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STOCKHOLM, Sweden—I’ve made it to Sweden: land of IKEA, meatballs, and blond people. Everything you’ve heard is true. Along with their liberal mindsets and love of pop music (Sweden won Eurovision this year), there’s a heavy emphasis on childhood here, with movies like Pippi Longstocking making sure that all of those little blond children have the same innocent upbringing as their parents did.

I feel so at home here. Being able to speak the language–although basically everyone here also speaks English–and looking pretty Scandinavian doesn’t hurt, I suppose, but I get the feeling that Swedes know how to live. Sunshine, red cottages scattered everywhere in the archipelago, ice cream twice a day… Could be worse. I may be biased, but what with all of the yellow buildings lining clean, cobblestoned streets, seemingly floating in the midst of sparkling water, Stockholm is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I’m reluctant to leave, men livet är bra.