Vad vet vi egentligen om länder vi aldrig har besökt? Thais från Brasilien skriver om hur svenskar förknippar Brasilien med karneval och fotboll, och hennes vänner i Brasilien blandade ihop Sverige med Schweiz. Men när vi lever några månader i ett land så ser vi helt andra saker. Som detta med svenskarnas relation till naturen -och solen!
Well, being in an exchange program is a wonderful experience. You know people, have contact with one (or more) different culture, visit places that you have never imagined to visit and do things you have never thought to accomplish. Being here in Sweden, in the Ung i den världsvida kyrkan / Young in the worldwide church get me very happy! Everyone here has been very attentive, helpful and dedicated to us. It’s great to know that people care about you and they always want to do the best for you, show you the most beautiful and nice places of their cities for you.
It’s amazing how many Brazilians and people who have visited / lived in Brazil I found here. One day, I was in a meeting of Rappestad’ s choir (one of the temples that take part of Vikingstad Parish), one of the women who sings in the choir she was born in Brazil, because her parents were working in Brazil (they lived there for 10 years).
Well, it’s true that most people, when they think obout Brazil, they only know about ”Carnival, samba music, soccer, Pele and Rio de Janeiro city”. At the beginning of the trip I was kind of sad that they only know those things about my country. But, after a while I asked myself what I knew about Sweden before I sign up for the exchange program??? I think I knew less than they know about Brazil. And I remember that when talking to people (in Brazil) I would participate in an exchange in Sweden, MANY confused with Switzerland.
Now, I know many things about Sweden, Philippines, Tanzania and Costa Rica. One day, I really want to visit these last three countries!
Believe me, Sweden is an incredible country! Beautiful indeed!
Snow and little flowers … Ice and huge trees … Red and white houses… Old and new buildings…
The Swedish people have a different relationship with nature. It was hard for me understood . And to be honest, I do not know if I could fully understand. It is a cultural issue. And climate issue.
Especially in northern Sweden, when it makes a sunny day, those kind of days that in my city (Boa Vista city, Brazil) we say ”you can fry an egg on the asphalt”, Swedish like it! Seriously, they like the sun. It is because, in the winter, there are very few hours of daylight. Then in the spring and summer, what they want most is to be enjoying the sun. I hide from the sun the whole year in my city, because it is so warm. Different realities.
For Swedish the song of birds is a beautiful sound. Well, of course I also think tha it is beautiful. But, for them has a special meaning, because it means that spring and summer are arrived! It is a time of clarity, light, happiness and life!The majority of Swedish that I talked about the seasons, they prefer the summer. They told me that, in the winter, they are more unhappy, more unhappy, grumpy … And when spring and summer arrive, they are happier. Even the number of hours of sleep (for some Swedish) changes. In the winter you want to sleep for about 10 hours. But in the summer, some six hours is great. You want is to enjoy the sun!!!
Well, I think that when I come to my city, I will not complain much about the sun…
Thaís Suelen Israel Ferreira
From Brazil
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