Northern Europe
Martina Ciprová (FIR) – Vytautas Magnus University/ Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy, Lithuania
„We (me and another VSE student) have finally arrived to Lithuania. The Covid situation changed slightly and a week before our departure, new rules for crossing the borders started to apply. For us, it meant either getting a test in the Czech Republic, or a free test in Lithuania upon arriving, I chose the latter. The system here is really well done, you can just call a Bolt car with a shield and the test is taken directly from the car. Another condition, regardless of the result of the PCR test, is a 14-day quarantine. The university directly arranged a separate room for me for this period, before I could move to the dormitory. As part of this isolation, it is forbidden to leave the room, everything works through online booking.“
[January 2021]
„I chose subjects that are taught through MS Teams or Zoom, they have another relatively tragic program, but fortunately I managed to avoid that. Most of my subjects are compulsory, so there’s a lot of work, writing seminar papers and reading professional texts are required. There’s 12-15 students in most of the lectures, always a few Lithuanians and the rest are diverse foreign full-time students (including those from Afghanistan, Turkey and many other countries), so there are interesting discussions. In regards to my field of Diplomacy and selected subjects, it is completely different from having a homogenous Czech / European group.
The professors are really great, you can tell that they are at the top of their fields. Two of my subjects are taught by a human rights activist, who is originally from the Netherlands (he even got a knighthood). In addition to history and political science, he specializes in psychiatry, also in Sri Lanka and Eastern Europe. In one of the subjects, we will even be making a documentary for the local Oral History Institute in the form of an interview with people who took part in the struggle against the Soviet Union for a Lithuanian television transmitter in 1991.
Due to the current restrictions, contacts between students have been more difficult, but we are gradually creating our own contact bubble. There is quite a lot to do, but it must be done carefully, always on the edge of restrictions under the small threat of fines. I talked to the students who have been studying here for years and they have all given up on Lithuanian and really only learned a few phrases. However, I didn’t have a major problem, I didn’t even need to use a translator and somehow I always got around.
Regarding the culture shock, I haven’t really felt one. Surprisingly, you can come across products made by Czech brands in supermarkets. There was a national holiday of Lithuanian independence yesterday, so the main street lit up and there were various online events. After my first experience on Erasmus in Germany, I get a bigger shock when I get back home.“
[March 2021]
„Lithuania is a country to which one has to find their own way. At the beginning of my stay in Kaunas, everything was closed, it wasn’t even allowed to travel outside of the city. However, Lithuania opened museums and galleries relatively soon, so there were plenty of options for trips. Gradually, shops and restaurants also opened. Although we could not travel at first, the situation soon improved and we managed to see most of Lithuania, from the capital Vilnius, Trakai Castle and the surrounding forests, to the coastal towns on the border with Russian Kaliningrad, where there are sand dunes in addition to beaches. Travelling here is sometimes more difficult due to the weather, because even at the beginning of May, it can snow for several hours at a time. But that hasn’t stopped us yet, even when it was snowing into the hot tub. 😄
Lithuanian students are relatively closed off, so one probably wouldn’t meet up with them outside of online classes. But that doesn’t matter at all, due to the amount and diversity of full-time foreign students, my friends’ backgrounds are really unusual – Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Turkey, and then of course many other nationalities. Classes are online, but the groups of students are relatively small, so everyone gets to speak. In addition to tests and seminar papers, I am also working on a documentary with witnesses of the local struggle for independence.
Even though Lithuania would probably not be most students’ first choice, I do not regret my choice. It is a unique opportunity to try a completely different mentality, travel the region and experience life in a country, where you do not understand a word, but a combination of German, occasional Russian and Czech words and effort always solves everything. 🙂“
[May 2021]
Richard Georgiev (FFA) – University of Oulu / Oulu Business School, Finland
„Even in today’s day, Finland is a country that does not have many restrictions and life has not changed much here. Trying to study in Finland is definitely a great experience. The semester at the University of Oulu is divided into two periods, so it is a change compared to VŠE, when we have fewer courses in each period. Classes have been taking place online throughout the summer semester, but it does not affect the quality at all. The university is open to students, there is a lot of space for self-study, you can study or eat in restaurants and canteens. As the school is not only economically oriented, there are also various laboratories, a botanical garden and modern technical equipment. The university and professors are very helpful.
The biggest shock after arriving was the very low temperatures. In January, it was around -20 to -30° C almost every day. Incoming students have to get used to very long nights in January, which are gradually shortening and in summer the sun does not set at all. Oulu is a good area for observing the aurora borealis, which occurs most often in March, but it is not given. It is also possible to observe it from the dormitory window.
In Oulu there are many sports facilities, especially for winter sports, there are cross-country trails, outdoor skating rinks, for someone more daring, there is also the opportunity to try “ice-swimming”. Another popular activity of Finns is sauna, which is also on campus. Oulu is a seaside town with several beaches and many fishing places.
Traveling in Finland is still possible without restrictions, it is definitely worth visiting Santa’s village in Rovaniemi, a Reindeer- or Husky farm. There are many ski resorts in Lapland. It is also worth renting a car with a group of friends and touring other cities in Finland, such as Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.“
[April 2021]
Adéla Janáková (FFA) – Stockholm University / Stockholm Business School, Sweden
„I’m really satisfied at my exchange in Stockholm. Although the lessons take place online, some students (especially those on an exchange) have no problem meeting in person, and not just through Zoom, which is great. I became friends with students from other countries, mostly from Germany and Italy, but also with a few people from Sweden. I would say that, in contrast to us, Swedes are more shy and it takes longer for them to open up to others. But generally they are very nice, and I can’t praise the form of teaching enough. I’ve been here for 3 months, so I’m used to it, but I have to admit that from the beginning it was a culture shock. Stockholm is a beautiful city with a lot of nature and in general there are many possibilities even in the current situation. I saw aurora borealis and went to see a Husky farm, which is an experience I’ll never forget.“
[April 2021]
Dávid Kovárik (FBA) – Uppsala Universitet / Department of Business Studies, Sweden
„I think I’m doing very well here. Classes take place online, but that’s fine, since I’ve gotten used to it already. I see students relatively often here, I don’t know to which degree it’s legal to write it to you here, from the point of view of current restrictions, but it’s looser here. Sweden surprised me rather positively, everything seems better, but maybe I’m biased, I don’t know.
It’s a pity that the time of an Erasmus exchange is limited to only 1 semester per study, as I would like to extend it here, because it is excellent here. From what I’ve heard on the news from the Czech Republic, I would rather not return there…
There are less than 2 months left…time is going by fast.“
[April 2021]
Jan Kozák (FIR) – BI Norwegian Business School, Norway
„My Erasmus exchange in Norway is slightly different from the stay I had the opportunity to experience in 2019 as part of my bachelor’s degree at BI. However, I am very glad that I decided to go. There are some restrictions, but absolutely not to such an extent as in the Czech Republic. This gives us the opportunity to travel within Norway basically without any restrictions, which is great and we take full advantage of it as long as possible.
I connected with the outgoing students from our university right from the beginning, and although they both live in a different dormitory, we are basically still in contact. We even went on several trips together. I am also in contact with Erasmus students from other countries, also due to the way in which the master’s study at BI is taught locally, where every activity and term projects are done in groups.
Classes here have been online since the beginning of the semester, which does not bother me at all. The campus is open, so students can use the library and other beautiful areas of the school for lectures or as a meeting place for other students. For preventative reasons, the school was closed for about 2 weeks, so I had lectures at home in the dormitory. I live in a dormitory right next to the school, it’s an apartment that I share with three roommates. All three come from different parts of Norway and came to Oslo to study. It’s nice because I listen to them speak Norwegian to each other and it helps me with my Norwegian. I signed up to an intensive Norwegian language course A2 and I think it helped me a lot when trying to find my way around.
As the culture shock goes, I think that I will experience a greater culture shock when I come back to the Czech Republic, the same that happened to me 2 years ago. This is mainly due to the fact that, in my opinion, the Norwegian society is one of the exemplary model societies, so getting used to the local course was quite easy.“
[April 2021]
David Halman (FBA) – Uppsala Universitet / Department of Business Studies, Sweden
„Everything is okay. The way Covid is handled in Sweden is very pleasant… Almost everything remains open with certain restrictions (for example, a maximum of 4 people at the table) and it is therefore possible to live normally. However, classes are entirely online and it is recommended not to visit the campus and meet others unless absolutely necessary. But we, as international students, have a common community that is basically separate from the university and we do as much together as possible, which is great! We are practically in no contact with local students. At most, it is possible to come across someone accidentally in a bar, but that’s all.
I didn’t experience much of a culture shock, Sweden is very similar to the Czech Republic. In general I would say, people are nicer and more open, and the whole Sweden is slower and calmer. Classes take place in 4 periods, with the final exam of the subject always being within the period, so one usually completes the subject and then it continues onto the next one. Another thing that pleasantly surprised me is that the dormitories are very nice. It looks more like an apartment. In general, it’s great here and I think that especially in the time of Covid, it is perhaps the best place to go to.“
[April 2021]
Barbora Schmiedová (FIR) – University of Agder, Norway
„So far I would say that we are doing well, although Covid restrictions are being tightened in Norway, so compared to the beginning, sports centres have closed and we have to wear masks in closed spaces, but Kristiansand is a beautiful city full of parks and lakes, where one can go in their free time. In addition, there are many prepared fireplaces in each of the parks, where we can go for a BBQ and roast hot dogs, which is a surprisingly popular activity for Norwegians all year round, even in sub-zero temperatures. This is definitely the main thing that surprised me about Norwegians. Other surprising things would include their excellent physique. When we went on a hike to Bergen to one of the 7 mountains, it was not unusual to see Norwegians running around us with ease when we were barely walking. And most importantly, university students also have spring and Easter holidays here, so we immediately used the well-deserved holiday to explore Norway.
Unfortunately, I personally have classes only online, but some students have some subjects at the university, for example Norwegian, but it depends on the number of students in the course.
Almost all exchange students live in dormitories on the school campus in apartments of 8, and a huge emphasis is placed on group work during classes, we are not cut off from other exchange students despite Covid. We barely ever see Norwegian students, for example at the beginning at the ESN events or events of the Outdoor Association, with which we went cross-country skiing (unfortunately, these events are no longer organised due to Covid). Alternatively, you can meet Norwegian students during group work while studying (I have those only with Erasmus students).
Despite the fact that we can’t see each other physically and official events can’t be held, ESN and the International Office take very good care of us, and they organise a Coffee Session or Game Night at least once a week.
I’m seeing other VŠE students quite a lot. For example, the girls and I went on a road trip to Stavanger and Bergen together during the Easter holidays. When we climbed the famous Preikestolen, we saw beautiful waterfalls or went to the view of Bergen.“
[April 2021]
Marek Styblík (FIS) – Karlstad University, Sweden
„Although the measures in Sweden are generally very mild (we can go to cafes, restaurants, etc.), all classes take place online. The school looks very nice and modern, but I’ve only been inside once. The Swedish teaching system suits me perfectly. I only have two subjects at a time, so I can concentrate much better. In addition, I have already completed my first subject, but at the same time I started a new course this week, so the preparation will remain almost at the same level throughout the year.
The first two months were absolutely great. There was so much snow everywhere and the nature was beautiful. We often went on trips with other students, relaxed in cafes, ice skated on the local lake and played discgolf.
The main event took place in February, when we (Slovak students here and me) visited the North in Kiruna, the Abisko National Park and the Ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi. The journey there was very demanding, we drove there and back for about 18 hours. We enjoyed the whole stay in the North and the experiences and photos are definitely worth it. We also saw the aurora borealis, which was also one of the main reasons for the trip to the far North, but it was not visible enough to be shared.
After one big event in the first third of March, Covid spread throughout the campus, so we had to isolate ourselves. Most of the students tested positive, including me. Isolation was followed by the exam period, which lasted until now, so no one had much time for anything. But the situation is slowly getting back on track, so I expect April to be a much better month than March. 🙂“
[April 2021]
„My course of Covid was okay, so I was able to pass my exam. After isolating, the situation on campus began to improve, so that various activities became more and more frequent. Unfortunately, I did not manage to go to sport events (except for one football match, where two of my Italian friends played for the local team), but I managed to plan trips to other cities with the other students. We visited Stockholm, Gothenburg, Kalmar or Örebro, we also travelled through the whole island of Öland and we also went to Bullerbyn. I also fulfilled my student obligation when I successfully completed my last two subjects. Before leaving, I managed to celebrate the end of the semester with the others and say goodbye 🙂.
I consider my whole Erasmus exchange and my stay in Sweden to be a unique experience, I met a lot of great people and spent the whole semester in a Nordic country with a different culture and education system.“
[June 2021]
Jakub Hrbáč (FBA) – Umeå University / Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Sweden
„I have to admit, it’s great! It’s an indescribable feeling, returning to “normal life” during a pandemic, not having to wear a mask all the time, being able to move freely…and moreover in such a beautiful country as Sweden. We have just returned from an extended weekend at the Åre ski resort on the Norwegian border. As far as our friendship group goes, it’s an interesting mix of people from all possible corners of the world from the USA to India, I’m really enjoying getting to know people from all over the world. I got myself into a friend group of Swedes (which isn’t easy), but when one gets to know them better, they are really great and friendly people.
As far as classes are concerned, they are 100% online, because the number of Covid cases is still growing, but it is not such a problem as they have it under control. I’ve already finished 2/3 of subjects and I’m waiting for my final grade. Regarding cultural shock, I don’t think I experienced any, but one really pays a lot for everything, in terms of services, but it is to be expected. Otherwise, I didn’t know how important the “fika” was to Swedes before, I feel like they’d only eat sweets and drink coffee if they could.
It was really cold at the beginning, real severe winter with snowstorms, etc., but slowly, even here in the north, spring begins. I can’t forget to mention one of the most amazing experiences I will never forget – the Northern Lights! It’s magical.“
[March 2021]
Anna Bambasová (FIR) – University of Vaasa / Faculty of Business Studies, Finland
„Greetings from Finland! Since three of us Czechs from our university have arrived at the University of Vaasa this semester and we spend a relatively large part of our time in the same circle of friends, I’m sending information about our stay and also some photos of all of us (Anna Bambasová, Veronika Sklenářová, Martin Janoch) 🙂.
As everywhere else, we also try to fight the Covid situation as best we can here and enjoy Finland as much as possible. Although the conditions here have not been very favourable since the beginning of our stay and classes have been online, we are still doing better than in the Czech Republic, which our friend described as a “coronavirus hotspot”.
Thanks to living in the dormitories, we can spend time with other exchange students and enjoy the foreign student life that everyone always talks about. We managed to have a great group of friends, with which we organise small events, we go to nature, make campfires, cook international dinners and when the situation allows it, we will go on trips to different places.“
[March 2021]
Michal Plochý (FIR) – Jönköping University / Jönköping International Business School, Sweden
„I can’t praise my stay here enough. Sweden is a beautiful country with very friendly and helpful people. It’s as if Covid doesn’t exist here, a minimum of government measures were introduced (limiting the number of people per square meter in shops, limiting the number of people sitting at one table in restaurants / bars). The fight against Covid is mainly based on the responsibilities of individuals.
Unfortunately, classes are and will be taking place online until the end of the semester, but nobody forbids students to meet, for example in the library or group study rooms and watch the lectures together. Unfortunately, as far as contact with Swedish students goes, I haven’t had the chance to meet any. Most of the group work takes place in international groups, which is really very much emphasized by teachers (the condition is often the presence of at least three nationalities and both sexes).
Before arriving here, I would have never thought that Sweden would be a dream destination for a large number of students from Spain and South America. I live with two students from Columbia and one student from Spain + I know many more from Mexico. So I’m more pushed into learning Spanish than Swedish. Below you can see photos of winter fun with my Spanish / Colombian / Mexican friends and roommates. For the vast majority of them, it was the first time they’ve built a snowman, ice skated or even seen snow.
I haven’t experienced any other culture shocks (or they weren’t memorable enough), I learned about Sweden a lot before coming here and I read about it from various sources.“
[March 2021]
Alexandra Bačíková (FIR) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„I’m doing incredibly well. Our classes are half online and half in person. I unfortunately signed up for subjects that have been online the whole time, but I still think I made a good choice as they are all very interesting. Regarding the students, I was very lucky to meet the people I’ve met. I live on the floor with foreign and local students, everyone is friends here and we do anything we can think of together (which is according to other foreign students a rarity). On Good Friday, they showed me how the holiday is celebrated in Norway. They took me on a hiking trip and we roasted sausages and marshmallows on the top of the hill that we hiked, while competing in a quiz. On Easter Sunday I experienced traditions from southern ends. An Italian on my floor made a five-course Italian lunch, which lasted several hours.
I moved there from a different dormitory last month, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, I’m incredibly happy here. Locals are said to be closed off and not too involved in group activities. I really can’t confirm that, the Norwegians on my floor were the first people to approach me and we became friends quickly. Yesterday, one of them took me on a long hike, on which I managed to break through the ice on the road and soak half my leg, but the trip was unreal and we definitely strengthened our friendship.
I experienced a culture shock when I heard that waffles with sweet cheese are typical for Norway (tomorrow my friend and I are going to dare and try them out). And I was unpleasantly surprised by the fact that if you want to get off the bus, it doesn’t stop automatically at the stops, but you always have to ring, which I didn’t know at first, so when my quarantine finished and I was moving into the dormitory, I, of course, drove past my stop and had to carry both my suitcases back on the ice. 😀
Bergen is the best choice I could make, there’s everything you can think of, fjord, architecture, hills, sea. When I think of having to leave, I get teary eyed. I am indescribably happy that I decided to go even in the current precarious situation, I have probably never been as satisfied as I am here.“
[April 2021]
Marie Krejsová (FIR) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„I’m having a great time on the exchange. We are very lucky to be able to spend the semester in Norway, where the situation is still very good, compared to the rest of Europe. For the most part, we were even able to go to university for some of our classes, without masks and any major restrictions. Also, the campus was open most of the semester, enabling students to study there in the library or the study rooms.
We hang out with other students in common rooms or at joint events that take trips around the area. Bergen is surrounded by mountains, so without much effort, within a few minutes from the city, we can get to the beautiful Norwegian nature. For example, I had the unique opportunity to see snowy Lofoten completely without tourists. Thanks to the fact that several Norwegians share dormitories with us, most of the exchange students know at least one of them. Most of the time, however, we meet Norwegians from other parts of Norway than directly from Bergen.
I cannot say that I experienced a culture shock. Norwegians are rather closed, but when they are relaxed, they are usually very friendly, and because their English is at a great lever, you can talk to them.
I was surprised by the human and helpful approach of professors and the great diversity in teaching. Each subject is compiled very individually and emphasis is placed on the applications of theory in practice. At the same time, I find the classes more relaxed and there’s no pressure to get as many things done in the shortest time possible.“
[April 2021]
Julianna Danylyčová (FIR) – University of Agder, Norway
„We are having a wonderful time at UiA in Norway! The weather is nice and Covid isn’t making life very difficult for us. We still have classes online, but it looks like we will soon be able to go to lectures in person as well. There are a lot of foreign students here this semester, so we are constantly meeting new people.“
[February 2021]
Kateřina Turnovská (FIR) – University of Agder, Norway
„I am extremely satisfied with life in Kristiansand so far. It is a pleasant small town, surrounded by beautiful nature that also provides a lot of sports opportunities – hikes, rock climbing, beach volleyball courts right at the university, etc. Almost all foreign students live together on campus, so we always have a group of amazing people around us. Classes are sometimes a bit chaotic – for example the organisation of school projects. On the other hand, student organisations are really taking good care of us – they organised a lot of events for us, such as breakfast on Mondays, or free cross-country skiing trips. When it comes to culture shock, the worst thing is looking at prices in supermarkets. But we are getting used to it. It’s definitely worth all the other benefits of Norway! 🙂“
[March 2021]
Dominik Juriga (FFA) – University of Turku, Finland
„The situation in the dormitories is not the best at the moment, around 70 students got Covid. I got tested two weeks ago, and my results came back negative, and I got an antigen test the day before yesterday, which also came back negative. Otherwise, I am behaving responsibly and following government’s instructions. 🙂
Classes take place online, the same as in the Czech Republic, the only difference is that UTU has some exams in individual university buildings – E-exams rooms.
We try to organise trips with foreign students as much as possible, but unfortunately, I have no contact with local students, only through courses where we work in groups. It is a pity that classes don’t take place in person, but at least the university has some buildings open, where we have the opportunity to study or join lectures.
Regarding the culture shock, I was really surprised by how calm Finland is, compared to the Czech Republic, and at the same time that the Finns are quite sporty, I meet a lot of local runners every day, and cross-country skiers when possible. At the same time, it was interesting that I met a lot of cyclists in January and February, when it was around -10 degrees. And I was definitely surprised by how long the day during winter is, around 6 hours, now we have a day here around 13 hours.“
[March 2021]
Denis Krčmář (FIR) – Umeå University / Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Sweden
„My stay has been great so far, I can’t complain about anything, everything has been going as expected. Classes are online, but all professors have fully adapted to it by pre-recording lectures and so far, there have been no problems with that.
I’m in touch with foreign students, both in dormitories and at school. There aren’t many local students here, they probably stayed at home 🙂 and they take the whole Coronavirus situation quite seriously, so they probably all sit at home.
I was surprised by the people’s approach towards Covid, there are only recommendations, no explicit restrictions, but most people still take them quite seriously, wear masks even when they don’t have to and keep their distance. I was unpleasantly surprised by the prices…not much to add to that 🙂.
The photos are from a trip from Abiska, a national park on the border with Norway and about 250 km behind the Arctic Circle. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who comes here. Beautiful nature, aurora borealis, mountains, a moose tried to jump over our car twice, and many other activities (snowmobiles, dog sledding, hiking), I definitely want to come back here over the summer.“
[March 2021]
Kateřina Soukupová (FIR) – Tampere University, Finland
„I’m doing great! The situation is uncertain in Finland. Specifically in Tampere, restaurants, cafés and bars have been closed since the beginning of March. We even had the entire dormitory quarantined for 3 weeks, due to a large amount of Covid positive students among us. We have been having classes online since the beginning of the semester, so there’s no change there and one gets used to it. At the university, however, we can use group rooms, where we often meet other students, who have also had to change their environment to be more productive. We can get food in the canteen, which offers breakfast and lunch at very reasonable prices.
We meet other students on a daily basis, primarily in the dormitory, as there are more than a hundred of us living here. But it is also possible to meet Finns during various activities – running, studying, or various projects. I participated in one project myself, and here I discovered probably the biggest culture shock. In Finland, there is a lot of emphasis on individualism, so everyone puts as much energy as they want into things. Nobody forces anyone to do anything, and it depends on everyone what they will take away from the project. In the Czech Republic, it seems to me that it is very focused on “regular supervision”.
Despite some measures, we got to the famous Lapland, where we skied for 3 days and managed to see aurora borealis. Unfortunately, due to Covid, we had to leave a few days earlier. Regardless, there are many trips still ahead of us and we plan on making the most of it here. So, despite some restrictions, one can definitely fall in love with it. I am even planning on extending my stay over the summer!“
[March 2021]
Patricie Vindušková (FIR) – BI Norwegian Business School, Norway
„Preceded by one negative PCR test, my arrival to Norway went relatively smoothly. Upon arrival we had to be tested once more (within 24 hours) and then spend 10 days in quarantine in a hotel, which the university arranged for us. After 7 days, we had the option to take another test and shorten our quarantine, which we didn’t do, because we had all the comfort needed (central location, half-board 🙂). In addition, we were able to spend the quarantine outside at a distance of 1m, so we walked throughout Oslo and managed to walk 90 km in a week 🙂. The Buddy week took place online, but the university prepared many diverse activities for us (e.g. a cooking show, basic Norwegian course, competitions, etc.).
Classes take place remotely, but the campus is open to students. It’s a seven-story glass building living its own life, which immediately amazed us. There are countless places to study, but also to relax – a canteen, gym, library, cafés, etc. All lectures are very practical, based on discussions and active participation of students, which I had to get used to at first. However, the professors have an amazing approach and try to motivate and support the students, so I got used to it quickly.
Situation with Covid-19: As everywhere else in the world, the situation in Norway, and especially in Oslo, is getting worse. At the moment, with a few exceptions, everything is closed, but we do not mind, because we can still go to nature and travel freely. Wearing masks is mandatory only in cases where it isn’t possible to keep a distance. However, Norwegians are generally quite disciplined and conscientious, so masks are worn by most. We can get tested for free at one of several testing places in Oslo.
City: What I’ve come to love most in Oslo is the fact that as soon as you get off the subway, you immediately find yourself in nature and you can go on a hike, cross-country skiing, skiing or just walk around the lake. Now that the weather is warmer, we get our bikes out and ride to the nearby peninsula with beautiful beaches. In short, everything is easily accessible here.
Experiences: So far, the biggest experience for me was definitely a trip to the North of the country during the aurora borealis. A campfire on Finland’s border, at -15 degrees, under a sky full of stars, is something I will remember for a long time.
People: Erasmus students are one big group here. They go to cottages and organise campfires, where you keep meeting new people. Norwegians are said to be closed off, so at first I wasn’t hoping to get to know someone local. However, thanks to living in the dormitory, I met a Norwegian, with whom we can talk for hours over a glass (or two) of wine 🙂. In general, Norwegians are inquisitive, nice and very helpful – or at least those I managed to get to know better.
Fun Facts / Culture shocks:
- Norway is an expensive country, no doubt about that. Especially the first month here before I figured out, how things work here, my wallet was in constant shock.
- You can easily buy reindeer steak, fish pudding or caviar in a tube in supermarkets, but getting cottage cheese or flour is a bit of a mission impossible.
- Opening hours. Unlike the Czech Republic, shops are closed on Sundays. And you can’t buy beer after 8pm on weekdays and even after 6pm on Saturdays.
- As soon as you approach a crossing, even from 2 meters away, cars will immediately start stopping and letting you go. And it is quite possible that it will be an electric car, which are driven more in Norway than classic cars.
- If you have a well-established daily routine, the Norwegian weather will be happy to throw it out of the window. At the beginning, the sun was rising after 9am, and the sunset was at 15:30. What will be even more interesting, that in the summer, sunrise is at 4 am and sunset is at 11pm.
- The last fact that pleasantly surprised and amused me at the same time, has to do with traditions. Every Christmas, Norwegians watch our Czech movie “Tři oříšky pro Popelku”. What makes it amusing is that all the characters are dubbed by only one dubbing artist.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that I am really grateful for this opportunity. Erasmus allowed me to escape the chaos in the Czech Republic and find inner peace again.“
[March 2021]
Karin Nemcová (FIR) – University Consortium of Pori (Turku School of Economics), Finland
„At the beginning, I was very worried about social life, because there are only 4 Erasmus students here, but the program prepared for us by Finnish students is very rich. Every week we were basically together whether it was a dinner, movie night, sauna, ice swimming or barbecue in winter. I was very surprised by the strong student community they have here. Very often they have different theme parties organized by students from different faculties with the support of the school. The measures at the beginning were minimal. What limited us the most was that we could meet in a group of max 10 and then 6 people. Teaching was online all the time. One subject was supposed to take place in a hybrid form, but unfortunately the covid situation just got a bit worse and the subject was taught completely online. Even though we met in small groups all the time, I definitely learned a lot about life in Finland, the Finns and their student life.“
[April 2021]
Adéla Fassmannová (FFA) – Tampere University, Finland
„The weather in Finland has finally started to be nice (and without snow), so we are out as much as we can. The semester is divided into two periods, so I have already completed two courses and I am currently studying other two (thanks to the online teaching I also enrolled in courses from VSE). I have both courses as an independent study, so I have classes recorded in the system and I write essays. I have no exam in any subject except Finnish, all subjects are completed with essays, which suits me much more. Also, the classes I had in the first period of the semester were much more interactive and very interesting.
In Finland, the lockdown ended yesterday, and bars and restaurants reopened, but only until 18:00. However, restrictions still apply here until 30.4., like gathering up to 6 people max. Despite the covid, I am very glad that I went on Erasmus, because there were more options what to do than in the Czech Republic. In addition, I live in a dormitory with 120 other international students, so you are never alone here. Unfortunately, we just have a closed common room in the dormitory due to the covid, where we used to eat together. We hope that after 30.4. they open it again. As for the Finnish students, so far, we haven’t had much opportunity to meet them because of the covid, but thanks to the weather that is now, we’ve finally made friends with some Finns outside.
Anyway, you can still travel around Finland and we skied in Lapland in February, which was great. So far, I have also visited Helsinki, Turku and Jÿvaskyla. We are planning a trip to Estonia in May. Since I was positive for covid at the end of January, I have no problem with traveling with a certificate now. I am also sending a few photos with my friends, the sunsets that are beautiful here and the aurora borealis from Lapland. Finland is my second Erasmus and I must admit that I enjoy it just as much as the first one. Getting to know people from all over the world and also living in another country for 5 months is an indescribable experience.“
[April 2021]
Tomáš Vrána (FFA) – TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology / School of Business and Governance, Estonia
„Despite the continuing coronavirus situation, I enjoy my stay in Estonia as much as possible. From about January to the beginning of March, everything was open (restaurants, bars, museums, bowling). Public events and activities were allowed, so I met many foreign students there. Even though the restrictions are now tighter, we do trips with other Erasmus students from the dormitory every week. We found out that there is much to see in Estonia!
First of all, I like Tallinn. It is a quiet and cosy city the size of Bratislava, where you can experience a lot. For example, right next to the university there is a nice area for cross-country skiing, many opportunities to go to the sauna / whirlpool or a nice beach (but till the end of May only for the hardened :-D). I am always impressed by the nature in national parks or islands that are not crowded with tourists.
Teaching is completely online. I have been to school twice since the beginning of the semester. I was hoping that F2F teaching would start during the semester, but now, after the half semester, I don’t think so. On the other hand, they are used to digitalization and online classes run without any problems. I find interesting that in addition to Erasmus students, I also meet local students in my classes, with whom it is a pleasure to do teamwork.
I had coronavirus here during my stay. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and I just had to go through a 10-day quarantine. The good news for me was that with the Estonian ID card, in addition to public transport, testing is also free – and following the instructions on the website, you can easily find out whom to call.“
[March 2021]
„Spring is slowly approaching here and the weather corresponds to that. There are nice nights watching the sunset at half past nine in the evening.
The semester still continues online, however, it will be over in a week and a half, and I am just waiting for the final grades for three of my five subjects. This allows me to travel more and get to know the surroundings – I recently returned from an eight-day road trip around Sweden. The visit was definitely worth it, both in the Scandinavian countryside and in the bustling cities. I was surprised that no one in Sweden really deals with Covid and everything works normally, except for part-time working hours (e.g. restaurants and bars in Gothenburg).“
[May 2021]
Petra Kubatíková (FIR) – ISM University of Management and Economics, Lithuania
„Unfortunately, teaching is and will be online until the end of the semester. So far, however, I am very satisfied with the level of teaching itself. The professors are experts, so the whole teaching is practical.
I was also very satisfied with the Welcome Week, because many of the lectures were useful and very interesting. On the other hand, the beginning of the semester seemed quite chaotic to me. In general, I think that study coordinators focus more on bachelor’s students than on master’s. I didn’t have enough information, so unfortunately, I missed the first week of class. In short, no one has informed us that the masters start / or can start teaching in the same week as the Welcome Week. This was an unpleasant experience, but otherwise I can’t complain, they are all very accommodating and I would evaluate the teaching at a high level.
I am in contact with the foreign as well as local students, but 90% of them are mostly foreign students. I am also in more contact with students from other universities, because I have not yet met many exchange students in my classes at school. But it is also due the fact that I am a master student, and I would say that the other exchange students are more likely bachelors. I’ve met the students I’m in contact with at events organized by the university or through my roommates or through social networks and other support groups.
And as for culture shock, I must say that, in general, Lithuanians do not show much emotions and they do not make eye contact with you. Especially in shops and on the streets, you may notice a distinctive so-called poker face. This is also a distinguishing mark that they are Lithuanians. But I cannot say it’s bad, I take it as an experience. On the other hand, I feel like home here. Many places remind me of Prague or another European city. In most cases I was always able to communicate in English or with my hands. Maybe another minor shock was the weather – the harsh winter at the beginning of the semester, but you can get used to everything.
So far, I am doing very well. I certainly do not regret that I decided to go through this experience. I believe that I will earn from it in the future, and I will be happy to remember this stay. I hope that with the approaching summer, it will also be possible to travel and get to know more. It was not possible to leave Vilnius without a justified reason until April. But the borders are open again. As well as museums / touristic sights / shops.“
[April 2021]
„At present, the situation is calm here. Vaccination goes well and above expectations. Therefore, there are not too drastic measures in place. There is still a limited number of people who can meet, but on the other hand, we can travel around Lithuania, visit touristic sights, museums and go to the gardens of restaurants / bars and enjoy beer without a test or vaccination. 🙂
Teaching and exams are still online, but the university tries to be in contact with us all the time. They organize various events thanks to which students can get to know each other better. For example, we recently had a guided tour of hidden places in Vilnius. With the weather, it is a bit unpredictable. I would say – in Lithuania you just never know what you can expect. But I think that the temperature’s swings are perhaps all over Europe this year … In conclusion, I would like to add that I am very happy that I’ve decided to go on Erasmus (despite the unfavourable situation), because thanks to that I met many great people! 🙂“
[May 2021]
Emma Dědová (FBA), Linnaeus University / School of Business and Economics, Sweden
„I’ve always wanted to study abroad therefore the Erasmus program was a clear choice for me. Even though I was really excited about my stay in Sweden I was still worried a lot. I think one of the most helpful things in the beginning was the fact that I had got in contact with two other girls from VŠE before we left. So we went together through everything, it was an incredible support and also it encouraged me to leave for real.
Honestly, I didn’t come here with any expectations. The spring semester started in the middle of January, so since I made my decision to participate in the Erasmus program I just went step by step through all the administration work and had to finish Czech exams very early due to this I had no time for panicking or overthinking about the whole trip.
Starting with the school experience, compared to the Czech school system there’s nothing to do here and we have plenty of free time. Each semester is divided into four periods and in each period you study only one max two courses. At the end of the period there’s a final exam, which usually takes four hours, sometimes you even have a few days to write your exam. Which is really chill unlike in our country. The exam usually consists of six questions. For each question you basically just write a small essay about 200-400 words. Maybe it’s just because of online schooling, but the teachers even suggest to you to use the literature and all course materials during the exam. If you fail the exam, you have four more tries. I took the first two courses from the faculty of business and economy and we were over a hundred students in each course which didn’t really suit me. It was really impersonal.
However, I met people from the Tourism program who I went really well with and I decided to change my program so I could be with them in the class. We already had spent most of the time together so after we became classmates it just straightened up our friendships. So it was just us three Czech girls and fourteen Swedish people in our class. It was really nice, while working on our group projects we could meet in the library or at someone’s place and study together.
Teachers are very open, most of them have no problem with the communication. In the beginning of every course, they just gave us their phone numbers to call them whenever we needed to. They’re called by their first names, no formalities at all. The system is very relaxed.
My accommodation is provided by the school, I live in a shared apartment with two girls. One of them is from Belgium, the second one from France and we get on very well, with Julie. We’ve already made plans to visit each other during this summer, which is one of the pros about Erasmus. You meet new people from all around the world and can make connections with them.
After one week being here, we got the opportunity to meet other exchange students. Most of them were already here for some time and they were really convinced that Swedish people are hard to meet, cold and uncommunicative. My point was mostly get to know Swedish people and culture, so this was a disappointment for me. However, we met a German girl, who is really nice and kind of the same vibe as we were, which made us very happy. Our group of four girls became inseparable and we’ve established a true friendship.
Only two weeks later, we met a Swedish group of people who were in the same class as Kristyna. Slowly, we’ve developed a strong friendship with them as well. We spent most of the time together, since Kalmar is a small town there’s not that much to do, but we always brought some new ideas for instant picnic, playing typical Swedish game padel, bowling or we were just hanging out, listening to music and dancing. Thanks to them we discovered that Swedish people are kind, friendly and can be fun. It just takes some time to get to know them, before they open to you. However, we shared the same interests and got on very well, there were some features of their behaviour which were bothering me sometimes. One of the most used social media is Snapchat here, but people are overusing it in my opinion.
Every time we had to solve something they tried to avoid the communication in person and all of it went through Snapchat, which was really uncomfortable for me since Czech people are very open to straight communication. So their habit to avoid the confrontations and negotiations sometimes cost a small tension between us, but anything we couldn’t get over. Their culture is very tolerant, open and they don’t judge people because of their nationality, gender etc. Which was the fact that made me feel like at home sometimes because we were accepted just as we are and no one was annoyed by the fact that they had to speak English in front of us or something.
Since we made friends mainly with people who actually live here, my Erasmus experience was slightly different than the others I guess. But there’s nothing I’d change about it. To be honest, I’m really happy that I got the opportunity to see how normal life of Swedish students works, how they’re and also I could experience a lot of their attitudes, habits and opinions which formed my opinion on Sweden. Actually, in a good way, therefore I’m considering studying my master’s degree in Sweden!“
[May 2021]
Tereza Klementová (FBA) – Hanken School of Economics, Finland
„I’m incredibly happy here, and although I ended up here by accident (I was supposed to be in Hong Kong), I don’t regret it at all! I guess everything is happening for a reason. 😊
Hanken takes really good care of us, I have no objections. From the very beginning, they were in contact with us, they responded quickly and overall, they were very helpful. They arranged a taxi for all of us from the airport and we also received a package with some small snacks at the beginning. They even ordered a free pizza for us three times, just like that!
Unfortunately, we have the school online from the beginning, but the teachers are really trying to give us the material as best they can. Compared to the VSE, the semester is divided into 2 smaller semesters of 6 weeks with different courses in each, which was a bit of a problem for me at first. It took me a while to get used to the fact that a work on a group project starts in the 2nd week of the semester, not at the end in the 13th week. 😊
The Finnish education is considered one of the best ones and I finally understand why. The emphasis is on understanding the subject, not on the grades or memorizing something that is forgotten immediately after the exam. We do a lot of group projects. The requirements are much higher than at VSE. We also write so-called “learning diaries”, in which we record our personal growth, thoughts, ideas, simply everything that went through our heads during the lectures. I wouldn’t say it’s harder here, but it is for sure more time-consuming.
When I arrived, I had a completely normal life (except the online school and face masks indoors) – cafes, pubs, bars, everything was open. Unfortunately, the situation is getting worse here now, so we’ll see what happens. Luckily, I live with other exchange students, whom I see every day, so I have enough social contact. We are a great bunch of people and we always come up with various trips and events. I was surprised that the Finns are also very friendly, even though it’s being said they are closed and solitary. Those I’ve met are exactly the opposite. I already know that we are together not for the last time. I’m surprised how strong friendship could be established in such a short time.
The Finns are very disciplined, and therefore we do not have any official events organized by a student organization. But they try to be in touch with us and do their best. For example, thanks to them, we went on an unofficial trip to the Lapland, which was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life that I will never forget. We saw aurora borealis, skied, visited a reindeer farm, rode a dog sled, scooters… 😊
To this day, we have a winter and tuns of snow, although we are in the capital! Until the last week, we were able to walk on the frozen sea without fear. In January, we had up to -30 degrees. I was frozen in my warm-ups with 10 underpants, while the Finns were dressed normally and even bathed in the sea (without a sauna) – that was probably the only culture shock for me. But I’ve already tried the ice-bathing too and it’s great!“
[March 2021]
Michaela Padrtová (FBA) – Hanken School of Economics, Finland
„My exchange at Hanken in Finland is absolutely awesome! I am extremely glad that it happened despite the situation. I have been in Helsinki for almost 3 months now and I really enjoy my Erasmus. We had many trips around Finland with a group of friends, because traveling outside of the country is relatively difficult today. We visited Levi, Turku, Tampere and many national parks.
Helsinki and Finland surpassed all my expectations. I also managed to visit a few pubs there before the national lockdown. I live outside the city centre, where a lot of other exchange students live (including Tereza Klementová from VSE, whom I also met here), so we organize various events together. Although large student events are officially forbidden, the so-called “tutors” (Finnish students from Hanken) often meet with us or organize smaller events and trips for Erasmus students, so we often meet with the locals as well.
Unfortunately, the school is online, but we still have a lot of teamwork and the teaching is very interactive. The learning style is a bit different from VSE. It pays more attention to self-study, reflections from the acquired knowledge and examples from practice. Although we do not have a full-time teaching, I must say that I enjoy the lessons. I have very interesting subjects such as Market Research and Analytics, Human Resource Management or Artificial Intelligence and Digital Marketing.
In general, Hanken takes very good care of us, we already had 3 “free pizza Fridays”, when Hanken ordered and brought us pizzas to our accommodation. Our coordinator Towa is absolutely amazing. She replies fast and is incredibly kind and helpful. I couldn’t find a better exchange university, especially now in the time of the corona.
When I learned that in Finland are 3 million saunas for 5 million people, I thought it’s silly, and it must be exaggerated. But it’s really unbelievable how much the Finns love saunas! We also have a free sauna available in our accommodation. I must say that I am getting used to it and I will miss sauna in the Czech Republic.“
[March 2021]
Petr Jindřich (FIR) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„If I speak for myself, I have a great time here! After a month in Norway, I’ve changed my priorities and way of life. Unfortunately, we have the school online (except for 1 course, when we are physically at school – I would not believe that, but I have never been happier to be back at school).
We live in a student dormitory. It’s kind of a “bubble” mixed of Erasmus and local students. There is a common room where all international students meet, so it is not a problem to have fun together. I personally share the floor and the kitchen with one girl from Germany and 3 Norwegian students. However, Norwegians are not that social, they are introverts – this is also the reason why they manage the pandemic so well (large distances, many of them are really at home, they trust the government, etc.). You must give them time.
But I already have deep conversations with one of my roommates, it’s no longer just a small talk. Norwegians need to find out that they can trust you and then they “let you in”. It has its disadvantages, but also one huge advantage. When you start to talk together more, you gain a real friend, and when Norwegians ask you how you are, they ask because they really want to know it. That was quite surprising for me.
The weather – for the first month, there was no rain at all, but then came the typical weather for Bergen – rain. Well, the online teaching seems like a big advantage – lectures are recorded, so it is not a problem to start a lecture at any time. That means, when the weather is nice, we go out, when it is not, we learn. 😁
Regarding the life in Norway during the covid, I feel as if there is no covid. Yes, we had a lockdown, but we didn’t miss anything. The common room was not closed, the shops were open, the gas station where we go for really good coffee was open, the fitness centres were also open.“
[April 2021]
Jan Březina (FIR) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„At first, I have to immediately reveal that I am absolutely excited, and I regret that I did not spend a semester abroad during my bachelor’s studies.
The teaching takes place in an online form, however, one of my courses is taught at school, which is great. Upon arrival we had to spend 10 days quarantined in a hotel, which was really nice, and although there was terrible food, everyone still felt like they were on vacation.
At the beginning, I was a little afraid that there would be fewer foreign students, because during the online welcome week we were divided into very small groups and because many students didn’t arrive. However, after I came to the student dormitory, all worries disappeared. I share a kitchen with Norwegians and foreign students. “My” Norwegians are even very communicative, although it is still more about conversation than activities. But with the foreign students we do a lot of events and trips.
The fact that the lectures are online does not mean that it is difficult to meet new people. There is a common room and a group where you can just leave a note, whether someone wants to join you for a hike / trip or another activity.
Norway is an amazing country and I have seen a lot of its beauty (I was absolutely fascinated by the aurora borealis, which was always my dream to see). And we are just in the middle of our stay. I was also very surprised how the locals eat, because the most popular dish here is tacos.
Unfortunately, it rains a lot here. The fact that there are mostly students from Europe is also a small negative. And of course, Norway is very expensive. But I don’t regret that I chose this destination, not even for a moment. The covid situation – facemasks are recommended in stores, but more or less all services and stores are open.“
[April 2021]
Kamila Pavlíková (FFA) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„We are all happy here, even though it is raining a lot now. We have lectures online. We have only one course at school, which we all enjoy. Thanks to the fact that almost everything is online, we can at least travel more and get to know Norway. Compared to the Czech Republic, there is a minimum of cases of coronavirus, and therefore there are almost no measures. Tha facemasks are not mandatory if it is possible to keep the distances and everything is open, including restaurants and bars. It’s a pity that their visits are quite expensive. 😊 When I read about the situation in the Czech Republic, I’m really glad that I decided to leave.
I would say that there are slightly fewer foreign students this semester. Mostly students from Europe came. But I wouldn’t say that it is harder to make new friends, because most of them live in the dormitories right next to the school and it is not forbidden to have a dinner together. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a place in dormitories, but I live in a private apartment with Norwegians. In the end, I’m happy for that, because my roommates are great, and if I had lived in a dorm, I certainly wouldn’t have had so much fun with the locals. Norwegians are a bit introverted…
What surprised me are the Taco Fridays. Regularly, at least once a week, usually on Fridays, Norwegians prepare tacos for dinner together. Well, and the recipe for making friends with Norwegians: bring a cheap alcohol from the Czech Republic, and get them drunk. 😊
It is sad that we can’t stay here longer. Our stay is slowly coming to its end and none of us wants to go back to the Czech Republic yet.“
[March 2021]
Berta Šimonová (FBA) – Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway
„My exchange abroad is great! Unfortunately, the lectures are online, but I have already had the opportunity to have at least one hour in an offline mode, which was a great experience. I am mostly in contact with foreign students, as I do not have any course with local students. A culture shock was not a problem, and everything is fine. What surprised me was how the Norwegian people follow all the government’s recommendations regarding covid-19. They are trying to do everything to get to a normal mode as soon as possible. There are also very nice people in the shops and at school.
So far during this semester, we have already gone on a trip to Troms and we are also planning other trips for the next few weeks. Luckily, there are no such strict measures in Norway like in the Czech Republic, and because we have lectures online, we want to use this time to discover different places in Norway.“
[March 2021]
Kristýna Štěrbová (FIR) – Linnaeus University / School of Business and Economics, Sweden
„Before I arrived, I was a little worried that it would be difficult to get to know other students, especially the locals. But I was lucky and there were only Swedes in my course and there were 14 of us in total. In the first lesson we were divided into groups, the same day I met my group in the library to start working on the project. We became friends very easily, thanks to them I got to know my whole class and we go out and to parties together. I have heard everywhere about the Swedes that they are very closed, and it is difficult to get to know them. But this is not like that at all. Basically, I only talk to the locals, not the other exchange students. The school is online from the beginning, but usually we all meet in the library, so our contact is never interrupted. I even found a boyfriend here, a Swede 🙂 it was really, really unexpected.
In my free time I walk around the city with friends, we go jogging, to cafes, for a beer, shopping. We try to do other unusual activities, such as international dinners with our friends from other countries, picnics, brunch, movie nights. In the near future, I would like to go play padel with my Swedish friends, which is very popular in Sweden. From other cities besides Kalmar and Öland, I have visited Malmö, Helsinborg and Lund so far and I am going to Gothenburg.
The biggest difference from the Czech Republic are certainly higher prices in shops, mainly the prices for bread, cheese, meat and alcohol differ significantly from the Czech ones. The public transport is also very expensive, so we mostly walk everywhere. But otherwise, everything is absolutely great. All shops are open, museums and cinemas as well, but only 8 people can go into them at once. The facemasks don’t have to be anywhere. The life continues here as if there was no pandemic. Another shock was that EVERYONE does sport here. Either running, walking the dogs, or riding a bike. It is very nice to see so many active people.
I am very happy that I applied for Erasmus and went to Sweden, where no lockdown took place, and the restrictions are really mild. I definitely don’t regret my decision to leave, and I am sure that I will never forget these 5 months. It’s the best thing that could have happened to me.“
[March 2021]
Eliška Landová (FBA) – Linnaeus University / School of Business and Economics, Sweden
„We are all doing fine here. The measures are not that strict in Sweden, and in a smaller town like Kalmar it’s really cool. The restaurants and stores operate normally. But of course, there are no big cultural events, for example.
The school is still online, and I don’t expect it will change. It is possible to visit the campus and the library, which we do at least for group projects.
I am in contact with other students mainly at the accommodation, where you can meet almost all students in one place, mainly in the common areas. The ESN Kalmar holds occasional online meetings and now they are planning something in nature to celebrate Easter. 😊
I guess nothing really surprised me in Sweden. People are very nice; they have no problem to help.“
[April 2021]
Klára Koluchová (FBA) – Linnaeus University / School of Business and Economics, Sweden
„The first week in Kalmar was in the spirit of preparing for the new semester and settling in. Kalmar is a small town by the sea, but it is very beautiful and cosy. With the help of our buddies, we managed the settlement easily and quickly. As soon as the lessons started, even though they were online, we started to meet students from all over the world. In the breakout rooms, we passed contacts to each other, and we started meeting with those in Sweden both in cafes and in the new university library. I even visited students from Växjö, whom I met on a Swedish course. The ESN Kalmar organizes various online events for students, such as Speed Friending or quizzes.
Even though the lessons are online, we managed to find friends here with whom we prepared, for example, an international dinner, we celebrated the Semlor day together and we visited Öland. The teaching system is different here. The semester is divided into four parts and only one course is taught in each part. It was new for us at the beginning, but it’s nice to focus on one topic and one course. The big advantage is certainly that we still have the library open, as well as cafes, where we prepare school projects with other students.
Time is running out very quickly and we are enjoying it here as much as we can. We still plan to organize a campfire by the sea, an Easter brunch and a visit to Stockholm.“
[March 2021]