Tag Archives: Swedish culture
Midsommar: Blommor or Bust! Posted by Chelsea B on Jun 24, 2020
Glad midsommar allihopa / Happy Midsommar everyone! I’ll admit, I’m a little late because midsommar was last week but because it is one of the most popular holidays in Sweden, this wouldn’t be a Swedish blog without a nod to midsommar. An ode to nature and all things summery, Swedes leave cities in droves to…
Swedish Voices in Prose: Johannes Anyuru Posted by Chelsea B on Jun 17, 2020
Writers have been using prose to reflect upon the world around them for millennia. One of my favorite Swedish writers who does just that is Johannes Anyuru. Today, we’ll learn a bit about Anyuru and introduce his 2015 poem Aska (Ashes). Johannes Anyuru is a writer, poet, and playwright whose work focuses heavily on identity…
Demonstrations, Black Lives Matter, and Perspectives from Abroad Posted by Chelsea B on Jun 10, 2020
Last week’s blog post was a small attempt to emotionally respond to the killing of George Floyd via music. Events in my home state have continued to spark conversations and protests abroad as people work to bring injustices to light in their own communities. It is difficult to discuss, but avoiding it is simply not…
Reggae Artist Kapten Röd on the Music Blog Posted by Chelsea B on Jun 3, 2020
This week’s music blog is coming to you from a difficult place, both mentally, and physically. If you’ve read my blogger bio, you know I live in Minnesota. Events surrounding the killing of George Floyd a week ago have created ripples globally; shedding meaningful light on deep racial injustice, and sparking actions that have resulted…
10 Reasons to Love Pippi! Posted by Chelsea B on May 20, 2020
“Tjolahopp tjolahej tjolahoppsansa!” Här kommer Pippi Långstrump! Astrid Lindgren’s beloved character Pippi Longstocking turns 75 this year. First published in 1945, Pippi Långstrump was an instant hit in Sweden and since then, the work has been translated into 92 languages. This exceptional figure has inspired children, AND adults alike, all over the world. I adore…
False Friends – How “ett kiss” in Swedish isn’t “a kiss” in English Posted by Chelsea B on May 13, 2020
Faux amies or false friends are tricky little things for language learners! Called “bilingual homophones” these are words that look or sound similar between two or more languages but differ significantly in meaning. So, you guessed it, while (ett) kiss is pronounced relatively the same in Swedish as it is in English, it’s not a…
Music Blog features Laleh and “Vårens första dag” Posted by Chelsea B on May 5, 2020
Another month gone by, means it’s time for the music blog! This week we’ll meet one of my favorite Swedish artists, Laleh. Although it’s officially spring time, I live in a place where spring is really just getting going now! So, as a tribute to spring, “Vårens första dag / Spring’s First Day,” is the…