Sometimes I wonder why things in Sweden seem to be so much easier and better planned than in Germany. Sometimes, when I am standing in a long queue with a ticket in my hand, I had to pull, because otherwise I would not get served at the service encounter, I wonder why people are so quiet and disciplined. Sometimes, when I have to go to an office, because I have to apply for a new student’s identity card, I am on the road again five minutes later. I never wait for a train, bus or plane. I always get help when I need it. But sometimes when I go through the university and I meet Swedish people I know, I wonder why they are so quiet and don’t talk with me like I do it to them, but then if it comes to say goodbye the start to hug me. I say “du” to the teacher and call him by his first name. That is unknown for me.
The first weeks in Sweden were quite new for me and I did not expect that I will be confronted with a culture that differs in so many ways from our German culture, although we live only a few kilometers away from each other. I had to learn how the Swedes react, talk and how the think in special situations. Why to keep an arm length distance when it comes to talk to an unknown person and why are you not “allowed” to spend a nice girl a drink at a club? Questions I had to answer within the first weeks here in Sweden.
In my eyes, Sweden has one of the highest qualities of life worldwide. Education, health services, life expectancy and income distribution belong to the highest levels worldwide. Swedish people love their nature and after work many Swedes do sports or other activities in the countryside. They want to keep fit. I experienced Swedes in different ways. Some were shy and quiet others however were louder and talkative. Referring to Bengt Anderson’s book Swedishness it can be said that “Swedes do not always have the same urge to communicate” (30). I made a lot of more experiences that I summarized in some “general rules” that can help one to survive in Sweden:
(1) Keep an arm length distance: Although Sweden has one of the lowest power distances in the world (e.g. hierarchies are normally flat and you’re always on first-name terms with people – except the king) Swedes don’t like it if you come too close if they don’t know you more in detail.
(2) Be honest: Swedes are always honest and allegiant. Relationships are built on trust and to build up relationships (in business and private life) it is much easier if you are faithfully and open minded. When you talk you should be direct - but not too direct; see point (4) – and not beating around the bush!
(3) Be punctual: Germany’s virtue no. 1 is also in Sweden very important. People do not like to wait. Especially if you have business meetings or a date with a girl it is important that you are always on time. Even five minutes can lead to discord.
(4) Avoid conflicts: Be direct when you speak but be careful when you have to tell someone bad news. Swedes tend to avoid conflict by communicating conflicts and bad news indirect in a way we (Germans) would hardly understand them. If your teacher lauds you having done a good job, but asks you if you could maybe overwork a paragraph means that the job isn’t done too well at all!
(5) Show team spirit: Swedes love it to work in teams and most of the organizations are organized in independent teams and groups. But one should also try to be independent in one’s personal life. Swedish parents educate their children independence.
(6) Don’t spend a girl a drink in a club: This may sound funny but it was really a problem at the beginning for me. Girls are equal to boys in everything the do! They have the same rights and sometimes they behave like boys. So they can pay for their drinks themselves. Once a girl told me, that if I would spend a drink it would mean that she has to spend the whole evening with me! Crazy, isn’t it?
After all this rules it must be said that cultures can not finally be described by some rules. Experiences are based on individual perceptions, observations and interpretations. Stereotypes are created easily and remain steady for a long time. We have pictures about the Swedes and other cultures in our heads. It is important that we break through those patterns of thinking by being neutral every time we meet people from other countries. This is called Cultural Relativism and means “suspending judgment when dealing with groups or societies different from one’s own” (Hofstede, 6).
Works cited
Hofstede, Geert. Cultures and Organizations – Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
Anderson, Bendt. Swedishness. Göteborg: Sanderberg Trygg, 2000.
2 Kommentare:
Beautiful work. Except too much long text - for me:) - I cannot find any fault.
Very intresting. It is alwys fun to read what foreigners think about Sweden. Being Swedish myself, I must say that I agree with most of the thing you say, for example being on time an keeping an arm's lengths distance. Maybe those are things the Swedes should work on a bit, perhaps it would be good for us to loose control sometimes.
Kommentar veröffentlichen