With a comparatively high quality of life, strong infrastructure, and the best system of healthcare and education, a large number of people continue moving to Sweden.Â
Sweden is placed 4th on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2016, having closed more than 81% of its overall gender gap. But let me tell you more on why Sweden is my country of choice.
1. Fika
Every day around 11 a.m., work in offices all over Sweden come to a halt as locals partake in the custom of fika, a late-morning coffee paired with sweet treats like cinnamon rolls and cardamom buns. Even the busiest worker will stop and take a break for this traditional indulgence, which is a nice reminder that it can be valuable to step back and think. Also, cardamom buns are delicious.
2. Pop Music
There’s something about Sweden (maybe the crystal-clear water?) that grows great pop stars: Robyn, Lykke Li, Avicii, and The Knife all hail from the small Scandinavian land, as has behind-the-scenes the producer Max Martin, who has worked on hits from stars like Katy Perry and Britney Spears. It probably explains why Swedish artists have won so many Eurovision Song Contests.
3. Style and Design
Forget Ikea. There’s something about that unmistakable minimalist, elegant Swedish look, whether it’s chunky knits and geometric jewelry from brands like Acne, & Other Stories, and Filippa K, or clever, brightly-patterned home goods that hint at the sense of humor lurking behind that cool Scandinavian exterior.
4. Saunas
It’s not only the Finns who love a good shvitz. The sauna (bastu in Swedish) is a necessary amenity in a country with long, cold winters. To do a proper Swedish-style bastu, strip down (nudity is no big deal here, but you can wear a swimsuit if you’re uncomfortable), sweat for a while in the sauna, then jump into a freezing cold lake. It also helps to have a beer afterward (or before).
5. Work-Life Balance
It seems like every week there’s a new story about how Sweden has gotten the whole work-life balance thing figured out. They have generous maternity- and paternity-leave policies, national health care that many consider the best in the world, and a few companies are starting to experiment with six-hour workdays.
All in all – It’s a great place for families – it has 16 months of parental leave and free day care services – it invests heavily in green living, has favourable economic growth, is a safe country for women, has transparency in the media and last, but by no means least – it’s a very beautiful country.
