A couple of my neighbors here in the Brazilian compound are from Sweden. They are generally ok guys. The contrast between them and my latin neighbors from Portugal is clear.
They get into your fridge and eat things that do not belong to them without asking. Their socialist mindset is clear. When they want something they modulate their interpersonal distance to the close latin one. At all other times their interpersonal distance is more Germanic. Thus when they cook many times they do not offer you some of the results. Even when they use your cheese and ham.
All this and they tend to believe Sweden is better than the USA because in the USA we don’t have massive give away programs. I now know the definition of the old slang term chiseler.
All in all they are not too bad of guys but its time they go and I won’t miss them too much. Its another lesson I have learned in how to handle people and my own internal negative feelings.  Its a real business lesson.  You have to be very careful who you let be around you even if they are for the most part good people. It takes a stellar person for me to want to be around them.
The contrast could not be more clear than with a fellow from Portugal name Jose. He’s a prince. In the entire 2 weeks he has been here in the compound he has not let me give him a thing no matter how I have tried. His brother Luiz commented that he knows people from when he was a child that still ask if they can eat things from his refrigerator in Portugal. Â
Very enlightening contrast. I could be tough and kick the Swedish guys out of my casita but they are only here a short while longer. They have played a role in a stage-play. There is the prince Jose contrasted with the boorish behavior of the Swedes. One could not be schooled more effectively in why you should want to be a prince.Â
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