I don’t remember when I became a Swedish Freak. It was somewhere between falling in love with a Swede and falling in love with Sweden. But now I know that I will be a Swedish Freak for life!
Perhaps you are in that middle stage, where you are not sure if you are a Swedish Freak or not. Well, here are 5 ways to tell if you are!
1. You “fika” even when not in Sweden.
Find yourself wanting a fika, calling it a fika, and not finding another word for it in your native language? A great sign you are turning into a Swedish Freak!
2. Suddenly you can’t get enough “godis”.
Think gummies are for children? Not in Sweden! If you have a new found sweet tooth, beware, you are very much transforming into a Swedish Freak! And yes. Swedish Fish count. Though they aren’t really Swedish.
3. Hockey, Hockey, Hockey
Now I know there is hockey in other places of the world too. But if you are suddenly following hockey when before you didn’t care, then you know that is another symptom, er, I mean sign!
4. You say “Hej” to everyone you meet.
Yes, this works in English too. We say “Hey!” to old friends we haven’t seen in awhile, or someone we are surprised to see. But if you start saying “Hej” in the since of hello, to complete strangers and everyone you meet, then you can take it for a sign… you may be a Swedish Freak.
5. You can’t seem to get enough of ABBA and other Swedish artists.
I can admit it. Can you? Especially the artists that sing in Swedish.Veronica Maggio anybody?
6. For the love of Meatballs!
Meatballs. Eat enough of them, and you will turn into a Swedish Freak!
7. You find yourself dancing like a frog and have greens on your head between June 21 and 24th.
If you don’t get this one, then check out the “Swedish midsummer for dummies” video!
8. You pick berries even when you are getting eaten alive by mosquitoes… yet you don’t seem to mind!
Really, would anybody else but a Swedish Freak do that?
9. Suddenly rotting fish sounds appetizing to you.
This is a big sign that you have turned into a Swedish Freak!
10. And the top sign that you are a Swedish Freak…
You have a Swedish Freak sign!
Wait, what, you don’t have one? Then go buy one at Signs of the Mountains!
I think I am part Swedish Freak already. I can never get enough Swedish Meatballs and I love gummy worms! Woops! Sweet sign by the way, I’m hoping to win one!
I know that I am a Swedish Freak when I am buying an (S)-Sticker for my Volvo even if I am living outside the borders of Sweden!
Ha, love it! My motorcycle has the Swedish flag on it 😀
Fika everywhere! Maybe I am a Swedish Freak too 🙂
Can never get enough fika!
Jag prata svenska med min hund.
Jag skriver och läs i svenska.
Jag köper dalahästar in alla färgar.
Jag läs Nordsjarnen.
This all sounds like me, except for the rotting fish!!!
I really do not want to bother you, but if you could be so nice and maybe would like to give this sign to me – of course only if there is time left to do that, you really do not have to struggle, I would appreciate your efforts so much and would tacker och tacker och tacker och …..
I wish I could give every Swedish Freak a sign! Luckily Signs of the Mountains will have them for sale on their website soon. Sign up for the Awesome Swedish Stuff newsletter to get a coupon deal when it goes live! Otherwise, Markus, you are in the drawing at least 🙂
11. You look for a cue ticket machine every time you enter a shop.
LOL, Lou Lou, that rocks! Great #11! Extra entry for you! 😀
I am a Swedish Freak because I 1. Fika more than ten times a day! 2. 28 or not godis are my best friend. yummy! 3. Mosquitos don’t bother me if it means I even get to have a handful of wild berries. 4. Meatballs are amazing. and 5. I L-O-V-E ABBA!!! it’s why I have the movie Mama Mia! lol I realize that is only half but thats why I need the sign. to get me one step closer! hehe
LOL, love it Michelle! Half way is pretty good! 🙂
oh and BTW. i was watching Andrew Zimmern on travel channel today and he was in sweden eating surstromming (sp?)!!! i always get a kick out of watching my fave shows and getting little surprises that make me think of you and sweden! hehe
haha, love it!
I am, without a doubt, a Swedish Freak. I was born in California and my great grandfather came to Minnesota directly from Sweden. I have cousins who live near Malmo. When I was little, we lived in Copenhagen (Kobenhaven) Denmark. I visited my cousins in Sweden and they visited me in our home in Denmark. I learned Danish and a little Swedish way back then, like over 40 years ago. Since we came back to the states, I have always wanted to go back. The Scandinavian life is the life I love and long for. We will retire to Sweden as soon as we can. I can’t wait to share such a wonderful life with my husband. I’ve told him how wonderful and nice it is there, but he truly has no idea!
Hej !
Jag är en Svenska Freak and hope to win because –
I have been taking Swedish lessons for months and yet …..
1. Have not one drop of Swedish blood ( wish I did ! )
2. Have no Swedish friends ( wish I did ! )
3. Have no immediate plans for a trip to Sweden ( wish I did ! )
4. Have no language skills (really wish I did ! )
And I would treasure it ! Det är mycket bra !
P.S. Jag pratar också med mina mopsar !!!
Mycket tack och Hej då
Från , Aileen i Nova Scotia
Your comments crack me up! You definitely need that sign Aileen! 🙂
abba, roxette, ‘hej’ and learning swedish.
ps: i’m writing during FIKA! 😀
#1 have introduced fika concept at work
#3 Listen to hockey games on svenska radio P4 from Dalarna
#4 Everyone thinks I’m saying “Hey”
#5 Dancing queen from Pricilla Queen of the Desert Sound track from Momma Mia always makes me smile.
#6 Meatballs and ketsup, ketsup on pasta learn from my son who went to Sweden for a year
#7 Drink aquavit at solstice, have been known to hop like a frog
#9 Pickled herring no longer looks like cut bait, surstroming sounds intriguing.
Seven out of 10, not bad for living in NorCalif. My addition to the list is
a kräftskiva in Sept (Aug is way to hot here) drink lots of aquavit.
Long for a keyboard that has extra letters å, ä and ö
Tack!
Why am I a Swedish Freak? Well…..I’m Swedish and I’ve been told that I am a Freak, so I guess that could make me a Swedish Freak!
Your friends comment on some pretty looking napkins joking that they are probably from Sweden (sarcastically) and the napkins actually are from Sweden.
Your family puts a Swedish flag on your birthday cake.
Your boss gives you Kosta Boda glass for a gift.
You have evidence of dancing around the maypole on more than occasion.
Trying to convince a company to make a Gevalia Cologne makes me a Swedish Freak
Hej,
greeting from another proud Swedish Freak!
More than often, I crave for bread with butter, cheese and cucumber, even ifit is the last thing I will go for, when I actually am in Sweden-)
Being in Gamla Stan, or having tea and chocolate listening to Sofia Talvik, walking near the water, people on the street smile at you…Anyway you see it, Sweden and the people go straight for your heart and stay there wherever you are…, it is like a natural high, a warm feeling, and many-many reasons to daydream
Do you daydream about it? Do you wish you were there? No doubt. I do too.
I Love Swedish Chocolates,Marabou.. So tasty but absolut I usually buy it in the weekends,Lordags godis…
I started studying Swedish a few months ago. It’s the first time I decided to study a language all by myself, although it’s the 6th foreign language I’ve studied. I was always lazy to do that before, but not when it comes to Swedish. =) Plus, I study it almost every day although I have a ton of work and several exams approaching. Besides, Sweden is also my dream destination for continuing my education. I’m also a big fan of Agnes, Veronica Maggio, Danny Saucedo, September, and a number of other Swedish singers. Not to mention, jag fikar varje dag!
I was upset when Ikea stopped carrying the huge tubs of lingonberry jam and the cloudberry jam too. I wrote letters to Ikea. ha ha ha Also, I found out a while ago that my family’s traditional Christmas bread was Swedish and the recipe came from my great-great grandma’s family.
I think, I’m also getting a Swedish Freak! Besides godis, saying Hey to everyone and listening to ABBA, there are some other things that make me a freak: most news I read in social networks are about Sweden, if I choose whether to spend holiday in Sweden or in some other place where I’ve never been, it is definetely Sweden, I enjoy visiting IKEA because it’s a part of Sweden, with Swedish books on bookshelves and Swedish food in the restaurant 🙂
Why am I a Swedish freak?
1- I closely follow SEL including listening to games and watching highlights (Heja Frölunda!)
2- Fika fika fika of course!
3- I listen only to Swedish radio and tons of Swedish music
4- My friends are starting to speak Swedish because of me
5- I’m teaching myself Swedish and spending a year over there after school
6- My phone is in Swedish
7- I watch lots of Swedish tv whenever I can
Basically I’m almost more Swedish than Canadian!
I was totally touched by myself with eyes weeping & nose running when writing the Motivation Letter for the post-graduate applying, feels like confessing being grateful to this country inspired me, being struggling for the dream this country lead to me in these 6 years.
I can tell 100 reason why I love Sweden, but it’s hard for me explain the persistence..obsession for this only choice..
Jag var fodd pa Lidingo/Stockholm 1963. Jag har bott I USA sedan Oktober 1993, jag pratar fortfarande Svenska och min man forsoker lara sig Svenska. Jag dricker svart kaffe (slang word, Fika) varje dag hela dagen, varmt eller kallt. Jag har den Svenska flaggan pa min rygg. Just nu sa bakar jag kanelbullar!