Sundsvall Local Customs

Visit Nessi! Seems Nessi didin't like to stay longer in Scotland where millions of tourists disturb. Sundsvall seems to be the new hiding place.
This funny "monster" can be seen everywhere in the city in different colors. I think it is the maskot of the town.

Swedes in general are very tolerant and accepting of foreigners and different cultures. Most Swedes speak English fluently and like practicing their English. They can seem reserved and shy at first but they're also friendly.

If you have to meet up with a Swede, be on time! That means that if you're supposed to be there at 5:00, you have to be there at 5:00 on the dot. Not earlier or later. Swedes are very punctual when it comes to time.

If you enter a Swede's house/apartment, take your shoes off when you come in. So remember to not wear grungy socks with holes in them!

Swedes are big coffee drinkers. I think Sweden is the second-biggest coffee consuming country in Europe (Only Finland drinks more coffee). As for other typically Swedish non-alcoholic drinks, there is also saft - a fruity-tasting syrup diluted in water. You can buy it in any grocery store, and it's absolutely yummy!

If you go to a Swedish party, bring your own alcohol. You can buy it at the Systembolaget, or you can get light beer (3.5% alcohol) at any grocery store.

Smoking is illegal in all public buildings except bars, so Swedes sometimes put snus (chewing tobacco) on their teeth if they crave a cigarette while in a public building.

The Spex is the student theatre group in Sundsvall. I think most universities in Sweden have a Spex. They put on a show every spring, and I was in it when I was there. I played a dancer in Utan Rim Och Reson. I sang and acted in Swedish without knowing what I was saying or singing! It was great fun - one of my best memories of my stay in Sweden.

One thing they had in the show, is that whenever the audience yelled "Omstart!", the actors had to re-do the scene, using improv to give it a funny twist. Then, when we finished the funny little improv, we had to continue the show normally as it was scripted.

The Swedes celebrate their national day in June. When I was there, the celebrations included a parade through town, to the main square in town. There was a marching band, people in traditional Swedish costumes, and children. When they arrived, there were a few speeches, music, and the people in Swedish costumes did some local dances. There were people going around giving free ice cream, and the stores in town had free flags on the counters.