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Italy vs. Sweden – Let’s talk about music!

Italy vs. Sweden – Let’s talk about music!

We are finally talking about music! It took me some time to write this article, both because it deals with a very important theme that required deep research and hard work and because I’ve been a bit lazy with this blog lately. Or I should probably say “I’ve been very busy lately and couldn’t find the right amount of time to dedicate to this project”. Sweden is definitely a “musical nation”, one of the most musical countries in Europe. Not to mention ABBA and the like, this country is the 3rd exporter of…Read more
My 10 favorite food places in Stockholm (and more) – A non-posh guide for foodies

My 10 favorite food places in Stockholm (and more) – A non-posh guide for foodies

Aren’t you fed up with travel guides suggesting you the pub near the station or the tourist-crowded pizzeria? Eating out can be a quite expensive and stressful activity in Sthlm, so in this list you’re not going to find hip fancy places where they steal your money without really serving you food …Yes, the headline says “food places” because some of them are not exactly restaurants: you’ll find delivery places, kiosks, a fast food stall and a bakery. Here comes the list! Cafè Eldkvarn – ph: Wikipedia Coffee My favorite coffee place in…Read more
LAGOM, not just Hygge

LAGOM, not just Hygge

Lagom, is this untranslatable Swedish word the new Scandinavian trend? In a similar way as hygge, it is a word that describes an important part of the “Scandinavian way of life”.  The Danish hygge, the feeling of well-being that derives from coziness and little pleasures in life, became one of the most popular words last year. So, what does Lagom mean? It can be described as “not too little, not too much, just right”. And it can be used to describe everything: from coffee to apartments, from food to clothes. Some say the…Read more
My trip to UPPSALA – Vikings vs. Reality

My trip to UPPSALA – Vikings vs. Reality

I used to be a big fan of the tv series Vikings (History channel). With time, my appreciation of the show changed very much: I loved the first two seasons, didn’t particularly like the third and literally hated the fourth. Then I stopped watching it. But the fascination with Viking history and culture is still alive in me. So I would like to tell you about a day I spent in Uppsala last month. How are these two things related? In the series -as in real history- Uppsala is depicted as an important religious,…Read more
Cultural Differences: Italy VS Russia

Cultural Differences: Italy VS Russia

It has been more than three months that I live in Krasnoyarsk and, in the past time, I have been twice in St. Petersburg and once in Moscow. Take what follows as a personal observation, due to a variety of trips and daily life spent in the greatest Country in the world. The first question they asked me when arrived in Krasnoyarsk: have you felt any kind of cultural shock? My answer, in general, is no. Maybe because I already lived in Russia, I know the traditions, and I know exactly what to…Read more
Come find me in Stockholm!

Come find me in Stockholm!

Hi! My name is Lorenzo, I am from Italy. I’ve been working in Stockholm at More Mosaic NGO as an EVS volunteer. I studied Languages and International Relations in Turin, my city. Suddenly I felt like I was tired of studying and I wanted to have a learning-by-doing experience before starting a job or any other adventure. So, when a friend told me about this opportunity I seized it immediately. I wanted to work in a multicultural environment and challenge myself. I am interested in European cooperation and most of all… I love…Read more
Hitta mig i Eken!

Hitta mig i Eken!

Over the years, a city gets several different nicknames, such as a person. I was intrigued by Stockholm’s names. Some were just created to attract foreign tourists, such as the Venice of the North. I don't like it because every city is unique. The actual reason for it is that Ragnar Östbergs’ work was influenced by Venice’s buildings such as Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and St. Mark’s Church and he is best known for designing Stockholm City Hall. Stockholm is also called “the Capital of Scandinavia”, but I don’t want to irritate anyone…Read more
SWEDEN… let’s talk about holidays!

SWEDEN… let’s talk about holidays!

If you have worked in Sweden or with Swedes for some reasons, from time to time you might have received an automatic response similar to this one: “Hej! I will be on holiday from the 20th of June to the 29th of August. During this time I will not be able to check my email regularly …but if it’s important, you can tweet me using #YOUAREINTERRUPTINGMYVACATION” (or some other comments considered to be funny). Usually it happens when you have just sent a very important email that took you an average of an…Read more
The Path to Integration in Södertälje

The Path to Integration in Södertälje

This interview is part of my research on migration, integration and extremism in Sweden, within the frame of the project SCOPE – ‘Strengthening Youth Capacity for Conflict Management and Peace-Building’, implemented by More Mosaic NGO and co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. I discovered the Syriac Orthodox Church in Sweden by chance: living in and commuting from Södertälje, it’s almost impossible not to see the two big churches of the community and not to meet anyone who has Syrian origins. This lead me to speak with the archbishop – Mor…Read more