My Erasmus Exchange in Stockholm

Why did you choose to go to Stockholm, Sweden?

First of all, I'll give you some context.

Hi, I'm David, an TELECO engineer who studied at the KTH during the 2011/2012 academic year. I'd like to invite you all to take a read of my blog, where you can find much longer and more detailed answers, without being limited to these survey questions: Wordofchu Blogspot.

Don't worry though, I'll still answer these questions here, though it's not as easy to read as a blog would be.

Returning to the question of why I chose to go to Stockholm, it's because I could more or less decide on where I wanted to go. You'll have a great time at any Erasmus destination, so I decided to make my decision based on how appealing I found the cities and universities. The best universities to choose from were Paris, Copenhagen, Lausanne and Stockholm; in terms of country and atmosphere, I was most interested in the last three (particularly in the last two, since the DTU in Copenhagen isn't actually Copenhagen), and since Sweden was the furthest away, its culture appealed to me. It was also the cheapest place to live compared with the other two - so I chose Stockholm. Having now experienced the country, the city and its culture, it's a decision I've never regretted. I'm sure I wouldn't have regretted choosing any of the other destinations, either.

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How long did your scholarship last? How much were you paid?

I spent a year there (eleven months to be exact) from 2011-2012. I received 300 euros a month from Erasmus for ten months and 220 euros a month from the Aragonese Council for eight months.

What's the student life like in Stockholm?

It's a big city with loads of Erasmus students - at the KTH alone there are over 1, 000 of them every semester. In terms of the Erasmus student atmosphere, well, it's the same as the atmosphere in any large Erasmus city: it's impossible to get to know everyone like friends of mine were able to do in smaller cities. The university timetable is more than reasonable in the sense of allowing time for leisure activities (classes are from 8am to 5pm at indefinite times. Swedish students have never heard of not having leisure time during the day, and you'll notice this when you talk to them... nothing like studying engineering there, where there are more hours of classes and extra study).

Would you recommend the city and University of Stockholm to other students?

Yes, easily. In the blog entry I gave you the link to above I give a lot of reasons for why this is the case. Read it if you need convincing!

What's the food like in Sweden?

This is one of the let-downs unfortunately. There's no culinary culture here like there is in the Mediterranean countries. The supermarkets are expensive, especially fruit (I always shopped at Lidl). Apart from this, the food depends on your tastes.

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Swedish desserts are superb (such as kanelbullar and semlor), their rare meats (these are expensive, but you can buy bear, reindeer... ) and other typical dishes such as Swedish meatballs such as köttbullar, easy to find in IKEA, or surströmming, which even most Swedish people haven't tried, despite how 'good' it smells, haha.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Stockholm?

KTH sorted this out for me. For the people whose university don't sort it out for them though... yes, accommodation in Stockholm is hard to come by, even for the Swedes, as there isn't enough to go around.

How expensive is living in Stockholm?

It depends on how much rent you pay, and what you buy. In general, the cost of living is around 20% more expensive than it is in Spain, but this still depends on many things. Two easy examples are that using your mobile and the internet is cheaper, but drinks are more expensive. Combining the flights, the university matriculation fee, and all the travelling I did this year, and taking into consideration the fact that my rent was 350 euros a month, I spent around 800-850 euros every month.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language class at the university?

Sweden is the country with the highest number of non-native English speakers in the world, so although there are of course exceptions (not in Stockholm, but in smaller towns and in the case of immigrants), it's not a problem making yourself understood in English. To make Swedish friends however, or to be able to read signs in the street, you'll need to speak Swedish (do you speak English with your friends in Spain just because you can? Of course you don't, and neither do they), unless you can find Swedes willing to always speak English with you (and there are quite a few of them, to be honest). You'll speak English with the other Erasmus students (unless you decide to stay within Spanish-speaking groups, of course), because not everyone will be trying their hand at Swedish. I took Swedish 1, 2 and 3 classes at the KTH and did language tandems, but not much else. Surprisingly, I came back to Spain being able to hold simple conversations in Swedish, which was a really cool feeling. If you don't want to learn Swedish though, it's really no problem.

What's the cheapest way of getting to Stockholm from your home city?

From Zaragoza, flying with Norwegian Air or with Easyjet from Barcelona or Madrid (the bus or the high speed train will take you to the airport in Madrid, though in Barcelona you have to get there yourself... the flight is shorter however, and there are more cheaper options). I chose based on price alone. I always flew back to Barcelona as I have family and friends living nearby who I could stay with (half my family is Tarragonese).

What are the best places for partying in Stockholm?

It depends on what you're into, of course. Listing places here would be pointless as I know I myself like variety. It's worth mentioning however that the corridor parties in Lappis are a real must, as are the parties/barbecues on the beach/in the wood.

What about eating out in Stockholm? What are your favourite places?

I've marked all the best places on a really cool map which you can find the link to on my blog. Here's the link (how cheeky am I.. ):

Stockholm Map

The places which are good for drinks are marked with yellow pins, the ones for food the square ones, and the places to visit with blue pins. The cafes are great places for 'fika', a Swedish custom you'll learn about when you get there. Basically, 'fika' is coffee with a kind of Swedish cake (have I mentioned that the Swedes are incredibly famous for their desserts? ).

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What does Stockholm have to offer in terms of culture?

Loads. Stockholm is a city for wandering through and enjoying rather than visiting specific beautiful monuments. I recommend you visit the Vasa Museum (with a galleon taken out of the water) and the town hall (Stadshuset). Abandon 'normal' tourist behaviour from this point onwards, since Stockholm is a huge city absorbed in nature. To really enjoy the city, you should take a boat and spend the day on one of the thousands of islands on the archipelago surrounding the city, and/or go hiking in one of the natural parks which surround the city. Swimming on one of the city's beaches (which are islands) is also great.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Stockholm?

If you go to KTH, go in August! Summer is sweltering in Sweden, and the Erasmus induction week at the KTH is pretty poor. Sign up to one of the Swedish summer course (Swedish 1 is easy) and enjoy yourself! Go outside and enjoy the natural side of things as much as you can before a winter like no other hits (seasons are seasons, there's no way around it). Remember that the winter is worth it for the spectacular summer months!

Finally, I'd like to invite you again to read my blog entry, where I'm not bound to this format and tell you more about what I loved about Stockholm.

Have fun! Everything's at your fingertips!

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