One of the things I love most about living in Sweden is how everyday life is mixed with discovery. Even going to school here opens unexpected doors; like this week, when my SFI class (Swedish for Immigrants) is heading out on what feels like an old-fashioned field trip. Our destination? The Flygvapenmuseum, the Swedish Air Force Museum, right here in Linköping.
This museum sits on historic ground at Malmen Airbase, the birthplace of Swedish aviation. Back in 1912, Baron Carl Cederström opened Sweden’s very first flying school here; more than a century later, the skies over Linköping are still buzzing with aviation history.
Inside the museum, there are nearly 60 aircraft on display: everything from delicate wooden biplanes to the sleek, modern Saab Gripen fighter jet. One of the most powerful exhibits is the salvaged wreck of the DC-3 (known in Sweden as Tp 79), a reconnaissance plane that was shot down during the Cold War in 1952. Standing in front of it, you don’t just see an aircraft; you feel the tension of an era when Sweden’s skies were caught in the shadow of global politics.
But Flygvapenmuseum isn’t just about airplanes; it’s also about everyday life. One of my favorite parts is the period rooms, which recreate Swedish homes from the 1940s through the 1990s. Each room is decorated with authentic furniture, wallpaper, radios, lamps, and kitchen items from that decade. For us in SFI, it couldn’t be more perfect; we’re learning household vocabulary this week! Walking through these rooms, I’ll be able to point and say the words in Swedish: soffa (sofa), bord (table), gardiner (curtains), spis (stove). It’s a language lesson come to life.
I love that SFI isn’t just about sitting in a classroom with textbooks; it’s about experiencing Swedish culture, history, and yes—even the kitchens and living rooms of the past. This “field trip” is another reminder that learning a new language is also learning a new place, layer by layer.
Next stop: the skies above Linköping; and maybe a 1970s living room along the way. 🌍✈️🇸🇪
✨ Swedish Word of the Day
Soffa = sofa / couch 🛋️
(You’ll spot plenty of these in the museum’s 1960s–80s rooms!)
Swedish Wanderlust 