All in all people in London seemed to have a good image of Swedes. The documentary team had also arranged to meet some young Swedes living in London. There are very many Swedes living in London, and when the people who they’d arranged to meet were asked why they think that is, they were all in agreement: \u201cSweden is too lagomt\u201d <\/em>it makes young Swedes want to get away, to experience something more<\/em>. They all felt they weren\u2019t able to express who they were or wanted to be in Sweden, that is why they moved from their home country. When they were asked what their image of Swedes is the answers were surprising. \u201cIt is very Swedish to talk bad about Sweden and Swedish customs\u201d a couple of them said. A few others said they were very surprised at the way people addressed them as \u201cdaring\u201d or \u201csweetheart\u201d even though they hardly knew each other. \u201cIt is very Swedish to be reserved and keep your distance, to keep your thoughts to yourself about other people\u2019s business\u201d. All these things they said they hadn\u2019t\u2019 noticed until they left Sweden. \u201cIt is only once you leave Sweden you realize how Swedish you really are, and how much more you want to continue with Swedish customs\u201d they all agreed on. \u201cLagom <\/em>in Sweden is boring abroad\u201d they also told the team. This opinion was confirmed by people the team talked to on the street.<\/p>\n However, even though they have moved abroad most of them said they would most certainly move back to Sweden to raise their children. That lead to the renowned Swedish gender equality. Many Swedes probably realize when having moved abroad how far Sweden has come in matters of equality between the genders. For example pappaledighet, <\/em>(pappa = father and ledighet = leave of work ie. the amount of time dads get to take off work to stay at home with their newborn child).<\/p>\n Just before the documentary team said goodbye to the young Swedes they asked them what Swedish customs they thought should be exported or spread abroad. Equality and equality between genders were the immediate answers they received.<\/p>\n The next stop was Warsaw, Poland. People on the streets mention a state that takes care of both the elderly and children<\/em>, the image of men being gay seems to still stick strong and the famous IKEA was also mentioned. \u201cSwedes seem to be very practical, go for comfort and simplicity\u201d. But when the team asked if the Swedish gender equality model would work in Poland people\u00a0shook\u00a0their heads. The team interviewed a mother of four children who mentioned how the image of the Polish mother<\/em> is a woman who is independent, doesn\u2019t need help raising the children or the housework but who is also self sacrificing. She said that many women dream of their futures being a stay at home mother, only taking care of the children and the housework, never having to worry about a job. Receiving help from the state is seen as shameful she said.<\/p>\n So maybe it isn\u2019t as easy as just converting a system of equality from one country to another.<\/p>\n While the team traveled around Europe they found a new face to Sweden in no other place than bookshops. Stieg Larsson and Camilla L\u00e4ckberg are only a few who have shown a different picture than the idealistic country of welfare. Excitement and murder are now things also to be associated with Sweden. And maybe it is just these things that have started to replace the old image of the 50\u2019s Swedish sex bomb and kr\u00e4ftskivor <\/em>(crayfish parties).<\/p>\n All in all, the documentary confirmed that some of the old stereotypes still exist, but that there might be a new image being associated with Sweden in Europe.<\/p>\n Can you identify with what any of the interviewed people mentioned? As a Swede living abroad have you become more or less Swedish than before? Share your thoughts, maybe you don\u2019t agree at all with what has been said and in fact have experienced something completely different. Well, write that then!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recently there was a one episode documentary broadcasted on Swedish television about stereotypes about Swedes and Sweden. People from different countries around Europe were interviewed about their impressions\/stereotypes of Sweden. The first country they visited was Denmark. In one of the previous posts this month, about \u00d6resund, you might recall the mentioning of Swedes being…<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2013\/01\/Kr\u00e4ftskiva1-350x263.jpeg\")