Like many Scandinavian countries, Swedes are polite and friendly but quite reserved. Growing a social network will help you fit into the culture and make some local friends. Here are some ways to get more familiar with your new city, Stockholm. Depending on your interest, you should be able to expand your group of friends by finding like-minded locals and expats. Perhaps you are a mom with young kids looking for a support group of other moms, or you are a sports fanatic hoping to find a football group to join. There are lots of online resources to help you find meetups, volunteering opportunities, and online groups that arrange social events.
Online groups
Online groups for expats found on Facebook and other social media sites like Instagram are a great place to find out more about Stockholm. Many groups have active members that are happy to help answer questions, while some pages update regularly to announce upcoming events and activities in the area.
Online groups are a wealth of information for those planning to move to Stockholm, as well as those who already live there. Facebook groups are always free, and members are welcome to open discussions in line with the group rules. A search on Facebook for groups of nationalities or languages in Stockholm might just help you find people from your home country.
Here are some popular online groups to check out:
- Expat Stockholm
- Stockholm Exchange and International Students
- Stockholm Expat
- The Local Sweden
- Americans in Stockholm
- Visit Stockholm
- The Stockholm Expat Meetup Group
Meetups and events in Stockholm
Of course, in an international city as large as Stockholm expats can expect to find many meetups and events. In addition to attending events to develop a professional network in Stockholm, expats can join social events and meetups to make new friends.
What are your hobbies? Perhaps there is already a group of people in Stockholm who enjoy the same hobby. There are plenty of websites and online groups to track down events within your field of interest. Students might have more luck finding social meetups on their host university website or specific student groups, while new workers can also ask around at work for suggestions.
Here are some of the larger groups in Stockholm that host or advertise regular meetups and events:
- Events in Stockholm
- Stockholm Boardgames on Meetup
- Startup Events List
- Stockholm Eventland
- Stockholm Weekend Fika Meetup Group
- Stockholm Events Group on Meetup
- Stockholm Expat Events on Meetup
- Stockholm Creative People on Meetup
Volunteering in Stockholm
Volunteering your time and services to help others in need is a great way to network in Stockholm. Swedes take volunteering seriously and have groups to help with everything from handing out food parcels to helping with homework, collecting clothes, donations, and overseeing logistics for events.
Make sure to inform the organisers if you do not speak Swedish as some volunteering opportunities might have language requirements. Here are some great organisations where expats can volunteer their time:
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