Anurag Kale's Blog

About a year ago, on 16th May 2021, amidst heavy lockdown in India, I packed 25 kg of cloths, spices, assortment of itty bitty things in a suitcase and set off towards a new chapter in life. I had to apply for an e-pass from police to make this journey. All eCommerce and stores were closed. I could only bring things I had at hand in that moment. That marked beginning of a new phase in my life and career, working and living in Sweden. I had secured a job as Cloud Solutions Architect at Cybercom (which was later acquired by Knowit) in Gothenburg. A year has passed since and this is a reflection post.

It has been a journey of exploration, leanings, milestones and patience. A lot has changed since. I am no longer a lone wolf and now working at a cool EV startup’ish company, Polestar.

Moving to a new country is as good as building an entire new life. Adjusting to the new lifestyle, culture, rebuilding your social, professional groups isn’t as easy as it looks. There were a few cultural shocks and many things to get used to. Below is a collection of such nitty gritties.

Things that took a getting used to –

• Adjusting to the asymmetric day-night hours. In summer, the sun shines for nearly 18 hrs. Winter has darkness for nearly 18 hrs.
• Unpredictable weather.
• Work Life Balance – Start work at 8 AM, home by 5 PM.
• Drinking water right out of the tap. If you bunk at a hotel, you can safely drink the water from bathroom’s basin. Crazy!
• Toilet Paper, no bidets or jet sprays!
• Looking at weather forecast before planning anything.
• Dealing with dates in week number. (e.g. Lets do a picnic in Week 15)
• Booking activities way in advance. Be it social calendar or professional calendar, people plan ahead weeks here.
• Flying is cheaper than taking interstate trains.

Cultural shocks –

• Outdoor shoes not allowed inside of homes. Surprised with the similarity with our culture.
• Nudity in Gym Showers / change rooms.
• Old people living a very independent life.
• Self service model everywhere. Grocery store, restaurants etc
• Health conscience. Swedes do some form of physical activity 3-5 times a week. Gym / run / Padel etc
• Clean everywhere. Even the design choices are freakishly minimal and clean.

Things I love here –

• Punctual and predictable public transport system. A single ticket purchased can be used to travel for 90 minutes on trains, trams, busses and boats.
• Access to green patches, public spaces. At any given time, You can take a 15 minute ride to be in a real dense jungle.
• All services linked to your social security number – bank, mobile connections, rent, electricity etc.
• Social safety net – separate provisions for sick pay, parental leave. Unemployment benefits, job safety via Unions, Pension, free education for dependents etc
• Healthy work-life balance. You can switch off your brains and rejuvenate.
• Nearly free medical services.
• Concept of Lagom and The laws of Jante.

Challenges –

• Housing – Finding a house is a game of luck and patience. Housing market is centrally managed. It is a bit skewed against immigrants at the beginning.
• Paperwork – Most paper work takes weeks if not months. Limited workforce leds to delays in getting social security number, bank accounts etc
• Expensive Labor – Need to fix something at home? D.I.Y. most of the things! Forget calling a handyman, unless you wish to spend a fortune and wait for 2-3 weeks for an appointment.
• Driving License – Google it 🙂
• Language – Although most Swedes speak excellent English, knowing Swedish makes it easier.

I have learned a lot of things this year. Swedes have played an incredible part in the journey. Never have I ever felt as an outsider. They have embraced nuances and cultural differences I carried. I am trying my best to reciprocate by being mindful and respectful of their culture. I am looking forward to a few more years ahead. Thanks Sweden!

PS – Trying to explain culture is like trying to talk water to fish (https://sive.rs/fish). Its difficult to explain unless you do it. If you are contemplating moving countries, take that jump. Its worth the experience.