Sweden or not?
Jul 11th 2014, 1:11 am
#1
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Sweden or not?
Hello everyone, Braulio is the name, originally from the Canary Islands, went to the UK May 2000, left 9 years later,then went to Grand Cayman, left last December, now living with my Hondurian partner and baby daughter in Honduras.
We are contemplating on buying a house in Västerbotten.
Right then, the fun starts here;
Some comments I've read here:
Total wilderness
Very hard to get the National number ( I'm an EU resident, still need one? )
Impossible to get a job if not Swedish
Horrible food quality ( meats potatoes...)
Mosquitoes
Seven months winters
I used to struggle a bit with winter back in the UK, this can be stressful, but I want to think of the northern lights to cheer me up...
Right now after reading the post related to Sweden I am a bit down!
Can anyone show me a positive side to this?
Thanks
Braulio
We are contemplating on buying a house in Västerbotten.
Right then, the fun starts here;
Some comments I've read here:
Total wilderness
Very hard to get the National number ( I'm an EU resident, still need one? )
Impossible to get a job if not Swedish
Horrible food quality ( meats potatoes...)
Mosquitoes
Seven months winters
I used to struggle a bit with winter back in the UK, this can be stressful, but I want to think of the northern lights to cheer me up...
Right now after reading the post related to Sweden I am a bit down!
Can anyone show me a positive side to this?
Thanks
Braulio
Jul 11th 2014, 6:13 am
#2
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Joined: Jul 2013
Location: London, UK
Posts: 225
Re: Sweden or not?
I have to agree with you: reading on this forum Sweden looks like the worst place on Earth, or something not far from it.
I honestly don't think it's so bad, probably it's just that it's commonly regarded as such a wonderful place that when immigrants face reality they get disappointed.
The same that happened to me with Scotland...
I will read this topic eagerly, as I'm always on the hunt for info about Sweden and Swedish life style
P.S. Consider then that most of the comments are heavily subjective and biased by the social background of the writer. Describing the food as "bad" or the life stayle as "expensive" means nothing if you don't have a term of comparison.
I honestly don't think it's so bad, probably it's just that it's commonly regarded as such a wonderful place that when immigrants face reality they get disappointed.
The same that happened to me with Scotland...
I will read this topic eagerly, as I'm always on the hunt for info about Sweden and Swedish life style
P.S. Consider then that most of the comments are heavily subjective and biased by the social background of the writer. Describing the food as "bad" or the life stayle as "expensive" means nothing if you don't have a term of comparison.
Last edited by Ugo51; Jul 11th 2014 at 6:35 am.
Jul 14th 2014, 9:11 pm
#3
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Posts: 12
Re: Sweden or not?
Lol the person who says swedish food is bad mustve been drunk
. I am swedish and i like the food, potatoes are fine, meat is spot on..no problema what so ever. If you compare it to english food, swedish food is so much healthier. Even though everyone fries everything in butter/margarine. Atleast we dont deep fry everything lol
. I am swedish and i like the food, potatoes are fine, meat is spot on..no problema what so ever. If you compare it to english food, swedish food is so much healthier. Even though everyone fries everything in butter/margarine. Atleast we dont deep fry everything lol
Jul 15th 2014, 5:34 am
#4
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Location: London, UK
Posts: 225
Re: Sweden or not?
Everything is healthier than English (British) food 
Anyway, I don't think that Brauz intended to mean that meat and potatoes are particularly bad, rather that Swedish diet is predominantly meat and potatoes based, as it's common in Nord and East European countries.
How is the availability or fresh vegetables, on the other hand?
And, most importantly, how good are they??
Anyway, I don't think that Brauz intended to mean that meat and potatoes are particularly bad, rather that Swedish diet is predominantly meat and potatoes based, as it's common in Nord and East European countries.
How is the availability or fresh vegetables, on the other hand?
And, most importantly, how good are they??
Last edited by Ugo51; Jul 15th 2014 at 5:41 am.
Jul 15th 2014, 10:05 am
#5
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Re: Sweden or not?
Did you notice the link there? The person who Thinks Swedish food is bad must have been drunk. This is the standard conclusion Swedes arrive at when confronted with criticism, unaccustomed behaviour, or divergence from the norm. Smile at a stranger in a queue and you will be automatically categorized as a drunk. Speak to a stranger in a queue (don't even Think of it!) and you will be classed as a drunk. Sure, there are drunks everywhere in Sweden (how else do they get to the end of the day?), but this knee-jerk response is quite depressing to an outsider.
On vegetables, most of them are imported from Holland at outrageous prices, and the day after you get them home,they tend to look like some extraterrestrial monster or a terminal rot or disease of some kind. Still, you can Always get drunk...
Blackie
On vegetables, most of them are imported from Holland at outrageous prices, and the day after you get them home,they tend to look like some extraterrestrial monster or a terminal rot or disease of some kind. Still, you can Always get drunk...
Blackie
Jul 15th 2014, 10:07 am
#6
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Re: Sweden or not?
Fresh vegetables and fruit is in every supermarket as in every other country, good selection and very nice tasting. If people like berries or mushrooms, just go out in the forest and pick some. Got vast amounts of blueberries cloudberries lingonberrries, porchini mushroom, chantarelle mushrooms etc
Jul 15th 2014, 10:11 am
#7
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Posts: 12
Re: Sweden or not?
LOL! I dont know where in sweden youve been but youre so wrong. If you didnt realise i was taking the piss as i dont think it was very accurate. People in sweden dont just assume everyone's drunk.. It's not England..lol.I do not know where you buy your vegetables but where i'm from they are very nice.
Jul 15th 2014, 10:33 am
#8
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Joined: Jul 2013
Location: London, UK
Posts: 225
Re: Sweden or not?
Did you notice the link there? The person who Thinks Swedish food is bad must have been drunk. This is the standard conclusion Swedes arrive at when confronted with criticism, unaccustomed behaviour, or divergence from the norm. Smile at a stranger in a queue and you will be automatically categorized as a drunk. Speak to a stranger in a queue (don't even Think of it!) and you will be classed as a drunk. Sure, there are drunks everywhere in Sweden (how else do they get to the end of the day?), but this knee-jerk response is quite depressing to an outsider.
On vegetables, most of them are imported from Holland at outrageous prices, and the day after you get them home,they tend to look like some extraterrestrial monster or a terminal rot or disease of some kind. Still, you can Always get drunk...
Blackie
On vegetables, most of them are imported from Holland at outrageous prices, and the day after you get them home,they tend to look like some extraterrestrial monster or a terminal rot or disease of some kind. Still, you can Always get drunk...
Blackie
I mean, every country, or should I say culture, consider some foreign behaviours are "drunk".
I totally agree with you when you say that such behaviour is depressing to an outsider, I can speak for experience, as I find myself in that position here in Scotland. It happened countless times that people tagged me as "drunk" or worse, much worse.
What matters, I suppose, is the extent of such a behaviour. You say that in Sweden Anything that diverge from the norm is categorized as inappropriate. I honestly find that hard to believe.
I mean, one thing is to be looked funnily because you've just done something that natives would not do, another is being categorized, judged and discriminated because you did it.
You say people think you're a drunk if you approach someone in a queue, but what's the practical implication of that?
Do they think it, smile and carry on with their lives, or do they discriminate for that? To what extent?
What I'm trying to say is that by generalizing like you do, your behaviour is not any different from that of the stereotypical Swede you describe.
Anyway, once again, I've never been to Sweden so I can't tell. Maybe you're actually right and we should all stay away from there
Jul 15th 2014, 12:02 pm
#9
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Posts: 12
Re: Sweden or not?
Lol i think hes out on a bikeride ( swedish expression for havnt got a clue) lol. I can agree that some swedish ppl will be rude against non swedish, but that happens in every country. To be treated like he explained he mightve been rude himself or self concious and think that everyone would dislike him.
Dec 7th 2014, 2:41 pm
#10
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Re: Sweden or not?
Absolutely not ! Its a shit hole!
I have lived here for approx 30 years so know what Im talking about. The place has the most cold and rude people there ....SWEDES!
As another poster has already said...swedes LOVE TO DRINK and are unpleasant drunks. Swedes think that they live in the worlds capital and that they have the best standard of living in the world ( yet they cant buy booze in normal shops, the selection of food produce is incredibly limited, taxes are high, they make it impossible for people to have their own companies and make money with them, hospital costs and doctors visits etc are expensive and the general standard in the hospitals is inferior compared to the uk, etc etc )
A normal small tesco or asda in the uk has 10 times the selection of a massive superstore here in Sweden.
Sweden has rules for EVERYTHING and because of them you will find your freedom being slowly taken away from you. Many expats here hate the place and call it "little russia".
The plus points ........ Wide open spaces in certain parts, although if you plan on living there you will have no shops for MILES and will often have no electricity and water etc.
The winters here are a nightmare as its COLD! -30 but great if you like snow and icey windys!
Years ago I would have said it was a safer place to live than the uk as vandalism and serious crimes etc were rare ......now its pretty much the same as the uk, only that the police and authorities do little to make crime unappealling and so it grows.
My advice....stay where you are or look further than Sweden.....or ypu will regret it. All the ex pats that I know ( English, irish, austrailia,scots) have hated it and moved back When it has become possible.
I have lived here for approx 30 years so know what Im talking about. The place has the most cold and rude people there ....SWEDES!
As another poster has already said...swedes LOVE TO DRINK and are unpleasant drunks. Swedes think that they live in the worlds capital and that they have the best standard of living in the world ( yet they cant buy booze in normal shops, the selection of food produce is incredibly limited, taxes are high, they make it impossible for people to have their own companies and make money with them, hospital costs and doctors visits etc are expensive and the general standard in the hospitals is inferior compared to the uk, etc etc )
A normal small tesco or asda in the uk has 10 times the selection of a massive superstore here in Sweden.
Sweden has rules for EVERYTHING and because of them you will find your freedom being slowly taken away from you. Many expats here hate the place and call it "little russia".
The plus points ........ Wide open spaces in certain parts, although if you plan on living there you will have no shops for MILES and will often have no electricity and water etc.
The winters here are a nightmare as its COLD! -30 but great if you like snow and icey windys!
Years ago I would have said it was a safer place to live than the uk as vandalism and serious crimes etc were rare ......now its pretty much the same as the uk, only that the police and authorities do little to make crime unappealling and so it grows.
My advice....stay where you are or look further than Sweden.....or ypu will regret it. All the ex pats that I know ( English, irish, austrailia,scots) have hated it and moved back When it has become possible.
Dec 7th 2014, 6:45 pm
#11
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Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Sweden or not?
Stockholm is full of refugees from the Third World. Now in the 3rd and 4th generation and totally unassimilated !
Dec 7th 2014, 8:48 pm
#12
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 7
Re: Sweden or not?
Its the same in southern Sweden, Malmö is like an islamic state.
Dec 8th 2014, 1:09 pm
#14
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Re: Sweden or not?
Absolutely not ! Its a shit hole!
I have lived here for approx 30 years so know what Im talking about. The place has the most cold and rude people there ....SWEDES!
As another poster has already said...swedes LOVE TO DRINK and are unpleasant drunks. Swedes think that they live in the worlds capital and that they have the best standard of living in the world ( yet they cant buy booze in normal shops, the selection of food produce is incredibly limited, taxes are high, they make it impossible for people to have their own companies and make money with them, hospital costs and doctors visits etc are expensive and the general standard in the hospitals is inferior compared to the uk, etc etc )
A normal small tesco or asda in the uk has 10 times the selection of a massive superstore here in Sweden.
Sweden has rules for EVERYTHING and because of them you will find your freedom being slowly taken away from you. Many expats here hate the place and call it "little russia".
The plus points ........ Wide open spaces in certain parts, although if you plan on living there you will have no shops for MILES and will often have no electricity and water etc.
The winters here are a nightmare as its COLD! -30 but great if you like snow and icey windys!
Years ago I would have said it was a safer place to live than the uk as vandalism and serious crimes etc were rare ......now its pretty much the same as the uk, only that the police and authorities do little to make crime unappealling and so it grows.
My advice....stay where you are or look further than Sweden.....or ypu will regret it. All the ex pats that I know ( English, irish, austrailia,scots) have hated it and moved back When it has become possible.
I have lived here for approx 30 years so know what Im talking about. The place has the most cold and rude people there ....SWEDES!
As another poster has already said...swedes LOVE TO DRINK and are unpleasant drunks. Swedes think that they live in the worlds capital and that they have the best standard of living in the world ( yet they cant buy booze in normal shops, the selection of food produce is incredibly limited, taxes are high, they make it impossible for people to have their own companies and make money with them, hospital costs and doctors visits etc are expensive and the general standard in the hospitals is inferior compared to the uk, etc etc )
A normal small tesco or asda in the uk has 10 times the selection of a massive superstore here in Sweden.
Sweden has rules for EVERYTHING and because of them you will find your freedom being slowly taken away from you. Many expats here hate the place and call it "little russia".
The plus points ........ Wide open spaces in certain parts, although if you plan on living there you will have no shops for MILES and will often have no electricity and water etc.
The winters here are a nightmare as its COLD! -30 but great if you like snow and icey windys!
Years ago I would have said it was a safer place to live than the uk as vandalism and serious crimes etc were rare ......now its pretty much the same as the uk, only that the police and authorities do little to make crime unappealling and so it grows.
My advice....stay where you are or look further than Sweden.....or ypu will regret it. All the ex pats that I know ( English, irish, austrailia,scots) have hated it and moved back When it has become possible.
I tell you what... MOVE HOME THEN! Dont sit there slagging my homeland off. Ive just moved back here after living in England. England was a shithole full of alcoholics, rainy depressing weather and immigrants. (I know Sweden is bad for that aswell) so over ****ing populated country and keep shipping them in thosands after thousands. In alot of areas is more than 50% non white including london, bradford etc. Its a bloody disgrace. Paedophile gangs in every bloody town. Na...never again! Sweden is heaven on earth compares to England.
Dec 8th 2014, 6:51 pm
#15
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Re: Sweden or not?
I tell you what... MOVE HOME THEN! Dont sit there slagging my homeland off. Ive just moved back here after living in England. England was a shithole full of alcoholics, rainy depressing weather and immigrants. (I know Sweden is bad for that aswell) so over ****ing populated country and keep shipping them in thosands after thousands. In alot of areas is more than 50% non white including london, bradford etc. Its a bloody disgrace. Paedophile gangs in every bloody town. Na...never again! Sweden is heaven on earth compares to England.
I will happily slag off a country which I have had the unfortunate experience of actually having to live in for the past 30 years IF it is true and IF it really is so bad .......and unfortunately it is so.
The fact that most ex pats feel the same and move back to the uk is worth considering. Also is the fact that a huge amount of swedes move to the USA or the UK and actually STAY !
It is a country full of cold selfish people who are brainwashed from childhood to belive that they live in the most politically correct, enviromentaly friendly, and "advanced" country in the world ( which is hysterical to people that dont originate from Sweden ) and know how wrong many of these "misconceptions" are! The medical/ hospital system being one ! The legal system another, and so it goes on.
I have never known a country with more depressing people and a who have such a narrow minded view on things, they are like programmed robots.
This person really shouldnt bring up the question of alchoholics and sexual perversions as Sweden is rife with them, just as it is with its massively increasing amount of immigrants.
For the most part...when it isnt raining here then it is snowing or icy so the fact that you mention the weather is funny. Sweden has a short burst of "summer" that may last approx 4 weeks but if ypu blink you will miss it.
You might want to reflect on the fact that Sweden has the highest suicide rate in the world too......hmmmmm I wonder why ?
Suicide in Sweden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anyway , I am really not interested in getting into a slagging match with this person as it is not my intention ( and besides he wouldnt win if he was trying to promote Sweden over other alternatives and so I wish to save him the embarrasment) I was simply answering a question regarding wether it is a good idea to move to Sweden. The answer being absolutely and most definitley NOT.