Experience in Uppsala, Sweden by Francesca

Why did you choose to go to Uppsala, Sweden?

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Because there they have one of the most famous Universities in northern Europe, and they have various excellent research centres such as the Advanced Battery Center. It's a small country (if you are from Italy, Spain, England, France, etc. ) and it is important because it means it is very quiet. I chose Sweden also because it's a very intercultural country. Everybody speaks English, so living there is very easy, even if you don't speak Swedish.

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

Of course, you can have fun times, but when it's time to study, you can do that without distractions.

What is the food like?

Depends, they have a lot of options. You can find different foreign restaurants, but they are quite expensive (the life in general is expensive), so the the best food to have in this country is their local food which you can cook at home. They eat a lot of fish, but meat (veal) is also quite popular. One of their specialities is "Köttbullar" the famous Swedish meat-balls. They eat also a lot of potatoes (normal, sweet, red, purple... ) cooked in every way that you can think of. And they also eat root vegetables!

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At the supermarkets you can find all the food, also pasta if you are Italian, or Basmati rice if you are Indian, or... you can find everything, but obviously they are imported, and especially for fresh vegetables, it is important to remind you... tomatoes, oranges, pepper, zucchini, aubergines, etc... are all from Spain or countries located even further away.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Uppsala from your city?

By plane, faster and cheaper if you buy your ticket in advance!

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Uppsala?

For students there are pubs, but to enter you have to buy an annual card; it is good because you can pay less for, for example, a beer.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Stockholm, Uppsala, but also the city centres in other cities! They have natural parks, lakes... the landscapes are amazing. In Sweden you can also go camping everywhere, so with a tent and a sleeping bag (if you have all the camping stuff it is better) you can visit allSweden, and you can have an intimate contact with the nature. Furthermore, you can see falcons, squirrels, deer, mooses, elks, but also bears, so you can camp, but be careful and bring some friends with you.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Uppsala in the future?

Look in great advance for the apartment! At least 2-3 months before. If you like sport, bring your sport clothes. Be smart when choosing your clothes for the winter (don't think about fashion, nobody cares about your outfit) bring thermal shirts, good coat for snow, rain and wind! You will need good shoes for the snow and rain and very comfortable one as well! Think about buying a bike here, it is the best mean of transport. If you are staying for more than one year apply for the Swedish ID, you will need to have it, and it is important for all sort of things.