A Swedish Fika

Today I want to try and paint a picture for you. I want to describe an average Swedish family. This family does not exist, it is a creation of statistics about Sweden and Swedes, but I hope it can paint a picture about life in Sweden. Let me introduce you to the Andersson Family, Andersson is the most common last name in Sweden. It consists of dad Lars and mom Anna the two most common adult first names in Sweden. They have two children, a boy, and a girl, that is slightly over the averag...

This week, on March 8, is international women’s day and that got me thinking… Sweden is often said to be one of the most gender-equal countries in the world, but what does that stand for?Sweden is a member of the EU and we are starting today’s episode by taking a look at the yearly gender-equality index from 2021. Sweden ranks #1 in this index with a score of 83.9 out of 100.Sweden has a long history of prioritizing questions of equality but there is still work to be done. Support t...

Almost everything in Sweden has a schedule or a timetable, and it is followed to the minute. If a bus is scheduled at leaving 8:53 am that is the time it leaves unless nothing very exceptional happens. If a TV show is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm that is when it starts. And if a meeting is scheduled for 2 pm to 4 pm it starts at 2 pm, not 2:01, and ends at 4 pm, not at 3:57 or 4:01.Punctuality is very important and that means not being late OR not being early. If you are invited to a party t...

Two of the traditions I miss a lot from Sweden are Fredagsmys (Friday Cozy) and Lördagsgodis (Saturday Candy) and in today's episode, I want to introduce you to both of them. Fredagsmys is when you stay home either with a group of friends or after you have kids you stay home with your family, having some easy-to-make food, very often Tacos but occasionally a pizza, and then watching TV or maybe a movie, eating chips and dip, popcorn, or something similar.Lördagsgodis is the t...

There are so many differences when it comes to dining out between Sweden and the US, and today I want to talk about some of them. Some examples are how the serving staff is acting, and how much should you leave in gratitude, it is both a cultural difference since we Swedes are often known as "the silent Swede" but it is also a difference in how servers are employed. This is very much based on my early experience of going out to eat after I first moved to the US, and conversations I...

Today I will talk about differences in how we address people outside of our close family and friends group, for example at our workplaces. In Sweden, during the late 60s, we had a movement that is called Du-reformen, you-reform, that in short completely changed our way of talking to each other. Du-reformed led to Sweden and Swedes stopping using titles and Mr. Mrs. and Ms when addressing each other. I have in my entire working life always been on a first-name basis with all my bosses, an...

Today I am taking a walk down memory lane and telling you a little bit about the apartment where I grow up in Bollmora, Tyresö as a backdrop to comparison about our homes in Sweden and in the US. I talk about how we describe our homes and how that made me expect something different when I first moved to the US than the actual home that eventually became mine. I will also talk about differences in how our homes are built and differences like drinking tap water, using AC, and shoes o...

In this episode, I am going to talk about Allemansrättem, the law of public access or as it is also called the Right to Roam, that we have in Sweden. This is a right for everybody to take advantage of what nature has to offer, but it is also a responsibility to not disturb nature and people in any way. The title, you don't miss what you have until it is gone refers to my realization that I never really appreciated the right we have in Sweden until now, living in the US, where I don't hav...

New season, new year, and my first "winter" living in Florida. As so often when I new year starts I look back and take a look at where I am in life at the moment. This year has included some big changes for me, including moving from New Jersey to Florida, and no more winter and snow. I am a Swede that really can't take the snow and the cold so for me this is fantastic, but at the same time, I do miss the changes that are so obvious when you live with the four seasons as different from ea...

Season 2 of A Swedish Fika is around the corner, and there will be a few changes. First of all, I want to make this season more personal, more from my point of view, and tell more about my own experience both from Sweden and from the US. To do so, I think it is just fair to start with a more personal introduction of who I am, which is the purpose of this trailer. A way for you to know a little bit more about me as a person. I am really excited to start the second season of A Swedish Fika, but...