{"id":7788,"date":"2021-02-05T14:55:42","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T13:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hejsweden.com\/?p=7788"},"modified":"2022-02-15T18:04:26","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T17:04:26","slug":"sweden-first-impressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hejsweden.com\/en\/sweden-first-impressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweden: My Very First Impressions – Stereotypes Confirmed?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Imagine you go to a country to which you’ve never been before. A place far away. You have certain images in your head about how it looks and feels like to be in this country. But you’re not sure whether these images and stereotypes<\/strong> will be confirmed, once you experience what it feels like to living in a new country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in August 2005, I went to Sweden for the first time. My semester abroad. I was excited and nervous, because I had never been to Sweden before and no clue what would expect me. Of course I listened carefully to what friends who had been there before told me about the unique aspects of Sweden and the Swedes, but … you never know how your individual experience<\/strong> will be like until you have actually made the big step and discovered a new place with your own eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swedish culture<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As many other Sweden visitors, my Sweden image was influenced by the images from Swedish TV productions like Pippi Longstocking<\/em> or Emil of L\u00f6nneberga<\/em>. But also the TV reports about the country’s progressiveness and its state of advanced societal development. But would it turn out to be as idyllic and modern as it was described by media and the people who had been there before?<\/strong><\/p>

\"Book<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

First glimpse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I went to Sweden by car, crossing the \u00d6resund bridge<\/strong>, which connects the Danish capital Copenhagen with Sweden’s third biggest city Malm\u00f6, in the very south of Sweden. This already was a great experience, driving over \u00d6resund bridge offers a beautiful view over the sea and shoreline of Malm\u00f6 and its surrounding areas. An impressive welcoming to Sweden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweden travel guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First impressions of Sweden<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On Swedish roads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having just passed the border control, I noticed that the street signs were a bit different than what I was used to in Germany, my “old” home country. In Sweden speed signs <\/strong>have a yellow rather than white background. Also the white lines on the asphalt were drawn in a different way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And on the street, looots of Volvos and Saabs<\/strong>. But particularly Volvos. And everyone was driving roughly the same speed, of around the legal 90 km\/h on the country roads. Almost no one was speeding, and when someone dared doing so, then clearly less than 20 km\/h over the legal speed limit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Hej Sweden (@hejsweden)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>