MARC HARDING in Stockholm, Sweden

There is a lot more to this country than Volvo, ABBA and Bjorn Borg. It has a fascinating history and many unique traditions (and no not everyone here is blond haired, blue eyed and promiscuous…myth busted, I hope). Living here as a foreigner has never been a problem for me as Swedes are pretty good at speaking English and are interested in South Africa too. But if you really want to understand the Swedish culture and mindset you need to learn Swedish. It is not a difficult language for us South Africans to learn as it’s related to English and to Afrikaans. As a South African the hardest thing to adjust to is the darkness during winter. Knee deep snow and minus 15 degrees is no problem, but only 2 to 3 hours of sunlight (if it’s not overcast) is not so lekker. But, summer days are long from 18 hours in the south to the midnight sun in the north, surreal the first time you experience it. Harmonious, but not lacking excitement would be the best way to describe living in Sweden.