What We Need to Learn From the Swedes
Last August, I moved from Kiev, Ukraine to Stockholm, Sweden in order to attend a Master`s programme in Journalism at a local university. I had previously spent 10 years dreaming of such an experience, but I have had England, Canada and later France in mind. Sweden became an option after I made a few Swedish friends and then came to Stockholm to visit one of them. I was charmed by how intelligent Swedes were and attracted by how comfortable they made me feel. They seemed to be the people I would enjoy being next to.
After spending almost 6 months here, I would like to share a few things that impress me about them. I (naively) believe that we could all learn from them, become better human beings and make this world a better place to live in. Are you up for this?
Disclaimer: I hate generalizing, but how can one write such an article without doing it? Yes, of course, Swedes are not the only ones who obtain the traits I am going to mention. And yes, naturally, not all of them are like that. People are different no matter where you go. However, by spending a lot of time with those who have different backgrounds, you start analyzing, comparing and making conclusions. I have had a very pleasant experience of communicating with the Swedes, and I have thought a lot about the need to learn from them, which is exactly why I am writing this text.
To be Curious
Whenever I talk to Swedes, it seems like the world is their oyster. They are curious and inquisitive. They listen to you carefully and they ask many questions. They are comfortable when it comes to acknowledging that they do not know something and they are eager to learn. It is a pleasure on a completely new level for me to have conversations with Swedes, because they truly make me feel like we are having a great conversation. Yes, it may also be a sign of them being polite, but when did politeness became bad?
To be Open-Minded
One of the biggest challenges for me is to be in an argument, when something I am arguing for seems to be 100% right. I do know that I am flawed, that I am not correct all the time and that I make mistakes. However, sometimes I wish I could just open up and let myself be more open-minded to what the other person is saying even if it completely contradicts what I believe. I may be wrong here (score), but Swedes have been extremely generous in such scenarios. And I could see that it did not mean that they gave up on their opinions, but it did mean that they were completely open to hearing and exploring a different point of view.
To Praise Others
Where I come from, people are used to harshly criticizing others and they are really bad at praising anyone. When you made a mistake, they let you know right away and in the most intense ways imaginable. However, if you did something right, achieved a great goal and accomplished something, then…well, it is just OK. Good for you..why bother? Swedes are the opposite. I have never felt as appreciated as I feel here when I study or work surrounded by Swedish people. Their attitude makes me feel better and do more. And I love it! By the way, you can read my short interview with one of them here. Siri Vikman, the founder of Aéryne, is a true embodiment of the best qualities Swedes obtain.
Every time I experience any of the aforementioned, I fall in love with the Swedes a bit more. My admiration for them is growing and getting stronger every single day. I like them, and I would like to be more like them. I would be thrilled to make others feel the way Swedes make me feel. And I would be relieved if more people would too. This is just a short list, but I have a few other qualities in mind. Would you like to find out more? Let me know.
Have you ever spent time with Swedes? If yes, was your experience similar to mine? In what way did it differ? I would love to know, so please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below.
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