I emigrated to Sweden AMA

[FatCatThinCat]

For @SquirrelFan and anyone else with an interest in my very boring life.

@JedEye

Do you find it super expensive? Do your neighbours hang their duvets out the window to air? (I think I read that was Sweden)

Missed this bit about the duvets. Yes my neighbours all hang their duvets and rugs over their balconies. I don't as I'm lazy and can't be arsed.

@ScatteredMama82

Do you speak Swedish?

I do but not very well. I can get by. I don't have a translator for school or doctors anymore but I couldn't read a book in Swedish or concentrate enough to watch a TV show.

Thank you for answering OP That's really interesting.

What is the Swedish health care system like? Do you need insurance?

Also, how do you find living in a country so long without being fluent in the language? I'm not great at learning languages so this has always put me off!

@TwilightSkies

What do you mean by seaside humour?

Can’t believe how cheap the childcare is, thats amazing!

Benny Hill type humour. It was still being shown on mainstream TV here when we first arrived. I find it very strange given how passionate Swedes are on respect and equality.

I read on some news site (maybe the Times?) that Sweden has very high rates of gun crime and problems with gangs, which surprised me because I had pictured it as a very peaceful and law abiding country. Is there really a problem with violent crime, and if so what is the cause- does Sweden have very lax laws about gun ownership?

@Winecheesesleep

What is the Swedish health care system like? Do you need insurance?

Also, how do you find living in a country so long without being fluent in the language? I'm not great at learning languages so this has always put me off!

We have a national health service like the UK. Some things we have to pay token amounts for and those charges are set by individual health authorities so vary. I have to pay approx £10 to see a doctor, £8 for a nurse or physio, but there's a cap at around £150 a year so you never pay more than that. There's no charges for maternity care, children, and socially beneficial things like flu and covid vaccinations.

Everyone in Sweden speaks very, very good English. It's everywhere. English speakers struggle to learn Swedish because Swedes often default to English around them. But you can also work out the meanings without knowing the language. So you start when doing your shopping bread-bröd, egg-ägg, milk-mjölk and go from there.

@Theythinkitsalloveritisnow

I read on some news site (maybe the Times?) that Sweden has very high rates of gun crime and problems with gangs, which surprised me because I had pictured it as a very peaceful and law abiding country. Is there really a problem with violent crime, and if so what is the cause- does Sweden have very lax laws about gun ownership?

I've heard that too but have never witnessed anything. It seems to be very contained to certain elements in certain areas of the big cities. I saw an article in the British press about areas police in Sweden has labelled 'no go' areas and I was really surprised. But it turns out it wasn't like that at all. They'd identified areas of higher socal need so they could focus their resources better. But higher social need by Swedish standards. Compared to the rough areas of my home city of Liverpool they were like heaven on earth.

Somebody asked if I worked too. No I don't. I'm signed off sick due to my autism and anxiety. I used to work in the UK but even that became too much for me and I stopped a couple of years before emigrating. I'm extremely grateful for my wonderful husband who works very hard to take care of me.

Another thing on language as people are asking about it. In Sweden all education is free. So there is a class called SFI that is for immigrants to learn Swedish that is free and you can attend for as long as you need. Some people are done within a year and move on to higher levels, it took me 10 years to get to the end. But I had to keep taking breaks from it when I got overwhelmed.

See, I knew people would be interested! Thank you so much for starting this thread! (I think my favourite response so far has been the bat-spotting club! How gentle it sounds!)
How's the food?
If childcare and a large house were out of the equation, would you still say that the cost of living was lower?
What do you /Swedes do on their holidays? Have you been to the little island camps I've heard about?
Thanks!

Here's an example of a house for you all. It's a typical, bog standard nothing special Swedish house not far from me. 10 minutes into the nearby town, just on the edge of the commutable area for Gothenborg. 4 bed, detached, approx 77k. If you bought this house that's all you would pay. The estate agents do everything and they are paid by the seller. From offer to completion is usually 3 or 4 weeks.

www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-5rum-gudhem-falkopings-kommun-skolgatan-7-17839035

Ah it was this article in the guardian, don't know how to link to a website on my phone but it was this one in May

I think we are all planning to emigrate now!

What sort of foods did you eat when you first moved? Is the diet much different to the UK?

Thanks for answering, sounds like a brilliant place to live.

You have inspired me to do a bit of Swedish house hunting OP. This house looks lovely www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-6rum-falun-falu-kommun-klippudden-9-17828599. Might blow the budget though.

I was wondering what the construction of the houses is like? I assume they are all much better insulated than those in the UK.

I was also surprised at the number that seemed to have outside swimming pools. I would have thought it would be a bit chilly but maybe the idea is to warm up in the sauna afterwards?

[quote FatCatThinCat]Here's an example of a house for you all. It's a typical, bog standard nothing special Swedish house not far from me. 10 minutes into the nearby town, just on the edge of the commutable area for Gothenborg. 4 bed, detached, approx 77k. If you bought this house that's all you would pay. The estate agents do everything and they are paid by the seller. From offer to completion is usually 3 or 4 weeks.

www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-5rum-gudhem-falkopings-kommun-skolgatan-7-17839035[/quote]
That has just made me more annoyed at the housing situation here in the UK.

I couldn't dream of having that much space here in the UK. That house is just a little bit more than our annual combined salaries before tax. We just can't save the deposit for a UK house (we might have a chance without a £900 childcare bill and another £900 to rent a 2 bed flat though).

Sweden doesn't seem to be about keeping property prices high and screwing over young families, so their voter base keeps voting for them, like here in the UK.

What are Swedish politics like? What are people's main gripes politically?

Thank you for answering OP. I want to move to Sweden now! It sounds lovely

This AMA is great. Sweden sounds even better than I thought it would be. I'm very very envious OP.

@SquirrelFan

See, I knew people would be interested! Thank you so much for starting this thread! (I think my favourite response so far has been the bat-spotting club! How gentle it sounds!) How's the food? If childcare and a large house were out of the equation, would you still say that the cost of living was lower? What do you /Swedes do on their holidays? Have you been to the little island camps I've heard about? Thanks!

Food is more basic. Swedes are quite health conscious so you don't get all the convenience foods you get in the UK. A lot of cheese (comes in massive blocks bigger than housebricks, eggs, fish especially pickled herring. This is the home of the crispbread so if you like ryvita type crackers you'll be in heaven here. Foods you would find in a health food shop in the UK are mainstream and you'll find them in a regular supermarket here.

Food is more expensive, utilies are off the scale more expensive, white goods cost more. Clothes also cost more. Public transport is very cheap. And for everything else we have IKEA.

Holidays generally fall into 3 categories for swedes. Thailand is the hotspot for foreign holidays. It is to Sweden what Costa Del Sol is to the UK. Then there's camping holidays, which usually involves a campervan that cost more than the house, Pretty much everyone on my street owns one. Then there's the summer stuga, summer cottages that families own in remote places. Swedes are entitled to the whole of July off and they all take it and bugger off to their stugas for a month.

I don't know what you mean about little island camps. I've not heard anything about that.

@Theythinkitsalloveritisnow

Ah it was this article in the guardian, don't know how to link to a website on my phone but it was this one in May

I honestly don't know anything about that. I assume it's a city thing, but I've no idea really.

I'm loving this thread. The bit about the bats made me laugh out loud!

@FatCatThinCatWhat the food like? Do you get bored of all the smoked fish? I am a greedy guts and that would be my concern.

And do you have Swedish girlfriends? I would worry about missing my friends.

Love all these property links too.

@SethWho

I think we are all planning to emigrate now!

What sort of foods did you eat when you first moved? Is the diet much different to the UK?

Less reliance on convenience foods. Lots of bread, cheese, fish and eggs. A lot of Thai food and Mexican, although not spicey their chilli powder if for wimps.

ps see I cross posted about the food - ignore me