My last days in Stockholm are coming and I thought it would be a good opportunity to summarize my year with a post about the things I liked and don't like about Sweden. I've been living in Stockholm for a year now and I think I spent enough time in this country to form my own opinion about it. If you disagree feel free to contact and debate with me. Since I moved in August I will start with the negative things first because the days after I moved got colder and darker from day to day till the second half of my year arrived when the days got warmer and longer.

Let me tell you, coming from the Vietnamese culture where food plays at least 50% of each's life, Sweden's whole food culture can be compared with a bland banh mi that you can get from every supermarket. It's super boring. The probably most famous Swedish dish is Köttbullar, which are meatballs often eaten with mashed potatoes and some jam is nothing more than something to kill your hunger. Besides that Sweden eats a lot of fish, like herring or fermented fish which I don't even want to think of. There are some that a let's say eatable and then there is Surströmming. When it comes to the smell I have to admit it's worse than durian but taste wise it's also worse but in a negative way. It tastes disgusting. And yes, it's something you can even get in a regular supermarket and people do eat it.

Just don't come to Sweden in winter if you are not planning to do winter sports or see the aurora. From November on the days get dark so quickly that when you had a late lunch people already tell you that it's time to go to bed. Seriously, it gets darker and darker every day and in the end of December people use every possibility to enjoy even just a glimpse of sun. Besides that Sweden can be really cold. I actually think it wasn't that bad for me since only a few days were around -15 degrees Celsius but the bad thing was that the snow is getting frozen which makes it super slippery. Yeah, the snow is actually nice and makes the days definitely brighter in these 4 hours of sunlight but it's not so nice when you land on your ass every day.

Okay, to be fair, prices are even worse in other nordic countries. But come on.. How much must the average Swedish person earn in order to afford these prices?! For me during my time the worst was going out eating which is also kind of related to the first aspect. Ordering something outside is expensive. Sometimes they offer lunch deals which I totally appreciate but going out for dinner you may reckon paying over 30€ only for yourself at an averaged-price restaurant. But it only annoys me the most because food is such a big part of my culture. When it comes to other things like housing, supermarkets, activities, concerts, notebooks, public transport, everything… let me tell you: It's also expensive.

If you never heard of Systembolaget, it's a store where you can get liquor and alcohol over 3.5% and it's owned by the government. Only there, nowhere else. As I heard from insider sources the winter used to make the Swedes so depressive that their only escape was to drink. A lot. So much that many people got so addicted that it was a real problem for the country. And that's why they decided on creating this fancy store which is clean, organized and kind of pretty. Almost as if alcohol should only be for the upper class. The worst thing about this store are the opening hours though. Saturday only till 3pm and Sunday even closed. Regarding that the store is not like a casual asian 7/11 that you can find in every corner, you are probably screwed when you live in a small village where maximum one Systembolaget exists.

That phrase sounds exaggerated and yeah it is haha. But the way a typical Swede behaves is, I would say, weird. It's hard to describe but if they could they would live in a small cottage close to the water all alone which could also be the theme of a horror movie. They are kind of peaceful inside and are really helpful when you try to ask for help but actually they never look for contact and if you would never approach them they never would have talked to you either. And if you talk to them it is really hard to discuss interesting topics. About life, experiences, food, deep talk and that shit. But no, they prefer to restrain and talk with you about the weather, summer, winter. But the weird thing is, they totally open up somehow when they are partying.

As written before, don't come in Winter. The summer is the time to be in Sweden! First, the days are so so long, it makes the whole day more enjoyable. Being outside at 11pm with still glimpses of sun makes the day so remarkable. I can recommend anyone to take walks around the evening during summer since sunsets here are beautiful and magical. Second, the weather makes it the perfect place to just enjoy the moment. The temperature is just about right so that it's warm but not too hot to sweat or having the necessity to go back in the shadow. What I also really appreciate is that the sun shines only that much that you can still open your eyes fully. Such a blessing.

Sweden is literally made up of forest. The nature is right around every corner which makes it so enjoyable when taking a break and going for a walk. It is green everywhere and that makes it such a peaceful place. Additionally, there is a lot of water around. Lakes, rivers, sea. Always perfect for a quick swim. And guess what, the water do have the right temperature most of the time. Not too cold, not too warm. Most of the time a little bit colder than expected though. Thanks to these circumstances the animals around can live a pleasant life as well. Deers, birds, squirrels, even moose. They found their place in nature and if you are lucky you can spot them in the forest.

It is not too much, it is not too little. People in Sweden use the word “Lagom” for it and I kind of agree. People here really care about work-life balance, taking enough breaks, sleeping enough, not doing too much but somehow they can keep being productive. Something I definitely admire. Fika also really helps. It's a Swedish break, most of the time in the afternoon, consisting of tea and sweets but with the goal to just relax for a moment. I love it.

Yeah, I do feel equal. Racism is not a topic that is discussed very often here but because it does feel like that it is not that existent. I really feel that every person has equal rights. No Swede ever said that they should be favoured because it is their country and so on. Living as an Asian in Sweden is lovely and I do feel welcomed. But in the end this is just my personal point of view. From someone who lived in the capital city and never in the countryside. Because as you may know, currently the right-wing party rules over Sweden, but let's not talk about that...

Do I have to add something more to that? I really hate that grocery stores close so early in Germany and are most of the time even closed on a Sunday. I mean if you live in Bavaria, how can you find time for grocery shopping after doing some sports after work? Not possible. But in Sweden the supermarkets are open every day. Sometimes even on holidays. I don't know if the employees get paid well but how I see it as an end-consumer is that I love it.