More Swedes buy houses in Spain
During 2010, the number of Swedes buying real estate in Spain increased 105 percent according to new statistics. Since peaking in 2008, real estate prices have gone down in Spain an average of 15 percent, and in some places they have gone down as much as 30-40 percent. Eva Lundqvist, a realtor with Mäklarringen, which has offices in Spain, is not surprised. She has noticed how southern Europe lures many Swedish house buyers. “The prices have gone down and the Swedish krona has gotten stronger in comparison to the euro, so that has made it even more attractive. You get a lot of real estate for your money, and (Spain is good because) the flight to Sweden is short.” In the meantime, Thailand has lost some ground. “It is not as popular anymore,” Lundqvist states. Political troubles there have created an insecure future.

Closing nursery schools—anxiety among parents
Nursery schools are closing for the summer, making parents anxious about childcare for their kids. “Worst of all is that it makes people feel ashamed to have to rely on child care over summer,” says Annelie Nordström, chairman of Kommunal (the Swedish Municipal Workers’ Union, the largest trade union in Sweden). Parents want to give their children an idyllic summer, but vacation time isn’t enough for that, and when four out of five nursery schools close, what are parents supposed to do? Every other parent feels stress over trying to keep their children out of schools and day care centers over the summer, according to a poll in May (where 1000 parents of children ages 2-9 were asked). “Many things in our society must run smoothly throughout the year: Train, buses, care for the elderly,” Annelie Nordström continues. “But when it comes to childcare, we’ve lowered our ambitions.” A large group of parents (7 percent) report that they’ve had no offers for childcare during the entire summer, which in Sweden is considered a breach of the law as municipalities are obliged to offer childcare even during the summer months. “It’s not that there are no substitute teachers,” says Nordström. “It’s just that the municipalities want to save money. It’s a result of the fact that we no longer want to pay the taxes we used to.”

Free Nazi camp for kids
In Skåne, the Nazi Svenskarnas parti (Nazi Party of Swedes), is arranging a free summer camp for children under age 15. The camp will take place during a weekend in July, and is arranged as a way for the party to create interest among the young. The theme for the camp is “nordisk vision 2011” (Nordic vision 2011) and the weekend will be full of lectures, speeches, workshops, competitions, canoeing, courses in self defense, airsoft, brännboll (a Scandinavian game similar to baseball) and more.