Using fiction to prepare for visiting Sweden
When my family lived in Malawi, we had a lot of time to read. As it was such a foreign place, to us as Americans, we shared a list of books that we found helpful to better understand the context.
For this journey to Sweden, I spent most of my preparatory time on my Master of Sustainable Transportation classes, in order to get the most out of my transportation focused immersion. However, I did find two authors writing pretty fun fiction, that I jokingly said I used to prepare for my time here.
I also read The Local, an English language newspaper focused on Sweden. I think they do a good job covering contemporary news items. But I'm a little skeptical of their coverage of cultural items. I couldn't find anyone who had every heard of early morning walks to listen for the returning Cuckoos, in May. And though some of my friends agreed that they did dress up as witches, on the Thursday before Easter, and beg for candy, none of them remembered also carrying a coffee pot, as The Local assured me was a common custom. But no matter. Their cultural articles at least give me something to ask my Swedish friends about!
Fredrick Backman
As to authors, I read several books written by Fredrik Backman. My absolute favorite was My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. I don't know that I learned much about Swedish life, from this one. It was just an excellent story.
A Man Called Ove, however, introduced me to a curmudgeonly old man, who could have been from anywhere. But his love for Volvo did seem in line with a formerly common phrase I learned that said, "What's good for Volvo is good for Sweden."
I also read Bear Town and Britt-Marie was Here, both about Swedish small towns in love with ice hockey (and they're skepticism for Stockholmers!). I'm only visiting during the summer. So, I'm missing this part of the culture.
And finally I read Anxious People. It's a good story and the Netflix version of this book is worth watching. My biggest take away from this book was that Sweden really is an almost cash-less society. I didn't quite believe it, when I arrived, so I got some cash at the airport. But I've been hard pressed to find a place to use it. Sweden has also made it a little tricky for foreigners. As a visitor, I am not eligible for a "person-number." This means I am can't access the country-wide electronic payment system called "Swish."
Swish is a bit like Venmo, but run by the state and used both between individuals and by businesses. Luckily, I haven't had any trouble paying with a credit card, at any shop. But I have been blocked from purchasing tickets online for things like the train, a rock show and for my Lindy Hop class!. These online systems thought my US credit card looked suspicious.
My friends helped me get around this. The women who is subletting her apartment, to me, was willing to pay for my Lindy Hop class (she said she, too, is a big fan) so that I could add the payment to my rent. Another friend was able to take PayPal, so I could split a dinner purchase. And a Bryn Mawr friend said was willing to take cash, so I was able to pay her for the babysitter she helped me find, so Teddy and I could attend a music festival. In some ways it's been convenient to only carry around my phone, to pay for most goods and services. But it's also meant that we can't give the kids their allowance in cash and expect that they can use it anywhere. But luckily, for my youngest, grocery stores are one of the places that does take cash. So, Saturday Sweets are a super kid-friendly purchase he can make on his own.
Alexander McCall Smith
I was very pleased to find that one of my favorite authors recently wrote a series on Sweden. I don't know why Alexander McCall Smith chose Malmö as his setting for this one, but as per usual with his writing, he is spot on. You may know McCall Smith from The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, and those are great books. But I urge you not to stop there. My youngest is named after a character in the Isabel Dalhousie series. And really, there are too many others to mention them all by name. But for a great view of Malmö, Sweden, you should check out the Detective Varg series. I was able to get three of these, from the Memphis public library's ebook loans. But there are more to read!
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