It's looking very likely (not certain, but increasingly likely, at least) that I will be moving there in a couple of months, to do a course, for 10 months.
I know that people will have varying opinions on Sweden, and its politics - certainly, I'm not a fan of a lot of it, but... It's definitely quite different to Aus, so there's that.
I would be living and studying in the sort of "Greater Stockholm" area, I guess. That part of the country, anyway (a couple of hours away), in a fairly small place.
I'm fairly well-versed in Swedish culture (more so than the average Australian, I would argue, anyway), having dated three Swedish women, having a few other Swedish friends, and... Exposed myself to Swedish media, I guess. But yeah, as an extremely sociable person, I think that is going to be... Interesting. I fully expect to not fit in, but that's ok. I am prepared for that.
But yeah, wadda ya think, people who've been there/are from Europe, or maybe have family there?
I'm not really going there "because Sweden". That's part of it, but it's also a course that is only offered there, so I figure why the hell not.
Would appreciate your thoughts, even if they're just "commie shithole", lol!
It was the canada of europe if the memes were to believed 10 years ago.
But then they actually grew a spine and did something sensible, the one country to not really lock down, and do more of a 'focused protection' approach, just isolating and caring for the aged care fascilities. Even when it was the country with the most to lose, they had evaded the last 2 flu seasons, and so had a lot of old sick people ready to die, a lot of 'dry tinder' as the theory goes. Like florida, they were always going to look worse at any surface level midwit analysis of how they fared, but they did it anyway. Good on em.
The sweden yes memes also seem less common now, and the swedish democrats seem to be on the rise?
I don't know what to think of them anymore because of that big decision, and the recent changes. They alone in the western world did the sensible thing on the big issue these past 4 years, so I'm inclined to give em the benefit of the doubt. Better there than here or nz or canada.
You may end up loving it, there is a decent chance you'll find a lot of young people that have similar issues as you. We've seen Sweden becoming more anti-left in recent years, especially in young adults.
Honestly, I just think the extreme change of environment could be good for me, if nothing else...
People in my part of Australia all seem sad and stressed. Where I was studying, and will be again in the interim (South East Qld), was slightly less bad, but there, it's all about image, and "lifestyle" (i.e. pretending you have money when you don't), and kind of... Fakeness.
So... At least in Sweden, as you say, I might meet some likeminded young'uns, but even just... Getting out of this country for a bit would be good, I think.
April through to now has been an incredibly hard time. I would love to kiss this part of my life goodbye, and just... Look forward, for once, instead of looking back.
So, I sincerely hope you're right. But even if I don't find that, I'm... Optimistic that it'll be "good" for me. More than just continuing to tread water here would be, anyway!
They have all sorts of political issues, but you're in Australia so well you do too. I can't say I'm that much better off in America either. Everywhere has political issues. I'd say go for it. I've seen enough of your posts and you need a change of scenery.
I love the Stockholm area. The people really aren't that bad, I'm not extremely social and still met people there, and I've probably not spent more than a few weeks combined. Unless you're like the perfectly stereotypical loud Aussie that can't go ten seconds without calling someone a cunt, to the point that a Swede is embarrassed to be around you, then you will be fine.
I like Finland and the non-Copenhagen parts of Denmark better in the current political climate, but in your shoes if I had the opportunity to go to Stockholm I'd do it.
Nah, I'm not like that stereotype at all, lol.
Just used to dealing with "icy" Swedes on a very personal level, obviously, ha... And I've heard things about Jante, very hard to make friends, etc.
But yeah, I need it, ha.
I'm hopeful it comes through, but I'm no longer at the point in my life where I'm willing to risk being left "in the lurch" if it doesn't, so I'm already working on Plan B, and even C, just in case...
Cheers for all this, anyway! I will take it all on board. :-)
Where I would going is south-west of Stockholm proper, down Sodertjalle way, if you know the area. Looks alright.
Lots of islands and coastline and forest, anyway, so I shouldn't get too bored, at least!
Law of Jante is both a curse and a blessing. People can find happiness living a simple life and won't look down on you just because you don't consoom all sorts of crap. SEK is currently low so right now exchange rates will be great and everything will seem much cheaper.
It's a bit exaggerated too, ain't seen much people who are jealous, which would be the main issue with law of Jante, it's no official law, more of an unwritten rule. Suburban sprawls outside the cities are almost as bad as in America, car dependency, consoomer culture and everyone in severe debt.
If you're the social type a church village is the best place to live, homes are cheap $50k for a 200sqm on a 3000sqm yard on average, and it's very easy to speak to anyone there and get new frens. Look for a 30+ year old Volvo as your primary car, it's tax free and very easy to find spare parts, also won't crap out on you in the winter and won't take damage when you crash into a pile of snow.
Sweden as a geopolitical country seems pretty all over the place. But the Swede gamers I have met in my time are just as often based as the rest of the world. Pick your friends well and it should be good I reckon, especially since you're only there temporarily and don't need to worry about long term shit.
Depends as I think they are like a lot of European places where you can live so remotely that no one really bothers you. Combine that with they never engaged with lockdowns and it's not a bad choice if you're not moving to an urban centre.
When I think of Sweden, I always tend to think of grenades.
Hand Grenades and Gang Violence Rattle Sweden’s Middle Class.
List of grenade attacks in Sweden
Sweden itself is beautiful and has a lot of cool places to be. The average Swede is kind and fairly curt when responding. However, they have big hearts. This has gotten abused over the years so that Swedes were told they weren't kind unless they did this or that socialist insanity. When a Swede talks about Feminism, it is way different from most lefties I know. Seattle and Portland may have caught up though.
There is a cockiness that is shocking. The biggest assholes I have ever met were in a Swedish only apartment complex in the middle of the Phoenix ghetto. You could get robbed, and they would blame you for not being Swedish enough. That's not hyperbole, that actually happened. Even worse, one of the people in the complex was the robber.
On the other hand, one of my best friends in Portland is Swedish, and has let me stay at his house several times. When my car had some problems, he even drove me around as needed. Heck, I based my desires for a house on how he and his wife designed theirs.
So the Swedes can be incredibly kind, but foolish. They can also be right assholes.
I asked my wife who is Icelandic about it, I got from what she said that they tend to act like the middle child who wants to be in charge of everything. There are jokes in Germany about the Scandinavians about them not having enough beer at home because of how much they drink while in Germany. Scotland jokes that the Scandinavians are nice and a bit quiet, which is fine by them.
Check out the Carol Reed series of adventure games. On YouTube, if not to play. They're not exactly something to draw the attention of the average console peasant that frequents this forum. They take place in and around Stockholm, yet almost never during the snowed-in months, but usually during the shiny, bright, flowery times and because of that have some of the most beautiful visuals in gaming, made entirely of still photographs. Extremely low chill games.
In general, or compared to Australia? If the latter, it's probably heaven. If the former...from my limited knowledge, it does have some serious issues, but there are also much worse places to live. Especially considering it's temporary. Honestly, probably a pretty good place to live temporarily.
Isn't Sweden 100% infected by econmic migrants and completely fallen by this point?
Completely fallen, I would not say, but the cites and larger towns are infected. Still you can find areas (in the more wealthy parts) that does not feel the effects.
They're being deported, at a slow rate but still.
It's all relative. I'd say go for it.
As a Finnish person, I am probably the single person in Finland who hates Sweden the most, and I am the #1 person in favor to ban anything Sweden related in Finland (e.g Swedish is the 2nd official language in Finland). Sweden is the home to the worst liberals that have ever walked the planet. Most, if not every, utterly retarded, dystopian liberal concept can be traced back to Sweden. My problem with this is that because they're so close to us, their liberal bullshit often leaks to Finland and is picked up by our liberal green league faggot politicians and then festers here.
It's not all that hopeless though, I know some people from Northern Sweden, it's not that bad there, pretty good countryside too, but avoid Stockholm like any western capital, and mainly avoid southern Sweden, especially Malmö.
Thankfully, it seems that recently there is a kneejerk reaction among Swedish youths to the liberal globohomo bullshit, more and more Swedes are getting tired of it, thankfully it picked up among younger generations, so maybe there is some hope for Sweden
If you are truly going to be in a smaller place like you said so and study remotely or however, then sure, go for it, as I've said, Sweden has solid countryside, and life usually tends to be much better in smaller towns.
The course is entirely in person, but it's based in a small village, yeah. So that should be interesting.
I kind of hope it's not too remote, though, because if it is crazy there (it's residential, after all), I don't want to be too isolated, lol...
I'll settle for North Dakota.