British folk tend to joke their way through a potentially emotional situation. Instead of saying something like, “Oh, I’m so happy to see you, I really missed you,” you might get: “You look shite. Fancy a cup of tea?”

If a Swedish person is extremely excited to see you, they might, just might, give you a hug and say, “Nice to see you.” This counts as enthusiasm for a Swede. No need to really go beyond a handshake, so count yourself lucky if someone gives you a hug.

To be fair, I do struggle with overly emotional outbursts, and I’m happy that British folks don’t really engage in them either. But I do like that Brits can joke about themselves. Even when they’re genuinely proud of something. There’s no way any of my British friends would win something and not make themselves out to be completely useless and unworthy.

Swedes take themselves too seriously and are too self-aware to properly joke about themselves. If someone makes them the butt of a joke, they don’t know how to react. There’s a strange kind of pride at play. Sometimes it’s difficult to move between two cultures that view themselves so differently. I make a harsh joke with a Swedish friend, and they take it to heart, and then I have to explain and apologise. I take the piss out of a British friend, and we chuckle and bond.

There are plenty of funny Swedes, and a lot of the time, the things that really make me giggle have to do with shared upbringing and cultural references. But still. Swedes take themselves so seriously that it hurts sometimes. Relax, we’re all a bit crap; it’s okay to admit it.

Gabi Froden

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