Hello my lovely blog-readers!
So... I asked my Facebook friends what they would like to see in my next blogpost and I got this as a suggestion and must say, I love the idea!!
This blogpost is dedicated to Katja Tedmar ♥ Thank you for the inspiration!!! ;)
SWEDEN
VS
SWITZERLAND
....based on what I know so far - here is the comparison ;))
Pros about Sweden
The shopping is sooooo much better +1
People let you mind your own business +1
People are open and relaxed +1
There are places where you can go shopping for the latest fashion everyday of the week (in Stockholm at least) until 9pm +1
...and for groceries everyday of the week until at least 10pm +1
You don't have to go far to find your own spot in the grass or by a lake and you can be
ALONE! +1
Even by the sea... +1
The service in restaurants is much better +1
It is sooo easy to be a vegetarian and eat healthy food +1
Tax-declaration is so easy, like it was made for dummies in comparison to the Swiss version, and comes to you in a pre-filled form with all your incomes, savings etc... +1
International movies are shown in their respective languages with subtitles +1
It is only dark for a few hours every night during summer +1
= 14
Cons about Sweden
You pay 27-30% tax up to around 3 000 EUR and anything above 50%! How can you make money?! -1
Jantelagen -1
THE WINTER (unless you are a polarbear or Santa Clause, this is just not pleasant)!!!
Brrrrrrr! -1
Alcohol is monopolized to one single store (Systembolaget) and their opening hours SUCK! -1
The VAT is ridicilously high! -1
You drive for 6 hours and you just got to another swedish town, with almost identical climate....boring... -1
When you go to the doctor, they assume you suffer from hypochondria unless you are visibly dying -1
Winter and fall is reeeeeeaaaally dark and long -1
= -8
Total result Sweden: +6
Pros about Switzerland
The tax-system is awesome (especially for a Swede)!! 7-10%! +1
The nature is u n b e a t a b l e in terms of beauty!! +1
The CHOCOLATE! Mmmmmmm..... +1
The Rhein! Seriously... The river here is turqoise, see-through and sooo beautiful! +1
I can be in Italy in 3-4 hours! +1
I am in Germany in 5 minutes +1
I can go to France in a little more than 1 hour+1
The cheeeeese (this could of course also count as a con, aswell as the chocolate, as the cholesterol level in your blood tends to drastically increase unless you have the self-discipline of a buddhist munk!) +1
The climate (summers are REALLY hot and winters are mild ♥♥♥) +1
Great carreer opportunities (very low unemployment rate) +1
The service that the banks give here make me feel like a millionare!! +1
If your issue is acute, you can get penicillin and antibiotics WITHOUT a prescription from your doctor (the pharmacy staff do quick exams) +1
Swissair +1
The Alps +1
Chiropractors are just as highly considered as "normal" doctors and hence, you pay the same amoumt of money (this pro is very much appreciated right now!!) +1
= 15
Cons about Switzerland
You can only throw away your garbage TWICE every WEEK in my area and every bag needs a stamp....so you can imagine the pain of forgetting to buy the stamps on the day of disposal and then needing to throw away the residuals of your seafood dinner?!?! -1
There are speedcameras everywhere and they ALL work (ppl drive in the pace of turtles!) -1
Swiss-people are like the police! You can not park incorrectly for 3 minutes without someone telling you to immediately move your car or else..... I've even had one elderly man screaming he would call the Polizei when all I wanted was to offload my groceries! -1
There is no sea here and the lakes are soooo crowded! -1
Impossible to find "real" shrimps! -1
It's so difficult to find healthy food, especially good salads (with the dressing on the side) !! -1
The german-lessons I'm taking don't help! Swiss-german is impossible for me to understand and few people speak english (or let's say few ppl are willing to...) -1
The whole freakin' country is closed on Sundays!! -1
Normal sized grocery-stores close at 19 on weekdays -1
Go grocery-shopping in Switzerland and you're ruined in no time!! EXPENSIVE! -1
Crap-coffee! Nespresso?? Seriously? -1
The customs fee's/import duty is suuuch a hassle (not a part of the EU)!! -1
= -12
Total result Switzerland: +2
Overall result: Sweden vs Switzerland: 6 - 2
I have probably forgotten about a million points!! ....and of course I could also add the fact that Switzerland doesn't have my family and my Swedish friends here - but in their defense, they can't really help that! That's the biggest con though ;)
On top of this, in all fareness, I am of course still biased! In all honestly, there are a lot of wonderful things about both of these countries just as there are really bad things and I think this goes for ALL countries.
I love Sweden and miss my home-country so much it hurts sometimes....and allthough this is a fact - I have no plans to move home yet... I get this question all the time: Will I ever?
Well, I'm not the kind of person who likes to plan my life ahead but want to stay open and keep room in my life for spontaneity!
I guess only time will tell ;)
Thanks for reading ♥
xox
Linda
In Switzerland physically (lost) - but still in Sweden mentally??
