http://sweden.se/society/20-things-to-know-before-moving-to-sweden/
11. Locate IKEA
I am not really a IKEA fans although I stay very close to IKEA. (Only 10 minutes by car).
Why? because I always end up buying unnecessary stuff which are cheap! Furthermore, visiting their beautiful and homey showrooms kind of make me feel depressed because I have a hubby that doesn't want to have any chance. So what's the point of visiting IKEA? I will go for their meatballs and ice-cream though, sometimes.
12. Take Off Your Shoes
This is really something in common with Malaysians. To me, this is not a typical Swedish way. This is an international polite and respectful way when you visit someone's house. I have learned to do this since I was a little girl. Well trained by my mom :D
13. Winters are cold and dark
Ya, tell me about it! The man who convinced me to come to Sweden told me that Sweden was a good country but he forgot to mention the winter. I arrived in spring the first year where the earth was like a blossom heaven, and then summer came with the perfect "lagom" temperature around 20-24c, where the sun didn't really go to sleep at night. Then autumn's colour melted my heart. Winters...hmmm.. the windy chilly darkness, love it and hate it at the same! I still wear like a Eskimo while the Swedes will be jogging in their -10c.
14. Be On Time
Swedes are on time for their meetings, their travelling, their group training at the gym, but not pretty on time when they go to a party and when they go for a reservation at a restaurant. I can say this out loud because of my experience in the restaurant branch for over 20 years。
15. State-own alcohol monopoly
In Malaysia a grandpa can send their 10 years old grandson away to grocery shop to buy a bottle of 1 liter strong Carlsberg Beer. In Sweden, you will be sent to jail for 6 months (consider a big crime, worse that a rapist) if you sell alcohol to a person under 18 years old in your restaurant or store. The Swedish Government want to control people's alcohol consumption. At the state-own alcohol store, the cashiers have the legal right to ask for your ID card if they suspect you are under 20 years old. I had the honor to show my ID a few times. The last time was when I was 35 years old. This sounds like a complement to me, so I don't mind at all when they want to check me.
16. Plastic / Paper shopping bag
Yes, it costs (1,50kr to 3kr depends on the material and size) to buy a grocery bag. I normally bring my recycled grocery bag with me. Many Swedes are doing that too nowadays. We do it for the environment and that big "Saving the Earth" vision. Who know, Sweden might be really saving the earth one day if they keep on encourage people don't drive in town, take a bicycle, take public transport like what they are doing now. I wouldn't be surprise if I was someone is riding a donkey through the town in future.
17. Celebrate the special food day
I am a food lover, so I don't mind following these days traditionally.
18. Drink the tap water
Swedes trust their clean water from the tap. They don't drink hot or boiling hot water. They only use hot water for their hot beverage like coffee and tea. So, sometimes when I asked for hot water at McDonald's or at a restaurant, the service personnel will answer my request by asking me with a doubtful voice. "You mean hot water only?"
19. Business casual
I really like this concept because I am not very fashionable and a lazy woman. So, this suit me well. I only dress up for special occasions. I don't have to put on make-up just to go for a grocery shopping. It's pretty much you are free to wear whatever you are comfortable with.
20. Almost free educations and healthcare
One have to be ready to pay a high tax in Sweden no matter you are a employee or employer because part of the tax money will go to the education, healthcare, dental care and many other social benefits. It's in basic, a Robin Hood system in Sweden. My advice, if you want to comfort yourselves in some ways for that tax money, produce babies. No kidding. The more the merrier. All the tax you have paid to the government will be used on your children, plus you get more child benefits for every extra baby you produce. I did it anyway. Two were "lagom" for me.
I have found love and friendship in Sweden. I am stack in this country for over 20 years. Sometimes I feel I am very Swedish when I am back home in Malaysia. I cannot adapt myself to the government system and people's mentality in Malaysia anymore. But when having discussion about philosophy of life, exchanging opinions about social behavior, food culture with Swedish friends and customers in Sweden, I am still very Malaysian Chinese. It's in my blood and I can't change it. I have been brought up in a traditional Chinese way where my ways of interpreting the meaning of life would be very Chinese. I guess many of my previous Malaysian classmates who stay abroad for many years might share the same feeling/thoughts.
I will always see Malaysia as my root but this country doesn't treat me equally in its society. I am preparing to see Sweden as my country because at least it doesn't make me feel that I am a second citizen here and I am in its healthcare and social benefits system as equally as the Swedes, even though in reality, they will still see me as a Chinese no matter if I am holding a Swedish passport, or speak fluent Swedish.
