Canadian woman living in Sweden reveals the biggest culture shocks she has experienced, from getting paid MORE on vacation days to being told Swedes 'only eat candy on Saturday'
- Madeline Robson, 30, moved to Malmö, Sweden over two years ago to live with her fiancé
- The Ontario native has shared several popular videos detailing the surprising differences between Canada and Sweden, and what makes Sweden unique
- She learned that people only eat candy on Saturdays, liquor stores or closed on Sundays, and babies are sometimes left outside to sleep in strollers
- Kids call teachers by first names, school lunch and university is free, and some teens might go to 'horse high school'
- Everyone gets at least five weeks vacation, 480 days of parental leave per couple, and up to 120 days a year of paid time off to stay home with sick kids
- She also found it's not OK to 'spontaneously dance' in bars because need dancing permits
A Canadian woman who has lived in Sweden for over two years has shared the biggest culture shocks she has experienced in her adopted country, from the whopping 480 days of parental leave to the concept of 'horse high school.'
Madeline Robson, 30, moved to Malmö, Sweden to be with her fiancé for what was originally supposed be a short-term stay — but as she told BuzzFeed, the pandemic forced them to stay in place, and Madeline soon fell so in love with the Scandinavian city that she and her fiancé decided to make it their permanent home.
It has been a bit of an adjustment, though, and the Ontario native is going viral on TikTok for a series of videos in which she details the surprising things she has encountered in Sweden, like how 15-year-olds drive special super-slow cars, how 'spontaneous dancing' in bars is banned, and how people are paid more for days they take as vacation.
Surprises! A Canadian woman who has lived in Sweden for over two years has shared the biggest culture shocks she has experienced in her adopted country
Learning: Madeline Robson, 30, moved to Malmö, Sweden. The Ontario native detailed the surprising differences between Canada and Sweden, and what makes Sweden unique
'Swedes only eat candy on Saturday': The custom — called lördagsgodis, which translates to 'Saturday sweets' — originated as a government campaign in the late '50s
Gotta cut loose! She was embarrassed to discover that it's not OK to 'spontaneously dance in Sweden' because restaurants and bars need a dancing permit
Madeline has so far dedicated five videos to the culture shocks and surprising customs she's encountered.
She reenacted one conversation with a friend who questioned her for buying candy on a weekday, telling her that 'Swedes only eat candy on Saturday.'
The custom — called lördagsgodis, which translates to 'Saturday sweets' — originated as a government campaign in the late '50s. Children were encouraged to enjoy candy on Saturdays — but not the rest of the week — as a way to prevent cavities.
Candy isn't the only think that has preferred days of the week in Sweden. Madeline also learned that you can't buy alcohol after 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and liquor stores are also closed on Sundays.
Even buying these things looks a bit different. In the checkout line at a supermarket, customers put their items down with the barcode facing the cashier to make it easier for them to scan.
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Vroom! Teens must be 18 to get their driver's license, 15-year-olds can drive 'moped cars' that max out at 45 km/h (27.96mph)
Snoozin! Madeline was shocked to learn that it is normal for babies to sleep outside in their strollers in the winter — even while their parents are inside
Score! All children get free school lunch, and university is also free
Must be nice! Everyone gets at least five weeks vacation, and Madeline said she gets paid extra when she takes vacation days
@madelineraeaway I’m definitely going to need to do a part two (thanks for the inspo @kacierose4 ) #cultureshock #cultureshockchallenge #livinginsweden #livingabroad
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Meanwhile, at a restaurant, tips are optional — as they are in most European countries, 'because workers get paid fair wages.' But in Canada, similarly to the US, it is customary to tip 15 to 20 per cent of the bill.
Madeline noticed a lot of differences at work, too. For one, a lot of people wear jeans, and even a casual dress might be considered dressed up.
Workers also get at least five weeks vacation, and she found she got paid more for each vacation day used.
In addition to vacation days is guaranteed parental leave, for both mothers and fathers. A couple is entitled to 480 days total parental leave combined, which they can split however they choose between them.
In addition, parents get VAB: up to 120 days a year of paid time off to stay home with sick kids.
From the time they're young, those kids lives are different too: Madeline was shocked to learn that it is normal for babies to sleep outside in their strollers in the winter — even while their parents are inside.
Hay! Teens can go to specialty high schools. For example, some might go to 'horse high school' where they 'take some regular classes but also classes like horse riding and tractor driving'
Brr! No one has air conditioning in their homes. In Malmö, July is the hottest month, with an average high temperature of 73°F
Work to live, not live to work: There's 480 days of parental leave per couple, and up to 120 days a year of paid time off to stay home with sick kids
Faster! In the checkout line at a supermarket, customers put their items down with the barcode facing the cashier to make it easier for them to scan
@madelineraeaway Reply to @molly_nap_queen back my popular request... some more #cultureshocks 懶 #cultureshock #sverigetiktok #cultureshockchallenge #livingabroad
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At school, kids call their teachers by their first names, and when they get older, they can go to specialty high schools. For example, some teens might go to 'horse high school' where they 'take some regular classes but also classes like horse riding and tractor driving.'
All children get free school lunch, and university is also free. Students may take out loans for living costs, but the interest rate will be just .13% — a far cry from Madeline's 2.99%, and the up to 12.99% an American might pay.
Madeline detailed some other surprises, like learning that laundry machines must be booked in advance, that it is common to take ice baths in winter, and that no one has air conditioning in their homes. In Malmö, July is the hottest month, with an average high temperature of 73°F.
She found that when boarding a train, if the only available seats are next to strangers, commuters are expected to stand — and that even though teens must be 18 to get their driver's license, 15-year-olds can drive 'moped cars' that max out at 45 km/h (27.96mph).
'When I moved here, I found so many quirks and nuances of Swedish culture to be so interesting and endearing, so I thought others would find them interesting too,' she said
Madeline detailed some other surprises, like learning that laundry machines must be booked in advance, that it is common to take ice baths in winter
Tips are optional — as they are in most European countries, 'because workers get paid fair wages.' But in Canada, similarly to the US, it is customary to tip 15 to 20 per cent of the bill
Boozin! Madeline also learned that you can't buy alcohol after 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and liquor stores are also closed on Sundays
Oh well! She found that when boarding a train, if the only available seats are next to strangers, commuters are expected to stand
She was embarrassed to discover that it's not OK to 'spontaneously dance in Sweden' because restaurants and bars need a dancing permit, and was confused that people don't share their age, but rather the year they were born — so a person born in 1991 would say they're 91.
Speaking to BuzzFeed, Madeline said that she didn't know much about Swedish culture before moving to the country.
'I had heard that Scandinavians are some of the happiest people in the world, about their equality beliefs, and their work-life balance, but I had no idea what that meant in actuality day to day,' she said.
'When I moved here, I found so many quirks and nuances of Swedish culture to be so interesting and endearing, so I thought others would find them interesting too. And turns out they did!'
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