Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Fika
Today, I finally got my classes sorted out and spoke to a professor about my Environmental Science project. He was very helpful and understanding and after we discussed it for a while, another guy who studies in the department was going to take me to see my desk and set up a computer. First, however, we had to have fika. Fika is probably one of the most Swedish things I have seen. It is where you sit with friends or colleagues, or whoever and have a coffee break with cakes and bread and fruit. My department has a large break room with free coffee and everyone in the building seems to go in there at the same time each day for fika. It's such a good representation of the sense of community in Sweden. I think I will suggest it to my department at UWF when I return to the U.S.
Friday, January 29, 2010
New Focus
Ok! I'm getting really tired of writing about every part of my days - so in this post, I'm just going to write about what I've learned about studying abroad and Sweden so far and what I think everyone should know.
On Money!
1. Make sure that you have at least one month of expenses saved up before you travel, because financial aid ALWAYS takes longer than you think it will. I'm pretty sure I wont get mine for at least another week and a half - and I sent in my paperwork on the 19th. That's just how it is - so be prepared - and if it comes sooner, good for you!
2. Make sure you know the exchange rate so that you don't over spend! Also, make sure to round up, so that prices end up being less than you calculated (what a great sight)
3. I am always going to keep some cash on me, but credit cards are used everywhere - even on the bus! Also, bring 5 kr with you at all times - you will need it to get a grocery cart!
4. You will almost always have to use your PIN, so be prepared for bank charges.
On Shopping
1. Either bring someone trustworthy with you who is fluent in swedish, bring a dictionary, or write a list with translations and don't be afraid to ask questions because all of the labels are in Swedish here! Luckily, I've started to catch on and people are generally helpful and know english pretty well.
2. Always bring your own bags, or be prepared to pay for them or use the free (and pathetically thin) plastic bags(like the veggie bags in the states).
On Eating
1. Swedes seem to eat a lot of bread and cheese. It's funny, but true and I don't like it. We went to Herrfallet for the weekend and our dinner was Pasta and Meatballs and our breakfast was bread and cheese. I don't know what type of cheese it was, but it reminded me of sharp cheddar.
2. If you come here and have the opportunity to eat at Strömpis for the Orientation program, DO IT! It was so cool to see the dance floor covered in tables and everyone gets dressed up, plus the food was awesome, and if you're like me it might be the best meal you have all week!
3. NEVER. buy. hotdogs. This is good advice no matter where you are, but believe me, after a week of the mystery meat, I am completely grossed out by them.
On Riding the Bus
1. I live in Brickebacken and so have to walk for 20 minutes to get to campus or ride the bus. From my experience this week, it is best to just walk! Especially if you have to be there by a certain time, like a class! They never come on time and I have even seen the driver pull over and stop for 15 minutes to work out some technical issue that I couldn't figure out (because she was speaking Swedish).
2. If you don't have a schedule, take the bus!
3. If you are traveling to the grocery store, TAKE THE BUS!
4. If you have several errands to run, do them all within 3 hours and you will only be charged for one bus ticket. This is the best policy I have ever heard and has saved me a lot!
On Partying
1. There will be a lot of parties. You don't have to go to all of them, haha. We have had a party every night this week except for Monday.
2. If there is a party, there is always a preparty somewhere.
3. If the party involves going out and dancing or something, there is almost always a preparty and an after party.
4. Partying involves alcohol. You can buy 3.5 % and under at the supermarkets and Pressbyran, but for anything else you have to go to System Bolaget downtown. Alcohol is expensive, but much cheaper at System Bolaget then at the pub. (this is why we preparty :))
5. If you are feeling ill, don't go to a party... haha. (Learned that the hard way)
On Classes
1. Swedes are punctual, so be on time!
2. If you miss class, you usually have to make up for it with an extra assignment(Unless your in Swedish, than you just do what you missed)
3. You have to register for each class separately in the school - which is annoying, but gives you a chance to meet some of your professors and get to know the campus.
4. You have to register for exams and they are all anonymous which is so cool!
5. You can call all of your professors by their first name. I can't get used to this yet, but it's nice!
On Money!
1. Make sure that you have at least one month of expenses saved up before you travel, because financial aid ALWAYS takes longer than you think it will. I'm pretty sure I wont get mine for at least another week and a half - and I sent in my paperwork on the 19th. That's just how it is - so be prepared - and if it comes sooner, good for you!
2. Make sure you know the exchange rate so that you don't over spend! Also, make sure to round up, so that prices end up being less than you calculated (what a great sight)
3. I am always going to keep some cash on me, but credit cards are used everywhere - even on the bus! Also, bring 5 kr with you at all times - you will need it to get a grocery cart!
4. You will almost always have to use your PIN, so be prepared for bank charges.
On Shopping
1. Either bring someone trustworthy with you who is fluent in swedish, bring a dictionary, or write a list with translations and don't be afraid to ask questions because all of the labels are in Swedish here! Luckily, I've started to catch on and people are generally helpful and know english pretty well.
2. Always bring your own bags, or be prepared to pay for them or use the free (and pathetically thin) plastic bags(like the veggie bags in the states).
On Eating
1. Swedes seem to eat a lot of bread and cheese. It's funny, but true and I don't like it. We went to Herrfallet for the weekend and our dinner was Pasta and Meatballs and our breakfast was bread and cheese. I don't know what type of cheese it was, but it reminded me of sharp cheddar.
2. If you come here and have the opportunity to eat at Strömpis for the Orientation program, DO IT! It was so cool to see the dance floor covered in tables and everyone gets dressed up, plus the food was awesome, and if you're like me it might be the best meal you have all week!
3. NEVER. buy. hotdogs. This is good advice no matter where you are, but believe me, after a week of the mystery meat, I am completely grossed out by them.
On Riding the Bus
1. I live in Brickebacken and so have to walk for 20 minutes to get to campus or ride the bus. From my experience this week, it is best to just walk! Especially if you have to be there by a certain time, like a class! They never come on time and I have even seen the driver pull over and stop for 15 minutes to work out some technical issue that I couldn't figure out (because she was speaking Swedish).
2. If you don't have a schedule, take the bus!
3. If you are traveling to the grocery store, TAKE THE BUS!
4. If you have several errands to run, do them all within 3 hours and you will only be charged for one bus ticket. This is the best policy I have ever heard and has saved me a lot!
On Partying
1. There will be a lot of parties. You don't have to go to all of them, haha. We have had a party every night this week except for Monday.
2. If there is a party, there is always a preparty somewhere.
3. If the party involves going out and dancing or something, there is almost always a preparty and an after party.
4. Partying involves alcohol. You can buy 3.5 % and under at the supermarkets and Pressbyran, but for anything else you have to go to System Bolaget downtown. Alcohol is expensive, but much cheaper at System Bolaget then at the pub. (this is why we preparty :))
5. If you are feeling ill, don't go to a party... haha. (Learned that the hard way)
On Classes
1. Swedes are punctual, so be on time!
2. If you miss class, you usually have to make up for it with an extra assignment(Unless your in Swedish, than you just do what you missed)
3. You have to register for each class separately in the school - which is annoying, but gives you a chance to meet some of your professors and get to know the campus.
4. You have to register for exams and they are all anonymous which is so cool!
5. You can call all of your professors by their first name. I can't get used to this yet, but it's nice!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday through Thursday
Ok, I finally have a chance to relax and just sit in my room for the night... This week has been very busy! Where to start...
On Tuesday we woke up early and walked to the university so that we would know how to get there by walking. It took about 45 minutes! Once we got to the Konsertsal in Musikhuset we listened to some more helpful information and then a few of us ate lunch at the Pasta buffet here. The food was delicious but I wish I would have eaten more because I was still hungry! After lunch we were able to register for classes. I went with a couple other people from UWF to our registration and we were able to meet our Professors for the project work and set up a meeting time to start working. We also had a little tour of the facilities. The labs are so nice here!! I hope that I am more prepared for this research project than I feel! After that I registered for Swedish with most of the other exchange students.
After registration, a large group of us rode the bus downtown to visit System Bolaget in order to get ready for the big Tybble party that night. System Bolaget is a liquor store that is owned by the government. It you want to buy any alcohol that is over 3.5% then you must go here. It was the most organized and clean liquor store I ever saw haha. My friend and I got yelled at for taking pictures of an american girl who was buying alcohol legally for the first time (she's 20). After stocking up for the party, we went to a shopping mall called Class Olsen and I finally got a phone and shampoo! When you come for exchange here, you are given a really good deal on international calling and calling your friends with Comviq, so I had to buy a phone in order to use the SIM card they gave me.
That night we had the Tybble party and the theme was Countries of the World. Not very many people dressed up, including me, but there were some good ones. If I had some supplies I would have been Wonder Woman to represent the USA... I'll do better next time. I've learned very quickly that every party here consists of drinking and dancing - and there are a LOT of parties. I think it's going to be a good semester.
On Wednesday we woke up early again for some more informational sessions and then that night I went to a pre party at Tybble(Tybble, Studentgatan and Brickebacken are the three biggest neighborhoods where students live) and then a bunch of us caught a free bus to Strömpis, a popular night club here. It was a lot of fun and the beer was reasonably priced before midnight (25 kr ~ $3.50). They played a lot of 80s music and had a Bon Jovi tribute band hahaha. It will take some getting used to, but I enjoyed the atmosphere there. I don't know how often I'm going to go there though, because the entrance fee is normally 60 kr. I think I'm just going to stick to the Tybble parties since they are free :) I can't wait to do an American theme!!
On Thursday we had a tour of the downtown area and visited City Hall where they showed us a video presentation about Örebro and Sweden. I learned that Sweden is 75% forest and has over 90,000 lakes. I thought it was interesting to know that the royal family here is descended from Jean Baptiste Bernadotte from France and that after embarrassing himself, he refused to learn Swedish. After the presentation we had a short welcome ceremony and a toast, and then we headed out to have a tour of the Castle. This was my favorite part of the Orientation program, but it was SOO cold at that time. I want to go back for another tour, but that might have to wait until June!
I think that is enough for now, I will write more tomorrow and then hopefully I will be all caught up!
On Tuesday we woke up early and walked to the university so that we would know how to get there by walking. It took about 45 minutes! Once we got to the Konsertsal in Musikhuset we listened to some more helpful information and then a few of us ate lunch at the Pasta buffet here. The food was delicious but I wish I would have eaten more because I was still hungry! After lunch we were able to register for classes. I went with a couple other people from UWF to our registration and we were able to meet our Professors for the project work and set up a meeting time to start working. We also had a little tour of the facilities. The labs are so nice here!! I hope that I am more prepared for this research project than I feel! After that I registered for Swedish with most of the other exchange students.
After registration, a large group of us rode the bus downtown to visit System Bolaget in order to get ready for the big Tybble party that night. System Bolaget is a liquor store that is owned by the government. It you want to buy any alcohol that is over 3.5% then you must go here. It was the most organized and clean liquor store I ever saw haha. My friend and I got yelled at for taking pictures of an american girl who was buying alcohol legally for the first time (she's 20). After stocking up for the party, we went to a shopping mall called Class Olsen and I finally got a phone and shampoo! When you come for exchange here, you are given a really good deal on international calling and calling your friends with Comviq, so I had to buy a phone in order to use the SIM card they gave me.
That night we had the Tybble party and the theme was Countries of the World. Not very many people dressed up, including me, but there were some good ones. If I had some supplies I would have been Wonder Woman to represent the USA... I'll do better next time. I've learned very quickly that every party here consists of drinking and dancing - and there are a LOT of parties. I think it's going to be a good semester.
On Wednesday we woke up early again for some more informational sessions and then that night I went to a pre party at Tybble(Tybble, Studentgatan and Brickebacken are the three biggest neighborhoods where students live) and then a bunch of us caught a free bus to Strömpis, a popular night club here. It was a lot of fun and the beer was reasonably priced before midnight (25 kr ~ $3.50). They played a lot of 80s music and had a Bon Jovi tribute band hahaha. It will take some getting used to, but I enjoyed the atmosphere there. I don't know how often I'm going to go there though, because the entrance fee is normally 60 kr. I think I'm just going to stick to the Tybble parties since they are free :) I can't wait to do an American theme!!
On Thursday we had a tour of the downtown area and visited City Hall where they showed us a video presentation about Örebro and Sweden. I learned that Sweden is 75% forest and has over 90,000 lakes. I thought it was interesting to know that the royal family here is descended from Jean Baptiste Bernadotte from France and that after embarrassing himself, he refused to learn Swedish. After the presentation we had a short welcome ceremony and a toast, and then we headed out to have a tour of the Castle. This was my favorite part of the Orientation program, but it was SOO cold at that time. I want to go back for another tour, but that might have to wait until June!
I think that is enough for now, I will write more tomorrow and then hopefully I will be all caught up!
Friday, January 22, 2010
First 2 Days
Wow, there is so much to say! The first think I noticed about Sweden is that there are sooo many trees, and they are big and grown. It's beautiful! Right now there is tons of snow everywhere and it kept snowing for the first 3 days I've been here. It's cold! I arrived on Sunday and took a 3 hour bus ride from Arlanda Airport to Orebro Central Station. At the station I met three other exchange students from China and we found the bus to the university together. THAT was when I realized that I have WAYY too much baggage hahaha. Leave it to the American to bring too much stuff! The snow and dirt got into my luggage wheels and so I was basically just dragging them. At least I got a little exercise :). After check in, we were driven to our apartment in Brickebacken. It is a neighborhood right near the University. When I got there I met one of my roommates (she is from Holland, and the other is from Germany) and saw that I have a huge and amazing room! The housing here is so much nicer, bigger, and cheaper than at my university at home! I will put up some pictures as soon as I clean up my room and have a chance to take some. That night we went to watch Garden State at the student pub COREn. Luckily it was in english :) and I was told that movies are generally shown in english if they were made in english and then they have Swedish subtitles. That will be nice for me! After the movie, my roommates and I rode the bus back to Brickebacken and some people invited us to their flat for a small party. I'm glad we did, because it made it much more comfortable here after I met some more people. I instantly missed my family and friends when I got here. I don't think that feeling will go away, but at least now I have some friends here to distract me!
I have to go get ready for a meeting with my exchange group (called Fadder group), so I'll write more about the rest of the week later!
I have to go get ready for a meeting with my exchange group (called Fadder group), so I'll write more about the rest of the week later!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
2 Days until Takeoff!
My flight is on Saturday! I'm really starting to get excited now. The International Office has been sending me welcome emails and today I got an email about a trip in February where we will be dogsledding! I hope that I will be able to do it.
It's really weird not being in school when the semester at UWF has already started. I'm so glad it's only a few days away :)
It's really weird not being in school when the semester at UWF has already started. I'm so glad it's only a few days away :)
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Merry Christmas!!
I prepaid my housing and sent in my Incoming Student form a few days ago! Now I am just waiting to hear whether they received it in Sweden! It's only 2 weeks now until I leave Pensacola and I'm beginning to feel really excited but it's also starting to sink in that I will be gone for six whole months! I'm so glad that I am getting the chance to go but I know I will really miss my family and friends, and surprisingly, I think I'll really miss Pensacola. I also feel a little guilty about leaving but I suppose that's normal, right?!? Anyway, I have 2 weeks and during that time I'm just going to make sure that I am prepared for the trip... physically and mentally. :)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Predeparture
Hello! This is my first in (hopefully) a long line of posts that I will write in the next 6 months! I received my residence permit a couple of days ago, so now the only thing left for me to do is prepay my housing and jump on the plane! I am studying abroad in Örebro, Sweden for the Spring semester! I'm planning to take Swedish language 1 and 2 and I will be working on an Environmental Science Project for my major. The project is a little intimidating, as it is basically a Masters level project, but I know I will learn a lot. I'm so excited to go! The application process was easy, but also nerve racking!
For anyone who is planning to go to Sweden: Here is a brief timeline of when I applied and prepared. I would recommend that you get your passport ASAP, to make the whole process a little faster and less stressful.
July 2009
- Began (seriously) looking at programs and courses and speaking to the ODIEP.
August 2009
- Began speaking with my major advisor about possible courses and substitutions,
- also started filling out my applications and writing my Statement of Purpose.
September 2009
-Applied for my passport.
October 2009
- Submitted my entire application and statement of purpose
- I was accepted by the ODIEP and then was able to apply to the host school.
- Met with financial aid
- Narrowed down my courses and began getting the appropriate signatures.
November 2009
- Received my passport.
- Finally decided on courses with help from the registrar.
- I was accepted into the Host School!
- Bought my plane ticket!
- Bought health insurance and applied for my residence permit.
December 2009
- Recieved my residence permit
- Attended Outgoing Orientation with ODIEP.
For anyone who is planning to go to Sweden: Here is a brief timeline of when I applied and prepared. I would recommend that you get your passport ASAP, to make the whole process a little faster and less stressful.
July 2009
- Began (seriously) looking at programs and courses and speaking to the ODIEP.
August 2009
- Began speaking with my major advisor about possible courses and substitutions,
- also started filling out my applications and writing my Statement of Purpose.
September 2009
-Applied for my passport.
October 2009
- Submitted my entire application and statement of purpose
- I was accepted by the ODIEP and then was able to apply to the host school.
- Met with financial aid
- Narrowed down my courses and began getting the appropriate signatures.
November 2009
- Received my passport.
- Finally decided on courses with help from the registrar.
- I was accepted into the Host School!
- Bought my plane ticket!
- Bought health insurance and applied for my residence permit.
December 2009
- Recieved my residence permit
- Attended Outgoing Orientation with ODIEP.
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