Month: May 2018

When not studying and exploring Uppsala, I spend my exchange year travelling. Between the time I arrived in Uppsala and when I leave, I will have visited a total of 18 countries. I’ll share some of my experiences and tips with you.

Here are some pictures I have taken on my travels!

Shrovetide Festival – Vilnius, Lithuania

Danube River – Budapest, Hungary

Blue Lagoon – Comino, Malta

Greenwich Foot Tunnel – London, England

Paris, France – The Louvre

The Three Brothers – Riga, Latvia

Tallinn, Estonia

Summer Palace – St. Petersburg, Russia

East Side Gallery – Berlin, Germany

Modes of Transportation

– Plane
The obvious choice for travel, especially if you are travelling farther away. There are three airports in Stockholm: Arlanda, Skavsta, and Bromma. You can fly with Norwegian Air and EasyJet from Arlanda, and Ryanair and Wizz Air from Skavsta (I’ve never been to Bromma).

Getting to Arlanda from Uppsala is not complicated. You can take a bus or a train from Uppsala Central Station. Even though it is a bit longer of a trip, I always take the bus (it is cheaper). The bus (number 801) takes about 40 minutes, and costs 90SEK. The train takes about 20 minutes, and costs 210SEK (because of the station access fee to Arlanda). Both the train and bus leave Uppsala Central Station frequently during normal hours. You can buy your tickets in advance online or from a ticket machine at central station upon arrival.

Getting to Skavsta from Uppsala is a bit more complicated. My typical route is this: a train from Uppsala Central Station to Stockholm Central Station, and then a bus to Skavsta airport. This travel takes a total of about 3 hours. You can take the train for about 70 – 120SEK from Uppsala to Stockholm in about 30 – 50 minutes. The prices and times vary – I usually use the SJ InnerCity train or SJ Regional train. Once you arrive at Stockholm Central, the best way I found to get to Skavsta airport is by bus, particularly Flygbussarna. The price is 139SEK, and the trip takes 80 minutes. The bus has wifi, outlets, and air conditioning.

– Boat
From Stockholm, there are several different roundtrip cruise options (to Finland, Estonia, and Latvia). The roundtrip is a good option if you have a free weekend. You leave from a ferry terminal from Stockholm in the evening of Day 1, arrive in your destination in the morning of Day 2, depart from that destination in the evening of Day 2, and arrive back in Stockholm on Day 3. The cheapest ticket for this roundtrip option includes a cabin room – with a bed and bathroom. These typically have beds from 1 – 4 people (so if you go with other people, it is cheaper!!). I think the most I have paid for a roundtrip ferry ticket was 90€ – and that was then divided by 3 people, so 30€. You can buy food, drinks, and snacks onboard, but I usually pack a dinner and breakfast so it is cheaper. Most boats have a fun itinerary of events for the cruise – from bingo to concerts to dancing! These events are free or cheap. Two major ferry companies are Viking Line and Tallink Silja.

– Train
If you are travelling within Sweden, a train can be an interesting way to do so – usually through SJ. Depending on where you go, it will likely require one or two train changes if you depart from Uppsala. If you have the time, I would try taking an overnight train – you get your own bed! An interesting experience.

– Bus
Bus is another cheap and long option for travel. There are bus stops at Uppsala Central Station for FlixBus. I would sign up for the FlixBus email newsletter – I am always getting discounts in the mail for future trips! There are also busses through UL that take you to different cities in Sweden.

– Other
If planning trips are not your thing, there are always other options. There are some organizations that plan trips (from the transportation to the lodging) for you. One such
organization is Scanbalt ( https://www.scanbaltexperience.com/ ). They have a variety of trips, and some even pick you up / drop you off directly from Uppsala Central Station. This is also a good way to meet other people. You can read about my experience with their Lapland trip here. Another organization that organizes trips is Open Your Russia. I took their Visa Free St. Petersburg trip, and had a fantastic time. Travel and lodging were included, and a personal tour guide!

Lodging
Hostels. I would highly recommend hostels, especially if you are on a budget. Nearly every time I travel, I stay in a hostel. This usually entails sharing a room and bathroom with other people. You can request mixed rooms, or same sex rooms. The beds in a room vary – I’ve been in one as few as 6 and as many as 24 (bring earplugs – someone is bound to snore). The price does not usually include bed linens and towels, so unless you want to pay to rent them, remember to bring your own. Hostels are great environments for travellers. They usually have a common room, and a pub or bar of some sort. I have met so many cool people and made friends with people from hostels I’ve stayed in. Most hostels also have a kitchen, so you can save on eating out and just buy some pasta and veggies from a local supermarket. Hostelworld is a good database of hostels that I typically use.

Apps to Download
If you have a smartphone, and limited to no data, you might want to download a few apps before your travel.

● Google Maps – This is my number one app – highly recommend. I always make sure to download an offline map of the city I am visiting beforehand. You can also mark
different places (I always mark my hostel, the airport, and places I want to visit). You sync this with your Google account, so you can mark places on your computer, and
they will transfer to your phone!

● Google Translate – I always download an offline translation of the main language of countries I am visiting. This especially came in hand when I was visiting St. Petersburg, Russia. I went to a post office to buy stamps, but no one spoke English. I was able to communicate and buy my stamps with the help of this app.

Other tips
Sometimes, I have large gaps in my schedule, and I want to spend that time travelling. One way I figure out where to travel to is by using Google flights. I enter the date I want to depart and return, and then I can search for which places have the cheapest flights.
If you plan on travelling a lot, I would invest in an external battery charger for your phone! I have been in hostels that only have one or two outlets per room, which can be difficult when sharing a room with several other people. It also comes in hand if you will be out exploring all day, as your phone is bound to lose charge.

Wrapping Up
To conclude, if you have the chance to travel during your time as an international student in Uppsala, do it! Plan ahead and budget accordingly, and you can make it affordable. From travelling within Sweden to visiting other countries, you have so many opportunities. Make the most of your time!
Do you have any other tips for travelling as an international student? Maybe an app you can’t go without, or an object you can’t travel without? Share in the comments!

/Audra

Hello again everyone, it has been a while since the last time we talked, my bad, but the semester before graduation is always crazy, but happy to be here with you again!

This time I will share to you a pretty nice activity that you might try when you are in Uppsala; Quezzle, an escape room in Uppsala, this is a unique game where you need to solve puzzles and riddles, using clues and hints to complete a series of objectives until you can literally escape the room, but I guess the name of the game is very explicit on that.

With the #taggedforuppsala group, we went to Quezzle,  this place is great, there are two rooms, with different themes, the Pharaoh Room and the Space Room, the Game Master is Andreas, pay attention to the introduction that he gives before you enter the rooms, this could be the key to find your way out or not and by the way, do not take the torches from the Pharaoh Room, they are purely decorative, and if you take them out, it will be game over…literally it will cut the energy off the room.

We split in two teams, some went to the Pharaoh Room and the team I was part of went to the Space Room.  This was the first time I was in a game like this, and it was a really nice experience and a great opportunity to team building with my friends, I can tell you that is not as easy as it sounds, but without doubts you will have a great time there.

I can not say more on what is going on inside the rooms, that might spoil all the fun, but if you are wondering who save the galaxy and who has the last infinity stone, well you might find them in #taggedforuppsala, by the way please pray for the rest of our group, they couldn’t escape the Pharaoh Room, pretty sad, but life continues.

By the way guys, this is the last post I will write for #taggedforuppsala, I completed my studies, but I am sure new international bloggers with come next semester as it happens always in Uppsala University.  I just want to truly thank you for being part of this amazing community, for reading our posts, and keep the spirit of Uppsala University up, and if you are thinking of coming here, please don’t hesitate, it will be the best experience of your life, being part of the oldest university in Sweden, and experience the student life in a international city like Uppsala is something unique that will change you forever.

I want to especially thank, Hannah, Lina and David, they were the first people I met in Sweden (literally they are waiting for the newcomers at the airport in the arrival days), and thanks to them we have #taggedforuppsala, and their friendship will accompany me all my life.  Thank you for allowing us to be part of the rich life of the University, and try to share our experiences in Uppsala, I hope you had the same fun we do, and if you are coming, good luck, and keep on sharing.

I will miss you all, but a piece of Uppsala University will always go in my heart, wherever I go, Uppsala University representing since 1477!

See you around.

Tack sa mycket!

/Adolfo

Where to fika in Campus Gotland?
I am a student at Uppsala University’s Campus Gotland and currently putting the finishing touches to my master thesis together with my partner. Of course, this year living in Gotland hasn’t just been about writing essays but to me a huge part has been about the lasting friendships formed. One great way to do this is to have fika! It’s a favourite Swedish tradition of mine where you can sip on a coffee and munch into a kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) and let the hours pass! Especially taking advantage of påtår (free refills) of strong Swedish coffee.

There are plenty of places in Uppsala where students like to hang out for hours on end irritating the locals and staff for buying one cup of coffee and then draining the wifi, but being a student of Campus Gotland, it’s Visby where I’m based that I’m going to recommend for a fika.

Gotland is also a big tourist destination so if you’re a student at the main campus, do try and make the journey out to the largest island in the Baltic sea, you won’t be disappointed. Unless you’re looking for a thriving metropolis, then you’ll be bitterly disappointed.

Okay enough chit chat, let’s get to it. Where to have fika if you’re a student of Campus Gotland?

1. Fiket – If you’re looking for a cosy catch-up with friends

This is a lovely dimly lit café which has been a regular spot for locals for years with their nice vibes and tasty affordable lunch buffet.
Tip; Grab a couch upstairs and get cosy!

2. Hedbergs

Excellent selection of vegetarian treats and lunches with live music on Saturdays during the year.
Tip; Mind your head as you crawl into the cave beneath!

3. H10 – Get work done

A hip chic concept store come café combining Scandi aesthetic with local flavours in a bright setting.
Tip; Try the chocolate Visby cake for a decadent taste of the city.

4. Ka:feit

Friendly staff in a relaxed urban setting with big couches.

Tip; Grab a seat on the terrace and spend an afternoon people watching while it’s still warm out (they pack up the terrace as do most places, during the low season)

5. Brödboden Södertorg & Hunnelund

Tucked in just by the South Gate, this cute bakery will be sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Tip; Try their giant Semlor (a Semla is a typical Nordic cream filled pastry especially popular on Shrove Tuesday)

6. Leva Kungslador – Day trips

Approximately a 30-minute walk from the city walls this café is a beautiful spot to hang around on a nice day followed by a walk in the Södra Hällarna nature reserve.

Tip; Splurge on their Sunday brunch option for a great spread of delights.

7. Själsö Bageri

Beg/borrow/steal a bike and embark on the approx. 45-minute cycle to this bakery overlooking the sea. Failing this, head to the east gate of Visby’s city walls on the weekends where they have a van selling their freshly baked goods.

Tip; You have to try their kardemummabullar (cardamom buns) which are covered in the most tantalising glaze and the cardamom gives it a special kick.

BONUS: *Sylvis Döttrar Hembageri*

Of course, the local Gotlanders wouldn’t be one bit happy if I did a blog post about café’s in Gotland and failed to mention anything beyond the Visby area. In truth, the island has so much more than just Visby but seeing it is quite the challenge without a car (you don’t want to rely on public transport). If you make it up to the island famous for Raukar (rock stack formations) and a distinct culture where greats like Ingrid Bergman went to unwind, enjoy a well-earned Fårö specialty, saffranskaka (Saffron cake) after the journey.

Unna dig en fika!  – Treat yo’self!’

N.B. Make sure you do your research ahead of any trips as a lot of restaurants/café’s take long breaks during the low season. A note on the price, in general Sweden is quite expensive compared with most European countries, the above cafés are all similarly priced so about 40 Kronor for a coffee and 30-60 kronor for a treat.

/Daniel

One fun activity to do in Sweden is go hiking. Recently, my student nation organized a trip to hike part of the Upplandsleden. The Upplandsleden is a trail that goes all over the Upplands province. We hiked the first section of the trail, a ten-kilometer stretch from Sunnersta to Moralund. It was a fun way to meet new people and enjoy the beautiful Swedish scenery.

I did not know what kind of landscapes to expect in Sweden once the snow melted, but in general I have been very impressed. The ground is dense and mossy, and the grass is much greener than back home in Texas. Braving a cold and dark January here was worth it for such a lovely and mild May!

Our group departed for Sunnersta at around 10:20 in the morning by city bus. We arrived in Sunnersta within a half hour. We took generous breaks along our hike and reached the Moralund bus station by 3 in the afternoon, making sure to budget our time because the county bus back to Uppsala only comes once an hour. We returned to Uppsala central station at about 3:45.

I was not sure if I had such a long day of hiking in me because I was up late the night before working in my nation’s restaurant. I’m so thankful I decided to join the hike! It was a perfect sunny day and the forest was absolutely teeming with plant life. We took our lunch in a nice clearing and shared coffee and Gifflar, a staple Swedish snack for hikes and picnics. Swedes love cinnamon buns, so it only makes sense they have a portable variety! The hike attracted a lot of international students, so we reflected together on our time in Uppsala.

I had so much fun on the hiking excursion and hope more people take advantage of this beautiful trail! Anyone wishing to hike the Upplandsleden should be sure to research their path beforehand and plan how they will get there and return. The terrain is not too challenging; I am a very inexperienced hiker, but I easily kept up with the group. That said, hiking boots and comfortable clothing are a must to navigate over and around boulders, tree roots, and patches of mud. Trails are well marked with painted trees every few meters and lots of signage. Those who want a more extended hiking trip can stay overnight in one of the rest cabins along the trail. These are available to the public along with fire pits, wind shelters, and water pumps. More information can be found here. The Upplandsleden also has a mobile app, but it is only available in Swedish.

As we say in Texas, happy trails!

/Lauren