgrounds and somehow it doesn’t matter as much as it would back home. 

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Girls are more likely to make the first move 

This is something I have never in fact experienced first hand (I was the first mover in my only ever relationship with a Swede, which thankfully still continues).

But it seems that for many foreign men who end up living in Sweden, much of the initial appeal comes from the gender dynamic in their relationship. The relative gender equality in Sweden perhaps makes Swedish women a bit more assertive, more likely to talk, less likely to listen, and perhaps more likely to make the first move.  

Perhaps the foreign women who end up moving to Sweden for love find it liberating that Swedish men have different expectations about how they should behave too.

It may be slow, but when Sweden decides to change something, it does it properly 

Parental leave is the big historic example. Sweden didn’t just pay lip service to gender equality, it carried out the big structural changes in society required to make it possible. 

Today, it’s the ambitious transformation of the heavy industry in the north of Sweden, with enormous investments being made to decarbonise the iron ore and steel industry.

The UK as a nation seems much more capable of double-think, of saying one thing and acting in another. When Sweden collectively decides on a change of course, the system somehow works through all the implications and slowly but surely makes the change happen.

The pandemic has arguably shown up the weaknesses of Sweden’s system of government. It may be slow, but once the public enquiry has been completed, and everyone has agreed on what to do, the level of execution can be impressive. 

Hybrit, a prototype plant using hydrogen to reduce iron ore. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Member comments

  1. Regarding the parental leave, I agree that there is an advantage over some EU countries but is far from the best in EU and it has the most complicated way to declare your leave compared to any other bureaucratic activity.

  2. I deeply disagree about the DIY. 18 months in Sweden, I met two, yes two, people who were happy that I’d fix stuff around me (and one of them wasn’t even Swedish). Other than that, people are like “Do you really know what you’re doing?” or “Do you have a license for that?”

    If I see a broken door, I go and fix it (wrong, call a builder). If there’s a broken light switch, I replace it (wrong, call an electrician) and if water is spraying everywhere because of broken pipes? Keep calm and wait for a plumber.

    Seriously, this, the bureaucracy and the fact that a person who’s not fluent in the language and doesn’t put gel in their hair is written off as highly unattractive is what convinced me to move away as soon as my housing contract ends. It’s a shame though. I really tried to fit in and to like the country.

  3. parent leave compensation is good if kid was born here. Otherwise the allowance is very limited even if you pay a high tax. This is ridiculous.

  4. Reserved people that means inability to build friendships. Monstrous layers of bureaucracy. A huge litter problem in the cities, particularly from smokers. Extremely average coffee. Tick tock., tick tock, countdown is on to get out of this country. Oh, and this is country number 5 now that I have lived in, so I do have some perspective.

  5. My partner and I joke sometimes it’s like living in one big retirement village here.
    What about the amount of national bun and dessert days.
    Kanelbullar, pannkakor, semle…even though some of these the traditions are relatively recent that brings about National community doesn’t it.
    On a different note, my partner has struggled with living here since we came 3 years ago, and I have experienced quite extreme bullying at work so we are contemplating moving back home to Australia. It’s sad, as there are good points about the society that you don’t find elsewhere, the focus on family support and health care being the top of the list. But for foreigners it’s tough. Maybe it’s tough anywhere to fit in. Do you always feel like an outsider or does it go away.
    Thanks for the article though, it’s nice to hear someone saying good things about Sweden!

  6. I am very disappointed about your sentence “The pandemic has arguably shown up the weaknesses of Sweden’s system of government.”
    I would rather say Sweden is among the very few countries that withstood the global hysterie and done very right. I live in Germany. People are driven into poverty, old friendships and even families are broken apart and mistrust and hatered is the new normal within society – all without any positive effect on Covid deaths or cases.
    There is a big difference between quick and strict on the one side and reasonable and responsible on the other side. Sweden has done much better than most others and can be very proud while others will have to deal with the social and economic damages for decades to come.

    1. “Sweden has done much better than most others and can be very proud while others will have to deal with the social and economic damages for decades to come.”

      COVID DEATHS IN SCANDINAVIA, TOTAL AS OF MAY 9, 2021

      Norway: 767
      Finland: 922
      Denmark: 2 497

      Sweden: 14 173

      Still “proud”?

  7. Sweden, Switzerland and Canada are the only countries I found to be suitable to live in. Sweden suits me perfectly and it’s a great place to raise a family.

  8. Quite funny to have a comment about income disparity in Sweden and saying we should check the facts. Well I did just that and the official GINA figures show Sweden as the 5th lowest in the EU 27. Maybe the guy was a US Republican.

  9. I’ve lived in some of the world’s most beautiful places like Santa Barbara, California, and Ireland’s
    south-west, but I’m so glad that I now live in Sweden.
    What Richard Orange wrote about the enhanced contrast between the seasons being a real pleasure is so true.

  10. It is important to set the record straight about parental equality: in the end of the day— it does NOT exist. In cases when parents are separated, the government insists the child/children be registered at ONE and only ONE address. This is the Swedish “box thinking”: one person= one address. Even when the child lives exactly equal time with each parent and on paper parents legally have “joint custody”— it is the parent where the child is folk-registered who ultimately has ALL the decision-making power— over schooling, residence, health decisions, etc. Until fairly recently, the privileged parent received all the child allowance, and could decide whether or not to “share” it with the “second-class citizen” parent. In cases of handicapped children, the privileged parent still controls the extra support money. Not surprisingly, in cases of non-native and native parents, it is the native parent who nearly always enjoys the folk-registry privilege, even if both parents have citizenship. Like much in Sweden, the devil is in the details. The “small print” exposes the big promises to be exclusive at best, and at worse, mere rhetoric or strategic statistical games, fooling those who forget the wisdom: “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

  11. Great article. I find myself sometimes struggling to like Sweden, although I really want to. This reminds me of the many positives about being here. I was actually born here, but raised in the UK (Swedish mother and English father) and have lived in quite a few different countries before settling in Sweden once again. I find it hard to get a grip on the Swedish psyche. It seems to exist in tightly coiled layers that elude me. I wonder what the Vikings were really like as a people and what aspects of those personalities are still present.
    This made me sad, “Swedes sometimes seem a bit out of place to me when discussing high culture. The role of the cosmopolitan intellectual comes more naturally to the French, Germans, Italians, and even Brits” because I find that to be true and I also miss the kind of intellectual life that seems relatively everyday in the UK.

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For members

WORKING IN SWEDEN

Ten easy-access cafés and libraries to study or work from in Stockholm

Whether you are a student looking for a place to study or someone who works remotely and is looking for a new atmosphere, Stockholm caters to a diverse range of preferences and needs.

Ten easy-access cafés and libraries to study or work from in Stockholm

At times, it’s necessary to seek out a fresh workspace or study environment to enhance our focus and productivity.

Here’s our selection of Stockholm cafés where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and the aroma of the beans in the air, to libraries where you can completely get into the zone and options that give you a chance to network in an office-like space.

Stockholm City Libraries

If you like to work in a quiet and peaceful place, then one of Stockholm City’s Libraries might be the place for you. It offers work and study places, free Wi-Fi and they also have printing facilities. A library card is not required to access the library, but if you want to borrow or reserve books then it is needed.

More information and to find the closest library to you, can be found here.

Stockholm University Library

The library on Stockholm University’s campus is open to everyone. This library has a mix of quiet work areas as well as noisy sections. Most seats have power outlets available, students and those who have access to Eduroam can use that network, but a temporary login can be found at the library entrance. In addition, there is a café and two shops situated within the same building.

More information can be found here.

Location: Universitetsvägen 14D, 114 18 Stockholm

KTH Library

Another university library which is open to everyone is the KTH Royal Institute of Technology’s library.

Here you can find a number of quiet places to work and study, with the majority of seats equipped with power outlets. Eduroam’s wireless network is available throughout the library along with a guest network, details on how to connect to this can be found at the information desk.

Café Stories is located in the entrance hall, but be aware that no foods, such as sandwiches, wraps or salads are allowed in the quiet sections of the library. Snacks and drinks which have lids are allowed in.

Find additional details here.

Location: Kungliga Tekniska högskolans bibliotek, Osquars backe 21, 114 28 Stockholm

Goto 10

Goto 10 allows its members to access work lounges, hold events, record podcasts and test a 3D printer all within their premises (they’ve also got hubs in Malmö and Linköping). The membership is free and in return you are asked to contribute to creating content for Goto 10.

Their lounges include Wi-Fi, seating with power outlets, microwaves and a coffee machine.

Information about Goto 10 and how you can become a member can be found here.

Location: Hammarby kaj 10D, 120 30 Stockholm

Scandic Hotel

The hotel group Scandic offers co-working spaces and a hotel room office in their hotels. Prices for their co-working spaces start from 99 kronor per day and it includes free Wi-Fi, power outlets, coffee and tea, printing and copying services, and a 10 percent discount on food.
The co-working spaces are available in all 270 Scandic hotels, in six countries and 26 of those are in Stockholm.

More information and a price list can be found here.

Bröd & Salt

The café chain Bröd & Salt has shops all across the city. The chain also offers a workspace subscription called Club Salt, which gives you access to six of their co-working spaces. These workspaces are located in Torsplan, Jarlsgatan, Odenplan, Kungsholmen, Fleminggatan and Uppsala if you want to venture outside the capital. They offer shared spaces to work, with power outlets and Wi-Fi, and the subscription comes with a discount on a variety of menu items sold at Bröd & Salt.

Subscriptions for the co-working space start from 599 kronor per month.

More information can be found here.

Espresso House

You can find Espresso House in many corners of the country. They may be part of a chain with everything that entails, but they are popular spots to work from, which is evident from the many laptops that can be seen when you enter. The cafés usually offer free Wi-Fi and some seats have a power outlet as well. It is important to note that it could get a bit loud in the café.

Find your closest Espresso House here.

Waynes

Another café chain in Sweden and in Stockholm is Waynes. The company has a number of shops across the city and like many cafés it provides free Wi-Fi and a certain amount of power outlets. If you do not want to travel too far, but still want a nice coffee shop to work from then Waynes fits that description.

Find out more here.

ilcaffé

Another popular café to work from is ilcaffé. Located in Bergsgatan, Drottninggatan, Långholmsgatan and Södermannagatan, this café has free Wi-Fi and a number of power outlets. The café offers a range of sandwiches, treats and coffee, so there is no wonder why it has become a popular work hub.

Information about ilcaffé can be found here.

Urban Deli

The hotel, restaurant and café chain Urban Deli has five shops in Stockholm. They are located in Sveavägen, Nytorget, Sickla, Centralen and Hagastaden. The shop in Sveavägen in particular is a popular spot used by those who want to enjoy a coffee or a meal and work or study away. It has free Wi-Fi and power outlets at certain seats.

You can find more information here.

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