Archive for 'Culture'
Swedish Industry Summer Break Posted by Katja on Jul 21, 2011
In 1938 the first legislation for vacation time was signed, giving all workers the right to two weeks paid summer vacation. As time went on, this right was lengthened to the current five weeks of guaranteed summer vacation for all workers. Parallel with this the idea of ‘industrisemester’ was established. This means that…
Financial support for Swedish young people Posted by Katja on Jul 19, 2011
There are lots of ways that Swedes are supported financially by tax money. From birth to age 16 families are given 1050:- per child per month with the intention of evening out class differences. No family should be able to say that they can’t afford winter boots or iceskates for their children. As the number…
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – American Style Posted by Marcus Cederström on Jul 18, 2011
I’m not a huge fan of the Millennium series. For a variety of reasons, I wrote briefly about this back in 2010. Since then I’ve only managed to get myself through the second book. I still have the final book staring back at me from my bookshelf. Waiting. I just can’t seem to get into…
Soldado&Soldiers by Fredrik Gynnestam Posted by Tibor on Jul 15, 2011
Fredrik Gynnestam has written a book about three people that all changed in the encounter with each other. People come from three different backgrounds but despite that, they all identify themselves with and find similarities in each other. Similarities that make them change, voluntarily or involuntarily and, above all, they start believing that change is possible. The purpose of this is…
Swedish behaviour – according to you Posted by jennie on Jul 11, 2011
-Neat Christmas decoration and the same curtain/drapery style on the windows. -Even sweet so called salads. -Butter overdose (almost on every food) -Weird kinds of bread. -Lunchtime in 11 o’clock. -Cinnamon overdose. -Raw fish and what i mind the most: people go to work, go shop for food after work and hide at home in…
The Faroe Islands Posted by Tibor on Jul 8, 2011
When I landed 4 weeks ago it was 9 C, wind and pissing rain and everyting was grey, just when the temperature climbed over 20 in Gothenburg I would leave of course. The first sign that I saw at the airport said “KOMA” (COMA in Swedish) which means “ARRIVALS” in Faroese language. The airport bus didn´t seem…
What do most Swedes do every Tuesday at 8 pm? Posted by jennie on Jul 6, 2011
Answer: They sing-a-long. Or at least, they watch “Allsång på Skansen” (Sing-a-long from Skansen) on telly. There’s something about Swedes and singing. We love it and we do it especially well in a big group. This love for a proper sing-a-long has resulted in thousands of sing-a-long-events all over Sweden. In the summer, lots of…