Matthias Kamann

Matthias, a professional new-Swede, was born and raised in Germany before going to Sweden for a semester abroad. One semester turned into more than a decade. In 2011 he started the blog Hej Sweden in order to share his Swedish experiences and love for Sweden and the Swedes with others who are keen to learn more about this beautiful country. One result of his constant attempt to discover what it means to live in Sweden like a typical Swede, is the book How to be Swedish - A Quick Guide to Swedishness - In 55 Steps (here on Amazon, also available in German) For more about Matthias and Hej Sweden, have a look at the About page.

Swedish Christmas Santa Claus - jultomte

Top 5 Swedish Christmas Decoration Items for Your Home

Swedes love decoration. Particularly during the cold and dark winter season, Swedes make an effort to create a cozy atmosphere at home. Swedish homes are often well designed and equipped with thoughtfully chosen and placed … Read more

Norrland in Sweden – 5 (Likely) Reasons Most Swedes Do Not Want to Live There

Sweden has about 10 million inhabitants. About 80% of the population live in the bottom 20% of the country. Why? Here is an attempt to answer the question why most Swedes live in the south, … Read more

Swedish Mentality: 5 Things Swedes Hate or Fear

Swedes, just as citizens from any other nation, are afraid of … certain things. To understand the Swedish psyche a little bit better, read the following list of “phenomenas” that many Swedes feel very uncomfortable … Read more

Swedish Citizenship – New Test – 10 Questions You Must Answer

New disclaimer (2026): This post was written in 2017, when there was absolutely no Swedish citizenship test on the horizon. Well, things have changed, and in Summer 2026 Sweden introduced one. What actual test questions … Read more

Grönåsen Moose Park in Småland, South Sweden

Are you looking for a moose park in Småland, in South Sweden? Here is my top tip, you want to see a living moose near the cities of Växjö and Kalmar: In Grönåsen Älgpark, in … Read more

Växjö pronunciation - how to pronounce Vaxjo correctly

How to pronounce “Växjö” (City in Småland, Sweden)

Yes, it looks a bit weird and it sounds even weirder – the name of the city of Växjö. The first time I read it, it looked already a bit funny. Later, when I heard … Read more

5 Reasons to Love Växjö – City in Småland, Sweden

Are you going to travel to Växjö or considering moving there? Here are my top 5 reasons to fall in love with Växjö. Växjö = Småland = Sweden Sweden is often associated with Abba, Pippi … Read more

Moose Shot on His Way to the Gothenburg Book Fair

A police man stopped me and other pedestrians on the way from the parking lots to the Gothenburg book fair. “Stop! You can’t pass here. There is a moose”, the friendly police man said. A … Read more

National Day of Sweden Celebrations - King of Sweden in Växjö

National Day of Sweden: June 6th – Why & How Swedes Celebrate Their National Day

Celebrations of the Swedish national day become more and more popular. Nowadays, about every third Swedes celebrates their nation. Originally the June 6th was called the “Swedish flag day”, svenska flaggens dag. First in 1983 it … Read more

Matthias Kamann SMP Smalandsposten article 170515 How to be Swedish

Swedish Newspaper Smålandsposten Publishes Article About My New Book “How to be Swedish”

On Monday the 15th of May 2017, Smålandsposten published an interview article about me and my book “How to be Swedish”. Link to article on SMP.se: http://www.smp.se/kultur-o-noje/skrev-bok-om-att-vara-svensk/ About a week before, I went into Smålandspostens office … Read more