15 random 'facts' about things Swedish.

• Food There is much variety. Mustard, for example, sweet or strong or both, comes in jars, tubes or squeezable bottles.
• English Swedes are excellent at English. A manager at a global company wanted to say a few welcoming words to a group of international visitors. 'You are almost welcome to Sweden', he said. 
• Religion Most Swedes, thank God, are not that religious. Anyway, if Christ came down to Scandinavia he'd have to change planes in Copenhagen.
• Decision-makers Saying yes or no can lead to conflict, so Swedes have invented a cross between the two - 'Nja'. This means yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no-but-yes...maybe...not sure.
• The EU Swedes generally tend to mistrust the other members who are all basically Catholics, conservatives, capitalists or colonialists.
• Common sense When God gave out common sense then Swedes were at the front of the line, waving their queue ticket, which by the way was invented by a Swede, Bengt-?ke Nummerlapp.
• Neighbours Norway is a strange place outside the EU, very rich and therefore less of a joke these days. The Danes drink beer in the street so they are considered continental and the Finns think the Swedes are talkative, sophisticated socialites.
• Eating out In other countries people fight to get the bill. In Sweden, however, people divide it up. Lena should pay less because she didn't have a starter and Ola should pay more because he drank like a fish.
• Swedish doors Open outwards. When it snows they tend to get blocked in.
• Swedish history Gustav Wasa. He invented crispbread.
• Swedish seasons The Swedish summer is the warmest day of the year.
• Punctuality In many parts of the world meetings start when they start and not before. In Sweden, meetings start on time and finish with 'any other questions'...but don't you dare!
• IKEA 85% of all Swedish couples visit an IKEA within one month of moving in together. Of these only 3% manage to buy the things they went in there for.
• Swedish teeth So regular, bright and white that you could show a movie on them.
• Best in the world You can always tell the Irish, you can always tell the Dutch. You can always tell the Swedes, you know, but you can never tell them much.

(Gotta love 'em these Swedes. They think they are so normal, which is kind of cute ;-))

Read other posts in the series 15 things....