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"Getting accustomed to a new culture, new habits, new traditions is indeed challenging but at the same time, brings so much fun and feels rewarding! Learning the language is a must, if you ask me. Start with the basics and you will feel much better when you can understand the cashier at the supermarket asking you whether you want the receipt or not, rather than having to switch to English. Integration might also be faster for you if you are able to speak the language, but Sweden is full of expats and you will always find someone who speaks perfect English so don’t worry about it!"
I firstly came to Sweden in 2010 in an exchange programme during my studies in secondary school. I got to live with a Swedish family for a week, follow their daughter to school and be active in a lot of the activities they have organised for us which presented a great variety of Swedish traditions and I instantly knew it… this was the country I wanted to live in! I fell in love with everything I noticed around me, the nature, the people, the food, everything seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.
When returning home, I took the decision that changed my life: I decided to focus all my efforts throughout high school on getting to study in Sweden. And this is what I did. In 2015, I started a Bachelor programme in Human Rights at Malmö University and I am now currently enrolled in my last semester in the Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation Master programme at Lund University.
Getting accustomed to a new culture, new habits, new traditions is indeed challenging but at the same time, brings so much fun and feels rewarding! Learning the language is a must, if you ask me. Start with the basics and you will feel much better when you can understand the cashier at the supermarket asking you whether you want the receipt or not, rather than having to switch to English. Integration might also be faster for you if you are able to speak the language, but Sweden is full of expats and you will always find someone who speaks perfect English so don’t worry about it!
Try to get involved in as many volunteer activities as possible, because there you get to meet new people, make friends and improve your skills. Get out of your comfort zone, travel the country, try to emerge into its culture - it is so beautiful! The country has also many hidden gems that you should definitely check out when moving here.
Life is not easy in a new country and I am sure all of you know this. But International Citizen Hub Lund is the place to turn to if you have any questions, need advice or just want to mingle with some other internationals. We are here for you and we would like to meet as many of you as possible so that we can grow our network and be better.
P.S.: In Sweden, networking is more important than anything else when it comes to finding a job :)
/ Andra Covaciu
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