Observed Communication Differences in Sweden
Going into my working experience in Sweden I was not sure what to expect especially because of the prep meeting. I did find that some information was accurate but not totally accurate. I think largely it was due to the fact my company was comprised of people from many different backgrounds. My supervisor was from Brazil and carried a lot of that work culture over. Although largely the employees were Swedish. The main difference I noticed was the pressure to respond to email was very small. There wasn’t a sense of emergency to respond to emails. Some employees that were not Swedish would respond fairly quickly. My immediate supervisor had a similar communication
Miscommunication Situations
Luckily I did not have any major miscommunication issues. The only issues I faced was how quiet I talk. I did often have to repeat myself louder and more clearly. There were a couple of times I had to explain what I meant. However, that was not because of miscommunication but more so the language barrier. My quietness was definitely the hardest challenge for me to overcome. I learned to repeat myself louder or with clearer descriptions.
Challenges in a Hybrid Work Environment
Hybrid was something I dreaded but I knew was coming. This was incredibly hard to adjust to, and I am honestly not the biggest fan of hybrid. The Swedish workplace in general is already a very simple and calm atmosphere. So, hybrid when most people were out of office completely, was very difficult.
Another issue that comes with hybrid is self-management. I have always found hybrid environments to be hard to adjust to because I have to make my own schedule. At first it was hard for me to keep myself accountable. However, over time it became much easier to have a schedule.
The biggest issue came when I reached out for the last bit of data. Unfortunately, the person who I need this information from was not working until Mid-August. Essentially this meant that I could not finish my work entirely during the 8-weeks. This also posed a new issue. That was one of the last pieces I needed, so, now I need to find new work.
Beach and Castle Trip
This week was such an amazing time for the beach. My roommate was able to get a remote day from work. So, we went to the local swimming spot we have been to before. However, this time we were prepared. We both got snacks, drinks, and we made sure to bring towels. First, we went to the Bröd & Salt. I got the strawberry matcha this time and it was amazing! We had perfectly timed the busses, and were able to get the perfect amount of sun. However, while we were relaxing, a bird pooped on me and my roommate. I have never had a bird poop on me before. The same bird got both of us, which was so funny. My roommate told me that she had been pooped on twice including this time. Both instances by Swedish seagulls.
The program had another optional event to go visit the Karlsberg summer castle. Three of us from the program had gone later to avoid the large crowds. We did get stopped by a groundskeeper who told us certain areas were restricted access. Since then we are convinced he was just pranking us or the restricted areas were living quarters. There would have been a sign to tell us, and we never saw any. The castle ground itself were so beautiful. There were trails used by the guards, as well as runes scattered through out. On one of the maps there was a landmark for the Diana temple. As a classics minor I had to go visit the Diana temple. So, we walked through the grounds and found it. It was not so much a temple but an altar. We had also found an outcrop which we climbed. At the bottom of the rocks there was a grave for the one royal family member’s dogs and their horse. It was a truly beautiful castle and grounds. One thing we all agreed on was it felt very American. The grounds and surrounding nature placed us back home. We ended up attributing it to the fact we heard crickets. I had not noticed how much I missed the sounds of crickets. Alas, this week has been one of my favorites. It is starting to set in how little time I have left.
