Five things you never get used to in Sweden

The Local’s northern Sweden reporter Paul Connolly truly loves his adopted home. But after three years of living in Scandinavia, he’s convinced there are at least five Swedish habits and traditions he will never come to terms with.

Read more here.

Hm. Maybe I’m secretly English? Or Irish (I’m thinking about the hair.)

About Conformity – sometimes you can have a hard time fitting in, because you’re less outgoing than the average Swede, not more. Being shy and not social seems to be a deadly sin in some circles.

My personal list (for a Swede living in Sweden):

1. The barbecues. Oh, the stench that fills the air everywhere people live.

2. The bicyclists riding their ridiculously expensive conversation pieces on the sidewalk/pavement ringing their annoying bells. Really? Don’t they know that when there’s no actual bicycle lane they’re supposed to go in the street, with the motor traffic. The sidewalk/pavement is actually for people walking.

3. Neighbors – watching, spying, judging. Need I say more?

4. The contrasts between the extremely well educated and/or the rich and on the other hand the uneducated and uncultured.

5. The enormous difference in service available between Stockholm and the rest of the country. You basically can’t get anything – culture, food, clothes etc of any quality outside the capital unless you can order online.