Sweden is a country where almost everyone can speak English. So why bother to learn Swedish? Edina Varnagy from Hungary managed with English for a whole year but then found that Swedish could open doors — to a job, a social life and greater understanding. When Edina Varnagy, 39, arrived in Sweden she had no…
Skiing in West Sweden
It’s not a hub for skiing and winter sports, but our part of the nation does have a few ski slopes that open when the weather conditions are right. Here is Göteborg Daily’s quick guide to skiing in West Sweden: NOTE: make sure to check the slopes’ snow status on their websites before you go…
Finding a place to stay – tips for international students
Like many European cities, Gothenburg struggles with a student housing shortage. And yes, finding accommodation here can be challenging, particularly as an international. Göteborg Daily met up with Boplats Student Room Coordinators Moa Frödin Gruneau and Ellen Jingrot for some advice on finding a place to stay. According to Moa and Ellen, students who have…
If you want to talk to a Swede just talk about the weather
Colombian student Andrés Cuaràn, from Bogotá, was already drawn to Sweden for some time before he had the chance to come study here. “I’ve been in love with Sweden for a long time, firstly it was the music: my family like a lot of rock and metal music. There are a lot of bands from…
Feeling at home and getting over culture shock
Student life. Moving to a new country is exciting and fun, but it can also at times be a challenging transition. Getting to know a new culture and society takes time and before you start to feel at home you will most likely have felt the effects of culture shock. For some tips on how…
Quiet Swedes, surviving winter and a housing tip
Julie Boué (right) and a Swedish friend, on campus at Chalmers Göteborg Daily meets Julie Boué and Federica Bergamino, two of many internationals that have migrated north for their education. Both are studying at Chalmers in Sweden’s second city Gothenburg. ”It’s very good, it’s a bit rainy. But we were quite lucky actually in the…
How a Gothenburg student became an important voice from the Middle East
Freelance writer and journalist, Afrah Nasser, sits down and explains that it’s been a long day. “The end of the semester is always the hardest,” she says. Judging from her list of accomplishments, it seems the 29-year-old Nasser thrives on long days. A self exiled, political refugee, from Yemen, she has been residing in Gothenburg,…
Scholarships – what’s out there
It can be expensive to study abroad, but there is help to be had if you know where to look. Both the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology offer scholarships specially designed for students from outside the EU/EEA area. Here’s a quick guide to scholarships for the academic year 2015/2016. Chalmers offers a…
Job hunting in West Sweden
Learn Swedish, be proactive and don’t give up. These were some of the main advice presented to internationals looking for work in West Sweden during the seminar ‘Create your career path’, held at the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce on Monday. The importance of learning Swedish came up time and again during the seminar. Even…
Student life: finding accommodation
You have applied and been accepted; you are moving to Gothenburg! Your next step most likely involves the search for accommodation. It can be difficult, but definitely not impossible. A good idea is to start early. This gives you plenty of time to find something, and the queuing system in Gothenburg is organized so that…