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Culture Quests
Au Pairs in General | Child Care Practices | Driving Skills | English Language Skills
Education | Health | Diet | Religion | Telephone and Internet
The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Sweden. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.
- There are hardly any social class differences in Sweden, so it is important for a Swedish au pair to be treated equally.
- Au pairing is very common in Sweden. Communication with their host family is extremely important to Swedish au pairs. Girls are accustomed to being taken seriously in discussions.
- Raising your voice to a Swedish au pair will lead to distrust.
- Applicants from Sweden are motivated by the opportunity meet new people, learn about other cultures, and practice their language skills.
- Applicants sometimes have difficulty finding the program fees.
- Young people in Sweden have the freedom of their family to socialize and date. Curfews are not common.
- Young women are accustomed to sharing in household chores.
- Applicants from Sweden will have good English skills and be independent and honest.
- A Swedish au pair never hits a child. It is forbidden in accordance with the Swedish law to hit even your own child. Children are verbally reprimanded.
- Applicants obtain childcare experience through formal schooling, babysitting and being youth leaders.
- Both parents share the childcare responsibilities.
- It is common for both parents to work and be away from home during the day.
- Few girls between the ages of 18 and 25 hold a driver’s license.
- The driver’s license in Sweden is expensive to obtain. It takes six months to one year to obtain a license in Sweden. Candidates take driving lessons and theoretical as well as practical tests.
- The International driving permit is available.
- Generally the parents provide a car in which to practice.
- Most cars have manual transmission.
- English is a compulsory subject in the schools in Sweden.
- Classes begin in the first years at school and focus on both oral and written skills.
- Approximately 20% of young women continue their studies at University.
- Others work in offices or study elsewhere.
- The academic year starts in August and ends in June.
- The educational opportunities of the program are important for most girls.
- The most common inoculations are Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio, Diphtheria.
- Sweden has one of the lowest incidences of TB (Tuberculosis), therefore most young women are not inoculated and tested for TB.
- Sweden has low-cost health insurance. Hospitalization is free.
- Most young women visit the dentist on a regular basis, though it is expensive.
- “Eating disorders” are common in Sweden.
- On most days of the week most Swedish families have dinner together; it is a time to talk about what happened that day and make plans for upcoming events.
- Most young people in Sweden eat meat, though vegetarianism is common.
- A typical Swedish diet includes a combination of meat/fish/fowl and pasta/potato/rice, accompanied by vegetables. Among the most common home-cooked meals are probably meatballs with potatoes and lingonberries. Otherwise, Swedes eat a lot of international dishes such as Italian, Chinese, Thai, and Mexican.
- The most common religion in Sweden is Protestant.
- Most young people in Sweden do not practice their religion regularly.
- A young person would rarely choose to practice a religion that is different than her family’s religion.
- Most homes have a telephone and a computer with access to the Internet.
- Family members will be able to take a message from a potential host family.
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