21 things I learnt in Sweden

1. Queuing comes naturally to Swedes.
2. They cannot understand the word “exception”
3. “Flygbussar” is actually, a bus that takes you to the airport. (It's not SMS language for flying buses!)
4. No, Gods do not live in warehouses in Sweden. That’s how they spell ‘goods’.
5. Thy shall not judge the girl standing behind the food counter at IKEA, under a sign that says ‘Glass slut.’ It simply means they’ve run out of ice cream.
6. Don't you dare wrinkle your nose at a Swede's dog pooping on the street. Wait 2 secs and watch the owner whip out a garbage bag and scoop it right up!!
7. ATMs are used only for withdrawal of cash.
8. Shops close at six.
9. Probably the only European country where alcohol is sold at government shops at a high tax. (Sounds like TamilNadu?)
10. Swimming is taught as part of school curriculum.
11. When a Swede draws in her breath, she’s not shocked at what you’ve just said but is actually agreeing with what you’ve said.
12. They are good listeners. (You can rant about what a horrible day you’ve had for half hour non-stop and they will patiently listen to you without interrupting.)
13. They are bad responders. (The response after the half hour rant could be ‘oh?!’)
14. No, they are not insensitive. (They might offer you their place in the sun, hoping it would cheer you up.)
15. You commute to office in the Metro with ears to your ipod and eyes to the newspapers.
16. You don’t make eye contact with strangers. Small talk? You are nuts!
17. But they would hold the hands of perfect strangers and do the frog dance around a decorated pole during festivals.
18. They love the Sun.
19. Swedes love exercise. If a Swede says ‘walkable distance’, its good to ask how many minutes’ walk it is.
20. And if they say 10 minutes, its good to know that they walk really fast.
21. Beware of old people.
22. It’s hard to fight with a Swede. They are non-confrontational. (Mostly!)