Sweden from the inside

@mammamuh (582)
Sweden
June 4, 2009 1:35am CST
I live in the north of Sweden – the most beautiful place on earth. When I say north – I really mean north. I live just below the Arctic circle and we have long and dark and cold winters with lots of snow. The first snow comes in October or November and stays on the ground until April/May. Around Christmas it’s only a few hours of daylight. Then in Mars/April the days are getting pretty long and the sun is warming everything up – it is very beautiful when the sun reflects in the whit snow. Then comes the wonderful springtime – when it gets green and warm and bright. The summer with the midnight sun and mosquitoes has it’s charm – but I would not miss the mosquitoes anything at all if they were gone. The best thing with the north of Sweden is the 4 seasons – all of them is very beautiful – the scenes are incredible, the temperature changelings from –40F in the cold winter up to 80-85F in the summer. The darkness in the winter and the brightness in the summer – it’s a land of contrasts – and it is my home. We are free to go out in the wood and pick berries – we can camp almost everywhere. We can go skiing, and hiking and biking. The air and water is clean. But not everything is good – the high gas prizes, the high unemployment, the closing of places to give birth and so on. The north of Sweden is a forgotten place for the people that make the decisions in this county even if we support the rest of Sweden with paper from the several paper mills, we have the mining, the woods, and the waterpower. Okay, we have high taxes, but we still get much for it. We never have to pay for the kids going to school (not even the university) - not even for the food up to grade 12. We have good maternity leave, we can stay home for over a year with our newborn baby with 80% of our income. Every child (up to 20) go to the dentist for free, in most places in Sweden the children also get all medical treatment for free - medication is max: $200 a year for all children. Adults have to pay but about $100/ year and up to about $200 for medications. Things have started to change, but still this is a great country to live in. If you would like to know more feel free to ask.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
9 Jun 10
My impression of middle/northern Sweden is quite monotonous. I haven't seen all of it but the parts I've seen have mainly been covered with spruce. Norwegian spruce, although it came through Sweden on its way here :-) Dom djupa, svenska skogerna are about as exciting as the Finnish ones when you drive through them, but at least you people have sense enough to group the houses together. Here (Norway) it's one house on each hill and everyone makes sure they have a clear view of their drive-way so they can go into hiding if the neighbours come to visit ... And *points to telly* in one and a half week we also get to spend the whole weekend watching you! The main TV channel is sending Crown Princess Victorias wedding the whole weekend.
@johank88 (46)
• Sweden
2 Apr 10
I am from sweden but in the middle and i think its ok to live in sweden. People are nice and where i live i think the sun is to short up so i really would love more sun and less snow
@Pleiades (846)
• United States
18 Aug 09
Hej! That's the extent of what I know in Swedish...other than that I'm still learning. I love Sweden and everything she has to offer. Some of my best friends hail from the lovely land of the North. *Pleiades
@Amrik09 (22)
• Italy
4 Jun 09
Hi I live in Italy but Im in india atm and its too hot here !