Hello Uppsala!

I had been told that the first fews day of Global Exchange are tough – being in a new country, finding your way around and making new friends is always daunting. My first days in Uppsala, Sweden were no exception. I’ve been here almost two weeks now and how things have changed! I’ve made the obligatory trip to Ikea to deck out my room with colour and warmth, and I’ve made a great bunch of friends from all around the world. The great thing about being an exchange student is that other international students are in the same boat as you and its somewhat comforting to know that they too felt a little lonely and scared at the beginning, but two weeks in are keen to get out and do as many activities and go on as many adventures are you are. I’m also fortunate to live with four Swedes so I’m getting the best of both worlds. O-Week has just finished and was full of activities hosted by different Uni Nations (similar to student clubs). We spent some days playing ball games in the park in the sunshine, and some evenings enjoying things like ‘mojito and burger night’. Already, I have a weekly Sunday dinner planned with a small group of girls and some exciting trips lined up in the coming months. Uppsala is a beautiful town. Although the fourth largest in Sweden, it doesn’t seem like it when you’re wandering around. The university buildings are dotted around the town and perfectly compliment the cobble-stoned streets.

Yesterday a group of exchange students spent the day in Stockholm in the sunshine. We decided not to visit any museums or art galleries so that we could take advantage of the good weather. We spent the whole day wandering around the city admiring the architecture and exploring the shops and cafes. All of the buildings in Stockholm (and much of Uppsala) are different colours which makes the city far more pretty and interesting. Having Stockholm so close to Uppsala is a real bonus so we can visit any time we like!

Uppsala University has a great program for exchange students, offering all of the O-Week activities and also guided tours that head out of Uppsala to some popular tourist destinations for a slice of history. I went on one of those tours today to Southern Uppland and explored the summer house of Carl Linnaeus, Skokloster Castle and the Viking town of Sigtuna. It was fun to the some of the countryside and to learn more about Swedish history and the history of the areas surrounding Uppsala. It was also great to meet more international students!

Celia Livesey, 12067361, Law