A question for anyone from Sweden/ with experience of Sweden or Scandinavia in general?

Question

I was thinking of touring Scandinavia as I have got really in to the history of the region after studying at University- but I know next to nothing about the area! I'd be grateful if someone could fill me in on a few things...

1. How are us Brits recieved?
2. Is it really all snow and evergreen forests outside of the towns?
3. General overview of the people (hard I know)- I always had the impression that Scandinavians were quite aloof (not meaning to offend) and had no time for us British plebians...kind of like Dolph Lundgren in Rocky 4.
4. What is the national sport/ pastime/ hobby?

Any info very welcome (Sweden-specific would be great!)

Thanks!

Answer 1

I am from Finland and have been in Sweden for couple of times (my aunt lives there). Maybe I can help you a bit :)

1.Brits and all foreigners are received very well. Of course there are some people who don't like foreigners at all, but that is not common.

2. It's not snow all the year, of course. And the situation with snow depends on which part of the country you are. In southern Finland and Sweden there is not as much snow as in north, logically. Evergreen forests are everywhere. Where ever you go, you see forests and lakes.

3. People in Finland, and in Sweden are quiet. Maybe more quiet in Finland! But I think it's just that we don't have that kind of small talk in out languages, so we don't really use it in english conversations eather. Swedes and Finns drink a lot alcohol, yes. That might be the only way to free our tongues so that we start to speak ;D In general, Finns and Swedes are polite and helpful, they just might feel a bit "shy" to talk english. Everyone knows how to say "I don't speak english, sorry" in a perfect english! And you might hear that a lot if you come to Finland, or to Sweden ;D But youth is very helpful and they love to have friends outside of the country, so if you want to talk with someone, I advice you to talk to someone younger than 30. I am talking a lot about Finland and Finns, but Swedes are a bit same! And it's common that Finns joke about Swedes, who joke about Norwegian who joke about Finns and so on ;)

4. I think there are many answers to this question! :D skiing, sauna, drinking and every kind of winter sports really! Especially ice hockey.

I hope that I helped you with this.

Sorry about my english ;)

Answer 2

Hi, I'm an American/Swede who lives in Norway. For lack of an expert, I will try to help:

1. It's not about your nationality, but what you are like as an individual. If you are polite, interested in learning about others and pay for a round when it is your turn, you will be just fine.
2. In many places away from the coasts, yes. Yet, Scandinavia has its fair share of average towns to even out the breathtakingly spectacular postcards views, just like every other country.
3. No offence taken. Reserved personalities can be perceived as aloof sometimes. If I remember Rocky 4 correctly, I think Dolph's character was supposed to be nasty and mean, not aloof. ;)
4. Football is very popular, along with handball, hiking, & ski sports.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

I know some people from Sweden and I know people who have been there, so I can help a bit.

1. Brits should be received nicely, as most Swedes are friendly and almost everybody speaks English.

2. Probably. Sweden is cold and doesn't have much of a summer.

3. Swedes are usually friendly. I've never heard they aren't. I have that Finns are unfriendly though...

4. No idea. I know skiing is popular, as are other Winter sports. Swedes win lots of medals at Olympic Winter Games.

Answer 4

Sweden is BORING...and its society and customs altogethr a bit bizzare...I'm not trying to be mean (really) just tellign it like it is....Lets say you want to buy alcohol...you have to do it before 6pm at the government store with high taxes (the government has a monopoly on all alcohol sales..) and thats not all you cant even grab the bottle yourself you have to take a number and wait in a queue (get used to takign a number in Sweden and heaven help you if you ever lose your number..)

Swedes are very orderly, proper.... and love order...To the outsider it appears that everythign is forbidden...(thats the joke in Denmark at least) I once had a grandma, a complete stranger lecture me for having put my feet on the edge of the train seat....

In Stockholm another person felt uncomfortable that I was standing 3 feet away from her but not behind 'the line' while she was changing her money...

Back to alcohol...if your going out everything is ridiculously expensive and you are in many cases paying for beer (if it is from the tap that is not full strength...tastes like water...) The swedes do have good pear cider...And stockholm is lovely..but the people....I guess young people are okay....I don't know what your attitude about 'drugs' is....lets say pot but I foudn that people where abnormally uptight about the subject in this country in comparison to its neighbors...Usually for such a model of a tolerant society right...

but the other really bizarre thing there is that everyone wants to charge you for things that in othe countries would be considered hospitality or kindness...even among relatives... I went to party(with excellent homemade food and the host expected all the invited guests to pay her...I was abit taken back... Ive also heard that when you go to a party everyone brings their own bottles and never shares...and that even friends ask each other to give them nominal amounts of gas money for short trips by car...

As for girls..nice to look at and friendly..but odds are that by the time they are 17 they are much more sexually experienced than you are... besides I found Finns and Danes much more alluring

Maybe I'm being a bit biased but I dont think you will find any Swede who will categorically refute these observations...If you are going to Scandinavia try to concentrate your time in denmark and Finland...or at least get out there to make a comparison...I've had much more fun in those places...I'd say the people are generally friendly... and the society's a bit more open... also Summer and winter both are nice for different reasons...Depends if you like long dark nights or long long days...If heard Goteborg is fun but didnt go there...

Answer 5

i'm somewhat ignorant to the dimensions of the non secular community's in Sweden/Denmark, yet curiously faith isn't thriving like another u . s .'s there. yet in components of Scandinavia they're deeply non secular case in point the Faeroe Islands that's a determination of a few islands. simply by my mum doing artwork there she found out they're somewhat non secular people. just about ALL Christian.

Answer 6

I'm afraid that I agree with zackadoo! Absolutely true! Most of them are aloof and love discipline even in the simplest things. Try to avoid contact with strangers on the street even by accident!