Sweden is part of the Scandinavian countries along with Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Most recently Sweden had joined the United Nation, shortly after Finland joined. They both joined after Russia invaded Ukraine. Putin even warned Finland that if they joined the United Nation, they would be next to be invaded. You may wondered why now that both Finland and Sweden had joined the United Nation? I’ll save that for a later blog on the United Nation. I just want to give a few good words on Sweden right now.

Sweden sits north of Norway and south of Finland. The country of Denmark is an island south of Norway and Sweden. Sweden is a Scandinavian nation with thousands of coastal islands and inland lakes, along with vast boreal forests and glaciated mountains. Stockholm is not only the capital of Sweden; it’s also one of the principle city. The world bank is in Stockholm.

The nature in Sweden is dominated by forests and many lakes. A very beautiful country. They are usually neutral when it comes to wars; much like Switzerland was during World War 2. Switzerland was able to remain neutral because of the mountain that border the country. Much is the same way as Sweden.

Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times. This is one of the reason that the Scandinavian countries relate to Germany.

They are primary Lutherans. As I mentioned earlier, Sweden maintained an official policy of neutrality during wartime and non-participation in military alliances during peacetime. Sweden celebrated 200 years of peace, a longer span of peacetime than even Switzerland.

Sweden is a highly developed country ranked 7th in the human development index. They maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It has the 14th highest GDP per capita and ranks very highly in quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, income equality, gender equality, and prosperity.

With Sweden functions under mixed economic system of high-tech capital, with plenty of private freedom as well as government regulation. There might be notoriously high taxes in place, but this keeps the welfare state, and its extensive benefits, well-oiled, meaning the country’s wealth pays off for residents.

Their healthcare and welfare system is better than the United States. Yet, the United States seems to want to copy Canada’s healthcare system; which is way worse than ours. People from Canada would comes down to the United States for any major medical treatment because of the poor medical treatment in Canada.

Yet, the American citizens would go to Canada to get their medicines because it’s way cheaper than ours.

Why not look more into Sweden system instead? We can probably learn from Sweden.

The Stockholm syndrome is described as the psychological condition of a victim who identifies with and emphasizes with their captor or abuser and their goals. This came about when the media in 1973 and the 4 hostages were taken during a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden.

The band ABBA originated from Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. The Dancing Queen is one of the band popular song, along with Mama Mia. We all know that Mama Mia became a movie starring Merle Streep.

I’m not Swedish but there is one foreign movie from Sweden that is very good. That movie is “My Life as a Dog.” I’m not big fan of foreign films because I’m not big in culture; but I just loved that movie. Even though they had subtitles, I was able to understand the movie without reading the subtitles. I don’t know if it’s because every once in a while my dad would speak Swedish or the fact that Sweden is so connected to German?

In the movie, My Life as a Dog is about a young boy who is obsessed with comparing himself with those less fortunate. It’s a very good movie, and I recommend anyone to watch it.

Since some Germans had refuge to Sweden, there is connection between the two countries culture wise, at least the high German. They are both light complexion, compared to low German. The language is pretty much the same as well. They eat some of the same food. Such as Lefsa and lutefisk.

My step-dad is related to King Olaf of Sweden through the generation lost. Is that is so down low in the genealogy. An account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor.

How sweet it is to be Swedish? Enjoy your Swedish meatballs!