https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Sweden in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Meeting your in-laws for the first time is nerve-wracking in any country, but just so you're not taken by surprise: here's an informal set of rules and habits you may encounter if they're Swedish. https://www.thelocal.se/20200715/how-to-visit-your-swedish-partners-parents-and-get-invited-back Wed, 15 Jul 2020 16:46:09 +0200 how-to-visit-your-swedish-partners-parents-and-get-invited-back Most people have probably felt at some point that they'd benefit from a long-term break from their work, and in Sweden there are several ways you can do that, safe in the knowledge that your job will be waiting for you when you return. https://www.thelocal.se/20190212/what-you-need-to-know-about-taking-long-term-leave-from-work-in-sweden Tue, 12 Feb 2019 15:35:18 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-taking-long-term-leave-from-work-in-sweden With ample green spaces and welcoming cafes, Sweden is one of the most dog-friendly countries in the world. If you want to move with your furry family members, here’s what you need to do to get them to Sweden. https://www.thelocal.se/20210505/how-to-bring-your-pet-to-sweden Wed, 05 May 2021 18:12:25 +0200 how-to-bring-your-pet-to-sweden To the strictest Lutherans, they're dismissed as 'djävulens kalsonger', the Devil's underwear. But even the most secular Swedes seem strangely averse to curtains. Richard Orange investigates this puzzling Swedish phenomenon. https://www.thelocal.se/20201125/the-devils-underwear-whats-behind-swedes-aversion-to-curtains Wed, 25 Nov 2020 09:15:19 +0100 the-devils-underwear-whats-behind-swedes-aversion-to-curtains As many as seven in ten adult Swedes save in investment funds, with almost all Swedes doing so if premium pension schemes are included. But knowing how to invest in Sweden can be tricky if you're not used to the system. Here are the basics. https://www.thelocal.se/20210524/everything-you-need-to-know-about-investing-in-sweden Mon, 24 May 2021 10:01:31 +0200 everything-you-need-to-know-about-investing-in-sweden Anyone who's attempted it will admit that the Swedish language has its tricky aspects. The unique sounds, the rules regarding word order, and the frankly obscene number of plural forms all make it difficult to master, leaving many learners uncertain how to reply when asked the inevitable questions of 'do you speak Swedish?' and the ensuing 'so are you fluent?' The good news is, if you identify with most of the items on this list, you're well on your way. https://www.thelocal.se/20180817/the-signs-youve-mastered-the-swedish-language-learning-fluency Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:13:21 +0200 the-signs-youve-mastered-the-swedish-language-learning-fluency After interviewing dozens of enthusiastic Swedophiles, The Local's Nordic Editor Richard Orange found himself grudgingly starting to appreciate the country he has made his home, in this opinion piece from 2021. https://www.thelocal.se/20210225/opinion-ten-things-about-sweden-that-are-actually-quite-good Thu, 25 Feb 2021 16:05:03 +0100 opinion-ten-things-about-sweden-that-are-actually-quite-good Taking out a mortgage is a big commitment not only financially, but it also ties you more closely to both Sweden and anyone you're buying the property with. Here's our complete guide to understanding a Swedish mortgage. https://www.thelocal.se/20200103/how-to-get-a-mortgage-in-sweden Fri, 03 Jan 2020 11:49:08 +0100 how-to-get-a-mortgage-in-sweden Can you ever be too early to a job interview? Are you supposed to wear high heels in snow? How to answer the dreaded question 'tell me a bit about yourself'? Job interviews in a foreign country present a whole new set of questions and worries, but with our guide you'll ace your Swedish interview. https://www.thelocal.se/20180131/how-to-impress-at-a-swedish-job-interview Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:17:35 +0100 how-to-impress-at-a-swedish-job-interview Swedish law states that if you're renting a home, you must not be charged more than a "reasonable" rent, and yet a black market exists. There are several calculations you can do to make sure you're not being ripped off. https://www.thelocal.se/20200724/how-do-i-know-if-im-being-charged-a-fair-rent-in-sweden Fri, 24 Jul 2020 09:39:29 +0200 how-do-i-know-if-im-being-charged-a-fair-rent-in-sweden Before buying the Swedish house of your dreams, make sure unexpected extra fees don't become a nightmare. https://www.thelocal.se/20200827/what-extra-costs-should-you-budget-for-when-you-buy-a-house-in-sweden Thu, 27 Aug 2020 11:03:12 +0200 what-extra-costs-should-you-budget-for-when-you-buy-a-house-in-sweden In today's Advent Calendar, The Local is sharing the story behind Sweden's Nobel Prize Dinner. https://www.thelocal.se/20191210/adventcalendar-the-dinner-that-proves-sweden-is-anything-but-lagom Tue, 10 Dec 2019 07:59:59 +0100 adventcalendar-the-dinner-that-proves-sweden-is-anything-but-lagom These are the documents you need if you're asked to show proof that you are a resident of Sweden. https://www.thelocal.se/20200831/explained-how-to-prove-you-are-a-resident-in-sweden Mon, 31 Aug 2020 14:10:47 +0200 explained-how-to-prove-you-are-a-resident-in-sweden Sweden is a country that loves technology. In fact, more than eight million people in the country of ten million use electronic IDs in their daily lives, to access services or shop online. https://www.thelocal.se/20210614/everything-foreigners-in-sweden-need-to-know-about-electronic-ids Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:34:39 +0200 everything-foreigners-in-sweden-need-to-know-about-electronic-ids Sweden is an expensive place to live, and one of the biggest purchases you're likely to make here is your home. So what extra fees do you need to budget for? https://www.thelocal.se/20200825/what-extra-fees-should-i-expect-when-buying-an-apartment-in-sweden Tue, 25 Aug 2020 09:26:40 +0200 what-extra-fees-should-i-expect-when-buying-an-apartment-in-sweden Friluftsliv is a Scandinavian concept translating roughly as 'life in the open air'. Never had I come across the term before moving to Sweden. It was only years later, when my Dutch existence felt like a distant past, that I realised that this Scandinavian concept amounted, more or less, to my impetus to drift. https://www.thelocal.se/20201211/friluftsliv-or-the-reason-i-moved-to-sweden Fri, 11 Dec 2020 15:54:59 +0100 friluftsliv-or-the-reason-i-moved-to-sweden It's now a buyer's market for property in Sweden, with one fifth of sales taking place below the offer price in the first two weeks of June. In Sweden the apartment-buying process often moves fast and has fewer additional fees than in many countries. We've outlined the steps you need to take and the pitfalls to look out for in this guide for potential buyers. https://www.thelocal.se/20210730/how-to-buy-an-apartment-in-sweden-step-by-step Fri, 30 Jul 2021 14:14:23 +0200 how-to-buy-an-apartment-in-sweden-step-by-step Are you planning a relocation to Sweden, or just wondering if it's the right step for you? With the help of two relocation experts, The Local lists some of the crucial questions you should try to answer before the move. https://www.thelocal.se/20180709/the-questions-you-need-to-ask-before-moving-to-sweden Mon, 09 Jul 2018 15:24:24 +0200 the-questions-you-need-to-ask-before-moving-to-sweden There's something heroic about the way Danes and Swedes insist on trying to communicate with one another using their own languages, but more often than not end up nodding, smiling, and only pretending to understand. Why not give up and just speak English? https://www.thelocal.se/20210429/why-do-swedes-and-danes-insist-on-pretending-they-speak-the-same-language Thu, 29 Apr 2021 11:20:29 +0200 why-do-swedes-and-danes-insist-on-pretending-they-speak-the-same-language Sweden may be one of the most gender-equal societies in the world, but while every single one of its neighbours is currently run by a woman, Sweden has never once had a female Prime Minister. What's going on? https://www.thelocal.se/20200910/why-has-sweden-never-had-a-female-prime-minister Thu, 10 Sep 2020 13:49:29 +0200 why-has-sweden-never-had-a-female-prime-minister