Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow
Infiltrating Sweden one cinnamon bun at a time
I ask Rosa, from Spain, to fill me in on how people in southern Europe can eat dinner so late and still get up for work in the morning. We also talk about having to wear uniforms in school and about how tapas are the ultimate way to eat a meal.
This week I talk to Ola, from Poland, about dubbing shows in other languages, the difference in Polish names and how to avoid ending up on crutches during the winter. Also, when practicing Swedish, a good tip is to talk to 2 year olds. They don’t judge.
Akash, from India, moved to Sweden expecting a heavy metal mecca. This was not quite the case. But he’s developed some rather useful apps to help these pop-music Vikings and also has a plan to change the culture here into a place where people talk to their neighbours. Good luck with that!
Fotis, from Greece, is getting really tired of eating so much salmon here. Can we please find a way to get fresher tasting vegetables? Also, we discover that in Swedish, the word “mambo” does not mean a type of dance.
Steve, from England, and host of the podcast “The Experience Designers”, tells us how it is to pick up and move a family with older children to a different country, how he embraces the idea of “lagom” and how it ties into the Swedish drinking culture… maybe.
Hana, from Singapore, talks about having to buy socks for the first time in Sweden, typical movie snacks in both countries, and experiencing snow for the first time. Also, compared to Singapore, Stockholm (and the rest of the world) is not clean at all!
Leo, from Los Angeles, makes his own synthesizers and shares his knowledge on his YouTube station LeoMakes. He also thinks Swedish coffee is the best and is full of tips on how to keep yourself busy during the winter with cafes, walks, rock climbing and maybe even building your own synthesizer! Why not? It beats … Read more
AnaMaria and Gustavo from Ecuador talk all about chocolate and how it’s made. We also discuss how it is to move from a year-round sunny and warm country to six months of darkness and cold, the wonders of swimming with sharks in the Galapagos, and the equally amazing wonders of the trusting people of Skåne.
Shaena, from Canada, gives tips on finding a job in Sweden and minimizing the winter blues by watching Melodifestivalen. We also discuss the greatest pastry ever made – the semla!
We kick off the new year with a new arrival to Sweden! Lauren just moved to Sweden about 6 weeks ago and is amazed by the queue system, independent children and that people here don’t steal babies!
On this very special Christmas episode, Clara from Austria compares some Swedish and Austrian Christmas traditions, we talk about the strange quirk Swedes have about not taking the last of anything, and we learn a bit more about growing up Austrian under the shadow of Krampus.
Rachel, from the UK, discusses her hatred of saffron buns and Lucia, why you can’t name your kid Lucifer here, and lots of talk about stabbing!
Melanie from Michigan tells us all about dog sledding, and we chat about Christmas markets and Julbord in Sweden.
We talk to Sharmala from Malaysia about why Black Friday makes no sense in Sweden, why Swedes are obsessed with order and queue numbers, and we find out… is Malaysia truly Asia?
A discussion of weddings in Sweden, strange toppings on Swedish pizza and why setting a 43-foot tall straw goat on fire has become a yearly tradition.
A Californian rates Swedish towns, we question whether root beer counts as a disgusting food and tell you how to travel super cheap.
Two Texans discuss why American cheese is a luxury, grocery store humiliation, and why Swedes don’t understand that Halloween is only one day.
Theme music for Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow.