Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow

Comedy EN ↓ 150 episodes

Heather and her expat friends discuss their experiences and humiliations among their adopted country of Sweden. We discuss tips, observations, and the type of important questions expats want to know, such as "Why are there witches on Easter?", "Why do Swedes never take the last piece of candy?" and "Where can I find decent Tex-Mex food?"

Author

Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow

Episodes

#24 Learning Swedish Through Cartoons and Soap Operas 08.05.2019 32:54

Leonel, from Argentina and one-half of the popular FB page ”Learn Swedish in a FUN way!” gives us the lowdown on how to learn Swedish through cartoons and the 90’s soap opera, Rederiet! Also included in this episode – the proper time to eat pastries and whether Viking races are better than pizza races. (Pizza ... Read more

#23 Why are There so Many Sailors in Town? 02.05.2019 20:18

Erika, from Canada, explains why we are seeing so many young sailors being carted off in dump trucks around the city, or as Swedes call it – graduation.

#22 The Stockholm Writers Festival 24.04.2019 19:04

Catherine, the organizer of the Stockholm Writers Festival, talks to us about the upcoming festival, Valborg and Eurovision (yes, it’s soon!)

#21 Around the World 17.04.2019 25:27

Being an expat in one country wasn’t enough for Sandy. She’s lived on 5 continents!

#20 Three Immigrants in Sweden 10.04.2019 28:55

Diego, who runs the account ”An Immigrant in Sweden,” gives us the low-down on secret tamale exchanges and and cursed soccer jerseys.

#19 Russia, New Zealand and Easter Witches 03.04.2019 30:45

We hop all around the globe today with Dasha discussing Easter traditions in four countries (only Sweden includes witches – surprise!), the Påskmust conspiracy and Russian dumplings.

#18 Get a Dog and Head for the Pub 27.03.2019 21:04

Pull up a seat at the pub and listen to Patrick, from Dublin, tell stories of strange Finnish people and the benefits of spontaneity.

#17 Tapas are the Greatest Invention 20.03.2019 25:50

I ask Rosa, from Spain, to fill me in on how people in southern Europe can eat dinner so late and still get up for work in the morning. We also talk about having to wear uniforms in school and about how tapas are the ultimate way to eat a meal.

#16 When Stairs Become Slides 06.03.2019 32:59

This week I talk to Ola, from Poland, about dubbing shows in other languages, the difference in Polish names and how to avoid ending up on crutches during the winter. Also, when practicing Swedish, a good tip is to talk to 2 year olds. They don’t judge.

#15 Sweden’s Biggest Cultural Export is Pop 27.02.2019 34:10

Akash, from India, moved to Sweden expecting a heavy metal mecca. This was not quite the case. But he’s developed some rather useful apps to help these pop-music Vikings and also has a plan to change the culture here into a place where people talk to their neighbours. Good luck with that!

#14 From the Land of Sun and Dirt to the Land of Ice and Snow 20.02.2019 18:49

Fotis, from Greece, is getting really tired of eating so much salmon here. Can we please find a way to get fresher tasting vegetables? Also, we discover that in Swedish, the word “mambo” does not mean a type of dance.

#13 This Sidewalk IS Big Enough for the Both of Us 13.02.2019 31:37

Steve, from England, and host of the podcast “The Experience Designers”, tells us how it is to pick up and move a family with older children to a different country, how he embraces the idea of “lagom” and how it ties into the Swedish drinking culture… maybe.

#12 Sliding in on a Shrimp Sandwich 06.02.2019 33:04

Hana, from Singapore, talks about having to buy socks for the first time in Sweden, typical movie snacks in both countries, and experiencing snow for the first time. Also, compared to Singapore, Stockholm (and the rest of the world) is not clean at all!

#11 Why Not Spend the Winter Building Synthesizers? 30.01.2019 34:05

Leo, from Los Angeles, makes his own synthesizers and shares his knowledge on his YouTube station LeoMakes. He also thinks Swedish coffee is the best and is full of tips on how to keep yourself busy during the winter with cafes, walks, rock climbing and maybe even building your own synthesizer! Why not? It beats ... Read more

#10 It Takes a Lot of Chocolate to Get Through a Dark Winter 23.01.2019 25:03

AnaMaria and Gustavo from Ecuador talk all about chocolate and how it’s made. We also discuss how it is to move from a year-round sunny and warm country to six months of darkness and cold, the wonders of swimming with sharks in the Galapagos, and the equally amazing wonders of the trusting people of Skåne.

#9 Semla, Skarsgård and Melodifestivalen 16.01.2019 30:45

Shaena, from Canada, gives tips on finding a job in Sweden and minimizing the winter blues by watching Melodifestivalen. We also discuss the greatest pastry ever made – the semla!

#8 New Year, New Arrival 09.01.2019 24:38

We kick off the new year with a new arrival to Sweden! Lauren just moved to Sweden about 6 weeks ago and is amazed by the queue system, independent children and that people here don’t steal babies!

#7 We may have a Christmas goat, but Austria has Krampus 18.12.2018 34:45

On this very special Christmas episode, Clara from Austria compares some Swedish and Austrian Christmas traditions, we talk about the strange quirk Swedes have about not taking the last of anything, and we learn a bit more about growing up Austrian under the shadow of Krampus.

#6 Lucia Day has Major Health and Safety Issues 11.12.2018 30:26

Rachel, from the UK, discusses her hatred of saffron buns and Lucia, why you can’t name your kid Lucifer here, and lots of talk about stabbing!

#5 Julbord and Dog Sledding 04.12.2018 29:52

Melanie from Michigan tells us all about dog sledding, and we chat about Christmas markets and Julbord in Sweden.

#4 What to do when the Queue Machine is Broken 27.11.2018 23:53

We talk to Sharmala from Malaysia about why Black Friday makes no sense in Sweden, why Swedes are obsessed with order and queue numbers, and we find out… is Malaysia truly Asia?

#3 Weddings, Pizza and a Goat on Fire 16.11.2018 19:01

A discussion of weddings in Sweden, strange toppings on Swedish pizza and why setting a 43-foot tall straw goat on fire has become a yearly tradition.

#2 Root Beer is Not Disgusting 08.11.2018 20:15

A Californian rates Swedish towns, we question whether root beer counts as a disgusting food and tell you how to travel super cheap.

#1 What’s Scarier, Halloween or Surströmming? 29.10.2018 22:31

Two Texans discuss why American cheese is a luxury, grocery store humiliation, and why Swedes don’t understand that Halloween is only one day.

#0 Theme from Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow 28.10.2018 0:26

Theme music for Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow.