Introducing myself
I’m Charlie, a 2nd year philosophy student, and I have been loving living the Lund lifestyle during my semester abroad in Sweden. I could not have imagined a more peaceful and picturesque place to study – every day I am so grateful that I applied to study abroad. I hope that by the end of this blog, you are convinced to give it a go yourself!
A Warm Welcome
Despite the snow, when I arrived in January I was met with such a warm welcome from everyone in Lund. All of us new international students had the chance to be serenaded by Sweden’s largest organ in the beautiful Lund Cathedral as part of our welcome reception, and the international desk organised so many amazing activities for us to get to know our way around and make new friends. A highlight for me was hiking through Söderåsen national park, taking in the Scandinavian scenery from the top of a hill or the bottom of a stream.
In Sweden, students have the chance to join a student nation, which is like if the student union had school houses, each one with different pub nights, club nights, brunches, lunches, sports and other socials. I joined Kalmar nation, whose slogan is “come as you are”, and met so many good friends during their novisch period (similar to our fresher’s week). We played team-building games, went to a sauna, did a bar crawl and were introduced to Swedish sittnings, which are formal themed dinners with lots of traditions, like singing multiple songs per course. Make sure to pass around your song book for everyone to sign as a souvenir!
Although January can be very dark and grey in Sweden, it is an excellent excuse to stay cosy in a café and take part in fika culture. I didn’t realise how much of a staple of Swedish life fika would be, but I am always meeting my friends for a coffee or wondering whose turn it is to bring fika for the break during choir. For me, the taste of Sweden will always be cardamom, which they use in many of their famous pastries, like cardamom buns or semla. Now that the sun is here and we are approaching summer, the Botanical Gardens are in full bloom and we make sure to soak up the sun at every opportunity, even going outside for the breaks during lectures.
International ideas
Since my classes are in English, I get to meet so many international students from all over the world, as well as other Swedish students, which enriches the discussions in lectures and seminars. For example, during my moral philosophy module we could compare our countries’ moral codes and ethical standards, or in my critical animal studies course it was fascinating to hear how different species of animal can be thought of as pets, threats or even food in different cultures. I have learned so much from my peers and it is challenging me to question my existing ideas and frameworks of thinking, which is exactly what I wanted out of my philosophy degree. Studying abroad has strengthened my critical thinking skills and allowed me to explore topics that I never would have encountered at home, all of which will help my studies in my final year of my degree and beyond.
Challenge or adventure?
Doing my first food shop in a Swedish supermarket felt quite daunting, but Duolingo and a little bit of Google translate saved the day. The language barrier has not been as difficult as I thought it would be, and I have been picking up some Swedish through singing the lyrics at choir or just everyday interactions.
Living in another country means that you have to be very independent, especially at the beginning when everything and everyone is new. However, this has been a useful and empowering experience – since moving here, I have travelled solo to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki, which I loved and definitely recommend. Remember you are only a call away from your friends and family at home as well (just don’t forget the time difference when you arrange to catch up).
There are so many new things to try and new places to explore, so my main piece of advice is to say yes and go for it! I made a bucket list of places I wanted to go, activities I wanted to try and concerts I wanted to see before I arrived; I am pleased to say I have nearly ticked everything off, even adding things I never knew about before.
Since I am only in Lund for six months, I wanted to make the most of it. Whether this was a day trip to Helsingør in Denmark to see Hamlet’s castle, or going to see my friends in the student theatre production called spex, I have been making memories that will last a lifetime. Studying abroad is an experience I wholeheartedly recommend for you to grow academically and personally, and who knows which corner of the world is waiting for you to explore.
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