Testing my Liver. Best 6 months of my life. I had a lovely time. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were really easy to pass if you're bothered to study - especially for international students. I'd have to say that it wasn't very intense at all. Some people studying Law only had 1 class a week. I had several lectures a week, however, it wasn't always necessary that I went to all of them.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Flogsta. If you're an international student, you have to live here. I know that when you look online there looks like there's better options. Honestly, you're in heaven at Flogsta. Nothing else is better. Just live here. It was cheap (for Australians anyway) and great for meeting people. There are regularly parties - mostly organised by the FPPC's facebook page (Flogsta Party Planning Committee). It's not really a committee, just people who want to party. Basically, you'll make heaps of friends who are also international students and you'll all live in flogsta, making pre drinking alot easier. A couple of people didn't live here when all the main party times were (e.g. Valborg or any other day of the week) and regulary had to make the journey over. Basically, it's the fact that there's a bit network of friends who live in Flogsta that will make you love this experience so much.

Eating at nations is cheap and good, but it's probably best to cook for yourself, regardless of whether or not you're rich. In my experience, the food wasn't overly good when you ate out. But living a step away from all your friends who are all from different places means that you can have dinners with them all the time and try their food!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

In my corridor, I had few Swedish friends or people who'd been there for a while previously, and they showed me around a lot. I joined a group called ekonomikum that was basically mad-ass parties that require you to consume large amounts of alcohol to enjoy the effects of it on your brain. It helps you fit in (was my excuse). When in Rome hey? Swedish people are ridiculously friendly and despite the fact that they usually speak Swedish, when they know you're around they'll either speak English or help you out. The nation concept/system was unreal. Make the most of it. It's a great place to meet people and socialize and have lunch and dinner. All of the nations are places that everyone studying in Uppsala goes regularly.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

About a 5 min walk from the accommodation was the doctors. It was a walk in system where you see a nurse first and you don't have to pay anything unless you see a doctor. It's pretty simple and easy.

There were a few creepy people around , but that exists everywhere. I'd say through things like the Flogsta facebook page, everyone came together to stop people who were causing anyone any harm - another great part of the culture you create for yourself in Sweden. At peak party time (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), make sure you look up before you walk out of a building, for there may be falling microwaves, tables, chairs, couches, tv's, printers, or general appliances falling from the roof. The police regularly patrol Flogsta for this reason, so I suppose that makes it safer than other places?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

They say Sweden's meant to be really expensive, but I really didn't find it to be like that at all. It's cheaper than Australia at least - especially if you mainly cook or eat at the nations. Food's probably less than $100 a week for me, and at home I'd spend $200 a week. The main expense was alcohol, by far. It's significantly cheaper at nations, where you'll mostly go, but it just depends how much you plan on drinking or how good of a time you want to have.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

It was fun learning a few bits of Swedish here and there when out with Swede's, but most people don't even bother to learn any of it, to be honest. It wasn't ever an issue.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• International Students

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• Local Students
• International Students

• Swedish Women
• Alcoholic experiences
• Lifelong friends

• More appliances are now needed because they were thrown from the roofs, recently
• Cleaning outside buildings on weekends because sometimes broken TV's stayed outside the buildings for days
• Less Negative Nancy attitude from Heimstaden.