I moved to Sweden and I don't like it: 6 reasons why living here is hard

It is believed that if the Swedish language was not so difficult, the flow of immigrants into the country would have increased significantly. Indeed: the salaries are good, the nature is beautiful, the people are tolerant and restrained. However, for every Swedish plus there is a minus, and many of them can become fundamental for someone. The “subtleties” found out what unpleasant surprises the Kingdom of Sweden had in store for its potential subjects – and wondered if it was worth moving there at all.

1. No point in straining

The more you earn in Sweden, the more tax you pay to the state. The lower the salary, the lower the tax. At some point, deductions begin to absorb the increase in income. So, tell me, please, what is the point of straining and striving for something? All the same, you will receive about the same amount on hand as the “average for the hospital”. For this reason, many residents of the kingdom do not strive for career heights, at the same time demotivating their more ambitious colleagues, already demotivated by the local taxation system.

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  Tupungato, Shutterstock/21/ok/21ok2kkmn21w00cog4gccc0g8.jpg

2. General leveling

Sweden is not a country that supports individualism and encourages bright self-expression. Those who prefer conspicuous colors, are ready to emotionally defend their opinions, like to ride non-standard (and even more so – demonstratively expensive) cars or are fond of unusual hobbies are not very approved here. No one here will admire your originality, because the priority in Sweden is completely different: uniformity, calm colors and shapes, restraint in showing feelings. In Sweden, you will not see pretentious signs and flashy decorated establishments. Because of this, the cities seem to many visitors some kind of gray, although the Swedes themselves call this the word “stylish”.

By the appearance of the Swede, it is impossible to understand who is in front of you: both millionaires and ordinary clerks look the same. Although why be a millionaire in Sweden?

3. Country of the winning bike

But by the vehicle in the country, you can just determine that you have a rich man in front of you. Because a private car here is more of a luxury than a means of transportation. The latter are bicycles, which everyone rides, from big politicians to refugees. All conditions have been created for cyclists in Sweden: there are parking lots, paths, repair services and universal respect. And owning a regular gasoline-powered car is discouraged: it's bad for the environment and unreasonably expensive to maintain. As for electric cars, they are twice as expensive as cars with internal combustion engines.

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  nrqemi, Shutterstock/7o/pq/7opql9jq6d0ccsgsow4o48gk8.jpg

4. “Everything will pass”

This phrase can be safely made the slogan of Swedish medicine: local doctors are in no hurry to treat.

Temperature, incomprehensible rash, general malaise? Get some rest, maybe it'll all work out.

Or make an appointment with a doctor if you're really worried. But he will only accept you, most likely, only in a month – and still he will offer to wait first, take tests and see how events develop. In a word, hypochondriacs in Sweden have a hard time. Especially when you consider that drugs here can only be bought with a prescription.

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5. Shops close early

The best people in Sweden feel those who in other countries lived in small towns with one store for the whole district, which closed at 19:00. Swedish stores also like to put up the “Stängt” sign early, especially around the holidays. However, even on weekdays it is unlikely that you will be able to “drop in in the evening in a quick way” to a grocery or other store: you need to plan shopping trips before 19:00.

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  Danne_l, Shutterstock/bj/2f/bj2f1dguj2g4ks0kwo4osoggs.jpg

6. Little sun in winter

If you are a light-loving creature, do not move to Sweden for any salary. After the very first of November, you will be covered with such a depression, from which even a very expensive antidepressant is unlikely to help get out. Gloomy, damp, cold and not a single ray of sun – this is the norm for the Swedish winter (and it lasts from November to March). The sun really can not be a whole month. But in the summer there are such bouts of heat that it begins to seem as if you accidentally ended up in Africa.