Why Sweden is WEIRD (and wonderful) in 15 ways

[@emmabe]

I know a person or two like the feminist coworkers you talked about but most of us do appreciate someone holding a door open for us and things like that. And I do expect the man to pay, at least on the first date and after that we can take turns or similar. It is mostly men in Sweden who don't think that they should pay on the first date/ any date because women are feminists. But men do stil earn a lot more money so we are definitely not equal in that aspect. I am sorry to hear about your former colluege, that was rude behavior and not standard. And similar with the bbq. I also really like our birthday celebrations. 🎉🎂

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Thank you for your lovely comment @emmabe. I am glad we hold the same view. And to gracefully allow a man to open a door for you or invite you on a date does not make a woman less weak or less feminist . And about my former colleague…that’s water under the bridge 😄 it’s just something I will never forget . It s funny though I have got a lot of private comments from my friends ( also foreigners from different parts of the world ) that it has happened to them too. So it could be that it happens. However, i must say that most of my Swedish colleagues are very lovely and do not act like that at all. ❤️

[@Patrik6920]

hi, i wont comment on personal preference at all, but on the gender pay gap in Sweden wich is very low.. its a common misconception Men are payed alot more, on avrage women are payed 90.1% of men, and this is a total number that also inculeds famillies and women that has been or is working part time, or has had a job, then stayed home with kids to start working again.. ...if u take this factors into account women in sweden has a much higer increase of salary than most men.. (as a man i consider this to be fair), if u been home doing the most important job in the world(raising childeren) that easily translate to a an incrased salary compared to when u stopped working. ..but ur right ther are jobs that pay men more, its usually heavy jobs. ..and on the other end u have none heavy jobs, in many wich previously had a lack of women, women r incentived by having a higher salary than men..

[@marcusfridh8489]

I always try to hold the e door for others, no matter to whom, but unfortually not many are greatful anymore and dont even say thank you. And i always try to help out if someone ask for it, and if i know i can help out.

[@Patrik6920]

@@marcusfridh8489 Same here .. we should always do regardless of whom it may be

[@satanihelvetet]

If there's a date when the cost should be shared, it's the first date (in my opinion). If she have a serious intersest in me after that, I'l happily pay for the date or invite her to my home and a home cooked dinner.

[@petergrandien1440]

As a frequent traveler to Tanzania - Kigamboni, I am happy you enjoy life in Sweden. I always talk well and loud about Tz, its a diamond on earth, like Sweden

[@RobertClaeson]

The week numbers is part of an international standard for date and time. Most countries have adopted the standard to various degrees, but few countries have adopted the part that deals with week numbers. It's mainly being used by Sweden and a few countries in Asia.

[@marcusfridh8489]

Yes, but we swedes has taken it to follow to the extreme

[@BisDatQuiCitoDat]

I have to say that the barbecue parties I attend are completely different, the barbecue parties you go to, or are invited to, sound more like a "Knytkalas" where everyone brings their own food and drink to consume. At a regular barbecue party, everyone consumes food and drinks that are served without any reservations. I think the other points you make, sound like spot on of the conditions in the "Land of Middle Milk"! (Mellanmjölkens land) 🤣🤣

[@SwedenwithRobi]

😄😄😄I kid you not, it happened to me and to my other friend at different occasions. She is from Croatia and she was equally surprised . Maybe its common in Skåne.

[@marcusfridh8489]

Even on Knytkalas, it is more common to share and taste each others food.

[@janiletoff6430]

@@SwedenwithRobi u are in strange grill partys. never in my 50 year i have to take my own grill and meat :) if im invited. Must be the "spontan grilla".

[@sioxz8435]

i can feel that you love your life in sweden even if it's a bit quirky here

[@SwedenwithRobi]

You got that right 😉

[@karl-erikmumler9820]

Fun fact: "Waffle day" is actually "the day of our lady" (Mary mother of god) it's just that "vår fru" - "our lady" sounds a lot like "våffel" - "waffle". So we memory-holed the whole religious thing (srsly, most Swedes don't know this) and started eating waffles because we confused ourselves with the name of our celebration. History and traditions be weird like that sometimes.

[@HenrikJansson78]

Yeah. That's so funny. The christians took all our old celebrations and made them theirs. Now we have taken one of theirs instead. Everyone loves waffles. :)

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Ah but I love the creativity… 😄

[@karl-erikmumler9820]

@@HenrikJansson78 These things tend to evolve over time. We still have plenty of pagan stuff for example.

[@karl-erikmumler9820]

@@SwedenwithRobi Tell a Swedish friend next waffle-day. If they don't believe you tell them to look it up. I'm not kidding about almost no one knowing about this.

[@HenrikJansson78]

@@karl-erikmumler9820 True. I checked our yule celebration a few years ago to see how much christmas it really was, and the only christian things I could find was the star on top of the tree and the lights in the windows. Everything else was either clearly pagan (goats, gnomes, the name "jul" for instance), or of unclear origin. But I like the waffle day extra much since that is the first one that has completely turned that way. As you say, nobody knows it was something else before. Although, I think semmeldagen is close to follow. Soon nobody will remember anything else than the semlor. :)

[@rauknrolf]

Lovely how you bring up BOTH the pros and cons of living in Sweden!

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Thank you 😊

[@ancyb6507]

Thank Y❤U, for sharing Y😊UR Swedish experience. You are a great storyteller. Asante kuendelea kutufundisha!! Mungu Aendelee Kukubariki.

[@vidamahimbo3412]

😂😂😂😂 love it wooden house & a Volvo, you are so funny "This Lagom life"

[@SwedenwithRobi]

So nice to hear from you Vida...I hope you are now fully lagomized 😃

[@satanihelvetet]

Very good video! My experiences of barbeque as a Swede isn't to bring my own food to the home of other people at least not with close friends and family (that way is mostly used when people come toghether at a park or similar), but it occurs, especially within young (like 18-25 yo) working class people that not yet have an own strong ecenomy. Food, especially high quality meat is expensive in Sweden. About beeing social with colleagues at free time... most colleagues are not seen as friends, so I might only say "hi" when I meet them at free time out of work, but I might have some or a few colleagues I feel connected to i a way that I want to meet them sometimes also as private friend. Thesecond doesm't comes automaticly with the first.

[@Jenniebynsow]

I agree with yore point about friendship. We do miss out and I for one feel like I live in a boring country when it comes to that. I have tried to make new friends all my life and its hard!!! I can add, Im a swede 😂😂❤

[@SwedenwithRobi]

😄😄😄

[@SteamboatW]

I didn't get that BBQ concept, really. Maybe that's a bit regional. I have never taken my own grill to a BBQ, and we have always shared the food... sometimes we even communicate beforehand so noone brings the same thing... I suppose it varies.

[@HenrikJansson78]

It sounded like when you were in the twenties and there were a big group of friends who got together for a bbq party in a park or something. Nobody knew how many would show up and people would show up and drop off at random times.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

I think it s more common in the South 🙂

[@Tehkenny1]

The collegue things differs a lot, I've met some of the people I'm most fond of through workplaces, I do believe some people feel vulnerable being "good friends" through the office though as you meet each other everyday, and a lot Swedes feel guilty declining an invitation to a dinner or the similar so they prefer keep a relation where such things can't happen, if you don't want to come its a bit more difficult making an excuse when in person at work rather than texting someone if you're not in the mood. That said, not stopping to say hi sounds very rude in my opinion.

[@jonasaronsson5504]

A person getting it. Admiration!

[@SteamboatW]

Even if you're not friends, or don't like smalltalk, it's just down right rude to just totally ignore people. Even in Sweden. If I would guess, the person didn't see you. We can get wrapped into a personal bubble when in public, but usually we at least acknowledge someone we're aquainted with, with at least a nod, wave or a greeting. Even in Gothenburg it's rude to totally ignore someone on purpose - unless the person is from Stockholm of course.

[@svergurd3873]

I agree, it seems rude. Of course you at least say hello to a workmate with a smile or nod if meeting them in town. Self-evident.

[@ssirfbrorsan]

So classic notation :) - that men don't (necessarily) hold the door, or that women can (actually) carry 'heavy things'. However, most men in Sweden are gentlemen.

[@Horkano]

You must have been invited to some odd barbecues 😀 Of course you´re sharing what you bring!

[@cynic7049]

I am a Swede and I must say your ex-colleague was a bit rude, he/she should have greeted you. But that is about it, nothing deeper is excepted or

[@SwedenwithRobi]

I am glad that its not a typical Swedish thing. It has happened to me twice with different people so i thought that could be a thing.

[@svergurd3873]

@@SwedenwithRobi It is rude and makes me angry, and it seems not normal at all. I don't know about the big cities, but in smaller towns it would not happen, if they see you. At least a quick nod and a smile or a hello.

[@andreasrefe6209]

Eller hur - mycket oförskämd kollega!

[@UnderTheBlueBeanBush]

I think many people will find it rude not to great a former colleague (but maybe just hello and not the same kind of more in depth interaction that tend to happen at fika in the workplace). But still, I am not surprised. Swedes are known for being rather cold, and like you said to keep rather private and keep work apart from the rest of life. It's rather sad, but I suppose it has to do with us not liking to be in debt, so that social engagement will be a tangle of keeping score so that both parties are always on level on how much you give (invitations and so forth). It can be quite exhausting.

[@journeywithfyose]

I enjoy learning about different cultures from different countries. Beautiful video

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Thank you! 😃

[@HenrikJansson78]

I love the origin of the waffle day. It's actually a christian celebration, but we have completely forgotten that and today we just eat waffles instead. Much better. And it's basically because of a pun. :) EDIT: And I love Systembolaget. My closest one, 5 minutes walk, have over 600 different beers on the shelf. If that is not enough, I can take my bike for 10 minutes to another Systembolag, that one have something like 1300 different beers. I love beer. :)

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Haha well…at least we still get to eat the waffles. PS: Swedish waffles are the best- thin and crunch. Systembolaget is quite good actually, they also have great service. I used to love it when occasionally I got asked for an ID…not anymore..sadly 😄

[@svergurd3873]

The background to Systembolaget is that in the 1800-s there was big problems with alcohol misuse and people drinking too much, and there was a movement to solve these problems. A doctor named Bratt created a system for limiting alcohol use - you can buy it only in special stores and you can only buy a limited amount per month. Nowadays the amount is not limited, but it is still only sold in special stores.

[@pettykaunda3339]

Amazing! thank you for sharing this information .

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marcusfridh8489]

I saw Kärnan of Helsingborg. Do you live in Helsingborg? Then we neighbours, i was born in Helsingborg hospital, lived my first 8 years of my life in Höganäs, live in Landskrona, went you high school (gymnasiet) on old the Nicolaiskolan

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Yes, hej grannar 😃

[@californiamicke9527]

🇸🇪👋👋 Regards Micke from Åkersberga 🙂

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Hej hej 👋

[@AlecS-p4b]

I think your colleague was tired and out of social battery, and was afraid of having to do more than say "hi-gotta go, bye", and opted for a blind spot where you were, maybe? A bit rude, but... Maybe they expected the same chatty social interactions as at work, and just didn't want to deplete their energy further? Can be seen as a bit rude, yes, but you might just need to get home, get dinner ready, and hopefully get some alone time to decompress and relax... So they can take all the chatty socializing at work and maybe see a friend or something another day. I'm quite an introvert, so I might be biased, but I have the impression that Swedes in general are a bit more introverted that other people/countries in the world? Like, the social battery is depleted rather easily and quickly. Need to not talk to anyone for a while to recharge it.

[@nakennille127]

U should try ASMR ur voice is so relaxing:D

[@rauknrolf]

#13 I think it sounds like this colleague was too tight. Saying "Hi" to a former colleague when bumping into each other is not too much to ask for?

[@SwedenwithRobi]

I know right! I am that glad most people find it weird.

[@martinostlund1879]

Great video! My collegues are my friends, but most of them I don’t visit in my spare time.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Would you Call that friendship 😇? Thanks for the compliments.

[@martinostlund1879]

@@SwedenwithRobi well, I usually meet them 8 hours a day, in my spare time I try to meet my other friends that I don’t see every day, or week.

[@ingvartorma9789]

I have to mention grilling, so up here in Lapland where I live and the city is called Kiruna. So up here when I invite friends over for a barbecue, I'm the one who offers everything and the friends just need to come and be hungry. With me and many others, your friend should never leave me hungry. Bringing your own food is a typical thing that they have introduced in southern Sweden and, in my opinion, a sign of stinginess. When it comes to alcohol in Sweden, is to reduce the risk of having problems with alcohol and becoming an alcoholic. When I started school in 1972, you started getting grades in year 3. Back then the grades were between 1 and 5. 1a meant fail and 5a meant pass. A semla consists of a wheat bun with cardamom in it and then you put almond mass in the bun and then whipped cream. What you mention is the Swede's dream with the 3 V: Villa, Volvo and Vovve.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Lappland sounds like my home town then. And yes, Tanzania ( where I come from) could learn a lot from Systembolaget. I actually don’t mind me a Semla. I feel sad that it took me so long to try it 😄

[@ingvartorma9789]

@@SwedenwithRobi How people are up in Lapland can perhaps be compared to your home country. But not the environment, my city Kiruna is at the foot of the mountain world and its beautiful environment. I was sad at Semla, not because I ate too many but I have worked as a baker and have baked thousands of semlos. There are so many incredibly good pastries to taste. You've heard about cinnamon buns and vanilla buns, and how good they are. But my mother invented the chocolate bun in the 70s. My mother was baking buns and she had baked the vanilla buns and was going to bake the cinnamon buns and discovers that she had forgotten to buy cinnamon. So she simply took and used the cocoa powder instead, so then the chocolate bun was born and it spread all over Sweden, but today not many people bake with cholkad in it. You mentioned about the sticky cake and if you bake it yourself, use real 65-70% chocolate that you melt and mix into the batter. When you then eat, take lightly whipped cream and raspberries, because raspberries and chocolate go very well together and it lifts the cake.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Thank you so much for the tip about kladdkaka. As for chocolate buns i actually had one in Stockholm one day, I was at work. It was my first time and they were so delicious. I have never come across one yet here in Skåne. Please share the recipe if you have.

[@ingvartorma9789]

@@SwedenwithRobi Chocolate balls are made by using cocoa instead of cinnamon or vanilla sugar. You can actually easily create new buns, cookies, pastries, cakes. By replacing something with something else, you have made something new, as long as you make sure that the flavors work with each other. Take these raspberry slices, for example. and take and choose blueberry jam, redcurrant slices or whatever you want to wear. Recipes, regardless of whether it is food or baking, you can try your hand at different flavors. The only thing stopping you is your imagination.

[@rolandgustafsson5655]

I don't care much about these waffle days or cinnamon Bunn days🤨I mean perhaps I don't like to eat waffles on that day😒Perhaps i want something else🤥like kladdkaka perhaps😋😁

[@SwedenwithRobi]

😃😃😃

[@adam-7147]

This woman is so lovely I could fall in love with her. 😍

[@stiglarsson8405]

Yes.. a nice way to "try to" explaine.. how it is to live in Sweden! In anyway lets talk about a "party".. an invitation to a party.. it could mean different things, and one need to know; Knytkalas is an old thing.. everyone bring there own food and bozze.. its still comon for youngsters. Then one have more modern and for adults.. you bring that and the rest bring other things.. but everyone bring there own bozze! Sometimes a group of friends or neighbours organize a party or a whole little comunity.. they organize it and buys all the food, (not the bozze) and one goes "Dutch" as they say in America, one pay for it.. for the expenses.. its often easyer for everybody! But one can altso be invited.. in moste cases as a couple to another couple.. its tricky to know if its "a dinner" or a "knytkalas"! All swedes know how to do it, and seldome get it wrong.. so you altso need to know it!

[@SwedenwithRobi]

That 's what we were expecting on the part of a group buying together food but we did not get that experience sadly :)).I have been to kntkalas many times and usually you share food. I love it. The grill experience was rather strange...very strange :D. I am glad it does not apply across Sweden.

[@donaldliden4545]

​@@SwedenwithRobiif someone invite me for a bbq i would simply ask if they want me to bring anything with me usually they say nope ,and ill bring only something to drink because the taste of beer,wine or booze is very different 😀(god knows what kind of beer they have)

[@henriettejareklew6057]

Great video!!! 🎉❤ And I’m happy that we have become good friends here in Sweden, even if we didn’t know each other at kindergarten. 😊❤

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Thank you Henriette, Same here! I am super glad to have you as a friend. Maybe we met in kindergarten in our previous life 😄❤️💕

[@paddysiyanga]

....we need a whole post on the right flour for Chapati and maandazi (puff, puff)😂.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

🤣🤣🤣 yes, yes coming soon!

[@AlecS-p4b]

You know, the weeks system is utterly confusing for me as a Swede too... I haven to ask for the actual dates. When does it start and stop? Between which dates? I can turn on the weeks showing in my calendar, and the numbers are too small to see and I still don't get it.

[@wegesamorro8325]

Wow this is lovely

[@matshjalmarsson3008]

When I weny to School, we didn't get grades before 7th grade! I've been to many BBQs in my life and never had your experience, it was always sharing, except for alcohol (usually). Same as with Crayfish (or Surströming) parties, and except for Crayfish, the host usually buys all the food. (Stockholm, it may be dirrent in other areas.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

I live in Skåne and looks like that BBQ tradition is more common here. I asked my friend from Croatia who is also an expatriate and she mentioned that she has experience the same. My husband ( who grew up in Denmark and the North of Sweden) was also very surprised by this. We took so much food to a BBQ we were invited and ended up going back with it :D. As for drinks, I agree. Same in my home country. Usually you bring your own drink. I am glad that it is not common across Sweden :).

[@matshjalmarsson3008]

@@SwedenwithRobi My guess, after thinking about it, is that it more has to do with age, adults (usually) can afford to pay for everything, while it may be hard for students. It also may depend on what guests, some just grab what's "free" and never give back, while some throw a party the next year or whatever to level out the imbalance. (Lived in Blekinge/Skåne for around 10 years and the host always paid for the food)

[@bodan1196]

Regarding the "experiment" conducted by "a dentist", which determined that it is better to eat candy one day a week, ie saturday; it is one of those dark stories, that need to be remembered, every time we eat 'lördagsgodis'. If nothing else to honor the "participants". We need to remember.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

😢😢😢 i didn’t know. Thank you for highlighting this.

[@nirranirra]

I hope the rest of the video is too my liking, I can not agree with the door's, lifting heavy / feminism and such or barbecue.. this is not my experience.. maybe I feel schooling was abit of too, I agree with you on all the videos I did, cake and meals before.. well well.. swedes ar divers and diffrent among our groups.. I am happy for you that you enjoy my country.. and maybe I also had shitday in working hours.. love and peace

[@ogadaful]

🤣🤣🤣... That "WEEK concept" is still a big headache for me... almost 1 year later !

[@SwedenwithRobi]

Indeed 😂. It’s just crazy

[@XetErixon]

It does not make sense in any way... and I'm Swedish...

[@BarbaOlof]

@@XetErixonI’d say it makes perfect sense. No need to know the dates, that varies every year, for the school holidays for example. The fall holiday is week 44, every year. Perfect.

[@SteamboatW]

Well, it makes sense to me, but I admit that I too struggle with it... and I have lived here all my life.

[@XetErixon]

​@@BarbaOlof People working in education seems to prefer using week numbers. Me, a mere mortal, prefer the date...

[@magnuskarlsson2817]

Do you have a sister? 🙂

[@SwedenwithRobi]

We can arrange for one 😃😆

[@rolandgustafsson5655]

Stupid grillparty😕I wouldn't go there👎and im Swedish 😇

[@SwedenwithRobi]

ha ha ha...I am glad you feel the same way.

[@donaldliden4545]

Same 😀i would never go there again or invite them back... it sounds only weird to me /Västerbottning

[@HenrikJansson78]

That sounded like how it was when you where 20 years old. A group getting together for a bbq in a park. Nobody knew how many would come and people would show up and drop off at different times.

[@AaSa-uq9ye]

You should learn more about the background to lördagsgodis. It's a terrible story. Some disgusting things happened in Sweden as late as in the 50s.

[@SwedenwithRobi]

I just Googled it and it is indeed sad 😢