For my culture presentation I talked about Swedish dating and marriage culture. It's really different from the U.S. to say the least! For the most part Swedes don't really date the way Americans do. They certainly don't ask strangers out on dates! Swedes also aren't big into marriage. They have very committed relationships but don't necessarily value signing a document that says to the world that you're married. It is also much more common for Swedes to live together and not be married. The term "sambo" is used for a partner that you've lived with for a long time but aren't necessarily married to. There is definitely no social stigma about being an old maid, not being married, or having a baby out of wedlock in Sweden. Also, Swedes tend to be older when they settle down and get into these long, committed relationships so younger Swedes in their 20s and even late 30s are unlikely to even be on a boyfriend/girlfriend basis.
Swedes also express love in very different ways from Americans. For instance, my boyfriend's family doesn't say I love you! They say "puss och kram" which means kiss and hug. It means the same thing for them, they just don't like to say "jag älskar dig", which is their phrase for I love you. Understanding this part of their culture has been important not just so that I can understand their language, but also so that I can bridge the cultural gaps in my relationship! Sure, it's nice that I know the phrase puss och kram so I can say it to my boyfriend and his family members. But it's even more important that I understand that his family doesn't use the phrase I love you so it isn't natural for him to use it in English per se.
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