Tag Archives: sweden

Please come in, but take off your shoes first

My dear friend Patrick Maurer will really appreciate this post, I think.  He is one of my best friends – we have known each other since early high school.  And today is his birthday!

He used to always give me shit for taking off my shoes whenever I was at his place.  “We’re not Asian, Kenneth. No need to take off your shoes, just come in.” Continue reading

Laundry times, Östermalm’s old ladies, and the fear of confrontation

Hello again, and welcome to another edition of #TrulySwedish.

Before I get started with my next post, I thought that I would say a little something about how I get the ideas of what to post.  It has nothing to do with me thinking that Swedish traditions are weird – these are actually things that I have found to be quite enjoyable.  I’ve been very open to these experiences, and I usually learn something about myself in the process.  That’s what makes it so interesting. The blog is also a good reminder to myself – maybe in 10 years I’ll look back at this blog and think, “Wow, I used to think that was weird?”

This edition is about three things that I was able to experience in more or less rapid succession: the importance (and significance) of laundry times, Östermalm’s old ladies, and a Swede’s fear of confrontation.  This one is more of a rant from an American – one that is not afraid to speak and be heard. Continue reading

How about a fika?

Fika.

The quintessential Swedish concept.  It’s coffee with friends, but not just coffee – there is usually some fikabröd involved: kanelbulle (cinnamon buns), kärleksmums (“love yummies”), morotskaka (carrot cake), punschrulle… I could go on forever.

Fika is a religion in Sweden.  And it’s a religion that I gladly partake in.  Continue reading

Hey! Welcome to Truly Swedish! (Hej! Välkommen till Truly Swedish!)

Hello, and welcome to my new blog, Truly Swedish.

I haven’t blogged since 1998-1999 when I hosted my own site and logged my daily activities. The good old days of Slackware Linux and a 1 mbit DSL line. Yes, that was before “blog” was even a word. But hey, 12 years later, I’m back. Continue reading