A month at Uppsala, Sweden: First impressions.

It has been more than a month since I’ve arrived at Uppsala, Sweden as part of the exchange program at Uppsala universitet, yet there hasn’t been a single day where I’ve regretted my decision to come study at such a vibrant and peaceful part of the world.

After landing at Sweden after a 22 hour flight, I was greeted with vast stretches of fields and farmland, scenery considered to be quite refreshing for someone who was raised within suburbia. When the shuttle bus arrived at Uppsala, I was greeted with a city filled with modern and antique architecture blending seamlessly together within a summer climate which had felt like the winter I had left behind.

In terms of cost regarding food and items, Sweden is relatively similar to Australia, though the large numbers listed do raise quite a few alarm bells at first. Issues do arise though when similar food items in Swedish are lined next to each other, but thankfully there is hardly a language barrier since Swedish people are quite fluent in English.

departments housed within their own building, similar to the structure of UTS. Unlike UTS though, the campus area is surrounded by stretches of parks containing sculptures describing the rich history of Uppsala University. The university also contains a botanical garden, a science park next to the science department, and a massive cathedral at the centre hill which overlooks the entire campus. Towards the north east side of the campus resides student clubs known as nations, where pubs, accommodation and events are available for members of any nation within the university to take part in.

The university is scattered across the western side of Uppsala, with different
Since Uppsala is a fairly small city, the main form of transportation is through bicycle. This is exemplified through the presence of bicycle lanes throughout the streets, along with the constant stream of bikes which flow in and out of the city every day. If you feel that bikes aren’t your thing, the bus transport system is also quite convenient, as it can take you to most locations around Uppsala for a reasonable price provided you purchase their pre paid pass.

So far, I am thoroughly enjoying my time here at Uppsala, Sweden, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wish to study aboard at an European country where there is no language barrier to struggle through.

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