Parting Pieces of Advice

Hello again! This is my final post for the blog.  It has been a really great experience, thank you for all the lovely feedback. I hope I have helped give you some indication about how fantastic it is to live and study in Umeå. All I can say is that I am so happy I chose to come here. It is truly one of the best decisions I have ever made.  In a parting blog post, I offer you some pieces of advice for your year in Umeå. Hejdå! 


Långkalsongar: A must buy. They make everything so much better when it's cold. 


Go for the year : Take a chance, go for the full year. I know it's a scary concept but it really goes quite fast and there is so much I would have missed out on if I had only chosen one semester. Your home will always be there... but a chance to really immerse yourself in Umeå will not.  Go for it! 

Tunnbröd. It’s Swedish, it's great. Try some.

Get a combination bicyle lock. I once got my tongue stuck to my bike while defrosting a key-lock. Not embarrassing at all.

Spend time at the lake. It’s such a great place to do just about anything. Go for walks, watch the northern lights, barbeque, skinny dip..it's the perfect place to enjoy nature. (Bonus: there are no crabs or scary fish in the water.)

Björnekulla vild hallon: It’s the best Swedish jam ever.


Leave your door open: Invite your corridor mates into your room and they will eventually start doing the same. The house is so much more welcoming when everyone leaves their doors open and you can just wander in and have a chat. Whenever you want privacy you can always close it, but I would highly recommend it as a way of fostering friendships with your flatmates. 

Ungdomsmötagningen: This is the youth clinic downtown. It’s an excellent service available for any young person under the age of 26. They speak English so don’t hesitate to visit them to make an appointment. If you do not have a Swedish personal number tell them this and they will allocate you a temporary one. They provide important services like free pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Disease testing, along with contraceptive advice, free condoms and counselling.


Mix. Try not to spend all your time with people from your home country. It's great to share this experience with them, especially if you speak the same language but do try to mix a little as well. Everyone is really friendly here and nobody is closed to meeting new people. You could end up meeting the love of your life or a lifelong friend. You never know! 


Go to the lunchtime events on campus: Culture on Campus organize some fantastic lunchtime concerts. Inbetween class you and some friends can go and watch anything from a circus act, an acclaimed jazz band, a poetry reading. Quite frankly i'm impressed. 

Enjoy the snow every way you can before it’s gone. Though I absolutely adore a Swedish summer, the winter here is so special. Have fun with it! 

Drink red wine. If there is anything that warms you up after an icy day it's red wine. Systembolaget have some really great red wines, my personal favourites lie in the cheap French selection where you can get a bottle for at little as approx 5 euro.  Don’t just drink to get off your face. Drink to enjoy it.

Go to class and do your assignments: It’s very easy to drift along without doing anything here because the responsibility is all your own. Your teachers are not going to email you demanding an explanation. It is all on you, so don’t let it get out of hand.

Go to the jazz festival in October: It’s really great. Like really really really  great. We got to see people like these guys:  Baker’s Cottage- a local band from Umeå, not to mention the great jazz legend Chick Corea. Even if you are not a huge jazz fan, try it. You might be surprised. 

Go on a ski trip: it’s such a great bonding experience and you will have some unforgettable memories not to mention extreme amounts of fun. 
Hemavan was a great place to go to (it's up north on the border to Norway) I was a beginner and I came out of it alive! 

Learn to bake: The Swede's will show you how. 

Visit Liseberg: This is a theme park located in Göteborg and I can safely say it’s the best place in the world. Nothing quite makes you feel quite as happy as a day spent here (unless you have completely lost your inner child that is) Get the night train down and spend the weekend.  this is a great website for hostels http://www.besthostel.se/

Don’t buy magazines or newspapers: There is a room in the library that provides the latest editions of everything from the New Yorker to The Sunday Times! It’s a really great facility. Use it.

Check out Charlie at the elk farm: Seriously though, when else are you going to see an elk? The international office organize several trips there throughout the year. Go.

Don’t bring a full suitcase: Swedish design is really cool and you will soon realize you want a piece of it. The Swedes dress in a simple but really stylish way. Åhlens is great for cool Swedish designers like frk and WERA. Additionally Monki is just amazing.  Tiger of Sweden is also really cool but super expensive. For guys I would check out ‘The Store’, ‘Carlings’ and ‘Dressmann’.  

Go to the Ersboda sweet shop: It has giant toblerones!


Check out the Umeå facebook pages for great deals: People are always selling cool stuff on the cheap.

Take part in the Buddy programme. It’s a great way to meet people. Obviously you are not going to click with everyone but it could be the way you meet one of your future best friends. Even if you are reluctant, give it a try.

Go on a crazy trip: I have friends who went to Russia, Lapland, and even Estonia! The university organizes these to be done as cheap as possible. Save a few extra pennies and get on board. It could be an experience you will never forget.

Try to learn a little Swedish: Though you don’t need it to get around, you will be really proud of yourself every time you manage to pull off the basics without anybody noticing you are not a Swede. Also what if in the future you want to impress someone with your knowledge of Sweden?  Both Beginners and Continuation level Swedish courses are offered at the university. Additionally - http://www.swedish-flashcards.com/

Let go. You’re in Sweden now! This means you can do things you never would have done before..like wear bright coloured pants or try crazy smelling fish. Be open-minded...this is the best piece of advice anyone can give you.

Enjoy!

Louise J

Nightlife

Hello again!

So you’re probably wondering about the nightlife in Umeå. Is there any?’ The answer is yes...but it is probably very different from what you are used to.. It's neither crazy nor really trendy but it’s not dead either. Far from it. You will come to love each place, regardless of how cheesy some might be..because it is here that you will make many treasured memories. 

Allstar : This is a large sportsbar located downtown umeå @ Kungsgatan 50 It’s also a restaurant and they serve typical American style food. The nachos are great if you want to share with a couple of friends.There is a downside if you are a younger student as it is strictly over 21’s. It is open until 2am on weekends...and it has an extensive cocktail menu. One thing that weirded me out is how many tv’s they have in there. Feels a little like a newsroom.

Corona: Corona is a student restaurant/nightclub located @ Universum on campus. It’s 18 with a student ID and 20 otherwise. It runs a variety of club-nights every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Some are better than others... it really depends on the night. If you’re single and you are in the mood to play..corona is the place to go.  One thing I will say is that you usually have to be drinking and have a group of friends you can dance with to enjoy it.   

Krogen: This is is a student nightclub located @ Alidhem centrum. It has a dance floor and an area with tables if you just feel like a drink and a chat. It's main feature is it's kareoke nights. This is my friend Michelle drawing a crowd!

Omega: This is a student nighclub attached to Krogen but located on the otherside of Alidhem centrum It has a better dance floor than krogen and is usually good fun. They sometimes have a super cheap taco buffet on Friday afternoons which is really good. It's quite funny to eat your lunch in a nightclub! 

e-pub:  E-pub is a student nightclub located @ Universum on campus. You need a student ID to get inside and it's 18. The music is good and there is a cosy round room you can chill out in  inbetween dancing. 

NH:  This is a student pub so you need a student ID to get inside. A nice crowd, usually.  The music is varied but it’s usually mainstream pop/rock. Alcohol is cheaper than most other places. The cheapest beer is 25sek which is pretty great!

Origo: Origo is good fun. It’s located just near IKSU which is perfect if you live in Nydala. It’s quite small but it’s size adds to the cosyness when it’s packed on the dancefloor. ,

Scharinska: This is a cool little night spot located downtown Umeå. The music is good, however it is slightly more expensive than everywhere else.

Rex:  You either hate rex or you love it. Personally I think it’s great. It’s located downtown in the old town hall building. It has 3 floors, the 1^st has a small dancefloor, the 2^nd is filled with tables for chatting, and the 3^rd contains the main dancefloor. I like it because it’s a beautiful building and it’s nice to be able to walk around if you want a change of scenery in between dancing.

If you are more a fan of staying in, organize a corridor- party in your place. It's great fun, you save money..and you can just go to bed whenever you feel like it! We usually throw one once a month with a random theme. (There doesn't have to be a theme...we're just odd like that ) 


Most people hit systembolaget before it closes ( Mon- Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-15:00, Sun - Closed) pre-party before going to a nightclub and then after-party afterwards.  

I hope this helps give you an idea of what it might be like when you arrive in Umeå. Trust me, you’ll love it.

Louise :)

Where to eat

Hej everyone! Just in case you are a little hungry.. here are a few different places to eat in Umeå.

Ghandi: If you’re into Indian food go to Ghandi. It’s this charming little Indian place located downtown @ Rådhusesplanaden 17D. It’s not expensive and you can have a really good meal for about 150sek. If it’s a bitterly cold night head there with some friends and order the tomato soup. It’s liquid happiness.  Ghandi has been voted the no.2 restaurant in Umeå according to Trip Advisor.com (great website)  Sometimes it’s really empty which does take away from the atmosphere but they always let you stay and talk several hours after you have finished your meal. It’s the kind of place you can get lost in conversation. Oh...and ..the chicken curry is great.

Lotta’s Krog: Located downtown @ Nygatan 22, It’s hailed as the best restaurant in Umeå which left me intrigued to try it out. The first time I went I actually couldn’t get a seat as it was completely packed. It has a very cosy interior with lots of couches and wooden furnishings. It’s exactly the kind of place you want to find yourself on a cold winter’s evening when you want to relax and treat yourself. The creamy mushroom soup is great. (I know, I just love soup. Why wouldn’t you love soup? It’s easy to eat, it’s cheap, it’s delicious. Soup is basically for poor students like me who like to eat in restaurants!)

MAX:  Located downtown @ Kungsgatan 63This is a Swedish fast food chain that can be found all over Sweden. I really like it because it’s better quality than McDonalds (The burgers are delicious) and it’s still quite cheap, paying roughly 80/90 sek for a full meal. I’m boring and I always stick to my usual order of an original meal. (It’s really great though!) Max is best shared with some good friends on an empty Wednesday afternoon.

Rex: Located downtown @ Skolgatan, Rex is also a restaurant during the day and they do a wonderful lunch buffet. Check it out. I think the university usually host their welcome dinner for international students here, so do not hesitate to snap up a ticket. I think I had about 3 platefuls when I went.  It’s that good.

Pizza Maria: Located @ Mariehemsvägen 7. If you live in Mariehem you can choose between two pizza places, Pizza Maria or Ängen. If you ask me...both are not going to blow you away but they are definitely nice if you’re not in the mood to cook. Pizza Maria wins slightly in taste.

Mia’s Grill: Located @ Rådhusesplanaden 17 C, this is a fast food place downtown that is supposed to be delicious. Check it out.

On campus: So far the best food I have had on campus was the taco platter in the Science building. It’s also the cheapest too. Again... never order lasagne. Just saying.

Louise J

A tribute to Umeå, a tribute to Erasmus.

Hello again!

When I was planning my move to Umeå, I wanted to be as prepared as possible and so I did a bit of research about the city. I learned it has roughly 114,000 inhabitants, that it has a pretty good women’s football team, that it hosts Sweden’s biggest laserdome center and that it’s dotted with silver birch trees because of a fire that happened once. These random pieces of information didn’t really get me excited I have to say! I didn’t know if I would be happy here, or if I would meet cool people, or if I was making a big mistake coming to a really dark place in the north of Sweden as opposed to somewhere like Malta. I had to remind myself that you can never fully know a place until you live there and make it your own. You just have to go and see for yourself. 

We are all afraid of the unknown..which is why I actually only planned to stay for one semester. Then I remembered something my Dad once said to me “If you’re going to do something...do it properly”..so I did. I’m really glad I stayed for the year because Umeå changes so much through the seasons and so do you as a person.  The leaves turn red, then gold, they fall and are buried by the snow and ice. Endless amounts of snow and ice.. and then it all melts after an incredibly long time to reveal spring flowers and grass.. (by which time you will have forgotten what grass is and rejoice about being able to wear converse again!)

Erasmus is an experience that you will never forget. I have only heard positive experiences from people who have done it all around the world. It takes you out of your comfort zone and places you in an environment where you know nobody, sometimes you have a totally different language to battle with, and perhaps a confusing currency too. The best part is how you are forced to meet people you ordinarily would have never met and end up becoming best friends with them for life. 

Umeå is such a great place to go on Erasmus. No...it’s not a big city and it’s not cool in the conventional sense but it has so much to offer you. This time last year I had never seen or eaten an elk, nor had I gone skiing (and subsequently rescued by snowmobile) I had never walked on a frozen lake...or sang karaoke, I had never seen northern lights, shooting stars or rabbits show-jumping(weird I know). I had never seen such a great jazz festival, or played beach volleyball before.(it turns out I am awful)..I had never drank such a large quantity of shnaps, (go to a “Jul sittning”..you’ll find out) or barbequed a banana or went to the supermarket dressed as a superhero. I could go on..but I think you get my point. The possibilities are endless. 

It’s a really special place. People are proud to be from here and rightly so. It’s different...you’ll see when you get here. Get excited...Umeå is going to be a chapter in your life you will never forget. 

p.s (Everybody thinking about going on an exchange  should watch the film “ l’auberge espagnole” ). It's fantastic :) 

That's all from me today...hope you are having a lovely Wednesday 

Louise J :) 

Nydala Lake

Hello again!

We are pretty lucky here in Umeå...not only are we very close to the Baltic sea, we have our very own lake too! Actually one of the main reasons I chose to live in Mariehem is that I was hoping I would have a view of the lake from my apartment...and I do! Most of the occasions I saw the northern lights, I was standing on my balcony or at the kitchen window.

I’m not sure why but the northern lights usually appear over the lake. The first time I saw them me and my friend were watching t.v and suddenly out of the corner of his eye he spotted something green out of the kitchen window. We jumped up instantly, banged on all of our friend’s doors like a pair of lunatics and we all ran down to the lake together. I’ll never forget that night. It was the middle of November and we stood in the middle of the frozen lake for the very first time silent and awestruck just staring at the sky for an hour. Shooting stars were ten a minute and we couldn’t believe our eyes. It wasn’t until my hand started to fall off that I decided I better head home!

What you should know is that the shows only last for maybe half an hour/ 1 hour max. If you notice in the late afternoon/early evening that the sky is exceptionally clear and you can see the stars really well, it is a good chance northern lights are on the cards. You can check the forecast at: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/2011/04/14/3 . You will be in for a treat. I have heard from those who went on the trips to Lapland (organized by Scanbalt: http://www.scanbaltexperience.com/index.asp?action=dest&destid=51&intOpenID=19&catid=51&intOpenID2=51)  that the northern lights were particularly bright when they went. Of course luck does play a part, and seeing them is always not a guarantee.

During the winter the lake is an excellent place to spend a day having good old fashioned winter fun! Think ice fishing, cross country skiing, igloo building, snowball fighting etc.  It is always extra cold there however so do wrap up and bring some food and a thermos of something hot and delicious if you want to enjoy the day!

During the warmer months most people flock to the lake for barbeques. So many barbeques take place here it’s wonderful. In typical Swedish fashion there are public barbeque spots dotted around the lake perimeter. There you can find benches laid out along with a fireplace and to top it all off a shed stocked with firewood just begging to be used.  We usually grab a few beers/a box of wine, some meat and maybe some marshmallows and make an evening of it. 

Feeding (not scaring) the ducks is a must do. They are so friendly and curious..make friends with them! If like me...you really like feeding ducks there is a little pond just behind the helicopter pad at the hospital where they all flock to when it gets cold. You can feed a couple of hundred ducks at once..it’s simply fantastic!

There is also a place we call ‘the beach’. For those of you who hail from countries with real beaches you will laugh scornfully when you see it. It’s a tiny beach but we love it. It also has a playground which never fails to amuse us.

For keen joggers out there, the lake is a popular spot to run around as the views are often breathtaking. The sun sets on the lake every day and it’s as beautiful as they come.

Thats all from me today...hope you have a lovely Wednesday,

Louise J :) 

The Swedish Fika

Hello again!

So you might be wondering to yourself... ‘What do people do in this weird little place called Umeå’? Well i’l tell you. We study, we ski, we occasionally have a beer or two, but most of all we fika. My friends and I fika so much it should be illegal. In fact, many people have commented we live the life of a retired community in Florida.

I should probably tell you what it is and why we do it:A fika is essentially gathering up all your friends or perhaps just one special friend and finding a great cafe, a sunny bench, or a kitchen table and drinking coffee/tea and eating the most exquisite of cakes while chatting about everything and everyone and anything.  This custom will not only make you slightly chubby and an experienced chef when it comes to Swedish baking...it will also keep you really happy during the winter months.  

The winter is long and cold and dark (and wonderful in case nobody mentioned that part). Don’t worry about the lack of daylight. Regular fikas with everyone you know is a great way to maintain social contact and energy levels during the winter chill. Don’t neglect fika time!

Since I was a kid, frequent visits to Sweden have taught me that there are certain Swedish cakes you just can’t replicate anywhere else in the world. Take advantage of them and treat yourself to:

1.   

    Lussebulle:  These yellow wonders only surface around Christmas time and they are truly delicious. Eat them with some ‘Julmust’ or some ‘Glögg’ and you will be more festive than santa himself.  

2.    Kanelbulle:  These cinnamon swirls of heaven are a Swedish classic. Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee on a Friday morning to kick off the weekend.

 Princesstårta: This cake has the power to render you speechless. Only to be had when you have something to celebrate..and only to be bought from a bakery.

4.   Kladdkaka: In other words, sweet, gooey chocolatey heaven. See post on transport for a recipe (courtesy of my cake addict friend Karin)

In Umeå there are many places you can fika and i’m sure over time you will find your own favourite places. Until then, here are mine:

1.    Nya Konditoriet: This cafe can be found on the main street down town Umeå. (Kungsgatan 57 ) It has a bakery downstairs and a cafe upstairs that is super cosy

2.    Lindelhallen : This is an on campus cafe that is situated above the library. It is often used as a meeting point for many students and it always has a lovely atmosphere. Steer clear of the lasagne however!

3.   Wayne’s Coffee: This is a cafe on Storgatan 50 down town. Try the Chai Latte it tastes like Christmas in your mouth.

4.   Kafe Station: This is a cafe just next to the cinema on Östra Rådhusgatan 2.  It’s a great place to spend a couple of hours chatting and they do an excellent Lemon cheesecake!

5.    Bibliotekscaféet: This is a great place to while away several hours lost in a good conversation. It’s on Rådhusesplanaden 6 down town.

Happy Fika-ing!

That’s all from me today...hope you have a lovely Wednesday!

Louise J

Transport Related Musings

Hello again! 

So you might be wondering about the best way to get around Umeå once you arrive. Look no further!

Cycling:  One of the best things about Umeå is that cycle paths weave in and out of the city in such a well designed way that it is really easy to cycle anywhere (without having the worry of being run over by a bus.) Also an added bonus is that you can listen to music on your mp3 without major risk. A great way to start your day is listening to Daft Punk cycling down an icy hill watching the sun come up. (Okay I am never up that early but if I was that is exactly what I would be doing)

Most students invest in a bike even if they are only here for one semester.
There are several ways to go about doing this:

At the beginning of the semester there is a bike sale at the University where second hand shops set up stalls and you test them out and decide which bike suits you the best.  Although I have a sneaky suspicion that they know clueless students (like myself last year) will pay anything and so I paid 1200 for my bike which isn’t amazing and likes to habitually break itself.  If you get there early and you know what you are looking for ( thick tyres with grips, no cracks, mudguards, a comfortable saddle, gears, front and back lights, working breaks, and preferably without an annoying squeaking sound) you can get a good deal. Before you buy, I would recommend asking around to see if friends of friends etc. are selling a bike as it generally works out cheaper.

Additionally try looking on the internet - I have friends who paid 400 sek for much better bikes than mine on www.blocket.se  - a Swedish website that advertises buyers and sellers of almost anything.

 

If you are only here for only one semester or perhaps you don’t want the burden of trying to sell your bike before you leave Umeå – there is the additional option of renting a bike from ‘Campus Bikes’.  This costs approx 700 sek per semester and you receive a brand new bike with gears, front and back lights, a basket etc.  See http://www.campusbikes.se/index.html for more details

Walking:  People walk.I walk sometimes.. although the thought of the long walk to your destination makes it less appealing to go outside in the winter and you will inevitably stay inside and bake a cake instead.  ( In fact..bake this cake: It's a Swedish Kladdkaka and you will need 100g butter, 3dl sugar, 2.5 dl flour, 2 eggs, 1.5 tablespoon vanilla sugar, 4 tablespoons cocoa, a pinch of salt,  mix well, grease a cake tin..dust with breadcrumbs or flour and bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 mins.  It’s quick and delicious and everyone will love you if you give them a piece.)

Busses:  Taking the bus is for lazy people and also those who find themselves absolutely freezing. There has been the odd day where the bus has saved me from frostbite and inevitable death. It’s a little different here in that they don’t accept cash on the buses – only card. (If you have a Visa electron that is an online card and will not work.) You can buy a bus card at the bus station downtown and load it with as many journeys as you like. This actually works out as much cheaper than paying as you go. You can also pay for a bus ticket by SMS. There is a sign at every bus stop that will tell you how to do this. Umeå actually has a very special bus driver called the ‘Reggae-Bus-Chaufferen’ . He’s an enigmatic man who plays loud reggae music for his passengers. If you are lucky enough to end up on his bus you won’t be able to stop smiling like my friend Aoife here..  

Trains: If you want to head away from Umeå for awhile..you can take a train from Umeå Östra, Umeå’s train station. You can take the night train to Stockholm or Göteborg(or anywhere inbetween) it leaves every night at around 8:30pm and arrives in at Stockholm around 6:30am and Göteborg at around 10.30am. It can be pricey depending on the day and the type of seat (sitting or a bed) although there are student rates. Check www.sj.se for more information.

Planes:  Umeå’s airport is about 15 mins away from the city centre and airport buses depart directly outside the terminal after each flight has landed. SAS, Norwegian Airlines and Malmö Aviation are the airlines that fly to Umeå airport.   Tip: You can get a student price on internal flights in Sweden so don't book your journey all the way through.. you might save a lot of money. 
http://www.sas.se/en/?cep=215536&id=3 

Taxi’s: I always use ‘Umeå Taxi’  Tel: 090-77 00 00. They are really reliable and they text you 5 minutes before they arrive. Efficient isn’t it?

Thats all from me today..have a lovely Monday,

Louise J