Trifter

Swedes are generally amiable people.  But they do have quirky dispositions like picking their noses publicly, or the rude gesture of coughing when an obvious foreigner is passing by.  Strangely enough, the transplants from Africa, Arabia and Asia all notice this behavior but dismiss it as “oddity”.  But if you exert the same mannerism to a by-passing Swede, he will either retaliate with a cough back or give you a knowing look.  Fortunately, it is illegal to do bodily harm, but my impression is that this is a secret insult.

Incidentally, there is a thriving populus of foreigners from every part of the globe in Stockholm – even as far away as South America.  The key is strength in numbers; and truly, life takes on a whole new meaning for many who come from third-world countries.  If you can manage to get into the system, there are infinite opportunities available but the trick is getting into the system.

Since Americans cannot pass as asylum seekers or refugees, you are relegated to the free-wonder who has to self finance every aspect of existence.  The best route in is alliance.  Find other Americans, get picked up by an International company that will write a letter of request on your behalf as a much needed specialist or last but not least, tie the knot with a local.

Third world foreigners tend to be very cynical.  They claim to be weary of Swedish culture, but none of them are willing to give up their passports or residency to return to their country of origin!  Humm, funny but true.  For  those Americans interested in making a life in Sweden, I would advise you find a job or enroll in an academic program before arriving.  Either of those options will buy you time to absorb the culture and adjust to the living without getting too deeply involved in the frustrating experience of bureaucracy, paperwork and delays.  To facilitate your endeavors, you will find very little information unless you switch to Swedish websites, usually formatted as www.whatever.se  If you are fortunate, there will be an English tab, otherwise, use Google translate or just try to decipher the text on your own. 

In closing, I rate Sweden as a 7 for visiting and a 5 for living.  It has a lot to offer but at a price.  The fact that they speak English makes it easy, but it does not open the doors to what goes on behind the scenes.  The success of survival is contingent on network, economics and even where you are from.  Just remember, anything is possible!