I was particularly nervous when I received a call from the Swedish Embassy. I would say it was the mixed feeling of both curiosity and excitement similar to what I felt before my first ever visit to an amusement park when I was a child. Sweden is renowned as a paradise in Northern Europe, a romantic country infused with culture and arts. There were just so many things that came to my mind when I heard the name, Sweden.

Then, last November, a valuable opportunity came for me through which I would be able to learn about Sweden with Ward members by having three interns invited from the Swedish Embassy.

The Nobel Prize given to great men and women who have devoted themselves to all people, Vikings who used to thrive all over the Scandinavian Peninsula, pop group ABBA, and companies like Volvo and H&M, which we are all familiar with. Of course, I was especially curious about their culture. I was interested in how they are people of individualism, but who also value the community, and how their culture is characterized by a simple yet environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Sweden Gate

There was a flood of questions about the Sweden Gate that was sweeping the Internet.

Q. Is it true that you exclude guests from family meals if they visit your home unnoticed? A. It’s true.
Q. Do you serve food to guests who have notified you about the visit earlier? A. Yes.
Q. Do you exclude guests who are staying at your house for one day or longer from family meals? A. It’s mostly not true.

Although there were some exaggerations in the story, the story of excluding the guest from a family meal at the mealtime was enough to intrigue people. When this began trending online, the Swedish Embassy in Korea introduced Sweden’s simple but heart-warming culture through its official Instagram account.

It was a short encounter, but it was a chance to think once again about the concept of diversity through the story of Sweden Gate. We took the time to acknowledge our differences, exchange our ideas, and look at one another’s culture without misinterpreting them. It also came to me that perhaps this may also be something Global Ward should pursue.

Wanna go fika?

Sweden is a country famous for claiming top spots in the UN’s World Happiness Report every year. What’s behind this high level of happiness among the Swedish? Of course, excellent welfare policies must have contributed to this, but another keyword that illustrates this is ‘coffee.’ Swedish people are infatuated with coffee, so much that there is even a Swedish word meaning ‘a coffee break.’ Fika, a time set aside to drink coffee with desserts, is a Swedish culture that is similar to teatime, and Swedish people reportedly take several fikas a day. The Nordic Ward run by Jung Ah-reum from eCommerce Sales Team 1, innisfree, also has the word fika in it. I thought it would be nice to have a small talk with people you like, enjoying the fresh wind coming from the lake at a corner of a park.

It is said that, in Sweden, people often say, “Ska vi fika?” to one another. This means, “Do you want to have some tea?” They enjoy fika several times a day whether it is sunny or cloudy. Fika, however, doesn’t just mean ‘taking a break.’ It also means ‘to discuss and communicate.’ So, fika is having a conversation with a group of people, instead of alone, while drinking coffee. There is also some history worth noting.

The word “fika” had implied an image of a relaxing break, but it made me feel bad after hearing the dark history behind the word.

Just the right amount, not too much, not too little

Another interesting Swedish word is lagom, which even the sound of is cute. It means ‘just the right amount’ or ‘not too much, not too little.’ This word contains the Swedish people’s value that cherishes a simple, balanced way of living and harmony. The word reportedly originated from the expression, “Laget om (For all members)!” which people shouted when drinking honey liquor together from a cup made of a horn.

Lagom may sound similar to “hygge” in Denmark and “small joy in life” in Japan, but it contains the philosophy unique to Nordic people and how they emphasize balance. Fika, taking time out of your work to pause to achieve work-life balance by spending time with coworkers, is also an example of lagom.

Lagom is a movement that seeks to minimize the living pattern, which is deeply ingrained in the Swedish lifestyle. Swedish people focus on sustainable life and put the idea of environmental protection into action. The country introduced the Pant system (a deposit refund system applied on waste like aluminum cans and PET bottles) to promote plastic recycling and recorded a nearly 90% collection rate of PET bottles in 2019, with the recycling rate reaching 84.1%.

I came to think that it would be okay to be lazy at least for a day. It’s not hard living a lagom life. I also thought about the Green Cycle campaign for a moment. It involves upcycling glass bottles and plastic waste generated from skincare products into benches, artworks, and decorative objects used in stores. It may be too challenging for us to reform old things and create something new. How about we embrace the lagom lifestyle of using non-plastic recycled bottles and buying just the amount we need?

¹[Sweden Ward] Wanna go fika?☕ December activity log