Locals tend to complain about the Egypt's shortfalls; both those who have never left the country and those who have. Sometimes you go abroad (say, to Europe...) and strike harsh comparisons upon returning home. And let's not forget the homesick expats. There are just certain things Egypt seems to be missing out on.
In that light, here is the third installment of the 'Things Egypt Needs' series - Swedish Things Egypt Needs:
Swedish Fish
Bala Jelly Cola bala zift.
Swedish Meatballs
Like kofta, but better.
Paternal Leave
Parental leave in Sweden, known as 'mammaledgit/pappaledgit', is of the most generous in the world - parents get 480 days of paid leave to share between them! Egyptian dads should be able to help out with their newborns, too!
Biking as a Mode of Transportation
Imagine how healthy and fit we'd all be if we could cycle to work? Given we didn't get hit by a bus, that is....
Skiing
Sure, we have sand-boarding, but snow > sand any day.
A Eurovision Equivalent
Imagine a cross between Star Academy and Arabs Got Talent..... but with a touch of eccentricity.
6-Hr Workdays
In Kiruna and Gothenburg, employees work 6 hours a day instead of the standard 8. Would you swap your cigarette/tea break for an extra 2 hours of sleep? We definitely would!
Socialized Healthcare
In Sweden, healthcare (including dental) is free until age 19 and subsidized for those age 20+ because it's tax-funded and decentralised. No more outrageously expensive 'kashf' visits.
Fika
Fika (pronounced 'fee-ka') is a social coffee break concept in Swedish culture, where you enjoy coffee/tea and pastries with colleagues and friends during the daytime. We could totally take that on board here...
Five Weeks PAID Vacation
In Sweden employees get 5 weeks of paid vacation. That's 35 days. Paid. Vacation.
Why are we not doing this?!
And those are 10 things we should steal from the Swedes.
Any we forgot to mention? Let us know in the comments!
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By Salma Thanatos Rizk