" After I finished school , I never imagined that I would have a proper summer vacation ever again . … And during the week take up to summer , everyone has that same excitement for summer vacation like we did when we were kids . "
Madeline Robsonfirst moved from Canada to Sweden in 2019 to live with her fiancé. She originally thought the move would last a year or so — but four years, an apartment, and averypopular TikTok account later, she’s not sure when she’ll move back.
Most videos she shares are about the culture shock she experiences, likethis recent viral videoshe made about living and working there. “My salary’s actually higher this month because I took some vacation!” she says in a skit — and in response to herself replies, “Yeah, you always get paid a little more on vacation days to incentivize you to take time off.”
The best thing about working in Sweden, she says, is the flexibility and the time off. Swedish employers are required togive 25 days off,and a lot of employers give even more. (Madeline herself gets 30.)
It isn’t unusual for Swedish people to take more than four weeks off in the summer. “After I finished school, I never imagined that I would have a proper summer vacation ever again,” Madeline told BuzzFeed. “During the weeks leading up to summer, everyone [here] has that same excitement for summer vacation like we did when we were kids.”
Cultural differences like these helped Madeline develop an appreciation for life moments she didn’t have the opportunity to recognize in Canada. “I began to appreciate the little things in life in a way I never had before moving here, and I knew it was something that I wasn’t ready to walk away from.”
The biggest benefit to Swedish work-life balance, she says, is the quality time. Life in Canada had “a lot more everyday stress.”
“[In Canada,] I felt a lot of pressure to always be achieving something or working toward a new goal, and I had a really hard time staying in the moment,” she says. “I still have a lot on my plate and my mindset shift is still a work in progress, but I have noticed a big improvement.”
In anothervideoabout work life, Madeline talks about parental leave in Sweden. In a skit, she quips, “So I’m thinking I’ll only take 10 or 11 months of parental leave, and then my husband, he’ll take six — and then anything left over, we’ll just save for later.”
Commenters met that video with some dark humor:
Madeline tells BuzzFeed that “by law, Swedish parents are entitled to480 days of parental leaveto be split between the parents. There is a certain portion of this leave that is required to be taken by the father (or non-birthing parent), which means it is normal for both parents to take time off and bond with their children. The parental leave can also be used up until the child is 12 years old!”
“When I moved to Sweden, I quit a great job in Canada and moved here hopeful that I would find something new,” Madeline says. “It felt like a risk because securing a job as a foreigner in Sweden can be difficult, since many companies require Swedish proficiency for employment. "
“But I got very lucky and found a job quite quickly working in marketing and communications for an international company.”
“The first year or two working in Sweden was such a huge inspiration for the content I began sharing on TikTok, because it was where I experienced many of my biggest culture shocks,” she says. “It honestly took me a couple years to adjust. The ‘grind’ culture that I was so used to wasn’t as prevalent [here], and while most people seemed to value their job, they viewed it through a different lens.”
Madeline made a TikTok about the subject:
Does this make me Swedish ? 🇸 🇪 To be fair , I am also going away on a two workweek holiday but I ’m also looking forward to being home in Malmö without any accent or plans!#svensksommar#summerinsweden#swedishsummer#sommarlov#lifeabroad
When considering Swedish cultural practices that Madeline thinks the rest of the world should adopt, she says “the biggest thing for me has been about appreciating the little moments. I have noticed that many Swedes are generally really good at finding happiness in little things.”
If you’d like to keep up with Madeline, you can follow on herTikTokorInstagram.
