Insular
Lately it’s been brought to attention that Swedes actually have a word within their language “_________” (to be updated), that signifies a sense of overall comfort. By this, they mean that they’ve little need to try to approach a stranger, or more daringly, a foreigner. (!)
Infact, those strangers who approach them are intuitively seen as ‘odd’ or socially ‘ususual’. To meet a Swede, one must know a Swede and infiltrate social circles by introduction.
Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help but wonder if it isn’t a genetic defense trait designed to protect recessive genes… which would be fun to explore… though this may lead to unfashionable Hitlerian paths.
(Here, I feel like the trojan horse who, behind the blonde-and-blue, is hiding lingering dominant genes for – gasp – brown hair!)
It may be more likely due to a fierce defense of institution: this body that swallows up a significant portion of their earnings, yet allows them the rather la-dee-da, ‘oh, it’s fika (coffee) time again!’ approach to work. If Toronto’s work pace came even within a mile of the Swedes’, I may be tempted to shy away from the relatively rushed, industrious foreigner, lest they get any crazy ideas about settling.
Off-to-writedly,
Laura
Tags: Swedish Living
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