My Personal View of Sweden

The very first time I came to Sweden was the summer of 1995. At that moment I was a 9 years old girl and everything was very attractive for me – that was the first time in a foreign country in my life. Then, several times I was lucky to cross Sweden in a car going to Norway with some stops in the biggest cities, and eventually, January, 2006, I came to stay in Karlstad for 5 months.

If one asks my first expression about Sweden, I say – nature. I like this country’s nature very much. The great amount of forests, mountains in the northern part, lakes in the middle of the country – everything is rather harmonized. Therefore, I am very happy to have an opportunity of staying not in a big city in Sweden, but in the city which is surrounded with nature. I find Karlstad as a very calm, nice, and friendly city.

Besides nature, I like relaxed people here. It is the best atmosphere to live, to study, to work, to spend your leisure – to do everything you can think of in not stressful environment. I have been studying in the capital of Lithuania where everybody is hurrying somewhere, and I believe that in Stockholm it is the same. But here this is one of the benefits I find in Sweden.

As I am an exchange student I want to emphasize Swedish education system, which I like more than Lithuania’s one. You are studying one or two subjects at a time and after the exact number of weeks you finish the courses. Then you start other ones. In Lithuania we study 6 or 7 modules per semester and at the end of semester we have exams’ period, when all the students are taking their exams. Thus, in Swedish system I have already found that you remember much more things when you can concentrate for one subject. Furthermore, you have an opportunity to analyze more deeply the subject, because you do not have to think about other 5 that are waiting for you to study. The relaxed environment mentioned above also helps to study.

As there are things I like very much, there are things that I do not like at all. You have many rules that, I think, should be considered as an opportunity to choose. For example, if you go to a pub you must take your coat off and put it into a wardrobe, and then, of course, pay for it. Then, I did not like that all the shops close at 8 p.m., or, at the latest 9 p.m. This dislike is probably for my habitude to do shopping at 10 p.m. Furthermore, Swedish people are unpersuadable. If you decide something there is almost no probability to change your mind.

There are still more things I like in Sweden: no smoking in public places, punctuality, means of communication (buses, trains). And then there are things that are strange for me. I cannot say if they are good or bad. They are simply strange. Systembolaget is one of those things. It is very unusual for me to go to an ordinary shop and not to see any section for alcohol there. What is more, when answering the phone you say hello and your name. In Lithuania it would be understood as if you were saying hello to yourself, for we usually say hello and name of the person who is calling.

As you can see, the most things I really like in Sweden. Something seems strange, but it is normal for every culture has its own particularities. And things I do not like are actually a part of my habits. But for 5 months I can close my eyes to this. Furthermore, if I need to stay longer, I would probably get used to your particularities, for it is something that one can adjust to. All you need is time and tolerance!