2 Years Living in Sweden | MY Experience

I'm a Canadian that moved to Sweden 2 years ago in 2020 to play hockey. Since then this is MY experience on living in Sweden, swedish culture, food, the people and MORE!

MY SOCIAL

MY PODCAST "SLANGIN' THE BIZKIT "

Timestamps
00:00 Why did I move to Sweden
00:37 My expectations
00:50 Huge difference between Swedish and North American people
01:24 Language Barrier in Sweden
01:57 Where did I live
02:32 Cost of living in Sweden
03:52 Gas prices in Sweden
04:20 Transportation in Sweden
06:17 What is the weather in Sweden like
07:35 Ancient Swedish Architecture
08:53 Swedes love metal music
09:03 Swedish Food
11:40 Working in Sweden
12:05 Recap

[annebracken]

I am irish but living in Sweden for 25 years. I found it difficult to settle at the start but i wouldn’t leave now. I love the access to nature, i don’t live in a town so i spend a lot of time outdoors. I have a river, many lakes and forest on my doorstep and i love it!

[spy]

We just moved to southern Sweden After living in Southern England for nearly 20 years. We honestly feel like we've been given a pardon & released from hell, it's just so much better in almost every way.

[KitsuneAoi]

As a Mediterranean person who's moved to Sweden, I used to focus a lot on the things I missed from home. It is very healing to see someone else point out all these good things about living here. I've stopped taking them for granted but it's a good reminder to find joy and a sense of home wherever we go. And the more we travel and see, the humbler we might feel as we become bigger people, seeing more points of view, values and ways to find joy than we used to know. Loved the video, good luck this hokey season!

[andreas]

I am a Sweden, and whilst I don't want to bash on my home country too much, it is not the place for everyone. Our culture will clash with some peoples culture, Swedes tend to be very socially reserved like Trav mentioned in the video. If you do manage to pierce through that part of it, you can definitely start loving it here. If you are very outgoing and naturally social, things will go well. Also, the best part of Sweden is definitely our commute. Let me attest to that.

[thomasandolf]

As a Swede watching you slowly getting turned was amazing. You feel like such a genuine dude and im so glad that you enjoy so much of what we Swedes have to offer. You put a smile on my Swedish face! you are welcome back anytime!

[victorandersen]

I just love that this dude is still rockin a mullet!

[Anteman]

Of all the different natinalities I have met, I have always felt a connection to the Canadians. Maybe it's their tendancies towards politeness and outspokenness, or maybe it's that chill in our blood talking to each other, but from one northern boi to another; we welcome you here, and thank you for your visit! Kom gärna igen!

[mahnas]

Just a quick correction about the "-berg" thing!
Many cities has the suffix "berg", but Göteborg (Gothenburg) ends with Borg. That kind of translates into "fort" (as in fortification), and probably stems from very old times, where the city was small and surrounded by some kind of fortifications. There is a bunch of more cities with this suffix too, like Helsingborg or Trelleborg in Southern Sweden!

[BobbyT.]

As someone who’s really into city design/urban infrastructure type stuff I really wish we would have the same sort of thought put into our cities as they do in places like Sweden. Also Sweden is old, so goes to show you that things can both remain historic and also modernize at the same time. Just something else I find interesting

[haubitz]

Awesome video! 🎉
The historian in me is demanding me to just make a small correction.
Gothenburg is not named after a mountain. Göteborg, where Borg means fortress/keep, was named Fortress of the Geats/Goths (Götar), goths being the historical tribe of southern Sweden.
Gothenburg is in the province of Västergötland, Western Gothland.

[antongustafsson]

I feel you got the essentials of Sweden nailed in a short and nice video. Well done! Amazing that you play hockey in my hometown!

[iDontReallyKnowTbh]

Honestly as a Swede, amazing video mate, you exploring the culture was really interesting to watch, and your Swedish pronunciations are… close enough. Also yes i would like to mention, we Swedes are very kept to ourselves in public and it’s fun to see your realization there

[pushnpow]

You gotta move further north if you don’t like the rain in winter! During winter we get a lot of snow in the central and northern parts of the country… and the occasional northern lights. You’re missing out on some of the most beautiful parts of the country if you’re not venturing north too. It’s cool to see how much you’re enjoying Sweden though, I moved here in late 2019 and don’t want to leave either.

[Matfast]

Thanks for letting us know a lot more about Sweden, glad your experience has positively impacted you that much !

[SloMo]

Just came across your vlog. Great stuff my friend. I lived in Germany for 5 years and the experience was the best. Coming back to California I got depressed because of the life I had left behind in Europe. The food, people and the culture was such an eye opener for me. I try to go back almost every year to see my second home and my friends. Sweden is on my list of places I want to visit. Thanks for posting your video . All the best

[Dreamwlkr]

Great and comprehensive video about discovering the different mentality and adapting to it. Love that you also learn to appreciate it despite it being different from what you are used to!

[eralaj]

Great video, Travis. You are also gifted by a great voice that is made for video commentary. Keep up the production of entertaining and educational videos like this one!

[swedishprogrammer]

It is amazing that you feel that Sweden as a happy place. Thanks for sharing your experience in Sweden 🙏

[jeffgrace]

I am another Canadian who has moved to Sweden about 15 months ago - Gothenburg specifically (so cool to see you moving around the city as I don't think it gets it due) and work in Kungsbacka coaching swimming. Loved your insights I am going to add a little of my experience. 

You are very right about the small talk. But it is funny I don't know if it is because I am a novelty or just overall talkative I have found it pretty easy to get Swedes to chat and that has been a great surprise. I have heard that Gothenburg is very different than Stockholm and Malmo in that way.

Dead on that Gothenburg weather is like Vancouver, but it is hilarious about the rain (I grew up a lot of years in Regina so I know the Winnipeg weather and what you are used to). Moving from Vancouver though last year was the sunniest winter I have had in years! My wife (who is a Swede) called BS (she lived in Vancouver for 10 years too), so I looked it up and Vancouver gets on average a month more of rain than Gothenburg. Having said that it freaking rains sideways in Gothenburg!!! That took some getting used to.


You left out (you may not know) the second professional soccer team in Gothenburg - BK Häcken. In fact they won their first all Svensk Championship this year. My wife works within the football club so I feel a little connected ;) Also on the football end they have Gothia Cup a youth soccer (sorry to all the Swedes for calling it soccer) tournament of 1700 teams it is wonderful madness!!!

Renting, yes it is expensive, but even worse is the wait. To get a firsthand apartment some people have been waiting up to 10 years!!!

FIKA!!!! So wonderful. Kanelbulle soooo good. Skagen amazing and it truly is the land of Kababs!!!

There are the Gothia Towers that you explain very well about being out of place, but you forgot that monstrosity they are putting up in Hisingen - I don't even want to talk about it, but it is the biggest eye sore ever.

Great job on this you represent both Canada and Sweden well!!!

[kuma_score]

it was quite enjoyable to see so many familiar places from the perspective of someone who moved here so recently, many areas I've been trough hundreds of times and some places I've only been to a few times all with the eyes of someone from a different culture seeing things I myself might have missed or taken for granted.
Great video