Here...we have a lot of holidays and one week or month in some places of party just to up a little our happy face. Whole food 2 times a day and two coffee breaks is a trend too. Just to complete...Brazil is not a dangerous country...we just have some dangerous places.
Back in the late seventies, I went to work for a father-and-son carpentry outfit. They were from Sweden, but had been living in America for a number of years. I was in my early twenties, and this was only my second carpentry job, so I had alot to learn. They showed great patience while I learned how to frame houses with them for several years. For those who don't know, framing houses is hard and physical work, and you also need to be intelligent and have good math skills. We worked throughout the year, in summer heat and frigid cold. Looking back, I am impressed by their honesty and tremendous work ethic! They always treated their employees with respect and patience, and I will always be grateful to them for inspiring me to develop a good work ethic. I really was quite fortunate to have met them and had them leave such a long-lasting impression on me! I don't know if either of them are still alive, but if they are, I'd like to say "Thank You" to Joel and Roger Sandholm. You were two of the most decent and respectable people that I worked for in my more than 40 years in carpentry! They certainly made a good impression of Swedish people on me!
Back in the 90s my US husband worked for a Swedish Man, Olaf. He was a boat maker but had married an English woman, moved to the UK and started making timber cabins (different than log cabins). Beautiful buildings. He was expensive and mostly built for fellow expats. They worked year round too. Hard working pleasant man. My husband picked up drinking tea with butter not milk. My husband learnt alot of different construction techniques to add to what he knew from the US. Since they also had an English man working with them, they also picked up UK techniques.
I'd like to believe that we treat everyone as equals regardless of their position/rank in a workplace. Thanks to "jantelagen" there's no "I'm better than you (because of my rank)". Things are just so much easier if we all try to get along together. :)
@@cynthiakeller5954 Now that sounds interesting, butter in tea. I'd like to try it. Was it emulsified into the tea or just floating on top? Where I used to live (in the US) there was a big Swedish community and the local supermarket used to make Vort Limpa rye bread for the holidays and carry Glogg. I used to buy Swedish coffee and Lingenberry jams there. I also used to get O.P. Anderson Akvavit (Aquavit) there too at the package store. Sometimes I'd get the Linie if they were out. Hadn't had any of that stuff in years since I moved away. Brings back memories.
@@vincemajestyk9497 it doesn't really emulsify, but of course if you keep stirring it'll mix better. Butter works great in coffee too. It kind of intensifies the aroma and gives a more silky mouthfeel.
In my opinion, the kindness toward children is the real story here. Growing up with constant screaming and anger in home and at school left me with serious lifelong anxiety and psych problems
Grownups bark orders at children like drill sergeants bark at marine recruits. People tend not to treat children like human beings. A statistic I once heard is that at least 45% of all babies are unplanned or unwanted. No wonder people are so messed up.
I'm Canadian and a few years ago we went on a trip through Estonia, Finland and Sweden. There were lots of families in the areas we were in and yet we never heard any parents and children bickering. Several times we heard kids ask for things or ask questions but the parents calmly answered yes or no and explained what the children wanted to know. The kids might ask follow-up questions and time was made for that as well. And then the kids would accept whatever was said even if it wasn't what they had wanted. It was awesome! When we got back to Canada, we didn't make it out of the airport before hearing parents barking at kids who are whining trying to get their attention to ask a question. #7 is something that we absolutely should adopt here!
Yes, thank you for confirming that! That was exactly my shock when moving to New Zealand! I was so confused, thinking, the kids are just being kids - and parents yelling at them for asking questions! So weird!
@@SagaJohanna We raised our daughter more like you are describing. Believe it or not, we were equally praised in chastised for it. In the end she's become a young adult that I'm very proud to call my daughter and my friend. And she has moved to Finland!
Hejsan, Saga. I'd say that we Danes do if not all of these 'weird' thing, then most! Guess fika is genuin Swedish. But as a broder- søsterfolk that's not surprising. The one about no bad weather, just wrong clothes I actually thought was German, as they no matter the weather are walking up and down the westcoast, haha. So yes ... 19 good reasons to do as the Swedes & Danes! 😉👍 Tack & hej
Polish here. Sleeping in fresh cotton duvet covers prepared for me by my grandmother when I slept over at her place was like a paradise experience when I was a kid. Ahhhh.... just heaven.
I'm surprised you left out the hand towels in the bathroom! That was something I grew to respect very quickly and brought home to my family in Canada. Every family member having their OWN hand towel/towel hook AND and extra one labelled for guest. This just makes so much sense!
Don't really see how that is usefull. The very concept of community in biology is that you share the bacteria in your community which is not dirty or bad, bacteria are not an enemy. Besides, technically, you should have clean hands when you wash, so what is it good for ?
@@abderrahimbenmoussa4359 It is extreamly useful because if someone in the family gets sick (throwing up and diahrrea) you dont infect the entire family. Separate towels is something I really can highly recommend. We also have our own toothbrushes, but that I hope is a nobrainer...?!
My spouse and I have used separate duvets for our entire 20 year marriage and it's one of the secrets of our success! We have very different temperature and texture needs. I run hot at night and usually only use one very cool cotton sheet even in winter, whereas he likes to be cosy with a heavier and warmer blanket. Even if you perfectly match your spouse in temperature needs, having separate duvets means you never fight over who gets more of it. Highly recommend for every married couple.
Oh no. I´m a Swede too, and Swedish children nowadays are among the most egocentric, spoiled and badly behaved that I know. Not everyone of course, but as a general rule. And opinionated! Of course kids must be listened to, but far too many Swedish kids are small dictators.
Yes, "from scratch" thing is so confusing. I love cooking videos and use to get really upset about "Ah I mix this can with this jar and add some bag to this". In my country store-bought canned food are for students and camping(ers?), not for everyday adult life.
In the Nordic Countries you would traditionally conserve food for the winter. By tinning/canning, salting, drying, and smoking food. Baking dry flat breads for storing. Nowadays there's a lot of frozen vegetables as well. If making things like pea soup, you'll soak dried (yellow) split peas, rather than buying fresh green ones, as its less costly. And because fresh peas are seasonal. The fresh ones are reserved for a sunday's fricassé. Of lamb, (veal) meatballs, or chicken... Love from Norway 👩🦳🇳🇴
Do you all who write comments like this, remember what Parent Flow has led to? Maybe your father was just indifferent to what the child has in life. That is why he is so kind. I am originally from Russia, but I live in America. We are the same people. But our attitude towards children is very demanding. I want my child not to be a novice, but to be a person. It is impossible without this. It is necessary to give everything that is possible to the child, and if necessary, kick it. (everyone around me thinks the same.) Think twice.
One thing you didn’t mention: no small talk! We hosted a Swedish exchange student for 2 years, and he was most surprised by the amount of casual/short and even cheap conversations. He was always happy to talk, but he would patiently talk at length. Sweden sounds like a wonderful country to live, especially the Fika! ❤
I love Sweden, I was born in Brazil but my mother is Swedish and my brother also but still came very young to Brazil, this idea of leaving Sweden was totally my father because my mother never wanted to leave Sweden, I remember when I vacationed at my grandparents' house in 2013 in Mälmo, it was an amazing and unique experience, Sweden won my hearts in a way I will never forget
I don’t even know how not to have small talk… wouldn’t that seem rude not to ask someone how things are going or what have they been up to when they enter a room and you haven’t seen them in awhile? I really don’t get it wouldn’t be rude not to talk to someone.
German here - it seems we have a lot in common! Separate duvets, duvet covers, respect for children, loving the outdoors, never having to fill in forms about race.... there are some differences but a lot of things sound really familiar to me.
Reversed racism in Germany is product of post WW2 denazification campaigns. It was applied only to blacks and Turks. Racism against Slavs and Poles is reality of Germany almost until today.
Norwegian here - grew up with duvets, and "hate" the top sheet & blanket thing. Such a messy bed by morning, because I can't sleep in the tight cocoon of the sheet thing.
”Whole and clean” dont mean ”always represent yourself at your best”. It means that clothing are optional as long as you are washed and don’t show up in clothes that is broken or really in bad shape. It’s a old saying but something we can still use if someone asks if there is a dress code. For a party or even a funeral. That gives the person the freedom to choose whatever clothes they want to wear.
THIS. It basically means that it doesn't matter if your clothes are new or fancy or expensive, or if they are plain and cheap, or simple hand-me-downs, as long as they are clean and not in tatters. Whatever your social or economic status, the important thing is to show that you look after yourself and your family as best you can according to your ability. It's about respectability being worth more than money or status.
I live in the Netherlands and we are not that different from our Scandinavian cousins, but I still heard several tips that would make life better, especially with regard to raising and respecting children as valuable co-humans.
I am a Canadian who practiced co sleeping with my children. In Canada and the US this is considered laziness at best and at worst, dangerous! supposed reasons being: ruin your marriage through lack of privacy for sex; spoil the child, they’ll never leave your bed,make the child too dependent on you; with a baby/ child kicking your ribs you will never get proper sleep, and fear you will smother the baby. None of which is true. Regarding clothing: I lived in the US for a few years. Americans would talk about how cold it must be in Canada, as if they have never heard of coats,sweaters, or boots
Your suicide rate isnt particularly good either. However, your students do rank really well. Not as well as Japan, China. Estonia, and many countries where they are very strict with how they raise kids.
I'm half Swedish, half American and brought up in London, UK. One thing we should learn from other countries is talking to your neighbours and strangers. You might have seen the memes "Waiting for the bus like a Swede." that kind of scepsis towards other people is real. While when I'm abroad people actually talk to eachother on the train, they invite you to their table in pubs, say good morning on the street etc. It's very easy to feel unseen or lonely in Sweden.
Yeah completely agree! My Swedish friends call me American lol, because I talk a lot and love talking to strangers! I think it’s great to connect with people we might not otherwise ❤️
As an American in Sweden my entire adult life and some of my childhood I couldn't agree more. Swedes are in general socially awkward tbh. For all the "lagom" they use daily, they rarely get it right when it comes to social situations. They'll either pretend you aren't there which comes off very rude, or get WAY to personal and tell you their private problems. It's one of the reasons I have to travel so much. It's kindof tragic. I think it's very much the flipside of not learning to speak up early, very little emphasis put on being polite and learning to chat with people without bending their ear, and understanding personal space in crowded sitiations. That's where Swedes fail miserably, with consequences for any outsider coming to Sweden for longer than a visit. Lack of spontaneity is part of it. People are socially anxious unawares.
Swedes show concern about other people's comfort and mood by not randomly approaching each other. But if you go to a smaller setting and non-public area people tend to say hello to each other, e.g. along a walkway in a nature reserve in a Stockholm suburb. If you need to ask a fellow commuter something you just say "Ursäkta, får jag bara fråga dig?" (Excuse me, can I just ask) When you and they are done they will move away discreetly and then you have to shut up and leave them alone. Getting friends is for social settings/gatherings, school, work or through mutual acquaintances.
There are certain aspects of Swedish culture and values that I definitely think the entire world should emulate. Just because you think that doesn't mean you can't be humble.
This is a funny European joke that they tell and whoever laughs at it gets laughed at by the rest of the room because the statement “everyone should be more humble” should be a common sense no brainer but it’s not.
My mom was a Swedish immigrant to the USA in 1924. I wish she and my grandparents would have spoken to me in Swedish so I could have learned the language. They spoke it in the home only, and English outside the home. I was raised on lots of Swedish foods. I am happy to have run across your channel.
Same here though occasionally my grandmother would run into someone Swedish in a store and talk away. It's a shame she didn't teach her children Swedish. She said she regretted that later on. She began to forget words she had grown up with.
My family has many similarities with yours. I asked my grandmother to teach me Swedish and she flatly refused. She insisted that I “didn’t need it because you are an American”. My great aunt and cousins were very involved with the Swedish American Museum and Heritage Society in Swedesburg, Iowa.
Swedes like my grandparents did not teach their children Swedish because they assumed it would make it harder for them to assimilate into American culture. Their assumption was plausible but not correct.
I am a 73 year old American woman living in Sweden and I have a “best”, American, friend from the time we were eight. She was a Montessori pre-school teacher in her own home for children from infancy to three years old. I used to spend my vacations visiting with her, staying in her home and experiencing her days with the children. In over twenty years I never once heard her raise her voice or respond with anything less than the utmost respect. Partly this was her Montessori training, but mostly it was her nature. She and her husband raised their son the same way. This past summer their son (now in his forties) paid for my husband and I to travel from Sweden to Greece to join them on a vacation he had dreamed of for years. They have two sons, nine and eleven, and I experienced the same level of respect for their children as he had experienced from his parents. The boys were delightful! The vacation was unforgettable!
@@air-run3984We all make mistakes. In Sweden, children are allowed to learn from their mistakes, over and over until they are truly old enough to "know better".
I live in Scotland and many of those things are normal here as well. As an Italian, I can assure you that we use scissors to cut pizza at home, but never in a restaurant 😊
I have noticed that many pizza places in my area use huge scissors to cut pizza especially sheet pizza - large rectangle pizzas not round - I have never used a pizza cutter -
I'm Italian, from the region where pizza was invented and we DON'T use scissors because it's impossible with neapolitan pizza. I know that in Caserta scissors are used for "pizza a canotto" and stop. Which region are you from?
Just a tip about kitchen scissors: I looked at them in a kitchen specialty store and didn't like either the price of the lightweight construction. Instead, I bought a pair of pruning scissors (not secateurs) from the hardware store for a fraction of the price, but they are sturdy enough to cut through the backbone of a hen, no problem.
Back in the early 2000s I spent 6 summers (and a short winter stay) mostly in central Sweden: Dalarna, Härjedalen, and Jämtland, preparing for and participating in Uppdansningen för polskdansmärke (known in the U.S. as “medal testing”) and hanging out with fellow folk dancers and musicians. Those of us from the U.S. generally stayed with local dancers or in cabins here and there, and the hospitality was truly heart-warming. One “weird” Swedish practice that I thought characteristic and well-intentioned (though prone to being taken rapacious advantage of by various European visitors) was allemansrätten-the right of free access anywhere in the countryside, even on private property, for camping and even picking berries, with proper respect for ownership (some wild stories there about violations of respect-and their consequences). It’s not just Swedish-the same can be found in Norway (with similar tales and outcomes). That might merit further explanation, Johanna. And another, minor bit: the ubiquity of the brightly colored dalahästar or “Dalarna horses” in many people’s homes.
I love the horses (I'm American but dated a Swedish man a couple years ago and learned a lot about the country) but the Christmas goats? I don't quite get that one. lol
One aspect of sweden i love is that dating is a lot more equal. Its not taboo/weird for a woman to initiate, and the man is not expected to pay all the time. You either split or take turns. I've also noticed we are a lot more equal in splitting housework, childcare etc than many other countries.
Yes I agree. It’s very nice and I’ve always shocked to see people date abroad. Once a girlfriend asked me to go up to a guy and ask him to pay for our drinks, and I said absolutely not haha! Also, I was the one asking my husband out the first time :)
Ngl, I prefer the swedish way of dating. Doing the dating period things always stresses me out way too much. I prefer just getting to know each other casually and if it becomes something, it becomes something. Much more natural and I don't feel forced.
@@Scampergirl It's simple: they got arranged wedding when they are 6 years old. Oh, I'm sorry, this more a trend in Islamic country... They are so alikes, I use to get confuse all the time!
I’m from New Zealand and it is common to use both a duvet cover and top sheet here. We wash the sheets AND the duvet cover 😊. I also air the duvet inner outside whenever possible. And there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing choices!
I am from Ireland and have been using a duvet since the 70s . I always put the duvet inside a cover plus use a fitted bottom sheet and a flat top sheet.
Czech here. The more I know about Sweden the more I like it. We already share a lot of the things you mentioned. And some of the others we definitely should.
Yes, I grew up in a snowy climate- BUT, we always had the proper clothing for it. You don't dismay the weather- you simply buy nice warm clothing that you love. Then you look forward to wearing your pretty winter clothing.
Well, you have given me some insight into my Swedish heritage. My grandparents came to the US before 1913. My dad was born here, but I have noticed little behaviors in my family that speaks strongly of our heritage. Things like being reserved, not putting ourselves forward, hospitality where guests are catered to, generosity. There are other things, but my dad was an open-handed, big-hearted man who gave to everyone. I can now understand why he was the way he was.
My great grandfather came from sweeden in the late eighteen hundreds. Very reserved, strong yet kind man. Nobody else in my family is like that besides me. 😂
American here. I did cosleeping with both of my children. I didn't even know I would do this until the night my first child was born. Then an instinct kicked in that told me there was no way I was putting my son in a bassinet next to my bed. I LOVED sleeping with my kids, and I really don't understand why some people believe it to be harmful. I've since learned that cosleeping regulates the baby's heartbeat, breathing, and temperature, and that the majority of babies who die from SIDS die cold and alone in their cribs. It just makes sense to sleep with our young. Every other animal in nature does it, and for good reason. It also helps with bonding, babies sleeping through the night sooner, parents getting more sleep, and it makes breastfeeding so much easier. Funny to me that only the western world believes it to be a problem, when the rest of the world knows better, and does it with no problems Edit: to those of you who disagree, you're free to disagree, and you can present all the "facts" you wish, but the FACT that we among countless others all over the world have safely and successfully bed shared with our children isn't going to change. Yes, rarely some people accidentally suffocate their babies in bed. There are usually other factors involved besides just sleeping with the baby, and the number of people who sleep with their babies and DON'T suffocate them, as compared to the ones who do, should be an obvious indicator of how safe it IS. Unless you're a very heavy sleeper, you use drugs or alchohol, you're a very overweight person, etc, sleeping with your baby shouldn't present any danger. Simple common sense measures should obviously be taken, such as not over dressing the baby, and placing the baby more at the top of the bed, while the parents scoot down more toward the foot, so that when they pull up their covers the baby isn't covered. People really crack me up when they insist that bed sharing can not possibly be safe, when parents have been doing this since the dawn of humanity, and will continue to do so, carefully and safely. Beyond this I won't bother to argue the subject. I said what I said.
Many Americans are big& could be a hazard to their baby through suffocation. Also, many parents snore or have sleep disorders which could effect the baby, or having the baby there could make it more difficult for the parent.
Cot right next to bed is great. Husband rolled on our baby once, and he's not a heavy man.. but she let out a squeak. I'm for it except rolling, or smothering. Baby can also get very hot from adults bodies as well. So yes next to the bed as in this video is way better. When they learn to walk.. they find their own way to your bed. 🤣Same problem.. n u get punched or kicked if they too hot then whilst sleeping.
Many of the mentioned points are common in Eastern Europe too, but for ex. if you're having guests over, not only the house needs to be polished to shine but also a tooon of food will be prepared so that you not only don't leave your guests go hungry out of your home but basically roll back to theirs😂
My best friend growing up, her family was Ukrainian, and I spent a great deal of time at her house. I even called her parents Mama and Tato. Her Parents and Grandmother always wanted to feed me and I was in heaven because it was also food that I wasn't accustomed to getting. At home it was customary for us to eat relatively small meals. This was the 80's and plates were also much smaller back then compared to today. At home we were served what was on our plate and nothing more, but we were full and content. At my friend's house, there were seconds and more, if I wanted.. They would beg me to keep eating. lol I was in shock at the amount of food prepared. The hospitality from Eastern Europeans is so different!
I lived in Prague and as an American, and in the US we were required to “clean our plates” meaning eat everything on your plate. It was a compliment to the cook. But in Prague, you don’t clean your plate, because if you do, your Czech host will keep feeding you. You need to leave a bit on the plate,because it honors the host, meaning you were completely satiated. You also need to put your flatware in a diagonal position on the plate, indicating that you’re finished eating. I wish I knew that unspoken bit of etiquette. Nobody told me. I also had friends from Russia, and they had the same custom. “Eat, eat!” Whenever you clean your plate, lol Czechs are great hosts, and somebody always brings out a guitar, and we have sing alongs. That was so fun! They love music and love to sing
I have Swedish ancestry. Watching this video explained a lot of things about my family that I didn't realize. Now I see where my behaviors came from. I grew up in a multicultural neighborhood in California and each family was so different from each other. Most proudest of sharing your beliefs on raising children.
I am from Latin America, Argentina. We use sets of sheets and wash them weekly :) and here we don’t ask about ethnicity or race neither. The same goes with the cake, we make it from scratch. We also cook a lot and eat at home. I love the part of being ready to be outside no matter what the weather is ❤
When I was very young (ca 1960), I lived in a suburban working class neighborhood outside of Detroit, Michigan, USA. We were taught these community rules about when you can and cannot make loud noises, knock on people's doors, or call them on the telephone. The basic rule is, it is rude to disturb people at certain times; this is what it means to be considerate of others. Do not disturb people before 8 o'clock in the morning on weekdays. After that time, children can go to their friends' houses and, in a sing-songy voice, call for them (children do not knock on doors). We would sing something like, "Can Bobby come out and pla-ay?" On Saturday and Sunday the same rule applies, but you don't disturb people before 9 o'clock. That is because people may be sleeping in on those days. Do not call a business before 9 o'clock in the morning during business hours. Businesses do not call customers before that time, either. Do not disturb people 30 minutes before (while mothers were preparing the meal) or during meal start times, which were pretty much the same for everyone. Breakfast before 8:00 AM. Lunch at noon. Dinner at 5:30 PM. In general, when children were done eating, they could ride their bikes or roller skate up and down the street waiting for heir friends to come out and play. However, in the summer, when a baseball game that had been interrupted by a meal (mothers called us in to eat with a sing-songy voice; when you heard it, you better drop everything and run home), we were eager to get back to playing the game, so some children might press their noses to the screen door of their friend's house to see if they were done eating. My mother thought this was rude and did not encourage it. Come home when the street lights come on and do not disturb people after that time. Between meals and before the street lights came on, you make as much noise as you wanted outside. You could play quietly inside with a few friends. However, if friends or relatives came to visit and brought their children, and you had to play inside, you could make lots of noise so long as it didn't sound like you were squabbling. These were the days before chainsaws and gasoline-powered lawn mowers were in common use. People used hand saws to cut tree limbs and mowed the lawn with a push-mower. During the day, the fathers were all at work and the mothers were busy with house work. Neighborhoods were pretty quiet most of the time. These rules about how you show consideration for others by giving them some quiet times would be good for everyone to follow. The times could differ from community-to-community, but the basic idea is a good one. Where I live now (suburb of Atlanta, Georria, USA), there are no such rules. I call it "the endless whining sound". "
The common sense times huh! Here in NZ I often feel as though I live in “the endless whining sound” and there seems to be no escape. I think we need to reintroduce the common sense! I’m currently reading “an American tragedy” and it’s giving me an idea of what America was like a while back !
You're making me nostalgic. I was born in 1955 and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was much smaller then, about 30-60 thousand people. We did everything you describe, although I think dinner was served at about 6:00 p.m. Dad had to rest a bit after getting home from the Air Force base. Halcyon times, for sure!
I grew up in the green, leafy suburbs of New York City in the 1950's and it was just like that! My mother had a cowbell that she would ring to tell us to come home for dinner. Sweet memories.
I added a more restrictive 'Sunday rule' to my household (in the US). Not allowing anyone outside the family in or out before noon! Family time, church, brunch, or just hanging out in PJ's is what Sunday mornings are for. I didn't allow my kids to go knocking at the neighbors looking for friends to play with, and I sure didn't want the neighbor kids in my house disturbing the vibe. It's still a good rule.
I lived in Sweden, near Växjö for 7 and a half years. There are many good things about Sweden but one of the most common complaints that I heard among other immigrants was what we referred to as "Svensplaining." Unfortunately, it's very common for Swedish people to think that their way is the right way but also the only way. I have been stopped by strangers and told how to: 1. Walk my dog 2. How to dress my children 3. How to dispose of the trash 4. What color to paint my home. 5. How to walk in the mall (not kidding). I could go on, the list is endless. What you feel after a while is that no matter how hard you try, Swedish people by and large will tolerate you but never accept you as you are not "correct," or rather plainly, Swedish.
They even have a term for it in Sweden among the Swedes- "ankdamman sverige," "duck pond Sweden." They think that they are so advanced but in my profession they pay half of what you earn in the US and are about 30 years behind the profession here. But... they are a bit backwards and don't know it, so they think that they are the best in everything. Ignorantly.
Could be that they want to teach everyone their ways which is perhaps a culture of uniformity. I've never lived abroad but my ancestry is half german half swediah and I tend to be a perfectionist so maybe my DNA is a bit geared this way and so is theirs
There are as many perfectionist anywhere else.The Germans never talk about their imperfections.There is great silence & great judgement for every damn thing."Get off my lawn!", privacy, and secrets.
@@brickan2 I think we Swedes think this is very funny, but Americans tend to often present themselves with their ancestry (same here in NZ). Someone with Swedish great grandparents might say "I'm Swedish American", and often times it can be their great, great, great grandparents. Or many of my friends will say things like "I'm an eight Polish". Where as I, as a Swedish person, only say "I'm Swedish", although my mother was very much Norweigan. :D
@@brickan2 I guess it can mean Swedish ancestry to a lot of Americans. For me, personally, it means something a bit different... having an American father but a fully Swedish mother, Swedish being my first language, and being a dual citizen. I also lived in Dalarna for a few years but grew up in America.
American here. If you don't collect race and other demographic data then you can't identify discrimination. That is a great way to hide discrimination, though.
What a beautiful country. I've lived in the US my entire life, but my father's grandmother came to the US from Sweden a little over a hundred years ago. But my mother's side came over from Leiden in 1620. I've always wanted to visit this country, but when I went to college and learned more about it, I wanted to move there. From your description, it seems like such a wholesome country. The culture seems especially nurturing for children, and I love the fact they understand how healthy it is to be and play outside, and to allow kids to be kids. I love the idea of 2 separate duvet's. It makes so much sense! Thank you for this video.
Hi, Leiden is in the Netherlands, Sweden is a different country. Many similarities to Sweden though or other Northern European countries. We have 'gezellig', where we can really be grateful for being cosy together. We bike a lot, because our country is so flat. Many houses have big windows and no curtains for it, so you can look inside, nothing to hide. I enjoy that. We have relatively little school hours indeed. What I would love for us to adopt is that kids (and adults) would go outside even more. In Sweden there is more nature though. The Netherlands is such a dense country that it makes it difficult to go out and explore for kids.
I love this discussion! I was a child when we moved to Sweden back in 1961. We first lived in the countryside outside Gorteborg, then we moved right into the heart of the city. My sister and I attended Swedish schools for 3 years and learned the language from scratch- no textbooks needed! The Swedes as a community held their children as precious, and were oriented toward what was best for their children and the future that those kids represented. They also expected respect back, and got it. One way this showed up was with the curtsy- girls would stop to curtsy if they saw an older person in the street, and boys nodded their heads in respect. Introductions included a friendly handshake with bow or curtsy. Also- speak a "goddag" to greet someone. Of course, kids always offered their seat on the bus/train to their elders. When American friends would come to visit us, and we kids gave them a warm Swedish welcome, they were absolutely amazed and delighted. We in turn were uplifted by their response to us- and grew to like and trust and respect adults. I felt well equipped to be introduced to broader society with this simple start in life.
I love you comments. I return to Sweden frequently and have never been approached by Svensplaining Swedes. Swedish ideas and customs are far better than in most countries I have been to. Great video!!
@@SagaJohanna If you wanna see both modern cities and beautiful landscapes - definitely go to the southern regions! If you wanna see crazy nightlife - go to Berlin or Hamburg (the second has beautiful culture too)! Most cities are a little boring though 🥲 but the big once have great contemporary art museums, these are usually worth a visit 🥰
I worked for a Swedish organization in the USA and your description of the Swedish people is so true. A very enjoyable environment to work in. Fond memories.
I loved this! I am an American 🇸🇪 Swede and have always wanted to visit Sweden but funds don’t allow me to 😢. My grandparents felt that once they came to America they were Americans and did not carry the Swedish traditions over except our large family Christmas Eve gatherings. I grew up with potato sausage, rotmos and rice pudding and so wish we had celebrated St. Lucia, Midsommer, etc. I am proud to be Swedish and thank you for your info in this video! 💖🇸🇪💖
A couple of travel hacks. Are you familiar with Workaway? As far as air fare check out air fares to various cities in Northern Europe from the biggest airport in your part of the country. I do what I call book-end travel. For instance to Sweden I would check to see first what direction flights to Stockholm cost, then check major cities. I will book a round trip ticket to say London, then buy tickets from London to Stockholm round trip. Also try Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen... Once you get to Europe the connecting flights are cheap. We flew round trip from London to Rome for 120 dollars. It saved us over 500 each doing it that way.
@@EdgarKohl it was my Grampa who decided that. He left Sweden around the turn of the century because his brother took his girlfriend. He found Gramma, who also came from Sweden, once he got to the USA.
@@lindabruns6020 too bad i wasn't born back then i would've paid him my respects he deserve for not rasing a hand to his brother, he did the right thing at moving away from his ordeal, bless you dear.
I think many of these things apply to all Europeans especially the idea that you should always dress up nicely when you go out no matter on what occasion. This was absolutely clear when I went on a Summer Work and Travel Program in the US - you could see all young people from Europe ( we were mostly from Central and Eastern Europe) were always dressed well when outside compared to Americans and this made an impression on the Americans. I talked to a general store owner when I was purchasing some things and he told me that this was his store and he has been open for more than 20 years and each year he sees hundreds of young students that come from Europe to work ( mostly from countries that are considered Eastern Europe even though many prefer Central ) and they are always well groomed, clean, tidy and well dressed when outside walking around compared to Americans and actually I very much like this tradition that we have in Europe because this way when outside you are surrounded by a nice crowd of people and feel better. I think we in Europe are brought to think that when you cross the border somehow the people that live there will be completely different in any way but the truth is that we have lived on the same continent for Thousands of years and we have so much more in common in our everyday lives than we know.
That's very interesting. I think people in the US used to dress up just like people in Europe, but capitalism and modern day consumption/fashion has a greater influence in the US. Also obesity and culture. Like you say, I think we have much more in common than we think :)
When I was studying abroad (I'm from Brazil) all Americans were in awe of the clothes of our Danish and Swedish classmates. They dressed in a classy and elegant way every day. Even though Brazilian youth has tried mimicking the US, especially in urban areas, it was shocking to me how untidy a lot of my US classmates were in their appearance. However, no one was more shocked than the Scandinavians haha I remember my Danish friend saying it looked like people in the US went to class wearing pajamas.
@@valsblueforrest2961, This is normal here in the US. When I moved to the US, it was a culture shock for me - showing up in public in pajamas and slippers. In my country, even to a store close to home, I would wear makeup and be nicely dressed. Now I like that I don't have to worry about my appearance and no one judges me.
@Ava Gosiewski I try to find a middle ground that is comfortable for me. I do find that the need for outward appearances is very strong in Europe. It can be uncomfortable to be starred at from top to bottom with a judgemental look.
As a Swedish person.. I have two children, have never slept in the same bed as my children, they got their own bedroom when they were 4-9 months old. They were never afraid to sleep alone, they knew we were coming as soon as they called us. Also, you are not automatically enrolled in the Swedish Church at birth, only if your parents chose to baptize you in the Swedish Church. Every Swede has to pay funeral tax, but if you are not a member of the Swedish Church, you do not have to pay church tax. You can still have the funeral in the church even if you are not a member there, but then you have to pay for the venue and priest.
& a rolling tool is one faster, two easier. I'm all for minimalist in many things in life but doing a job with a tool for easy and speed in anything in life, for sure. Maybe they use them in pizzerias?
@@ninagoodwill8019 Ever tried to clean mozzarella melted onto tomato sauce from a pair of scissors? I can't believe she thinks it's a good solution. Pizza cutters are relatively tiny as kitchen gadgets go, and take up little room in a drawer.
I was a Rotary exchange student after high school 1978-79 and it is still the best year of my life! I LOVE the Swedes, the food, the country and the friendly lifestyle lived there!!!!!❤❤❤❤
@@ana419 unfortunately not. I think they were spending most of their time in the US during those years. I did get to attend the Nobel Awards Ceremony though
Thank you for this very informative video! Even though I am from the USA, I was raised with a few of these customs/traditions because mother was Swedish. Her grandparents immigrated to the USA in the early 1900s so I never got a chance to learn Swedish. My grandmother was fluent, and mom’s family still kept up many Swedish traditions, especially around the holidays. My mom passed away unexpectedly last year, so we visited Sweden for the first time and I felt very connected to her. I even saw a woman who looked so much like her! I will definitely continue these traditions, especially since I have been staying in Iceland for 4 months and feel so at home in Nordic and Scandinavian countries because of my heritage
One Week in Sweden, what did I notice? yes the seprate duvets, I do that now at my house. I learned to use more candles- they were everywhere. The way the high school graduates celebrate, like a long lasting parade like hay rides, in safe trailers that are pulled by parents. We were in Trolhatton? (Spelling) and our hotel had 2nd floor balcony's it was very entertaining for them to come by. (think spring break with chaparones on wheels?). Also, even in that cold of a climi\ate, bike lanes were awesome, double striped, two ways, their own red lights, lots of bike racks.
I was in Stockholm and loved their culture; I was in a few European countries, and I rank Sweeden number one in Friendly, Honesty, best customer service, best first impression, and welcoming tourists 🎉.
I'm Swede and would say I agree on most things! :) True there is very little visible abuse, but there is a kind of an hidden oppression leading to high conformity, like does not Jamtelagen basically mean "don't think you are special/keep you head down" or something? And "whole and clean" comes from systematically singling out poor people in older generations in school to shame them, maybe it made us cleaner and less sick.. But again there is a side that alot of people moving to sweden might find rough as well
Sipto Your honesty is refreshing. I am first generation American from very strict, somewhat obsessive, Austrian parents. Most of the customs in Europe have a great rational, especially over there. Good to keep the sensible and discard the senseless/harmful. By only showing the good and normal side she was doing what Swedes and Austrians do!
Poverty never makes people dirty....water & soap are cheap. Yes washing clothing often fades them, & that shows. But we see filthy people who are not really poor (coloured hair, painted nails and faces & filthy but name brand shoes & houses full of junky stuff). Truly poor people do not spend on non essentials since most are saving for important things that will improve their lives. And often tend to care very much for their homes, themselves. Simple but clean.
I always translated it as "healthy and clean"... Am I actually wrong (my local 'terve ja puhas' can also work both ways) or is that just a matter of taste/opinion?
Cosleeping is not bad, the issue is bed-sharing (that is often confused with cosleeping). The solution you talked about is very popular in many countries, you can buy those sort of cribs to attach to your bed, and very safe. If you put an infant between 2 adults, with pillows and blankets, it's not safe
Right! A big part of the issue many places have with co-sleeping is that the term is used in many places to refer to something different than what is described in the video.
I learned (a little late in life) it's arrogant for me to think I know what anyone else SHOULD do. However, I enjoyed hearing about other countries' customs
Exactly!! For someone with such a sweet disposition to fine iff as so completely judgmental is quite sad. At first I thought what a lovely girl that was until she basically said if you don’t do the same as this you’re just plain stupid. Really off putting when it could have been such a nice video in learning different ways people live around the world.
I find your mannerisms voice and communication style just absolutely delightful. Thank you for sharing your culture with us!!! I hope to experience it firsthand someday.
My paternal grandfather's family immigrated from Sweden to the US near the end of the 19th century. As he was the youngest of 12 children, he was more American than Swedish, although he still spoke some Swedish. My other 3 grandparents were Irish. My paternal grandmother did her best to provide Swedish foods my grandfather liked such as Skorpra (sp?), similar to a biscotti with cinnamon on top with very strong coffee and, especially on Easter, that wonderful sausage we just called korv. We were lucky to have a Swedish bakery that delivered pastries and such to your door up until the 1970's. We have his birth certificate written in Swedish which looks like a page out of a manuscript; all colorfully inked and scrolled.
👌😌 I've just discovered this channel and I already love it. I totally understand what Saga Johanna shares: several years ago, in my Erasmus year, I made some good swedish friends. And I can relate the "quirky" ideas she gave, rather logical, I'd say 👍
Ahahha i’m glad you clarified in Italian 😂😂😂 “fica” definitely means something else!!! Thanks for sharing this video, I enjoyed learning these Swedish practices!❤
@@bunnybgood411 it can mean like a very attractive female but also a word for the female genitalia. Both are used in a more vulgar sense so not something you just wanna throw around in public lol
My husband and I were introduced to using separate duvets with no top sheets while travelling in Sweden five years ago. As soon as we got back we rushed to IKEA to buy the wider single sheets and covers and it is the best thing for sleeping comfortably and cleanly.
Sounds great, but here in Florida, it won't work. I bought the lightest comforter Ikea had when I first moved here. After four years without using it, I gave it to my cousin in Kentucky.
@@rebeccacarter1914 We get very hot and humid weather here as well. During this time we do as was suggested in the video - discard the doona and just use the doona cover, like a sheet.
@@larahporter8123 yes! I’ve never understood why couples “have” to sleep in the same bed! Or even the same bedroom! I am so much more comfortable in my own bed and room
So interesting to learn more about Sweden and its culture. My Grandfather was born and grew up in Sweden. However he came to America in 1899 and was naturalized as an American citizen in 1904. Sadly he died 10 years before I was born, so I'm always glad to know more about his native country. Thank you are sharing.
Love this video! I studied in Sweden for 1 semester as an Erasmus student and I absolutely loved it there. Especially the idea of never being "over the top" or too loud etc., just having this more moderate approach to life. And the fact that everyone spoke perfect English was amazing, although it also meant that I did not learn to speak Swedish at all. I am absolutely with you on the duvet topic - we do the same with the duvet inner & outer here in Austria and I think it's the only reasonable approach to bedding, touching the "uncovered" blanket freaks me out whenever I'm abroad 😀
Thank you Martina! Oh how exciting, yes it is so nice with the moderate approach. :) Yes, I know. Learning Swedish is so hard because we all want to PRACTICE English lol! Hahah oh my gosh, same. It happens every time we go to stay somewhere here in New Zealand - even in hotels. And it always make me feel funny...
As an American, I’m used to a top sheet and a blanket. I vacationed in Germany, and my room had a duvet and no top sheet. I got so hot I would take the duvet apart and just use the cover as a double top sheet whereas in the US I could have just taken the blanket off the bed. Every day the maid would put the duvet innard back in the cover, and I would have to take it back out every night. Why do they think we need so many covers at night? It wasn’t even winter.
You can just sleep on top of the duvet like a feather bed if you get too hot. That’s what we did in Switzerland when visiting family there. I believe everywhere we traveled in Switzerland, Austria, Yugoslavia ( back when it was named that!) and Germany and Italy. All of those places used the single duvet and when too hot sleep on top of the duvet- like sleeping on a cloud!😊
I really appreciate your videos!❤ My mother is Japanese and when I visited Europe in the 80s I discovered a lot of similar things that the Swedish in Japanese both do. Second to not wearing shoes in the house, that I love, is the duvet/duvet covers. Duvets makes making beds easier, keeps bedding & body cleaner than blankets, washing covers vs blankets takes less water, takes up less space in the linen closet, is easier to fold & carry vs the American bedding. The Japanese have a similar version of the duvet & the duvet cover. It’s like a fitted sheet but goes on the duvet where the body touches the duvet & apx 30-45 cm that wraps around & over the duvet edges. The Japanese store all their bedding out of sight in the day and take it out at bedtime. Unfortunately the American home usually doesn’t have a place to store away the Japanese bedding which would include the “mattress” part. Since my first visit to Europe I started using the European duvet & covers. It looks so much tidier with all the bedding in sight all the time. The way children are raised is the same as Swedish raise their children. In Japan they have special days to celebrate their children. It’s 😮a way to make the children feel special and loved. Dating is also something that don’t see even today. People usually go out in groups and “dating” is basically when a couple has decided to marry. It’s a blurry line so it’s hard to “date”. Maybe that’s from the days of “arrangement marriage”..? Also Japanese people that don’t live in the city usually don’t eat processed foods. If they pickle some thing they do it themselves. Even making their own noodles is very common. Unfortunately the Japanese are becoming more westernized and it showing in their health. For instance there’s no word for menopause in Japanese because women didn’t have any symptoms while going through that change. I’m not a doctor but I would attribute that to the diet of fresh and unprocessed foods. The more processed foods they eat the more cancer and other diseases are showing up, sadly.😢 Also the Japanese culture, as most people know l, don’t wear shoes inside the home. I grew up with pure white wool carpet in the main living room and it stayed white. Of course my mother would steam clean the carpet A LOT. There’s a list of “manners” when it comes to shoes, where to take them off, who helps who and the order of who takes their shoes off first, how to take them off and who flips them around so putting shoes back on is easier, etc. The only time my mother got VERY upset with my father was when he tried to tip toe his way into the bathroom having just put on his boots and she caught him doing it! Needless to say he didn’t do that again.😂
Oh my gosh I LOVE your stories 😂❤️ I lived in Japan for a year and a half so I can relate to so many things, unfortunately also the western diet creeping in. I love the menopause story. I will use that all the time now 😂 I always reference the prostate cancer stats in Japan, so now I have another one! And oh my goodness the shoes… 😂 I had my husband’s friend come visit here in NZ and I told my husband in advance that no matter what happens the friend can’t wear shoes. So it all went fine and he took his shoes off outside. BUT, when he is about to leave he went outside, picked the shoes up, sat down in our living room and put them on, then took the five steps to the front door. Oh my goodness, I had to stop myself from screaming 😂 It hasn’t happened here since either 😂❤️❤️❤️
When i grew up in Germany, people had "house shoes" which meant that the minute you got home you took off your "street shoes" and put on your inside slippers which in winter were cosy knitted or sheepskin booties. Also people had slippers for visitors so nobody ever brought in mud and dirt from outside into the home. It just makes sense
I have to agree with other Germans here in the chat that there is quite some similarities between Sweden and Germany. I found the point about the kids worth considering - I think we are treating teenagers in a more „adult“ way than in other countries (a thing that our Japanese exchange daughter pointed out) but I think it would do us good to also adopt the more respectful approach for younger kids (by the way, being respectful does not mean that you don’t parent!). - A thing about Germany I am loving more the more I experience other countries is our body positivity. Of course there is still pressure on young people from social media to look „instagramable“ but overall there is a very free and relaxed atmosphere for example about nudity at beaches, in the sauna etc. People before and beyond puberty are overall very relaxed about the way they look. For me that is a big part of feeling comfortable in Germany.
I am from Czechia. My boyfriend and I lived in Göteborg for a few years. An other thing I found very surprising is a fact that swedish kids were aloud to play in cold water. Even though parents were standing on coast in thin jackets.
I just wash all the sheets, pillowcases, and the duvet cover once a week. Having two sets of sheets/pillowcases can make this less of a chore, since you can do them on separate days🤷🏼♀️
There is much to appreciate in Swedish culture! I will clarify one thing that comes up in many multicultural societies: the reason institutions ask about race is not out of some weird curiosity or desire to classify people, but to gather data so they can make sure they are treating all clients fairly. For example, a bank could look at its records and see that it tends to deny loans to clients of color but grant them to white people in the same income bracket or with the same credit score. That kind of discrimination definitely happens, but it’s hard to see and to change without collecting statistics.
@@wisedomandlearning I disagree on the “letting in” part. I really think its to do with an inability of the authorities to integrate new citizens. An official misguided respect where they don’t want to “force” Swedish culture upon them. When in fact that is the very thing you should do if you want to welcome people into your community. In my opinion. Swedes are generally very quick to be interested in people visiting their country and eager to explain and show newcomers how things work. But if you don’t feel like you’re part of society because you don’t speak the language properly, only live among other immigrants, don’t take part in Swedish cultural events/spend time with Swedes, of course that interaction will be much more difficult and up to the individual. Even more so for children who follow given examples. A grave disservice done to immigrants, and Swedes. And to Swedish society. BUT lets focus on all the happy things! There are many more of them! 😊👍❤️❤️❤️
The duvet cover is apparently useful if you live in cold climate regions. If you are here in the US, top sheets are a godsend during the summer while duvet covers are useful in the winter..
I'm an American who switched to the duvet way 30 years ago (had a Swedish boyfriend). As she explained, you use the duvet cover in the summer alone. It's the perfect weight and temperature on hot nights because it's a light, double top sheet. It also can be used as a "sleep bag" if you camp or travel to hostels. Also, duvets come it a variety of weights. You don't buy an extra thick, warm one if you live in say, the mid-Atlantic states or San Francisco. I live in upstate NY, so have a puffy winter weight plus a lighter one for the shoulder seasons.
@@Dee-x9f I just recently switched over, and that's mostly because the covers we got we this microfiber that just feels better than the sheets we have.
Sweden is another reason to love humanity. Every culture has quirks and customs. It's why I always travelled in my work and now as a retiree. My few months of experience in Sweden didn't show me all of these things but some other things are understood now. You have good screen presence and were clever and funny in your presentation. Thank you.
Hey @sagajohanna, We definitely have Duvets in the USA. We also have comforters. In between the fitted sheet is a normal bed sheet. Our bodies usually don’t touch the duvet or comforter, just the fitted sheet and bed sheet. Also, it’s common practice to dry clean your comforter or wash your duvet. It’s not like we don’t clean it. Just clearing that up! :) -Annie from NYC
@@lseward21 I don't know why she thinks that. Sheets get washed every week. I hate duvets and duvet covers; the covers are a big pain in the tush to deal with. Give me a top sheet and blanket any day, lol!
For me as Estonian are very easy to be around people from nordic countries. I do think very similar way. Have lived and worked one year in the family in Denmark in the end of 1990-s. Also worked in Ireland for a year and in Norway in a year. With my work have been in Sweden 10 -s of times for short period. Always enjoined. No stress and nice people to communicate with. My babies have always co-slept with me. Children have to get there parents closeness and love as long as it is possible.
Thanks for a great video. I recognize so much of what you shared. To start with, I think that the one thing that almost every Swedish emigrant left in Sweden when they came to North America was jantelagen. Long before I had ever heard of the principles of jantelagen, I remember my dad telling us, "You're no better than anyone else, but you are no less than anyone else either. You just worry about doing your best and that is all you need to do." I grew up in Washington State just north of the city of Seattle. My dad's family were all Swedish and I had no idea just how 'Swedish' Dad was until 2011 when I was making my second trip to Sweden. My first trip to Sweden was in 1971 when I was 20. It took me 40 years to get back to Sweden and that was when I realized how absolutely Swedish Dad was. It also explained why I do so many things that felt different that most Americans. I finally began going back to Sweden more often and eventually worked in Sweden for a year in the lumber industry. All this time I was doing more and more research into my family heritage. I also did two DNA tests and found that I am 78% Nordic; most of which is Swedish with a little Norwegian and Finnish. I have been designing and building handcrafted log homes for over 50 years. I do not know how this came to be. It felt more like the career chose me than me choosing to be a log builder. About 20 years ago I discovered that min farmors far vär också en timmerman. The deeper I dug into the family history, I found that min farmors farfar, utan min farmors farfar också var en timmerbyggare. Sedan upptäckte jag att min farfar och han frufar var timmerbyggare. I was now beginning to understand that genetics may be playing a big role in why my life has turned out the way it has. All this lead to the point where I wanted to spend more and more time in Sweden. I finally gave up. I surrendered to the fact that I AM Swedish. Two weeks ago, I finished a two and a half year process of finding and buying a farm in Sweden located three hours north of Stockholm. I'm in the process of sorting out my entire life to decide what I want to bring to Sweden. I am bringing my business to Sweden. I now know why I have felt more at home in Sweden than I ever have in the US. I just had to come home.
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful stories! Our ancestors affect us more than we think. I’m so so happy for you and I wish to hear more of how your life in Sweden unfolds. A timber house also sounds amazing!
Ur story made made me cry!!! I love Sweden and Us bit om movible ro Sweden soon . Im from Perú, maube i have some ancestros too bc o never felt completely identified as pwruvian idkw!!
I’m in America. These values and customs sound wonderful. I’d love to visit someday and explore your culture and learn about it. Thank you for sharing this
Presenting yourself as best as I can is kinda one of the best values I carry. I’m from Thailand. Personally, I suppose I cannot look people into the eyes if I were to raise my voice.
(1) Scissors are the only way to cut pizza!!! (2) Separate beds are even better than separate duvets! (3) Totally with you about duvets needing to have a cover! (4) Yes! Cold weather is not a deterrent when one is dressed warmly!! (5) Love everything you said about kids! (6) Agree about co-sleeping!! (7) So interesting about the dating issue!! (8) Your English is spectacular. THANK YOU - This is all so interesting!
Agree, homework is pointless because the schools don't teach what's truly important. It's sad because if you come from a disadvantaged background where your parents cannot help you, you are disadvantaged throughout your life really. Only if you have a great teacher who cares enough, they may encourage you to read more so you can teach yourself. Thank you for telling us about the Swedish culture. Noticed your eyes shine, which is really lovely.
Exactly. If you come from a home where people speak intelligently (in whatever language) and ideas are discussed, and where there are rules to follow, and intellectual challenges, like learning how to fix a toilet, or make Sunday dinner, or fill out paperwork, or balance a checkbook, you don't need homework. That's because in a well-regulated and civilized family, life itself is the homework.
WOOL blankets are antimicrobial. Wool is healthy. It does not need constant washing. Keep a sheet between you and the blanket; air it outdoors on a sunny windy day.
Right after graduation from architecture school, I traveled to Landskrona to work for its Stadsarkitektkontoret. My girlfriend was studying law at Lund University. I didn't find southern Swedes weird at all. There were absolutely no social conflicts. At least in Southern Sweden, young adults DID go on dates. My girlfriend and I preferred going out in nature for our dates, not going to discos or bars. We did go to big dances at Lund University. One time, the singers of the band were Agnetha and Ani-frid - before they were the A's in ABBA. Neither one of us drank anything stronger than beer or wine, We especially enjoyed picnics beside the Oresund Channel. I attended a Methodist church in Landskrona. RUclips videos make it seem that Swedes and Americans are very different and don't get along . . . but I found that a young man from Atlanta, GA got along exceedingly well with a flycka from Malmo, Skane and all of her friends. Maybe if I was from New York City, things would have been different.
Growing up in the southern United States learning proper respect for adults was super important. Saying "Yes sir/ma'am" was a given, and you always addressed other adults as Mr./Mrs./Ms. and their last name. And sometimes that meant you had to hug your less than pleasing aunt or let her grab your face and squeeze your cheeks, where that insanity came from is beyond me but it was the way of the world back then.
Yes, that certainly sounds like a different world! We had a huge debate in Sweden after a fantastic childrens book raising the question on hugging your relatives and how forcing kids to accept physical attentions from adults could result in serious consequences!
I spent a year of high school in Tennessee, and picked up the "Yes sir/ma'am." I kept it, and "y'all" which is a warm, friendly inclusive word. Now that I am living in Australia, it reflects well on the "coarse American" for the Aussies to hear me say "Yes, ma'am!"
@@SagaJohanna What book is this? I'd love to see it - I know that Scandanavian views on child rearing are different, and a few ex-pat Yanks have gotten into trouble for spanking (for example). I love the concept that a child's body is sacrosanct, and if a child doesn't want a cuddle - that's their right? Who are we as adults to decide that they must accept our affection?
Though I haven't heard it called co-sleeping, I instinctively did that with my babies, then later let them sleep together or with me. It is absolutely a deep comfort to their souls, their sense of well being. It is not an American custom, but perhaps should be.
I currently cosleep with my 18 month old, at what age did your kids feel comfortable sleeping on their own? When did you start to transition them? I want to eventually have my little one transition to their own bed but I don’t even know where to begin lol
They moved out on their own.😂 but it was a while. Breast feeding stopped when the next one came along and the bed got a bit crowded. I think the older child felt like as a big brother he was ready to get his own bed. Four or five years old? As this is Japan and it was many years ago it was not beds but sleeping mats on the tatami so it was just a question of rolling over a bit. A natural graduation?
Thank you for that most enlightening information on Sweden. It sounds like a very nice place. I am from the United States. I think I would have problems in Sweden because I am an extrovert. I'm used to talking to people including strangers, which is very common in the Midwest of the United States. I think that I would be lonely in Sweden. I always thought that the only way to get to know people is to talk to people that I do not know. Good people. Reasonable people. Not just anybody.
Thank you for your comment! Oh I think I'm too extroverted for Sweden as well haha. I love the attitude of the people from the Midwest because I too, love talking! I'd never EVER Had a person next to me on a flight speak to me until I flew through Texas to Utah. I had a lovely man from Texas next to me and we spoke about everything, keeping ourselves entertained throughout the long flight - and getting to know each other at the same time. I think the best way to learn about things, be it places, people or culture, is through connecting with people. So I feel the same way as you do! I often say that I'm very Swedish when I'm abroad, but when I'm home people think I'm more American than Scandinavian !
One of many things I've noticed since moving to Sweden is that you can buy cake mixes in almost every store. Doesn't matter if it's carrot cake, chocolate cake or pancakes, there is a mix in which you add liquid and just put it in the oven😅
Listening to you people of my home state make sense as we are decedents of many people from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. My family tried to keep many of our Swedish traditions from the food we eat at Christmas to our going outdoors as much as we can no matter how cold it is.
Came across this video because I'm writing a book where a Swedish woman is one of the characters. And I was trying to learn enough about the culture to make the character realistic. This video was pretty informative and I'm hoping you have more for me to learn from. Thank you.
You are so sweet and I love your culture! Please don't ever change, not even and especially not your education system! All Swedes are a light to this world! Wish the whole world were Sweden!
Regarding the raising children - - I totally agree with you on the sleeping together. Biologically we are instinctively programmed to carry and be close with our babies for a few years. It has never made sense to me that people work so hard to get the baby into another room. Would a baby gorilla grow up to be a sane and secure adult if mama gorilla made baby a nest 20 feet away? Or perhaps a baby horse should be given its own stall? No. Makes no sense.
The reason goes along with all of the other Dark agendas which use fear to separate families ... and apparently it’s working. So much misinformation out there. Look at Japan. One of the highest rates of cosleeping and the lowest rates of SIDs
Well, the main reasons animals sleep right next to their babies is so they're not attacked in the middle of the night + so they can keep thier baby warm. Human babies don't really face either of those dangers so sleeping with a baby isn't necessary. In fact it could also be pretty dangerous. Cases where the mother's rolled over onto her baby and suffocated the baby in her sleep are not uncommon. Could still have a baby in a crib in the same room ofc, but sleeping in the same bed as a newborn is seriously dangerous.
@@kushj9568 biologically we are programmed to need close contact with our infants, and they us. Modern constructs that originated in the 1950s regarding the sales and marketing of formula, cribs and baby furniture started this. There are ways to safely co- sleep.
You make me wanna move to Sweden, I also adore the show called Melodifestivalen which very popular in Sweden and as a Eurovision fan it’s a pleasure for me to watch Melodifestivalen too and enjoy the amazing songs every year, you are so sweet, thank you for your videos and kindness, I can say from your eyes that you have a huge good heart 💛
About the bad weather - bad clothing thing: we germans have the exact same saying. Also we do often ask others what they could eat before you host a party.
What are some things from your country that you think the world would be better off if we adopted them? ❤🌍
Is my First time watching your content, I hope to meet someone like you in the near future,
Love your video thank you!🇸🇪🇸🇪
Here...we have a lot of holidays and one week or month in some places of party just to up a little our happy face.
Whole food 2 times a day and two coffee breaks is a trend too.
Just to complete...Brazil is not a dangerous country...we just have some dangerous places.
Real fruit and vegetables. The green onions and the salads are usually reasonably fresh, but everything else taste like plastic.
@@carlosr192 In Bulgaria we start "Friday night" usually in Wednesday and it is "Friday night" until Monday. Can you guys beat that? 😀
My country sucks lol
Back in the late seventies, I went to work for a father-and-son carpentry outfit. They were from Sweden, but had been living in America for a number of years. I was in my early twenties, and this was only my second carpentry job, so I had alot to learn. They showed great patience while I learned how to frame houses with them for several years. For those who don't know, framing houses is hard and physical work, and you also need to be intelligent and have good math skills. We worked throughout the year, in summer heat and frigid cold. Looking back, I am impressed by their honesty and tremendous work ethic! They always treated their employees with respect and patience, and I will always be grateful to them for inspiring me to develop a good work ethic. I really was quite fortunate to have met them and had them leave such a long-lasting impression on me! I don't know if either of them are still alive, but if they are, I'd like to say "Thank You" to Joel and Roger Sandholm. You were two of the most decent and respectable people that I worked for in my more than 40 years in carpentry!
They certainly made a good impression of Swedish people on me!
Back in the 90s my US husband worked for a Swedish Man, Olaf. He was a boat maker but had married an English woman, moved to the UK and started making timber cabins (different than log cabins). Beautiful buildings. He was expensive and mostly built for fellow expats. They worked year round too. Hard working pleasant man. My husband picked up drinking tea with butter not milk. My husband learnt alot of different construction techniques to add to what he knew from the US. Since they also had an English man working with them, they also picked up UK techniques.
I'd like to believe that we treat everyone as equals regardless of their position/rank in a workplace. Thanks to "jantelagen" there's no "I'm better than you (because of my rank)". Things are just so much easier if we all try to get along together. :)
What a sweet person you are, gratitude is so important.
@@cynthiakeller5954 Now that sounds interesting, butter in tea. I'd like to try it. Was it emulsified into the tea or just floating on top? Where I used to live (in the US) there was a big Swedish community and the local supermarket used to make Vort Limpa rye bread for the holidays and carry Glogg. I used to buy Swedish coffee and Lingenberry jams there. I also used to get O.P. Anderson Akvavit (Aquavit) there too at the package store. Sometimes I'd get the Linie if they were out. Hadn't had any of that stuff in years since I moved away. Brings back memories.
@@vincemajestyk9497 it doesn't really emulsify, but of course if you keep stirring it'll mix better. Butter works great in coffee too. It kind of intensifies the aroma and gives a more silky mouthfeel.
In my opinion, the kindness toward children is the real story here. Growing up with constant screaming and anger in home and at school left me with serious lifelong anxiety and psych problems
are you a cereal killer?? 🙂
Cereal killer?
Yes I killed Snap, Crackle and Pop.
And Captain Crunch is on my list along with that Lucky Charms leprechaun!
@@josephpadula2283 Yes, I killed plenty of cheerios and lucky charms in my day. They screamed, but I did not care. also captain crunch too. 🤣
Grownups bark orders at children like drill sergeants bark at marine recruits. People tend not to treat children like human beings. A statistic I once heard is that at least 45% of all babies are unplanned or unwanted. No wonder people are so messed up.
So you're a psycho
I'm Canadian and a few years ago we went on a trip through Estonia, Finland and Sweden. There were lots of families in the areas we were in and yet we never heard any parents and children bickering. Several times we heard kids ask for things or ask questions but the parents calmly answered yes or no and explained what the children wanted to know. The kids might ask follow-up questions and time was made for that as well. And then the kids would accept whatever was said even if it wasn't what they had wanted. It was awesome! When we got back to Canada, we didn't make it out of the airport before hearing parents barking at kids who are whining trying to get their attention to ask a question. #7 is something that we absolutely should adopt here!
Yes, thank you for confirming that! That was exactly my shock when moving to New Zealand! I was so confused, thinking, the kids are just being kids - and parents yelling at them for asking questions! So weird!
@@SagaJohanna We raised our daughter more like you are describing. Believe it or not, we were equally praised in chastised for it. In the end she's become a young adult that I'm very proud to call my daughter and my friend. And she has moved to Finland!
Hejsan, Saga.
I'd say that we Danes do if not all of these 'weird' thing, then most! Guess fika is genuin Swedish. But as a broder- søsterfolk that's not surprising.
The one about no bad weather, just wrong clothes I actually thought was German, as they no matter the weather are walking up and down the westcoast, haha.
So yes ... 19 good reasons to do as the Swedes & Danes! 😉👍 Tack & hej
@@balikris Yes! I think so too. With the one addition that Danes dress better ;) At least we're all jelous and want to dress like you guys do :D
@@SagaJohanna Now kids shoot their parents so things are changing
Polish here. Sleeping in fresh cotton duvet covers prepared for me by my grandmother when I slept over at her place was like a paradise experience when I was a kid. Ahhhh.... just heaven.
I'm surprised you left out the hand towels in the bathroom! That was something I grew to respect very quickly and brought home to my family in Canada. Every family member having their OWN hand towel/towel hook AND and extra one labelled for guest. This just makes so much sense!
so do you invite one guest at a time to your house or ask all of them to share the guest towel? :)
I'm not sure that many people do that, I've never had different hand towels for different family members and can't recall noticing it at other houses
Don't really see how that is usefull. The very concept of community in biology is that you share the bacteria in your community which is not dirty or bad, bacteria are not an enemy. Besides, technically, you should have clean hands when you wash, so what is it good for ?
@@abderrahimbenmoussa4359 It is extreamly useful because if someone in the family gets sick (throwing up and diahrrea) you dont infect the entire family.
Separate towels is something I really can highly recommend.
We also have our own toothbrushes, but that I hope is a nobrainer...?!
If I suggested that as a norm around here, I'd get sent to behavioural therapy for OCD.
My spouse and I have used separate duvets for our entire 20 year marriage and it's one of the secrets of our success! We have very different temperature and texture needs. I run hot at night and usually only use one very cool cotton sheet even in winter, whereas he likes to be cosy with a heavier and warmer blanket. Even if you perfectly match your spouse in temperature needs, having separate duvets means you never fight over who gets more of it. Highly recommend for every married couple.
Same for me and my better half !
I introduced separate duvets recently and I am sleeping so much better - best idea!
Separate bedrooms is even better! That makes visiting each other for certain purposes even more special.
@@CartoType LOOOOL. To be honest, the whole monogamy/single spouse/fidelity thing is completely unnatural, and a complete scam.
My people. 25 years, and counting.
I totally believe in treating children as human beings that deserve respect. ❤ I agree with all of the points about children.
Oh no. I´m a Swede too, and Swedish children nowadays are among the most egocentric, spoiled and badly behaved that I know. Not everyone of course, but as a general rule. And opinionated! Of course kids must be listened to, but far too many Swedish kids are small dictators.
Yes, "from scratch" thing is so confusing. I love cooking videos and use to get really upset about "Ah I mix this can with this jar and add some bag to this". In my country store-bought canned food are for students and camping(ers?), not for everyday adult life.
haha yes!
All countries do and say things differently. Does not mean one has to adopt to others because they feel their way is better.
In the Nordic Countries you would traditionally conserve food for the winter.
By tinning/canning, salting, drying, and smoking food.
Baking dry flat breads for storing.
Nowadays there's a lot of frozen vegetables as well.
If making things like pea soup, you'll soak dried (yellow) split peas, rather than buying fresh green ones, as its less costly.
And because fresh peas are seasonal.
The fresh ones are reserved for a sunday's fricassé.
Of lamb, (veal) meatballs, or chicken...
Love from Norway 👩🦳🇳🇴
@@ninaelsbethgustavsen2131 you are right! But I was talking about different phenomen.
My Swedish father was indeed quite humble and never complained about anyone or anything. He was quiet, but was a very nice person to be around.🇸🇪
Mine too
Do you all who write comments like this, remember what Parent Flow has led to? Maybe your father was just indifferent to what the child has in life. That is why he is so kind. I am originally from Russia, but I live in America. We are the same people. But our attitude towards children is very demanding. I want my child not to be a novice, but to be a person. It is impossible without this. It is necessary to give everything that is possible to the child, and if necessary, kick it. (everyone around me thinks the same.) Think twice.
@@dluuc Kick It,, are you insane
@@jillfaraday685 By these words- "Kick it", I mean, give a hard lesson. Without sweet promises of a cloudless and easy life. 🙂
My Swedish grandpa was the same, quiet and always smiling.
One thing you didn’t mention: no small talk! We hosted a Swedish exchange student for 2 years, and he was most surprised by the amount of casual/short and even cheap conversations. He was always happy to talk, but he would patiently talk at length. Sweden sounds like a wonderful country to live, especially the Fika! ❤
I love Sweden, I was born in Brazil but my mother is Swedish and my brother also but still came very young to Brazil, this idea of leaving Sweden was totally my father because my mother never wanted to leave Sweden, I remember when I vacationed at my grandparents' house in 2013 in Mälmo, it was an amazing and unique experience, Sweden won my hearts in a way I will never forget
I wish there was no small talk expectation in the USA. It is tedious and makes me wish to be elsewhere.
I don’t even know how not to have small talk… wouldn’t that seem rude not to ask someone how things are going or what have they been up to when they enter a room and you haven’t seen them in awhile? I really don’t get it wouldn’t be rude not to talk to someone.
@@amybagnall6097 I agree. I'm a Texan living in the MidWest. I'm doomed to small talk hell, lol!
I loathe small talk. I wish it wasn't expected here in the USA.
German here - it seems we have a lot in common! Separate duvets, duvet covers, respect for children, loving the outdoors, never having to fill in forms about race.... there are some differences but a lot of things sound really familiar to me.
And an obsession with Veganism.
@@HeathenDance Nonsens. You have no idea ^^
yeah no race questions in forms but still racists on the streets
@@thesdfable idiots are everywhere (every Country)...
Reversed racism in Germany is product of post WW2 denazification campaigns. It was applied only to blacks and Turks. Racism against Slavs and Poles is reality of Germany almost until today.
Norwegian here - grew up with duvets, and "hate" the top sheet & blanket thing. Such a messy bed by morning, because I can't sleep in the tight cocoon of the sheet thing.
Yes right!!
I'm Canadian and find duvets far too hot for me!
By top sheet or blanket do you mean the sheet thay goes in between the duvet and the mattress?
”Whole and clean” dont mean ”always represent yourself at your best”. It means that clothing are optional as long as you are washed and don’t show up in clothes that is broken or really in bad shape.
It’s a old saying but something we can still use if someone asks if there is a dress code. For a party or even a funeral. That gives the person the freedom to choose whatever clothes they want to wear.
THIS. It basically means that it doesn't matter if your clothes are new or fancy or expensive, or if they are plain and cheap, or simple hand-me-downs, as long as they are clean and not in tatters. Whatever your social or economic status, the important thing is to show that you look after yourself and your family as best you can according to your ability. It's about respectability being worth more than money or status.
Thank you both, that helped me to understand it.
Now the swedish explain other swedes what "whole and clean" means. ;) VIsit your next H&M warehouse and you know how to dress in sweden.
ONLY RECONQUISTA!
That means I can’t wear my old worn in graphic tees?
I live in the Netherlands and we are not that different from our Scandinavian cousins, but I still heard several tips that would make life better, especially with regard to raising and respecting children as valuable co-humans.
Thank you! I've visited the Netherlands once and really liked how friendly everyone was :)
The Cuckerlands is garbage with garbage people and a meme language
I am a Canadian who practiced co sleeping with my children. In Canada and the US this is considered laziness at best and at worst, dangerous! supposed reasons being: ruin your marriage through lack of privacy for sex; spoil the child, they’ll never leave your bed,make the child too dependent on you; with a baby/ child kicking your ribs you will never get proper sleep, and fear you will smother the baby. None of which is true.
Regarding clothing: I lived in the US for a few years. Americans would talk about how cold it must be in Canada, as if they have never heard of coats,sweaters, or boots
Your suicide rate isnt particularly good either. However, your students do rank really well. Not as well as Japan, China. Estonia, and many countries where they are very strict with how they raise kids.
@@Metalmassacre07 thank you for your kind and well reasoned comment.
I'm half Swedish, half American and brought up in London, UK. One thing we should learn from other countries is talking to your neighbours and strangers. You might have seen the memes "Waiting for the bus like a Swede." that kind of scepsis towards other people is real. While when I'm abroad people actually talk to eachother on the train, they invite you to their table in pubs, say good morning on the street etc. It's very easy to feel unseen or lonely in Sweden.
Yeah completely agree! My Swedish friends call me American lol, because I talk a lot and love talking to strangers! I think it’s great to connect with people we might not otherwise ❤️
As an American in Sweden my entire adult life and some of my childhood I couldn't agree more. Swedes are in general socially awkward tbh. For all the "lagom" they use daily, they rarely get it right when it comes to social situations. They'll either pretend you aren't there which comes off very rude, or get WAY to personal and tell you their private problems.
It's one of the reasons I have to travel so much. It's kindof tragic. I think it's very much the flipside of not learning to speak up early, very little emphasis put on being polite and learning to chat with people without bending their ear, and understanding personal space in crowded sitiations. That's where Swedes fail miserably, with consequences for any outsider coming to Sweden for longer than a visit. Lack of spontaneity is part of it. People are socially anxious unawares.
It seems I should have been born in Sweden 😂
Thats a bit of a lie, mainly for big cities only. In the country side its like big families. Everyone knows each others and help each others.
Swedes show concern about other people's comfort and mood by not randomly approaching each other. But if you go to a smaller setting and non-public area people tend to say hello to each other, e.g. along a walkway in a nature reserve in a Stockholm suburb. If you need to ask a fellow commuter something you just say "Ursäkta, får jag bara fråga dig?" (Excuse me, can I just ask) When you and they are done they will move away discreetly and then you have to shut up and leave them alone.
Getting friends is for social settings/gatherings, school, work or through mutual acquaintances.
"We are very humble" and "Everyone should be as us" is hilarious.
Not being humble and not being inclusive is laughable?
There are certain aspects of Swedish culture and values that I definitely think the entire world should emulate. Just because you think that doesn't mean you can't be humble.
Classic Scandinavian
This is a funny European joke that they tell and whoever laughs at it gets laughed at by the rest of the room because the statement “everyone should be more humble” should be a common sense no brainer but it’s not.
Swedish people are not humble, they want to be, they think they are, but deep down they KNOW they are better than you.
My mom was a Swedish immigrant to the USA in 1924. I wish she and my grandparents would have spoken to me in Swedish so I could have learned the language. They spoke it in the home only, and English outside the home. I was raised on lots of Swedish foods. I am happy to have run across your channel.
Same here though occasionally my grandmother would run into someone Swedish in a store and talk away.
It's a shame she didn't teach her children Swedish. She said she regretted that later on. She began to forget words she had grown up with.
My family has many similarities with yours. I asked my grandmother to teach me Swedish and she flatly refused. She insisted that I “didn’t need it because you are an American”. My great aunt and cousins were very involved with the Swedish American Museum and Heritage Society in Swedesburg, Iowa.
Tack sa mycket from third generation Sweden.
Swedes like my grandparents did not teach their children Swedish because they assumed it would make it harder for them to assimilate into American culture. Their assumption was plausible but not correct.
I am a 73 year old American woman living in Sweden and I have a “best”, American, friend from the time we were eight. She was a Montessori pre-school teacher in her own home for children from infancy to three years old. I used to spend my vacations visiting with her, staying in her home and experiencing her days with the children. In over twenty years I never once heard her raise her voice or respond with anything less than the utmost respect. Partly this was her Montessori training, but mostly it was her nature. She and her husband raised their son the same way. This past summer their son (now in his forties) paid for my husband and I to travel from Sweden to Greece to join them on a vacation he had dreamed of for years. They have two sons, nine and eleven, and I experienced the same level of respect for their children as he had experienced from his parents. The boys were delightful! The vacation was unforgettable!
Beautiful story.
I like your list except for one thing. Kids should not be allowed to make mistakes.
@@air-run3984 Every one makes mistakes. You just made one, a major big mistake, showing how uneducated you are....
😂@@air-run3984
@@air-run3984We all make mistakes. In Sweden, children are allowed to learn from their mistakes, over and over until they are truly old enough to "know better".
I live in Scotland and many of those things are normal here as well. As an Italian, I can assure you that we use scissors to cut pizza at home, but never in a restaurant 😊
Thanks for sharing!
I have noticed that many pizza places in my area use huge scissors to cut pizza especially sheet pizza - large rectangle pizzas not round - I have never used a pizza cutter -
I'm Italian, from the region where pizza was invented and we DON'T use scissors because it's impossible with neapolitan pizza. I know that in Caserta scissors are used for "pizza a canotto" and stop.
Which region are you from?
@@M.C.P.I think she is reffering to the home made rectangular pizza that is firm and easy to cut, not pizzeria pizza 😊
Just a tip about kitchen scissors: I looked at them in a kitchen specialty store and didn't like either the price of the lightweight construction. Instead, I bought a pair of pruning scissors (not secateurs) from the hardware store for a fraction of the price, but they are sturdy enough to cut through the backbone of a hen, no problem.
Back in the early 2000s I spent 6 summers (and a short winter stay) mostly in central Sweden: Dalarna, Härjedalen, and Jämtland, preparing for and participating in Uppdansningen för polskdansmärke (known in the U.S. as “medal testing”) and hanging out with fellow folk dancers and musicians. Those of us from the U.S. generally stayed with local dancers or in cabins here and there, and the hospitality was truly heart-warming. One “weird” Swedish practice that I thought characteristic and well-intentioned (though prone to being taken rapacious advantage of by various European visitors) was allemansrätten-the right of free access anywhere in the countryside, even on private property, for camping and even picking berries, with proper respect for ownership (some wild stories there about violations of respect-and their consequences). It’s not just Swedish-the same can be found in Norway (with similar tales and outcomes). That might merit further explanation, Johanna. And another, minor bit: the ubiquity of the brightly colored dalahästar or “Dalarna horses” in many people’s homes.
I love the horses (I'm American but dated a Swedish man a couple years ago and learned a lot about the country) but the Christmas goats? I don't quite get that one. lol
One aspect of sweden i love is that dating is a lot more equal. Its not taboo/weird for a woman to initiate, and the man is not expected to pay all the time. You either split or take turns. I've also noticed we are a lot more equal in splitting housework, childcare etc than many other countries.
Yes I agree. It’s very nice and I’ve always shocked to see people date abroad. Once a girlfriend asked me to go up to a guy and ask him to pay for our drinks, and I said absolutely not haha! Also, I was the one asking my husband out the first time :)
Ngl, I prefer the swedish way of dating. Doing the dating period things always stresses me out way too much. I prefer just getting to know each other casually and if it becomes something, it becomes something. Much more natural and I don't feel forced.
If you don't go on dates....how do you know if someone is interested in you?
@@Scampergirl It's simple: they got arranged wedding when they are 6 years old.
Oh, I'm sorry, this more a trend in Islamic country... They are so alikes, I use to get confuse all the time!
@@alexandrevaliquette3883 Thank you for lowering the tone. It was all quite wholesome until you decided to turn up and act like a c**t.
I’m from New Zealand and it is common to use both a duvet cover and top sheet here. We wash the sheets AND the duvet cover 😊. I also air the duvet inner outside whenever possible. And there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing choices!
I am from Ireland and have been using a duvet since the 70s . I always put the duvet inside a cover plus use a fitted bottom sheet and a flat top sheet.
we visited friends in Canada,,, they have little ties inside the duvet cover- that connect with the cover, very clever, and its not here , sadly
That's what I do
As do we in Canada…and France (maybe it’s because I am not a thirty something slob).
Czech here. The more I know about Sweden the more I like it. We already share a lot of the things you mentioned. And some of the others we definitely should.
Yes, I grew up in a snowy climate- BUT, we always had the proper clothing for it. You don't dismay the weather- you simply buy nice warm clothing that you love. Then you look forward to wearing your pretty winter clothing.
I love how proud you are of Sweden and the fact you should be.
Well, you have given me some insight into my Swedish heritage. My grandparents came to the US before 1913. My dad was born here, but I have noticed little behaviors in my family that speaks strongly of our heritage. Things like being reserved, not putting ourselves forward, hospitality where guests are catered to, generosity. There are other things, but my dad was an open-handed, big-hearted man who gave to everyone. I can now understand why he was the way he was.
My great grandfather came from sweeden in the late eighteen hundreds. Very reserved, strong yet kind man. Nobody else in my family is like that besides me. 😂
Please do keep sharing things like this. We could learn a lot from Sweden.
That’s great to hear! I will 😊
American here. I did cosleeping with both of my children. I didn't even know I would do this until the night my first child was born. Then an instinct kicked in that told me there was no way I was putting my son in a bassinet next to my bed. I LOVED sleeping with my kids, and I really don't understand why some people believe it to be harmful. I've since learned that cosleeping regulates the baby's heartbeat, breathing, and temperature, and that the majority of babies who die from SIDS die cold and alone in their cribs. It just makes sense to sleep with our young. Every other animal in nature does it, and for good reason. It also helps with bonding, babies sleeping through the night sooner, parents getting more sleep, and it makes breastfeeding so much easier. Funny to me that only the western world believes it to be a problem, when the rest of the world knows better, and does it with no problems
Edit: to those of you who disagree, you're free to disagree, and you can present all the "facts" you wish, but the FACT that we among countless others all over the world have safely and successfully bed shared with our children isn't going to change. Yes, rarely some people accidentally suffocate their babies in bed. There are usually other factors involved besides just sleeping with the baby, and the number of people who sleep with their babies and DON'T suffocate them, as compared to the ones who do, should be an obvious indicator of how safe it IS. Unless you're a very heavy sleeper, you use drugs or alchohol, you're a very overweight person, etc, sleeping with your baby shouldn't present any danger. Simple common sense measures should obviously be taken, such as not over dressing the baby, and placing the baby more at the top of the bed, while the parents scoot down more toward the foot, so that when they pull up their covers the baby isn't covered. People really crack me up when they insist that bed sharing can not possibly be safe, when parents have been doing this since the dawn of humanity, and will continue to do so, carefully and safely. Beyond this I won't bother to argue the subject.
I said what I said.
Yes, thank you so much for sharing. Such such important knowledge and we are failing to take care of our babies in the western world!!! ❤️
Many Americans are big& could be a hazard to their baby through suffocation. Also, many parents snore or have sleep disorders which could effect the baby, or having the baby there could make it more difficult for the parent.
@@keithfavreau yes, overeating trumps kids’ needs in America🤪
Cot right next to bed is great. Husband rolled on our baby once, and he's not a heavy man.. but she let out a squeak. I'm for it except rolling, or smothering. Baby can also get very hot from adults bodies as well. So yes next to the bed as in this video is way better. When they learn to walk.. they find their own way to your bed. 🤣Same problem.. n u get punched or kicked if they too hot then whilst sleeping.
American here. We co-slept with our child and to this day my mother still says we're lucky we didn't kill her doing it.
Many of the mentioned points are common in Eastern Europe too, but for ex. if you're having guests over, not only the house needs to be polished to shine but also a tooon of food will be prepared so that you not only don't leave your guests go hungry out of your home but basically roll back to theirs😂
Haha yes!! You guys are for sure better at feeding guests 🤣 I know from experience haha!
@@SagaJohanna😂😂 so you experienced it 🤣
So true
My best friend growing up, her family was Ukrainian, and I spent a great deal of time at her house. I even called her parents Mama and Tato. Her Parents and Grandmother always wanted to feed me and I was in heaven because it was also food that I wasn't accustomed to getting. At home it was customary for us to eat relatively small meals. This was the 80's and plates were also much smaller back then compared to today. At home we were served what was on our plate and nothing more, but we were full and content. At my friend's house, there were seconds and more, if I wanted.. They would beg me to keep eating. lol I was in shock at the amount of food prepared. The hospitality from Eastern Europeans is so different!
I lived in Prague and as an American, and in the US we were required to “clean our plates” meaning eat everything on your plate. It was a compliment to the cook. But in Prague, you don’t clean your plate, because if you do, your Czech host will keep feeding you. You need to leave a bit on the plate,because it honors the host, meaning you were completely satiated. You also need to put your flatware in a diagonal position on the plate, indicating that you’re finished eating. I wish I knew that unspoken bit of etiquette. Nobody told me. I also had friends from Russia, and they had the same custom. “Eat, eat!” Whenever you clean your plate, lol
Czechs are great hosts, and somebody always brings out a guitar, and we have sing alongs. That was so fun! They love music and love to sing
I have Swedish ancestry. Watching this video explained a lot of things about my family that I didn't realize. Now I see where my behaviors came from. I grew up in a multicultural neighborhood in California and each family was so different from each other. Most proudest of sharing your beliefs on raising children.
I am from Latin America, Argentina. We use sets of sheets and wash them weekly :) and here we don’t ask about ethnicity or race neither. The same goes with the cake, we make it from scratch. We also cook a lot and eat at home.
I love the part of being ready to be outside no matter what the weather is ❤
So wonderful to hear it
When I was very young (ca 1960), I lived in a suburban working class neighborhood outside of Detroit, Michigan, USA. We were taught these community rules about when you can and cannot make loud noises, knock on people's doors, or call them on the telephone. The basic rule is, it is rude to disturb people at certain times; this is what it means to be considerate of others.
Do not disturb people before 8 o'clock in the morning on weekdays. After that time, children can go to their friends' houses and, in a sing-songy voice, call for them (children do not knock on doors). We would sing something like, "Can Bobby come out and pla-ay?"
On Saturday and Sunday the same rule applies, but you don't disturb people before 9 o'clock. That is because people may be sleeping in on those days.
Do not call a business before 9 o'clock in the morning during business hours. Businesses do not call customers before that time, either.
Do not disturb people 30 minutes before (while mothers were preparing the meal) or during meal start times, which were pretty much the same for everyone. Breakfast before 8:00 AM. Lunch at noon. Dinner at 5:30 PM. In general, when children were done eating, they could ride their bikes or roller skate up and down the street waiting for heir friends to come out and play. However, in the summer, when a baseball game that had been interrupted by a meal (mothers called us in to eat with a sing-songy voice; when you heard it, you better drop everything and run home), we were eager to get back to playing the game, so some children might press their noses to the screen door of their friend's house to see if they were done eating. My mother thought this was rude and did not encourage it.
Come home when the street lights come on and do not disturb people after that time.
Between meals and before the street lights came on, you make as much noise as you wanted outside. You could play quietly inside with a few friends. However, if friends or relatives came to visit and brought their children, and you had to play inside, you could make lots of noise so long as it didn't sound like you were squabbling.
These were the days before chainsaws and gasoline-powered lawn mowers were in common use. People used hand saws to cut tree limbs and mowed the lawn with a push-mower. During the day, the fathers were all at work and the mothers were busy with house work. Neighborhoods were pretty quiet most of the time.
These rules about how you show consideration for others by giving them some quiet times would be good for everyone to follow. The times could differ from community-to-community, but the basic idea is a good one. Where I live now (suburb of Atlanta, Georria, USA), there are no such rules. I call it "the endless whining sound".
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The common sense times huh! Here in NZ I often feel as though I live in “the endless whining sound” and there seems to be no escape. I think we need to reintroduce the common sense!
I’m currently reading “an American tragedy” and it’s giving me an idea of what America was like a while back !
You have a good memory and described that time period well. I was a boy in the sixties and I remember the same generally accepted practices too.
You're making me nostalgic. I was born in 1955 and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was much smaller then, about 30-60 thousand people. We did everything you describe, although I think dinner was served at about 6:00 p.m. Dad had to rest a bit after getting home from the Air Force base. Halcyon times, for sure!
I grew up in the green, leafy suburbs of New York City in the 1950's and it was just like that! My mother had a cowbell that she would ring to tell us to come home for dinner. Sweet memories.
I added a more restrictive 'Sunday rule' to my household (in the US). Not allowing anyone outside the family in or out before noon! Family time, church, brunch, or just hanging out in PJ's is what Sunday mornings are for. I didn't allow my kids to go knocking at the neighbors looking for friends to play with, and I sure didn't want the neighbor kids in my house disturbing the vibe. It's still a good rule.
I lived in Sweden, near Växjö for 7 and a half years. There are many good things about Sweden but one of the most common complaints that I heard among other immigrants was what we referred to as "Svensplaining." Unfortunately, it's very common for Swedish people to think that their way is the right way but also the only way. I have been stopped by strangers and told how to: 1. Walk my dog 2. How to dress my children 3. How to dispose of the trash 4. What color to paint my home. 5. How to walk in the mall (not kidding). I could go on, the list is endless. What you feel after a while is that no matter how hard you try, Swedish people by and large will tolerate you but never accept you as you are not "correct," or rather plainly, Swedish.
They even have a term for it in Sweden among the Swedes- "ankdamman sverige," "duck pond Sweden." They think that they are so advanced but in my profession they pay half of what you earn in the US and are about 30 years behind the profession here. But... they are a bit backwards and don't know it, so they think that they are the best in everything. Ignorantly.
So true
Could be that they want to teach everyone their ways which is perhaps a culture of uniformity. I've never lived abroad but my ancestry is half german half swediah and I tend to be a perfectionist so maybe my DNA is a bit geared this way and so is theirs
Conformity is definitely a huge part of the culture. It can be endearing but after a few years it becomes unpleasant. @@KatG-vw4db
There are as many perfectionist anywhere else.The Germans never talk about their imperfections.There is great silence & great judgement for every damn thing."Get off my lawn!", privacy, and secrets.
As a Swedish American living in Seattle, this video warms my heart. So many common sense things we could use in American society.
That makes me so happy to hear, thank you for your comment ❤️
What is a Swedish American to you? The term it self is never used in Sweden and wouldn't mean anything. What does it entail? Thanks.
@@brickan2 I think we Swedes think this is very funny, but Americans tend to often present themselves with their ancestry (same here in NZ). Someone with Swedish great grandparents might say "I'm Swedish American", and often times it can be their great, great, great grandparents. Or many of my friends will say things like "I'm an eight Polish". Where as I, as a Swedish person, only say "I'm Swedish", although my mother was very much Norweigan. :D
@@brickan2 I guess it can mean Swedish ancestry to a lot of Americans. For me, personally, it means something a bit different... having an American father but a fully Swedish mother, Swedish being my first language, and being a dual citizen. I also lived in Dalarna for a few years but grew up in America.
So..... DNA and genetics.
American here. If you don't collect race and other demographic data then you can't identify discrimination. That is a great way to hide discrimination, though.
😊oh stop
No need to hide what doesn't exist.
What a beautiful country. I've lived in the US my entire life, but my father's grandmother came to the US from Sweden a little over a hundred years ago. But my mother's side came over from Leiden in 1620. I've always wanted to visit this country, but when I went to college and learned more about it, I wanted to move there. From your description, it seems like such a wholesome country. The culture seems especially nurturing for children, and I love the fact they understand how healthy it is to be and play outside, and to allow kids to be kids. I love the idea of 2 separate duvet's. It makes so much sense! Thank you for this video.
Hi, Leiden is in the Netherlands, Sweden is a different country. Many similarities to Sweden though or other Northern European countries. We have 'gezellig', where we can really be grateful for being cosy together. We bike a lot, because our country is so flat. Many houses have big windows and no curtains for it, so you can look inside, nothing to hide. I enjoy that. We have relatively little school hours indeed. What I would love for us to adopt is that kids (and adults) would go outside even more. In Sweden there is more nature though. The Netherlands is such a dense country that it makes it difficult to go out and explore for kids.
I love this discussion! I was a child when we moved to Sweden back in 1961. We first lived in the countryside outside Gorteborg, then we moved right into the heart of the city. My sister and I attended Swedish schools for 3 years and learned the language from scratch- no textbooks needed! The Swedes as a community held their children as precious, and were oriented toward what was best for their children and the future that those kids represented. They also expected respect back, and got it. One way this showed up was with the curtsy- girls would stop to curtsy if they saw an older person in the street, and boys nodded their heads in respect. Introductions included a friendly handshake with bow or curtsy. Also- speak a "goddag" to greet someone. Of course, kids always offered their seat on the bus/train to their elders. When American friends would come to visit us, and we kids gave them a warm Swedish welcome, they were absolutely amazed and delighted. We in turn were uplifted by their response to us- and grew to like and trust and respect adults. I felt well equipped to be introduced to broader society with this simple start in life.
It's exactly, in every detail, how I was raised to behave as a child in 1960s Yugoslavia (the part that's today's Serbia).
I practice several of these, & I'm a southern American, but have felt different from other Americans. No Swedish background, just logical😊
I think it's really cool when we can transcend national identity and just do what makes sense 😂 🙌
I love you comments. I return to Sweden frequently and have never been approached by Svensplaining Swedes. Swedish ideas and customs are far better than in most countries I have been to. Great video!!
Thank you
Wow, I live in Germany and haven't realised HOW similar both cultures are! Thank you for the video ❤️
I feel as though I need to visit Germany now!!! ❤️
@@SagaJohanna If you wanna see both modern cities and beautiful landscapes - definitely go to the southern regions! If you wanna see crazy nightlife - go to Berlin or Hamburg (the second has beautiful culture too)! Most cities are a little boring though 🥲 but the big once have great contemporary art museums, these are usually worth a visit 🥰
@@polimeter Oh thank you! :)
I thought the same. The swedes seem to be our better looking cousins :D
I think this is due to the Lutheran traditions and way of thinking, which are strong in all of our countries.
I worked for a Swedish organization in the USA and your description of the Swedish people is so true. A very enjoyable environment to work in. Fond memories.
This is awesome! Been learning Swedish for 2 months now, and keep getting recommended videos like this. It's like fate wants me to move to Sweden!
✈️ 🌍 🇸🇪
Don't. It's f-ing cold here :)
as a Swedish i hate it here but you might like it
Very nice for you that you are so happy with Sweden. Sounds like you will be there with your traditions for your whole life.
Thank you!
I loved this! I am an American 🇸🇪 Swede and have always wanted to visit Sweden but funds don’t allow me to 😢. My grandparents felt that once they came to America they were Americans and did not carry the Swedish traditions over except our large family Christmas Eve gatherings. I grew up with potato sausage, rotmos and rice pudding and so wish we had celebrated St. Lucia, Midsommer, etc. I am proud to be Swedish and thank you for your info in this video! 💖🇸🇪💖
Oh how cool! 🇸🇪❤️
Proud to see you keeping up the heritage alive and shame on your parents for turning their back on mother sweden🐮
A couple of travel hacks. Are you familiar with Workaway?
As far as air fare check out air fares to various cities in Northern Europe from the biggest airport in your part of the country.
I do what I call book-end travel. For instance to Sweden I would check to see first what direction flights to Stockholm cost, then check major cities. I will book a round trip ticket to say London, then buy tickets from London to Stockholm round trip. Also try Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen... Once you get to Europe the connecting flights are cheap. We flew round trip from London to Rome for 120 dollars. It saved us over 500 each doing it that way.
@@EdgarKohl it was my Grampa who decided that. He left Sweden around the turn of the century because his brother took his girlfriend. He found Gramma, who also came from Sweden, once he got to the USA.
@@lindabruns6020 too bad i wasn't born back then i would've paid him my respects he deserve for not rasing a hand to his brother, he did the right thing at moving away from his ordeal, bless you dear.
My father was Swedish. I love learning more about Sweden. Thank you.
Thank you 😃♥️
@@SagaJohanna the Swedish people are sooo self absorbed 😉
I think many of these things apply to all Europeans especially the idea that you should always dress up nicely when you go out no matter on what occasion. This was absolutely clear when I went on a Summer Work and Travel Program in the US - you could see all young people from Europe ( we were mostly from Central and Eastern Europe) were always dressed well when outside compared to Americans and this made an impression on the Americans. I talked to a general store owner when I was purchasing some things and he told me that this was his store and he has been open for more than 20 years and each year he sees hundreds of young students that come from Europe to work ( mostly from countries that are considered Eastern Europe even though many prefer Central ) and they are always well groomed, clean, tidy and well dressed when outside walking around compared to Americans and actually I very much like this tradition that we have in Europe because this way when outside you are surrounded by a nice crowd of people and feel better. I think we in Europe are brought to think that when you cross the border somehow the people that live there will be completely different in any way but the truth is that we have lived on the same continent for Thousands of years and we have so much more in common in our everyday lives than we know.
That's very interesting. I think people in the US used to dress up just like people in Europe, but capitalism and modern day consumption/fashion has a greater influence in the US. Also obesity and culture.
Like you say, I think we have much more in common than we think :)
When I was studying abroad (I'm from Brazil) all Americans were in awe of the clothes of our Danish and Swedish classmates. They dressed in a classy and elegant way every day. Even though Brazilian youth has tried mimicking the US, especially in urban areas, it was shocking to me how untidy a lot of my US classmates were in their appearance. However, no one was more shocked than the Scandinavians haha I remember my Danish friend saying it looked like people in the US went to class wearing pajamas.
@Jady Sampaio Once when I was in the States in a supermarket I saw a woman shopping in her pyjamas.
@@valsblueforrest2961, This is normal here in the US. When I moved to the US, it was a culture shock for me - showing up in public in pajamas and slippers. In my country, even to a store close to home, I would wear makeup and be nicely dressed. Now I like that I don't have to worry about my appearance and no one judges me.
@Ava Gosiewski I try to find a middle ground that is comfortable for me. I do find that the need for outward appearances is very strong in Europe. It can be uncomfortable to be starred at from top to bottom with a judgemental look.
As a Swedish person.. I have two children, have never slept in the same bed as my children, they got their own bedroom when they were 4-9 months old. They were never afraid to sleep alone, they knew we were coming as soon as they called us.
Also, you are not automatically enrolled in the Swedish Church at birth, only if your parents chose to baptize you in the Swedish Church. Every Swede has to pay funeral tax, but if you are not a member of the Swedish Church, you do not have to pay church tax. You can still have the funeral in the church even if you are not a member there, but then you have to pay for the venue and priest.
A rolling pizza cutter can also be used to cut quesadillas; I'm sure there are other uses as well.
& a rolling tool is one faster, two easier. I'm all for minimalist in many things in life but doing a job with a tool for easy and speed in anything in life, for sure. Maybe they use them in pizzerias?
@@ninagoodwill8019 Ever tried to clean mozzarella melted onto tomato sauce from a pair of scissors?
I can't believe she thinks it's a good solution.
Pizza cutters are relatively tiny as kitchen gadgets go, and take up little room in a drawer.
The rusty-looking kitchen scissors took me out! 💀
we also use them to cut pancakes or waffles for children
I use mine for cutting home made pasta and cracker and cookie dough. I use mine a lot!
I was a Rotary exchange student after high school 1978-79 and it is still the best year of my life! I LOVE the Swedes, the food, the country and the friendly lifestyle lived there!!!!!❤❤❤❤
Wow! Did you get yo meet ABBA?! 😊😍💓💕💛🕊
Fellow alum here! 👍
@@ana419 unfortunately not. I think they were spending most of their time in the US during those years. I did get to attend the Nobel Awards Ceremony though
@@MrSillySkits Very cool. What was that like? Who won that year?
Thank you for this very informative video! Even though I am from the USA, I was raised with a few of these customs/traditions because mother was Swedish. Her grandparents immigrated to the USA in the early 1900s so I never got a chance to learn Swedish. My grandmother was fluent, and mom’s family still kept up many Swedish traditions, especially around the holidays. My mom passed away unexpectedly last year, so we visited Sweden for the first time and I felt very connected to her. I even saw a woman who looked so much like her! I will definitely continue these traditions, especially since I have been staying in Iceland for 4 months and feel so at home in Nordic and Scandinavian countries because of my heritage
Liked your video. Loved learning about sweden. Lovely country.
Amazing. Just keep honor ur Mother. Seeden is a beautiful country
One Week in Sweden, what did I notice? yes the seprate duvets, I do that now at my house. I learned to use more candles- they were everywhere. The way the high school graduates celebrate, like a long lasting parade like hay rides, in safe trailers that are pulled by parents. We were in Trolhatton? (Spelling) and our hotel had 2nd floor balcony's it was very entertaining for them to come by. (think spring break with chaparones on wheels?). Also, even in that cold of a climi\ate, bike lanes were awesome, double striped, two ways, their own red lights, lots of bike racks.
So fun, thanks for sharing!
I was in Stockholm and loved their culture; I was in a few European countries, and I rank Sweeden number one in Friendly, Honesty, best customer service, best first impression, and welcoming tourists 🎉.
Wow, I've only been to Stockholm once. I should go again! :)
I'm Swede and would say I agree on most things! :) True there is very little visible abuse, but there is a kind of an hidden oppression leading to high conformity, like does not Jamtelagen basically mean "don't think you are special/keep you head down" or something? And "whole and clean" comes from systematically singling out poor people in older generations in school to shame them, maybe it made us cleaner and less sick.. But again there is a side that alot of people moving to sweden might find rough as well
Sipto
Your honesty is refreshing. I am first generation American from very strict, somewhat obsessive, Austrian parents. Most of the customs in Europe have a great rational, especially over there. Good to keep the sensible and discard the senseless/harmful. By only showing the good and normal side she was doing what Swedes and Austrians do!
Poverty never makes people dirty....water & soap are cheap. Yes washing clothing often fades them, & that shows. But we see filthy people who are not really poor (coloured hair, painted nails and faces & filthy but name brand shoes & houses full of junky stuff). Truly poor people do not spend on non essentials since most are saving for important things that will improve their lives. And often tend to care very much for their homes, themselves. Simple but clean.
All that charm is a little cloying
I think a lot of mothers sleep with their babies but won't admit to it because they are told it's dangerous.
I always translated it as "healthy and clean"... Am I actually wrong (my local 'terve ja puhas' can also work both ways) or is that just a matter of taste/opinion?
Cosleeping is not bad, the issue is bed-sharing (that is often confused with cosleeping). The solution you talked about is very popular in many countries, you can buy those sort of cribs to attach to your bed, and very safe. If you put an infant between 2 adults, with pillows and blankets, it's not safe
Right! A big part of the issue many places have with co-sleeping is that the term is used in many places to refer to something different than what is described in the video.
Thank you so much for sharing all about Sweden with the world. 🙏💜
Thank you so much for watching 💜
I learned (a little late in life) it's arrogant for me to think I know what anyone else SHOULD do. However, I enjoyed hearing about other countries' customs
Well, I think there are better and worse ways of doing things :) depending on the goal that will change for people ofc!
Exactly!! For someone with such a sweet disposition to fine iff as so completely judgmental is quite sad. At first I thought what a lovely girl that was until she basically said if you don’t do the same as this you’re just plain stupid. Really off putting when it could have been such a nice video in learning different ways people live around the world.
I find your mannerisms voice and communication style just absolutely delightful. Thank you for sharing your culture with us!!! I hope to experience it firsthand someday.
My paternal grandfather's family immigrated from Sweden to the US near the end of the 19th century. As he was the youngest of 12 children, he was more American than Swedish, although he still spoke some Swedish. My other 3 grandparents were Irish. My paternal grandmother did her best to provide Swedish foods my grandfather liked such as Skorpra (sp?), similar to a biscotti with cinnamon on top with very strong coffee and, especially on Easter, that wonderful sausage we just called korv. We were lucky to have a Swedish bakery that delivered pastries and such to your door up until the 1970's. We have his birth certificate written in Swedish which looks like a page out of a manuscript; all colorfully inked and scrolled.
👌😌
I've just discovered this channel and I already love it.
I totally understand what Saga Johanna shares: several years ago, in my Erasmus year, I made some good swedish friends.
And I can relate the "quirky" ideas she gave, rather logical, I'd say 👍
Oh thanks so much! That is so kind!
Ahahha i’m glad you clarified in Italian 😂😂😂 “fica” definitely means something else!!! Thanks for sharing this video, I enjoyed learning these Swedish practices!❤
😂😂😂 So important, right! Haha! Thank you
What does it mean? Is it related to fecal?
"Fica": 💩?
@@bunnybgood411 it can mean like a very attractive female but also a word for the female genitalia. Both are used in a more vulgar sense so not something you just wanna throw around in public lol
My husband and I were introduced to using separate duvets with no top sheets while travelling in Sweden five years ago. As soon as we got back we rushed to IKEA to buy the wider single sheets and covers and it is the best thing for sleeping comfortably and cleanly.
Sounds great, but here in Florida, it won't work. I bought the lightest comforter Ikea had when I first moved here. After four years without using it, I gave it to my cousin in Kentucky.
I prefer two separate full sized beds! Together but respecting each other’s space!
@@rebeccacarter1914 We get very hot and humid weather here as well. During this time we do as was suggested in the video - discard the doona and just use the doona cover, like a sheet.
@@larahporter8123 yes! I’ve never understood why couples “have” to sleep in the same bed! Or even the same bedroom! I am so much more comfortable in my own bed and room
@@Denise5719-x7n exactly right
It's beautiful when people are proud of their home, but most of these ideas are universal.
So interesting to learn more about Sweden and its culture. My Grandfather was born and grew up in Sweden. However he came to America in 1899 and was naturalized as an American citizen in 1904. Sadly he died 10 years before I was born, so I'm always glad to know more about his native country. Thank you are sharing.
Love this video! I studied in Sweden for 1 semester as an Erasmus student and I absolutely loved it there. Especially the idea of never being "over the top" or too loud etc., just having this more moderate approach to life. And the fact that everyone spoke perfect English was amazing, although it also meant that I did not learn to speak Swedish at all.
I am absolutely with you on the duvet topic - we do the same with the duvet inner & outer here in Austria and I think it's the only reasonable approach to bedding, touching the "uncovered" blanket freaks me out whenever I'm abroad 😀
Thank you Martina! Oh how exciting, yes it is so nice with the moderate approach. :) Yes, I know. Learning Swedish is so hard because we all want to PRACTICE English lol!
Hahah oh my gosh, same. It happens every time we go to stay somewhere here in New Zealand - even in hotels. And it always make me feel funny...
As an American, I’m used to a top sheet and a blanket. I vacationed in Germany, and my room had a duvet and no top sheet. I got so hot I would take the duvet apart and just use the cover as a double top sheet whereas in the US I could have just taken the blanket off the bed. Every day the maid would put the duvet innard back in the cover, and I would have to take it back out every night. Why do they think we need so many covers at night? It wasn’t even winter.
I live in South Africa and we also do the duvet with no extra sheets or blankets
You can just sleep on top of the duvet like a feather bed if you get too hot. That’s what we did in Switzerland when visiting family there. I believe everywhere we traveled in Switzerland, Austria, Yugoslavia ( back when it was named that!) and Germany and Italy. All of those places used the single duvet and when too hot sleep on top of the duvet- like sleeping on a cloud!😊
I really appreciate your videos!❤
My mother is Japanese and when I visited Europe in the 80s I discovered a lot of similar things that the Swedish in Japanese both do.
Second to not wearing shoes in the house, that I love, is the duvet/duvet covers. Duvets makes making beds easier, keeps bedding & body cleaner than blankets, washing covers vs blankets takes less water, takes up less space in the linen closet, is easier to fold & carry vs the American bedding.
The Japanese have a similar version of the duvet & the duvet cover. It’s like a fitted sheet but goes on the duvet where the body touches the duvet & apx 30-45 cm that wraps around & over the duvet edges. The Japanese store all their bedding out of sight in the day and take it out at bedtime.
Unfortunately the American home usually doesn’t have a place to store away the Japanese bedding which would include the “mattress” part.
Since my first visit to Europe I started using the European duvet & covers. It looks so much tidier with all the bedding in sight all the time.
The way children are raised is the same as Swedish raise their children. In Japan they have special days to celebrate their children. It’s 😮a way to make the children feel special and loved.
Dating is also something that don’t see even today. People usually go out in groups and “dating” is basically when a couple has decided to marry. It’s a blurry line so it’s hard to “date”. Maybe that’s from the days of “arrangement marriage”..?
Also Japanese people that don’t live in the city usually don’t eat processed foods. If they pickle some thing they do it themselves. Even making their own noodles is very common. Unfortunately the Japanese are becoming more westernized and it showing in their health. For instance there’s no word for menopause in Japanese because women didn’t have any symptoms while going through that change. I’m not a doctor but I would attribute that to the diet of fresh and unprocessed foods. The more processed foods they eat the more cancer and other diseases are showing up, sadly.😢
Also the Japanese culture, as most people know l, don’t wear shoes inside the home. I grew up with pure white wool carpet in the main living room and it stayed white. Of course my mother would steam clean the carpet A LOT.
There’s a list of “manners” when it comes to shoes, where to take them off, who helps who and the order of who takes their shoes off first, how to take them off and who flips them around so putting shoes back on is easier, etc. The only time my mother got VERY upset with my father was when he tried to tip toe his way into the bathroom having just put on his boots and she caught him doing it! Needless to say he didn’t do that again.😂
Oh my gosh I LOVE your stories 😂❤️ I lived in Japan for a year and a half so I can relate to so many things, unfortunately also the western diet creeping in.
I love the menopause story. I will use that all the time now 😂 I always reference the prostate cancer stats in Japan, so now I have another one!
And oh my goodness the shoes… 😂 I had my husband’s friend come visit here in NZ and I told my husband in advance that no matter what happens the friend can’t wear shoes. So it all went fine and he took his shoes off outside. BUT, when he is about to leave he went outside, picked the shoes up, sat down in our living room and put them on, then took the five steps to the front door. Oh my goodness, I had to stop myself from screaming 😂
It hasn’t happened here since either 😂❤️❤️❤️
When i grew up in Germany, people had "house shoes" which meant that the minute you got home you took off your "street shoes" and put on your inside slippers which in winter were cosy knitted or sheepskin booties. Also people had slippers for visitors so nobody ever brought in mud and dirt from outside into the home. It just makes sense
It's the soybean use that eases menopause. Soy is estrogen rich. Only down side is that it also feeds breast cancer tumors.
I have to agree with other Germans here in the chat that there is quite some similarities between Sweden and Germany. I found the point about the kids worth considering - I think we are treating teenagers in a more „adult“ way than in other countries (a thing that our Japanese exchange daughter pointed out) but I think it would do us good to also adopt the more respectful approach for younger kids (by the way, being respectful does not mean that you don’t parent!). - A thing about Germany I am loving more the more I experience other countries is our body positivity. Of course there is still pressure on young people from social media to look „instagramable“ but overall there is a very free and relaxed atmosphere for example about nudity at beaches, in the sauna etc. People before and beyond puberty are overall very relaxed about the way they look. For me that is a big part of feeling comfortable in Germany.
Thank you for all the research and work you do ..
Truly appreciated 🙏
I am from Czechia. My boyfriend and I lived in Göteborg for a few years. An other thing I found very surprising is a fact that swedish kids were aloud to play in cold water. Even though parents were standing on coast in thin jackets.
I just wash all the sheets, pillowcases, and the duvet cover once a week. Having two sets of sheets/pillowcases can make this less of a chore, since you can do them on separate days🤷🏼♀️
There is much to appreciate in Swedish culture! I will clarify one thing that comes up in many multicultural societies: the reason institutions ask about race is not out of some weird curiosity or desire to classify people, but to gather data so they can make sure they are treating all clients fairly. For example, a bank could look at its records and see that it tends to deny loans to clients of color but grant them to white people in the same income bracket or with the same credit score. That kind of discrimination definitely happens, but it’s hard to see and to change without collecting statistics.
By taking race out of the equation, the bank is only making the decision based on financial situation.
Was gonna say that too. Its to counter discrimination, not the other way around. Different national methods dealing with the same issue. 👍🙂
I was thinking how institutions routinely gather basic data, which can be useful yielding information in the form of statistics.
Exactly this! Homogenous societies arguably don’t need to ask. But it is a very important tool to prevent illegal discrimination in many countries.
@@wisedomandlearning I disagree on the “letting in” part. I really think its to do with an inability of the authorities to integrate new citizens. An official misguided respect where they don’t want to “force” Swedish culture upon them. When in fact that is the very thing you should do if you want to welcome people into your community. In my opinion.
Swedes are generally very quick to be interested in people visiting their country and eager to explain and show newcomers how things work. But if you don’t feel like you’re part of society because you don’t speak the language properly, only live among other immigrants, don’t take part in Swedish cultural events/spend time with Swedes, of course that interaction will be much more difficult and up to the individual. Even more so for children who follow given examples. A grave disservice done to immigrants, and Swedes. And to Swedish society.
BUT lets focus on all the happy things! There are many more of them! 😊👍❤️❤️❤️
I like your information. You and your demeanor is lovely. Thank you
The duvet cover is apparently useful if you live in cold climate regions. If you are here in the US, top sheets are a godsend during the summer while duvet covers are useful in the winter..
I missed a top sheet when I went to Germany. I dont like Duvet If The place is hot enough .
I'm an American who switched to the duvet way 30 years ago (had a Swedish boyfriend). As she explained, you use the duvet cover in the summer alone. It's the perfect weight and temperature on hot nights because it's a light, double top sheet. It also can be used as a "sleep bag" if you camp or travel to hostels. Also, duvets come it a variety of weights. You don't buy an extra thick, warm one if you live in say, the mid-Atlantic states or San Francisco. I live in upstate NY, so have a puffy winter weight plus a lighter one for the shoulder seasons.
@@Dee-x9f I just recently switched over, and that's mostly because the covers we got we this microfiber that just feels better than the sheets we have.
Sweden is another reason to love humanity. Every culture has quirks and customs. It's why I always travelled in my work and now as a retiree. My few months of experience in Sweden didn't show me all of these things but some other things are understood now. You have good screen presence and were clever and funny in your presentation. Thank you.
Hey @sagajohanna,
We definitely have Duvets in the USA. We also have comforters. In between the fitted sheet is a normal bed sheet. Our bodies usually don’t touch the duvet or comforter, just the fitted sheet and bed sheet. Also, it’s common practice to dry clean your comforter or wash your duvet. It’s not like we don’t clean it. Just clearing that up! :)
-Annie from NYC
I believe her point was that we don’t wash or dry clean them every week.
@@lseward21 I don't know why she thinks that. Sheets get washed every week. I hate duvets and duvet covers; the covers are a big pain in the tush to deal with. Give me a top sheet and blanket any day, lol!
Super interesting! Thank u so much for sharing!
For me as Estonian are very easy to be around people from nordic countries. I do think very similar way. Have lived and worked one year in the family in Denmark in the end of 1990-s. Also worked in Ireland for a year and in Norway in a year. With my work have been in Sweden 10 -s of times for short period. Always enjoined. No stress and nice people to communicate with. My babies have always co-slept with me. Children have to get there parents closeness and love as long as it is possible.
That is very interesting. I had a friend from Estonia and she was very lovely, quiet and kind :) That is great to hear about the children!
Thanks for a great video. I recognize so much of what you shared. To start with, I think that the one thing that almost every Swedish emigrant left in Sweden when they came to North America was jantelagen. Long before I had ever heard of the principles of jantelagen, I remember my dad telling us, "You're no better than anyone else, but you are no less than anyone else either. You just worry about doing your best and that is all you need to do."
I grew up in Washington State just north of the city of Seattle. My dad's family were all Swedish and I had no idea just how 'Swedish' Dad was until 2011 when I was making my second trip to Sweden. My first trip to Sweden was in 1971 when I was 20. It took me 40 years to get back to Sweden and that was when I realized how absolutely Swedish Dad was. It also explained why I do so many things that felt different that most Americans. I finally began going back to Sweden more often and eventually worked in Sweden for a year in the lumber industry. All this time I was doing more and more research into my family heritage. I also did two DNA tests and found that I am 78% Nordic; most of which is Swedish with a little Norwegian and Finnish.
I have been designing and building handcrafted log homes for over 50 years. I do not know how this came to be. It felt more like the career chose me than me choosing to be a log builder. About 20 years ago I discovered that min farmors far vär också en timmerman. The deeper I dug into the family history, I found that min farmors farfar, utan min farmors farfar också var en timmerbyggare. Sedan upptäckte jag att min farfar och han frufar var timmerbyggare. I was now beginning to understand that genetics may be playing a big role in why my life has turned out the way it has. All this lead to the point where I wanted to spend more and more time in Sweden. I finally gave up. I surrendered to the fact that I AM Swedish. Two weeks ago, I finished a two and a half year process of finding and buying a farm in Sweden located three hours north of Stockholm. I'm in the process of sorting out my entire life to decide what I want to bring to Sweden. I am bringing my business to Sweden. I now know why I have felt more at home in Sweden than I ever have in the US. I just had to come home.
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful stories! Our ancestors affect us more than we think. I’m so so happy for you and I wish to hear more of how your life in Sweden unfolds. A timber house also sounds amazing!
Ur story made made me cry!!! I love Sweden and Us bit om movible ro Sweden soon . Im from Perú, maube i have some ancestros too bc o never felt completely identified as pwruvian idkw!!
I’m in America. These values and customs sound wonderful. I’d love to visit someday and explore your culture and learn about it. Thank you for sharing this
I love visiting America and have close friends there! But has not seen enough of your large country! Hope you get to visit Sweden one day!
Yes, Anna, do come.
This video is so passive agressive 😍🥰 I love it!
Presenting yourself as best as I can is kinda one of the best values I carry. I’m from Thailand.
Personally, I suppose I cannot look people into the eyes if I were to raise my voice.
That’s an amazing value❤️
(1) Scissors are the only way to cut pizza!!! (2) Separate beds are even better than separate duvets! (3) Totally with you about duvets needing to have a cover! (4) Yes! Cold weather is not a deterrent when one is dressed warmly!! (5) Love everything you said about kids! (6) Agree about co-sleeping!! (7) So interesting about the dating issue!! (8) Your English is spectacular.
THANK YOU - This is all so interesting!
Thank you!
It worked on an episode of Breaking Bad!
Agree, homework is pointless because the schools don't teach what's truly important. It's sad because if you come from a disadvantaged background where your parents cannot help you, you are disadvantaged throughout your life really. Only if you have a great teacher who cares enough, they may encourage you to read more so you can teach yourself. Thank you for telling us about the Swedish culture. Noticed your eyes shine, which is really lovely.
Yes, both my parents worked/are working with underprivileged kids so I saw the importance of a teacher of any kind in one’s life.
Thank you so much 😊
Exactly. If you come from a home where people speak intelligently (in whatever language) and ideas are discussed, and where there are rules to follow, and intellectual challenges, like learning how to fix a toilet, or make Sunday dinner, or fill out paperwork, or balance a checkbook, you don't need homework. That's because in a well-regulated and civilized family, life itself is the homework.
@@Philobiblion they are practical skills.
WOOL blankets are antimicrobial. Wool is healthy. It does not need constant washing. Keep a sheet between you and the blanket; air it outdoors on a sunny windy day.
Yes, wool is different! But my husband has asthma so wool is not recommended :)
Right after graduation from architecture school, I traveled to Landskrona to work for its Stadsarkitektkontoret. My girlfriend was studying law at Lund University. I didn't find southern Swedes weird at all. There were absolutely no social conflicts. At least in Southern Sweden, young adults DID go on dates. My girlfriend and I preferred going out in nature for our dates, not going to discos or bars. We did go to big dances at Lund University. One time, the singers of the band were Agnetha and Ani-frid - before they were the A's in ABBA. Neither one of us drank anything stronger than beer or wine, We especially enjoyed picnics beside the Oresund Channel. I attended a Methodist church in Landskrona. RUclips videos make it seem that Swedes and Americans are very different and don't get along . . . but I found that a young man from Atlanta, GA got along exceedingly well with a flycka from Malmo, Skane and all of her friends. Maybe if I was from New York City, things would have been different.
Growing up in the southern United States learning proper respect for adults was super important. Saying "Yes sir/ma'am" was a given, and you always addressed other adults as Mr./Mrs./Ms. and their last name. And sometimes that meant you had to hug your less than pleasing aunt or let her grab your face and squeeze your cheeks, where that insanity came from is beyond me but it was the way of the world back then.
Yes, that certainly sounds like a different world! We had a huge debate in Sweden after a fantastic childrens book raising the question on hugging your relatives and how forcing kids to accept physical attentions from adults could result in serious consequences!
@@SagaJohanna I wish we'd had those books when my aunt and her 5 gallons of perfume wanted to give you a hug😷 LOL!!
It was the same for me in the NW US. It seems to be an outdated way to live now though.
I spent a year of high school in Tennessee, and picked up the "Yes sir/ma'am." I kept it, and "y'all" which is a warm, friendly inclusive word. Now that I am living in Australia, it reflects well on the "coarse American" for the Aussies to hear me say "Yes, ma'am!"
@@SagaJohanna What book is this? I'd love to see it - I know that Scandanavian views on child rearing are different, and a few ex-pat Yanks have gotten into trouble for spanking (for example). I love the concept that a child's body is sacrosanct, and if a child doesn't want a cuddle - that's their right? Who are we as adults to decide that they must accept our affection?
Though I haven't heard it called co-sleeping, I instinctively did that with my babies, then later let them sleep together or with me. It is absolutely a deep comfort to their souls, their sense of well being. It is not an American custom, but perhaps should be.
That is so amazing ❤ Yes, according to science it's the best thing for babies health!
Brit living in Japan here😊It’s aJapanese custom to which I readily adopted.
How the heck does anybody breastfeed a child if you’re not co-sleeping😂?
I currently cosleep with my 18 month old, at what age did your kids feel comfortable sleeping on their own? When did you start to transition them? I want to eventually have my little one transition to their own bed but I don’t even know where to begin lol
They moved out on their own.😂 but it was a while. Breast feeding stopped when the next one came along and the bed got a bit crowded. I think the older child felt like as a big brother he was ready to get his own bed. Four or five years old? As this is Japan and it was many years ago it was not beds but sleeping mats on the tatami so it was just a question of rolling over a bit.
A natural graduation?
What a nice video! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Oh thank you so much!
Thank you for that most enlightening information on Sweden. It sounds like a very nice place. I am from the United States. I think I would have problems in Sweden because I am an extrovert. I'm used to talking to people including strangers, which is very common in the Midwest of the United States. I think that I would be lonely in Sweden. I always thought that the only way to get to know people is to talk to people that I do not know. Good people. Reasonable people. Not just anybody.
Thank you for your comment! Oh I think I'm too extroverted for Sweden as well haha. I love the attitude of the people from the Midwest because I too, love talking! I'd never EVER Had a person next to me on a flight speak to me until I flew through Texas to Utah. I had a lovely man from Texas next to me and we spoke about everything, keeping ourselves entertained throughout the long flight - and getting to know each other at the same time. I think the best way to learn about things, be it places, people or culture, is through connecting with people. So I feel the same way as you do! I often say that I'm very Swedish when I'm abroad, but when I'm home people think I'm more American than Scandinavian !
One of many things I've noticed since moving to Sweden is that you can buy cake mixes in almost every store. Doesn't matter if it's carrot cake, chocolate cake or pancakes, there is a mix in which you add liquid and just put it in the oven😅
hey !!
as you said you are swedish i want someone who can help me to translate my contents to swedish language can you pls help?
Listening to you people of my home state make sense as we are decedents of many people from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. My family tried to keep many of our Swedish traditions from the food we eat at Christmas to our going outdoors as much as we can no matter how cold it is.
That is so cool! My family is also split between Denmark, Norway and Sweden!
Came across this video because I'm writing a book where a Swedish woman is one of the characters. And I was trying to learn enough about the culture to make the character realistic. This video was pretty informative and I'm hoping you have more for me to learn from. Thank you.
You are so sweet and I love your culture! Please don't ever change, not even and especially not your education system! All Swedes are a light to this world! Wish the whole world were Sweden!
Aw thank you ❤️
Thanks for sharing about your Swedish culture! I look forward to your vids every week
Oh yay! Thank you so much 😍
This is the first time I've seen you. Sweden sounds so lovely & civilized. It's a breath of fresh air to hear about it. 💖
You are a charming ambassador for Swedish culture. Thank you for sharing this.
Regarding the raising children - - I totally agree with you on the sleeping together. Biologically we are instinctively programmed to carry and be close with our babies for a few years. It has never made sense to me that people work so hard to get the baby into another room. Would a baby gorilla grow up to be a sane and secure adult if mama gorilla made baby a nest 20 feet away? Or perhaps a baby horse should be given its own stall? No. Makes no sense.
Right?!?! It’s so natural, yet we force mothers and babies to literally suffer! For no reason!!
The reason goes along with all of the other Dark agendas which use fear to separate families ... and apparently it’s working. So much misinformation out there. Look at Japan. One of the highest rates of cosleeping and the lowest rates of SIDs
Well, the main reasons animals sleep right next to their babies is so they're not attacked in the middle of the night + so they can keep thier baby warm. Human babies don't really face either of those dangers so sleeping with a baby isn't necessary. In fact it could also be pretty dangerous. Cases where the mother's rolled over onto her baby and suffocated the baby in her sleep are not uncommon. Could still have a baby in a crib in the same room ofc, but sleeping in the same bed as a newborn is seriously dangerous.
@@kushj9568 biologically we are programmed to need close contact with our infants, and they us. Modern constructs that originated in the 1950s regarding the sales and marketing of formula, cribs and baby furniture started this. There are ways to safely co- sleep.
In America, that might get you arrested and Jesus would not approve. LOL
You make me wanna move to Sweden, I also adore the show called Melodifestivalen which very popular in Sweden and as a Eurovision fan it’s a pleasure for me to watch Melodifestivalen too and enjoy the amazing songs every year, you are so sweet, thank you for your videos and kindness, I can say from your eyes that you have a huge good heart 💛
Thank you so much
About the bad weather - bad clothing thing: we germans have the exact same saying. Also we do often ask others what they could eat before you host a party.
Right. In Germany it also means, that there's no excuse to stay at home, because of the weather.