Hej everyone, my name is Amy and I recently went abroad as part of La Trobe University’s student exchange program. This is my account of the time spent there.
To tell the truth, I had always wanted to visit Sweden so when the opportunity came along to do my semester abroad at Jönköping university, it was just perfect! And I wasn’t disappointed!
Learning made fun
Studying at Jönköping felt very different compared to La Trobe. In Swedish universities, you typically do one subject at a time, and all lectures are in person. This helped me break the ice and make friends easily with other students. They also have a tradition in Sweden called the Ovve, which is basically a pair of pants that you party in and decorate with patches and drawings over the course of your time at university. The Ovve also became a great souvenir to bring home.
Exploring a new country and making friends
Outside of Jönköping, I had an opportunity to travel to northern Norway, Copenhagen, and Geneva. I also went snowboarding in the french alps which had been on my bucket list. I got to celebrate Midsommar in Stockholm, where it is light outside 24 hours a day!
Was it difficult studying in a country where English isn’t widely spoken? A little, but everyone was really nice and encouraging about learning the language. It’s not for nothing that Swedes are considered among the friendliest people in the world!
Opening up a world of opportunities
Apart from all the friendships and travel, Sweden also gave me an opportunity to network with people from the tech industry- an area of interest for me. I had the opportunity to attend the ISPO International Congress in Stockholm and was blown away by the the new technologies on display.
To summarise, I can definitely say it was one of the best experiences of my life. It has helped my personal development and has opened up new avenues for me. To anyone who is thinking of doing a semester abroad, I would 100% recommend doing it through the La Trobe exchange program. You will come back a changed person, as I did!
Interested in studying abroad? Find out more about La Trobe University student exchange opportunities.