I think it’s safe to say that even for the people who haven’t been to Sweden, they’ve heard about the severe level of awesomeness there. Here are 17 of soooo many reasons why Sweden is rocking it.
1. “The freedom to roam in Sweden is known as the right to roam (to access any certain public or private property for recreation and exercise).”
In Sweden, you can go berry picking, jogging, camping, picnicking, whatever – so long as you leave nothing but your footprints. I love this so much.
2. Midsommar: The most popular holiday after Christmas. There’s food everywhere, and it’s probably the only place that people can wear flowers in their hair and dance around poles without being ridiculed.
3. While we’re on the subject, Swedish Christmas is great too. Little Christmas markets pop up everywhere, one member of the family has to dress up as the Tomte, the Christmas gnome, and gives out presents with funny rhymes, and nobody has to wish for a white Christmas! There’s also bonus delights such as Angel Chimes and Pepparkakor (spice cookies).
Fun fact: The town of Gävle erects a giant Christmas goat every year… And nearly every year it ends up being set alight by unidentified jokers. But they will not be beat, it will be up again next year!
4. Sweden is where the Nordic-famous kanelbullar originates. They are cinammon, they are tasty and they are cheap.
5. Education is free. WHAT?! Oh, ja. Swedes do not spend the rest of their lives paying back university loans, that’s for sure.
6. Fika. Simply, having coffee and a cake with a friend. This is very important to the social Swedes.
7. If you’re unable to understand the beautiful, musical language that is Svenska, no sweat. Swedes speak the best English in the entire world (as a second language).
8. Parents are given 16 months PATERNITY leave for each child, and twice as much for twins. I should add that it’s 80% paid, too.
9. Lagom. The Swedish term for “just right” and it can be used for just about any situation. It’s a beautiful word and I believe it’s a big part of what makes Swedes as cool as they are. The feeling of contentment, everything being “just the right amount”.
E.g.: You have lagom salary, you have a lagom cup of coffee, a lagom big house, lagom drink on a Saturday night.
10. They’re so advanced with technology. I’m writing this from Ireland, so maybe it’s just me. But these guys created Skype and Spotify. Need I say more?
11. The architecture. There’s the Turning Torso in Malmö (south), the Ice Hotel near Kiruna (north) and the traditional beauty of Stockholm in-between.
12. Equality. This is very well-known, but it had to be mentioned. Okay, so it’s not absolutely perfect – where is? But Sweden tops a lot of countries with gender equality, gay equality, income equality, everything equality.
13. Ikea. With free shuttle buses!!
14. Everybody is beautiful. Both men and women. Stereotypes have to come from somewhere! When I was there, I swear, every single person I passed was tall, blonde, and had cheekbones to die for.
15. You can see the Northern Lights if you go far enough North.
16. You can see the Midnight Sun if you’re far enough North in the middle of Summer.
17. Sweden has 95,700 (!!!!) lakes larger than 100m x 100m.
Sweden, I’m coming back to you!
