It is very much exciting to go to live in a new country. I remember the excitement that I had before my travel. However, I felt there are several things that can be good to know before the travel. This is the continuation of the previous blog. In the previous blog I shared  5 facts. In this blog I will share 5 more.

1. July is a slower month
Sweden being one of the most beautiful countries, observes almost 6 months of winter with not so much of sunlight during peak winters. So, summer is very well celebrated here. People working full-time in Sweden are allowed to take 25 days of paid holiday every year. With July being the warmest month of the year, most of the employees take their holidays during this month. So, generally service will be the slowest in this month. On a personal recommendation, if you need a residence permit to stay in Sweden apply before June to get it processed faster.

2. Swedes are informal with names
Grown up in India where we don’t call anyone elder to us with their names, it was a big cultural shock for me to call professors with their first name. No Mr, no Professor, no Sir, just the first name. Yes, You heard me correct. Your doctor, your professor, your economic advisor – they will all address you by first name and expect you to do the same in conversation. That’s pretty much standard in Sweden, regardless of job titles. In the initial days, I felt so uncomfortable in asking doubts or sending an email to professor. But, it became ok with time.

3. Don’t bring too much cash
The use of cash in here is very limited. Most of the shops and cafes don’t even accept cash and it is very common to find the sign ‘Card Only’ or ‘Cashfree’. However, In the first months you may need it. So, I suggest to bring some cash atleast but not a lot. You will need cash to do second hand shopping here, because you won’t have bank account for the first few months. On the second note second hand shopping is very popular here. I wasn’t aware of this cashless community, so I brought good amount of cash, which was hard to get rid off. In case you’re left with some cash and you don’t have bank account, you can use it in supermarkets.

4. Be prepared to enjoy Fika
A Fika is a very Swedish custom which basically means that you a take break from your activity to take a cup of coffee or tea and maybe eat something sweet. Fika is one of the most common word spoken in Sweden. The word Fika is said to be originated as the reversal of the word Kaffe which means coffee in Swedish. Most Swedes will enjoy at least one fika a day as an opportunity to bond. Swedish Fika is a warm, kind and lovely way of bringing people together. SO, now if you hear the word Fika, don’t get surprised, just socialize.

5. Yes, It is expensive
As we mention, that we are moving to Sweden, the first question that someone asks, “Isn’t is expensive?” And it is fairly true. Comparing to other parts of Europe, Sweden can be pretty expensive to live or travel around. Things which sounds good and affordable in home country- maybe like a basic meal at a restaurant – can be frustatingly expensive here. In general, the average cost of living in Sweden is high. The bulk of this high cost is due to rent prices, which climb by about 1% each year. On a global scale, Sweden is not the most expensive country to live, however it is fairly expensive to most of the countries in the world. It is also worth mentioning that, yes, it is expensive, but it also offers the best quality of life and an amazing work life balance in the globe.

I hope you enjoyed reading.

// Abhijeet

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