This is a question that many have asked.
It is a simple and understandable question but there isn’t a straightforward and short answer. There is no one single factor to explain the big attraction. At the same time there is no one reason for wanting to leave the Netherlands. We need to explain but inevitably it will all boil down to a listing of diverging reasons and an enumerating of comparisons.
These, then, are the reasons why we are so drawn to emigrating to Sweden.
To start with there is the attraction of the countryside, the space, the vast expanses, the low population* and the distinct regional identities. We like the closeness to nature that seems to be so deeply rooted in the Swedish people and in their traditions.
With the cooler summers and cold winters the climate is more bracing than here which suits us better than the rapidly warming Dutch summers. Though climate change is also affecting Scandinavian parts, the winters there are still cold and snow is still guaranteed.
Despite the different prejudices that one can read about and hear of, the general characteristics of Swedish people appeals to us as well. Swedes tend not to be terribly nosey and obtrusive and they are certainly less direct, self-centred and bold than the average Dutch individual. Society is more distinctly founded on mutual trust and equality and less tarnished by suspicious minds. The Swedes are furthermore more relaxed than most Dutch people. One notices this everywhere: in traffic situations, in busy supermarkets and when queuing up. People respect each other’s space and keep a discreet distance from each other.
What we also value is the solidarity of the socio-economic model in Scandinavian. Simultaneously we appreciate that Sweden is no Walhalla and that in parts, in recent times, society there has become relatively hardened. For instance, certain city suburbs are facing complex problems and are plagued by gang crime. By contrast, rural areas, where life rolls on at a leisurely pace, are relatively unaffected by such major social issues.
This all constitutes the big pull. Meanwhile, there are also a number of push-factors. Before the general election this November we wondered how comfortable life in the Netherlands will be for our sons in 2050. How much of the country will be under sea level? What will be the state of affairs with town and country planning? How much of the countryside will be swallowed and, indeed, how easily would they be able to find somewhere to live in 2050? It is noticeable that since the recent election confidence in the Dutch Lower House has decreased. Fortunately, our decision to move came before the election because feeling chased away would not be a positive motive for leaving our home country. For us there is more to explore in life. We owe a great debt of thanks to our country but the world is evidently bigger.
To conclude, it is not just the country but also the process that we view as potentially enriching for all four of us. The children will discover that if you want something badly enough and if you apply yourself to doing the necessary background research it is always possible to break the mould. They’ll see that life is not only about having one’s dreams but that sometimes such dreams can become a reality. They will discover that everything one encounters during that journey is part of life and can be enriching and can give one’s life more depth and nuance. Even the process of having to miss family and friends, of having to find a new rhythm, though perhaps not so easy and pleasant at first will not, by definition, turn out to be all negative and damaging in the long run. In the process you learn more about yourself and you will reap the benefits of discovering that even such things can be accepted and overcome.
*Sweden is at least 10 times bigger than the Netherlands and the population is just over 10 million, half of whom dwell in the cities. With its 23 inhabitants per square kilometre, it remains the fourth least densely populated country in Europe. By comparison, in the Netherlands, there are 416 people to the square kilometre. (Guernsey: 965/km2 )
Sweden is furthermore an extensive country. The distance between the cities of Kiruna in the north and Trelleborg in the south is equivalent to the distance between Groningen and Madrid.
