Posted on

10 Reminders That I Live in Sweden…

caviar

I know I’ve been living in Sweden when:

  1. Someone I know plays golf and votes for the Left Party
  2. I’m wearing red pants and I don’t think twice about it (I also have a pair of bright green and light blue slacks.)
  3. I’m no longer uncomfortable with long periods of silence
  4. But I wrap up converations with a strange “ummm” that starts low and ends mid range, signalling to the other Swedes that this conversation is over
  5. I walk past a slide at a playground that’s shaped like a caviar tube
  6. I have an adjustable desk at work so I can stand up (Employers are required to provide stand-up desks.)
  7. I took five weeks off this summer — two weeks of vacation and three weeks of paternity leave
  8. There’s an election coming up, and I just passed a sign for a political party called: The Pirate Party
  9. I have opinions about Swedish meatballs and have gotten used to robotic lawnmowers
  10. I feel a bit emotional when I hear Öppna Landskap
Posted on

A father and son’s traumatic Swedish Christmas party

A traumatic Swedish Christmas story

Santa pulled out a box wrapped in animal gift paper and read out a name. In front of him, my son Herman and a pack of mostly blonde-haired 3-year-olds dressed like Santa Claus and gingerbread men waved their arms. One by one, with a gift in hand, they ran to their parents who opened their eyes wide and feigned surprise. I watched from the side and began to panic.

My Swedish wife had the flu that night. So I was at my son’s Santa Lucia and Christmas party without my full-time guide who makes sure I don’t make any missteps on the slippery Swedish etiquette slopes. “Please come with me,” I begged her before I left the house.

Continue reading “A father and son’s traumatic Swedish Christmas party”

Posted on

Welcome to Sweden: Why the new sitcom sucks

Swedish sitcom, Welcome to Sweden

Maybe you heard that Sweden’s TV4 is airing a sitcom called Welcome to Sweden about an American guy who falls in love with a hot Swedish woman and leaves his great job in NYC to move to Stockholm?

Well, that’s pretty much my story about moving to Sweden. Except that I moved from New Jersey and had no job or money when I moved here. On the other hand, my Swedish wife IS hot, so there’s one similarity.

Welcome to Sweden disappoints

In one of the opening scenes, the Swedish customs agent looks through every last inch of the American guy’s baggage and asks him a bunch of tough questions.

Continue reading “Welcome to Sweden: Why the new sitcom sucks”

Posted on

The best reasons to work in Sweden: Master Guide Part 2

The best reasons to work in Sweden

I’m an expert on what it’s like to work in Sweden. I’ve lived here for nine years and have had jobs in the corporate sector and the public sector. It’s pretty amazing to work in Sweden.

1.You can tell your boss to go screw yourself without getting fired.  I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’ve been pretty close a few times.

Continue reading “The best reasons to work in Sweden: Master Guide Part 2”

Posted on

Finding jobs in Sweden: The Master Guide Part 1

Finding jobs in Sweden
Many people are finding jobs in Sweden, even Gold statue man.

Guess how many people who speak English are interested in finding jobs in Sweden?

Google says 5,400 people per month search for that exact term — “Finding jobs in Sweden.”

So you’ve had it with your country! You’re sick and tired of two weeks of vacation or think the population is too obese. Or maybe you’ve fallen in love with a beautiful Swedish woman who’s promising you that you can easily find a job in Sweden. Or maybe you’re fleeing war or poverty. Or maybe you’re stuck living in Sweden and can’t find a job.

Or maybe you love Abba? Or maybe you love fish? Maybe you like Stieg Larsson’s Millenium trilogy? I can go on and on, but won’t.

Continue reading “Finding jobs in Sweden: The Master Guide Part 1”