Vi ses, Sverige

I’ve moved nine times since 2022. So believe me when I say I don’t mind getting used to new places. Nevertheless, settling in Sweden turned out to be a bigger challenge than I expected.

In Borlänge, I lived in the student housing called Locus – probably the most notorious place in the whole city. I had my own room and bathroom and shared the kitchen with nine other people. As you might imagine, living in a place with 120 students, the rooms and kitchen are often dirty, and a lot of things are broken or get stolen over time – even your groceries occasionally disappear, thanks to the infamous food thief. There are also parties on most weekdays and, of course, on the weekends. This was quite a shock compared to my cozy and quiet Davos flat. If you prefer to have more than five hours of undisturbed sleep per night, I advise signing up for the studio apartments in Mangatan or the shared flats in Kornstigen 23, the other student accommodations provided by the housing company Tunabyggen.

The university is completely different from what we are used to in Chur. During the 4,5 months I studied in Sweden, I had to complete 17 papers, exams, and presentations. I took courses in corporate social responsibility, event tourism, and place and destination marketing. Although you usually only need to go to university for two to six hours per week, the workload is considerably higher than what I was used to. The biggest change for me was the focus on literature. While at UAS Grisons, practical relevance is one of the key elements of the modules, the courses at Dalarna University are much more theory-based. You’ll need to read a lot of articles and book chapters, while the application of the literature is less emphasized. Personally, I don’t think studying at university in Sweden was particularly fun, and I’m happy to return to Chur soon.

But now, onto the fun parts! At Dalarna University, most people are international students. This gives you the chance to meet a lot of people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, which I found extremely enriching. Plus, you’ll always find someone to join you for fun activities or trips. Thanks to the introduction program during the first two weeks of the semester, it’s easy to get in touch with other students and make connections. Just be open, and you’ll be fine!

Finally, I have to say that the country is absolutely beautiful. During summer and autumn, you can explore Sweden’s countless lakes. We also went on numerous hikes (and even saw moose!) and took trips to many cities in Sweden, as well as Norway and Denmark. I ended my Swedish adventure with a trip to Lapland with some other students, where we experienced snow activities, the Northern lights, and even polar stratospheric clouds.

Even though the start was bumpy, my exchange semester had a conciliatory ending after all. Overall, it was a great experience that taught me a lot about myself, and I would advise everyone to go on a student exchange if given the chance. Personally, I will definitely return to Sweden in June to experience the midsummer celebrations in Dalarna and catch up with some of my friends. In that sense, this is not a goodbye. Instead, I’m thankful to say: Vi ses, Sverige.