Comments on: Sweden's long holiday http://sandracarpenter.net/2009/08/13/swedens-long-holiday/ Travel, Food, Music, Art, Culture Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:46:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sharon http://sandracarpenter.net/2009/08/13/swedens-long-holiday/comment-page-1/#comment-138 Sharon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:18:10 +0000 http://sandrainsweden.wordpress.com/?p=453#comment-138 I am an oddity at work. While my co-workers take off for 3-6 weeks every summer, I elect to work during the summer. When I go on a long vacation, naturally my first choice is the US. But I don't want to leave this beautiful country in the summer - this is what makes those long, dark winters bearable! Leave this amazing light and birds singing at 3:00 am? It is peaceful working during the summer. On a few rare occasions this year, I was the only person in the office. Many days we were just two. You get a lot of work done! And you can sneak off a little early and enjoy the summer in your backyard. I almost feel like I'm on vacation anyway because the hustle and bustle of the office is gone! And while you're on the subject of the amount of time Swedes work, don't forget the extremely advantageous maternity/paternity leave in Sweden. 18 months paid leave is a luxury that my American friends simply can't believe. And fathers are encouraged to take at least half! And as long as you have children under the age of 7 (I think) you are entitled by law to work only part-time if you so desire. You can also take off in order to study, without fear of losing your job. I am an oddity at work. While my co-workers take off for 3-6 weeks every summer, I elect to work during the summer. When I go on a long vacation, naturally my first choice is the US. But I don’t want to leave this beautiful country in the summer – this is what makes those long, dark winters bearable! Leave this amazing light and birds singing at 3:00 am?

It is peaceful working during the summer. On a few rare occasions this year, I was the only person in the office. Many days we were just two. You get a lot of work done! And you can sneak off a little early and enjoy the summer in your backyard. I almost feel like I’m on vacation anyway because the hustle and bustle of the office is gone!

And while you’re on the subject of the amount of time Swedes work, don’t forget the extremely advantageous maternity/paternity leave in Sweden. 18 months paid leave is a luxury that my American friends simply can’t believe. And fathers are encouraged to take at least half! And as long as you have children under the age of 7 (I think) you are entitled by law to work only part-time if you so desire.

You can also take off in order to study, without fear of losing your job.

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