Get outta my way

Okay.  I really like Sweden.  It's beautiful, clean, organized, intelligent, etc, etc, etc.  I feel really lucky to be able to live here.  But there's one aspect of Swedish culture that I don't think I'll ever get used to and that's the general coldness and (what I perceive to be) rudeness of Swedes to each other in everyday situations like getting on a bus or standing in line at the grocery store. 

In the US (at least in the places I've lived), people generally approach strangers with a friendly and kind attitude.  They hold doors open for each other, politely wait for elderly folks to shuffle past, and offer up a smile, helping hand, or kind word without hesitation.  When I was living in Texas before I moved here, the friendliness and hospitality went all the way to eleven...strangers standing in line would strike up conversations, joke around, and ask each other all kinds of questions.   In Texas it's possible to actually make a real friend just by talking to the other person at the mechanic shop while waiting to get your car fixed.

In Sweden, no way.  The general attitude of Swedes out in the world is to look straight ahead, don't talk to anyone you don't know, keep a tight-lipped grimace, and for god's sake don't open a door for anyone while you go about your business.  Once you're formally introduced to a Swede they will light up like a 4th of July sparkler and become incredibly sweet and friendly, but until then, good luck breaking that cold Swedish exterior. 

Standing in line here is a hilarious experience which can easily drive you crazy if you try to be too American about it.  In all places where you have to wait to talk to someone behind a counter you'll find a number machine that keeps everyone in order.  When no number machine is available, Swedes turn into packs of cutting-in-line, selfish children nervously eyeing each other to make sure no one gets in front of them.  I once saw an older man literally RUN across the grocery store when a new cash register opened up so that he could be first. 

Riding the bus is also a far cry from an exercise in neighborliness.  You do NOT look at or talk to the person next to you.  You stare straight ahead, send text messages, listen to your ipod, or read the newspaper.  Trying to strike up a conversation with the person next to you will get you a confused look of "who the hell do you think you are" because Swedes Don't Do That. 

Anyway, this phenomenon wasn't quite so annoying to me during the bright, beautiful Swedish summertime, but when the weather turns dark and dreary it sure would be nice to see some smiling faces out there.  Since I'm not the most outgoing person in the world I can't be too hard on the Swedes, but right now I'm missing me some loud, funny, good old Southern US hospitality.