Living Lund

Heya - I am coming to Lund this August and was wondering how easy it would be as an British national that can not speak Swedish to find part-time employment? Thanks

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:10:45 +0200

Hey! Unfortunately it is really hard to find a job if you don’t know Swedish. That’s what we experienced…However, the alternative is to work at one of the student nations. That brings you the perk of having free dinners from time to time.

Besides this…Maybe you could ask at the IHO if they need help, or at the university library.

Good luck!

hey, I had some questions I wanted to ask you about Lund. I'll be studying there next year, and wanted to know what specific housing I should apply for. Is there a certain one thats more social and fun? Im still deciding between spending 1 or 2 semesters. Do you think one semester is enough to get the full experience of the school and the country, or would an added semester would make the exchange even better? Your blog is great btw, very helpful. any advice you could give me would be great! :)

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:11:24 +0200

Hey! thanks for the compliments, we are glad you found the blog useful. concerning accommodation, one of the most lively places is Delphi. There are the most parties. However, it can be a bit hard to study sometimes. But you don’t have to worry about it, anywhere you live, it’s very easy to get to Delphi and party when you want to :)

about the number of semesters…1 semester could be enough for partying, but if you are lucky and meet great people here, you’ll probably find it difficult to leave and will want to extend your stay. maybe you can just decide along the way. it is different according to who you ask. we had a lot of fun here and annoyed this year at its fullest. however there are also some (rare) cases when people can’t wait to leave, cause they didn’t adapt that well. But it’s up to you how much you want to enjoy it here.

for more info on the accommodation:

http://livinglund.tumblr.com/post/17608680385/delphi-klostergarden-private-house-or-a-nation

Planning for the summer? Looking for internships?

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:51:20 +0200

After a long weekend, its time to get back to business :)

You enjoyed great Easter time with your family and friends and went crazy on the chocolate eggs, but now you have another week ahead of you to plan for….THE SUMMER. Wait, don’t forget we’re talking about “business” in the summer, meaning also a bit of work combined with a bit of fun.

The Association for Latin American Affair (ALAA) in Lund has just the right event for you.

Why stay in Europe when you can go somewhere more exotic for your dream internship? If Latin America sounds as an amazing idea to you as it does to us, then you have to join us this Wednesday in ALAA:

https://www.facebook.com/events/374305959275993/

This is an event organized in association with AIESEC and Svalorna Latin America aiming to help you get an idea of what this experience can mean to you and also help you get started. Join it for an inspiring discussion, ideas, dreams and opportunities, together with great fika.

See you on Wednesday at 7:00pm in Lunds Samhällsvetarkår (Paradisgatan 5S, 223 50 Lund, Sweden). Bring your friends!

The perfect dessert for a BBQ in Lund

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:37:01 +0100

Spring is coming to Lund and the first BBQs have been spotted at Delphi. So, to get you into the BBQ mood, we have prepared an easy and unbelievable delicious BBQ dessert recipe: grilled chocolate bananas.

For 4 persons you need:

4 bananas
200gr dark chocolate
vanilla ice cream
aluminum foil

Here is what you do:

slice the banana on one side
put small pieces of chocolate into the slice
wrap foil around it
put on the grill until the skin is black and the chocolate and banana are melted (approx. 8-10min)
serve with ice cream
enjoy!

Rock Copenhagen!

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:22:17 +0100

If you love music as much as we do, then you shouldn’t miss the Tivoli Fredagsrock. From 13^th of April on, the Tivoli park in Copenhagen is having a concert each Friday night featuring many famous Danish and international singers/bands like “The Storm”, “The Cardigans” and “Medina”, playing everything from Reggae to Pop and Dance. It’s a great way to discover new music and enjoy the Nordic spring/summer. The best thing is: it’s cheap! You only pay the normal entrance for the park: 95 DKK for a day ticket (before 8pm) or 260 DKK for a season ticket. As the Fredagrock concerts are always very popular, make sure to be there in time. We recommend you to spend a nice day at Tivoli and then enjoy the concert in the evening, warm ups start around 19h and the concerts at 22h. Got to Tivoli Fredagsrock to find more information and Spotify playlists. Enjoy!

(Image Tivoli Fredagsrock)

Get serious or go home

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:33:25 +0100

Well, that’s very much applicable when, as a marketer, you disregard social media.

So why not avoid this sad situation and use social media to thrive instead? Don’t miss today’s lecture on the topic, where you can get valuable insights from great speakers and social media specialists.

Starting time: 14:00

Ending time: 17:00

Location: Crafoord Hall, School of Economics and Management

Don’t worry, drink coffee! :)) Probably...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:22:16 +0100

Don’t worry, drink coffee! :))

Probably that’s what Bob Marley would say to students :P

Studying hard or hardly studying? Some of the best places for studying

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:00:00 +0100

Just when you’re expecting everything to blossom and to have long walks under the sun, it’s actually time for hard studying. Well, to make it easier for you we thought of providing some tips of good study places:

Alpha I building- Scheelevägen 15B- at the ground floor you can find computer rooms, tables which are great for group work, as well as private rooms where you can study in silence. While the group work places also have a view towards a nice garden, the individual rooms are preferred by some students due to their “lack of sky”- you have no connection to the outside, so all that is left is to FOCUS! :) This is of course if you block your Facebook account for a while. What is great is that, compared to the libraries, you can enter the building whenever you want and stay for however long you wish (of course you need your student card with your code to enter the building after certain hours and on weekends)

LUSEM library-Tycho Brahes väg 1,in EC1- this is a good place for group work, at the first floor of the Economy Centre; however, even if there are also many places for individual study, it can get a bit loud sometimes, from the group discussions you can hear from downstairs or from all the students who come to borrow a book. Also, you can only enter the library within certain hors, according to the week day:

Monday: 10:00 - 20:00

Tues - Thurs: 08:15 - 20:00

Friday: 08:15 - 18:00

Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00

LTH Study Centre- John Ericssons väg 4- this is a very good place for both groupwork and individual study. On the ground floor you can find two silent rooms: one to the left you where you are allowed to bring your laptop and one to the right, which is for reading only. However, this place can only be used between certain hours:

Mon-Thurs: 08:00 – 20:00

Friday: 08:00 – 17:00

Saturday: 10:00 – 15:00

Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00

Main Library UB- Helgonabacken- this is a very nice spot for studying either alone or in groups. You can book group rooms easily here: http://www1.ub.lu.se/externt/apps/bokning/meny_eng.cfm

If you get hungry or thirsty in between, you can go downstairs to have a coffee break. In the café they have as well special lunch breaks where you can choose from different salads. The study areas are huge, but you need to be early, because it’s always packed, as it is so popular. Tip: If you have any questions how the whole library system works, just ask at the desk and they will explain you how to search books, journals or articles or how to make requests and gather material.

The Library (incl. Newspaper Reading Room)

Monday-Friday 09.00-19.00
Saturday-Sunday 10.00-15.00

(Limited service Saturday-Sunday)

Special Collections Reading Room and UB-Media

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10.00-17.00, Wednesday 10.00-19.00

For more ideas and details about places to study in Lund, check this:

Open publication - Free publishing - More sweden

Please share with us which your favorite study places are, so that we can also try them out and maybe find our focus easier :)

Where to find Sweden's biggest Kanelbullar

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:47:33 +0100

As you know, Göteborg ist one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Sweden and full with friendly people. It’s a definite must-see! Our personal favorite “sight”: Café Husaren and its XXL Hagabullar – allegedly Sweden’s biggest kanelbullar. The café is located in the oldest (and one of the loveliest) part of the city called Haga where Göteborg was founded in the middle of the 17^th century. Today, it is famous for its small alternative stores, beautiful houses and the relaxed atmosphere. Make sure to check it out!

Rå Epok – the best Sushi place in Lund!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:13:05 +0100

As we all love Sushi but don’t always have time to prepare it by ourselves, we went on a quest for the best Sushi restaurant here in Lund. And we found it – Ra Epok (Swedish for “Raw Epoch”).

This cute and unique restaurant follows its philosophy to use only local Swedish fish such as trout, walleye or cod, meaning that they do not use any fish on “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species”. The Sushi is prepared next to the customers and a delicious soup is offered while waiting for the fresh Sushi. The prices are very reasonable and therefore this restaurant is quite busy during lunch- and dinnertime. Try it - you will be impressed!

Where: Klostergatan 7, 222 22 Lund

When: Monday – Friday: 11 – 21h; Saturday: 12 – 21h; Sunday: closed.

Tired of eating at the nations and of deciding what to cook each day?

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:55:38 +0100

Then go Greek!

We recommend you the Mediterranean Restaurant on Grönegatan 2. This is a very cozy place which makes you feel a bit of the Greek friendliness and style. A cozy atmosphere, with nice decorations that enhance the relaxing feeling, is combined with Greek music for the soul to create the perfect momentum for enjoying a good meal.

Each day there is a different Special meal, such as a delicious veal stew with mushrooms and rice, served for 79kr. Today’s special is served from 11:30 to 14:30 and the prices include drinks, bread and coffee.

You can also choose from other Greek dishes, such as: Souvlaki 125kr, Moussaka 115kr, Lamb chops 135kr, Greek salad 80kr, which are priced excluding drinks.

However, if after reading this you still want to go Greek, but less expensive, than just try to do it yourself. Here’s a great recipe of one of our favorite Greek dishes:

Tzatziki (4-6 people)

5 cups plain yogurt
½ cucumber
4 pressed garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar,
white pepper
salt Garnish: Black olives Dill

Pour the yogurt in a paper filter a few hours, so that excess run-off.
Grate the cucumber on a coarse grater and squeeze it well, so you get out excess water.
Stir in the cucumber into the yogurt.
Mix in garlic, olive oil and vinegar.
Season with white pepper and salt.
Cover the bowl and let stand in refrigerator several hours.
Garnish with black olives and dill before serving.

Add this and your meal will be a certain success:

Enjoy!

Wanna finally get rid of the winter mood?

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:41:16 +0100

You remember Sergio from Lundaböcker? Of course you do. He is Lund’s most famous student guide. Sergio and his friend from Canada decided to organise a spring-starting party for all of us - better known as SPRING BREAK BEACH PARTY. For more partying and having fun the party will last longer than you can imagine. It will last not only till 2 a.m. but till 4 a.m. or even till 5 a.m., so you can make the most out of it and dance till your Spring break outfit crashes. Probably then it’s time to go anyway.

For now here comes the program:

Most of you already experienced the Swedish Traditional Sitting with a lot of singing, but instead there will be 4 groups of around 25 people that will participate in small indoor games. When any of their representatives win the challenge, their entire group will get a prize- so you better be good. This all only counts for the dinner party, which takes place before the official beach party.

In our post about Sergio we explained you that Sergio is from Chile. So for the dinner party there will be a Latin American dinner with Chilean ‘style Empanadas and fresh salsa among other Latin American foods, so you will get into the exotic mood.

You are getting excited? You are lucky. Everyone is invited. You don’t need a student card. If you have friends coming over, bring them. They don’t need a guest card. The only thing you should probably take care of is

Bring your own drinks (your drinks can be placed behind a bar, where you get a ticket, so you can always go back to get your drinks and nothing gets lost)
Get an awesome beach outfit

Now the important information: When does this crazy party take place?

The party will be on March 23^rd, the dinner will be at 8 p.m. (limited space available) for a very good price of SEK130 and the after party starting at 11 p.m. will cost SEK80.

You can get your Tickets NOW at Lundaböcker where Sergio works.

As a last point. If you would like to participate in the organisation process or have some suggestions, wishes for making the party even more thrilling, contact Sergio. He will integrate you in his organisation.

How to get a ticket to the boreal heart of Swedish women

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:35:00 +0100

(Image from citycvhswm on Flickr)

To begin with the good message: parts of the myth surrounding Scandinavia as an Eldorado of fair-haired, breathtakingly beautiful Viking-maidens is true. Of course, not every girl encountered on the streets is Barbie come alive or a man’s wet dream – but one gets one’s share of tall and slender beauties, complete with ruddy complexion, ample bosoms, puppet faces and delightful manes of blond (and brunette) hair. Not to forget their brilliant blue eyes, which many men would love to see resting on them with love or at least interest! However, what those sapphire orbs say most of the time is a simple sentence: I’m better than you.

And here’s the problem. The part of the Northland-saga which is unfounded is the alleged fact that since all girls are hot, they don’t know their worth. They do and many even seem to overestimate it. To talk up girls can be quite a chore, especially if you try to do it in a lingo other than Swedish. Profound Swedish skills – at least enough to establish a communication basis – will make it a lot easier for you not to be discarded immediately as a foreigner.

Generally, for starters, forget “opposites attract” and focus on “birds of a feather flock together”. If you are tall, Nordic and sport one of those flamboyant haircuts as Swedish men do, all the better for you. If you are – like the author of these lines – of a more southerly complexion and maybe not as “lang”, try make up for it with charm… but no kissing of hands and the like, you are more bound to odd them out instead of have them fall for you. Don’t rely on the fact that you come from somewhere else to make you interesting. (A little hint: confidence and the display of wealth are internationally known but of special importance in these parts of the world.)

Of course you get girls that are very open and welcoming of internationals, the majority however might require a proof that you are worth their time. The two magic words in that regard: FRIENDS and HOUSEPARTIES. Having a Swedish guy/girlfriend that introduces you to his or her friends and attests your merits might be you tricket into a boreal heart! And what better opportunity than a house party with the second key to a Swedes (m/f) heart: alcohol. With her warmed up by her poison of choice and calmed by your legitimization via a countryman of hers (“Yeah, X. is from country Y., but still he’s a great guy!), you might be surprised how fast things can move somewhere else.

Once you tickled a girl’s fancy, she might be far from shy in letting you know and taking the matter into her manicured hands. The author recalls at this point a memorable night in Denmark, where he was picked up by two girls at a red light like a cheap tramp, taken home, taken advantage of… and then kicked out (not that there are or were any complaints in regards to this procedure!).

As you surely found out, girls here are quite independent. To bind her to you for a longer period of time might prove quite a task. Scandinavians are notorious for being more fickle when it comes to relationships and fidelity might not have the same value to her as to you. Since the author has never been in a proper relationship with a Norse woman, he cannot give you further advice than the obvious: be careful whom you give your heart to. What the author also has been unable to find out is why Scandinavian girls cannot manage to shut their mouth while chewing gum. If anybody does so, please report here at “Living Lund”!

A few concluding remarks: It is Sweden which, more than any other Nordic country, enjoys the reputation of being home to gorgeous girls. But you, my fellow Lund residents are, lucky! Just 40 minutes away by train lays Copenhagen, city of angels! In the author’s opinion, Danish girls can beat the Swedish ones every day of the week and even give them a head start to it, both in beauty and in hard-to-get-ness! If their language doesn’t weird you out and you enjoy the challenge, step up your game a level and go for a “pige” instead of a “tjej”!

Should any Swedish or Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Farör or other Scandinavian girl read this and feel the urge to converse privately with the author of these lines about it over a bottle of wine and in the shine of candles, feel free to contact “Living Lund” to this end…

Guest post of a non-Swedish student living in Lund since August, 2011. * (Any opinion expressed herein represents entirely the author’s experience based on living for half a year in Denmark and half a year in Sweden. Results may vary).

Surströmming... Swedish love for fermented herring

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:26:15 +0100

As you maybe know, Swedes love fish. One Swedish specialty is “surströmmning”, which is fermented herring. The herring is fished in spring and then left in barrels to ferment for a few months. Before it is being sold, the fish is canned and left to ferment even more until the developing gases bend the top and bottom of the can. In fact, there is so much pressure on the can that it is forbidden to bring on some airlines due to the danger of explosion. If you think fermented herring sounds like a delicious meal or a good challenge, be careful when opening the can: the smell is beyond words (and not in a positive way). For those a bit less daring we prepared an easy-to-make and more importantly delicious herring recipe:

You need:

1 herring filet (or other fish)
juice of ½ orange
potatoes
(frozen) spinach
½ onion
½ garlic (optional)
½ apple(optional)
oil, salt, pepper (and any other spices you like)

Here is what you do:

Cut the potatoes into wedges and put them in an oven-proved dish. Apply a mixture of oil, salt and pepper and put in the oven for approx. 30min at 170° degrees. Mix the potatoes occasionally.
Put the fish in an oven-proved dish, seasons it with salt and pepper and pour the orange juice over it. Put in the oven for approx. 20min at 170° degrees.
Cut onion and garlic and roast them. Add the spinach with a bit of water and heat it. Cut the apple and mix it in.
Enjoy!

What the hell is HUMLEBÆK?

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:58:47 +0100

Although the name sounds strange to you, it is an official word and stands for the name of a small city in Denmark, approximately 40 minutes away from Copenhagen Central Station. What can you do in HUMLEBÆK? Those of you who are interested in design, art, architecture and creative things can now keep on reading, because HUMLEBÆK has one of the most famous Museums of Modern Art in Denmark/Sweden, called Louisiana with an extensive amount of modern and contemporary art. It is also known for its architectural exhibitions, inside and outside the museum. The remarkable fact is that the museum is directly located at the coast line with a great view across the Øresund. The museum’s permanent collection includes more than 3000 works and is one of the largest in Scandinavia. It shows works from artists, including Picasso, Giacometti, Dubuffet, Yves Klein, Andy Warhol, Rauschenberg, Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois, Philip Guston, Morris Louis, Jorn, Baselitz, Polke, Kiefer, and Per Kirkeby. Every year there are 4-6 exhibitions. If you are interested in it you can meet some friends and make a day trip to the museum. Since, it is in Denmark it takes a while reaching the area. However, it is possible to take a special route, which is filled with many attractions on the way. You can start in Lund and take the train to Helsingborg. From there you ca buy a special ticket, which includes the trip with the ferry from Helsingborg to Helsingør (Denmark) and then another train down to HUMLEBÆK and the entrance to the museum. (Tourist friendly we would say). Another option is the ‘Öresund Rundt’ ticket which includes the same things, but another condition is that you cross the “border” 2 times. So you either go the way we just explained and after you saw the museum you go further down to Copenhagen and take the bridge to cross the border or you do it the other way around and start with the bridge and go up to HUMLEBÆK and take the ferry afterwards again back to Sweden. Therefore, we suggest that you make it a day trip when it is nice weather, so you can stop in between and walk around. Tip: When you go by ferry you can see Hamlet’s Castle (Shakespeare) on the way to Helsingør.

Prices:

Admission DKK 95
Students with student ID DKK 85

Opening Hours:

Tuesday – Friday 11-22
Saturday and Sunday 11-18
Public Holidays 11-18
Monday closed

https://www.facebook.com/louisianamuseum

http://www.louisiana.dk/dk/Service+Menu+Right/English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z3rjM8BN0XU

Swedish dating part II

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:17:52 +0100

If our post from yesterday about dating Swedish men confused you, today we’re bringing a true story about how hard it is to start a relationship in Sweden. This is the story of a Scottish woman who moved to Sweden and realized that the things she took for granted (such as the men making the first move) are far from happening here. Swedish men are just special, aren’t they?

Hope it will clarify things for you, instead of making them even more blurry. So girls, take the first step, cause even if you think it’ll kill you to try, it might actually lead to a beautiful love story. Guys, if you’re tired of waiting for the international women to get you, just man up and make the first step. I think it’s actually pretty exciting. So…it goes like this:

“I don’t expect very much from men. I’m quite capable of supporting myself. In my first seven months in Stockholm I moved, dragging cases, boxes, a little cart from IKEA and a myriad of ICA bags no less than eight times, all on my ownsome. I wield a mean electric drill, can change a tire and I laugh in the face of complicated tax returns. However.

I expect them to seduce me.

It’s only fair. We have to go through childbirth for heaven’s sake, surely the excruciating agony and inside-churning terror of going in for that first kiss when there is no guarantee that the kiss-ee won’t respond with “urgh, what are you doing?!” balances the scales?

Further, it’s a matter of clarity. When the accepted convention is that the man will make the moves (albeit with plenty of ever so subtle encouragement), if he does not do so, it is a reasonable assumption that he isn’t interested and you can go along your merry way.There is no such clarity here in Sweden.

There is a boy I like. We meet for coffee on a fairly regular basis. There is often encouraging body language (mirroring, leaning towards one another, occasional brushes of knees under the table that very nearly make my head explode), and our text-banter is the stuff of legend. However. There has been, as yet, no attempt from him to get to know me better. You know, nakedly. So I figured that he was, for unfathomable reasons, immune to my charms and put the whole thing down to a friend situation, albeit with the occasional risk of head-explosion.

Until, I happened to describe our most recent coffee to a Swedish friend who promptly diagnosed that he is interested, and waiting for me to make a move. Me to make a move! I never heard of such a thing. Not least as, how am I expected to go in for a snog with someone who is practically a foot taller than me? I will definitely lose the advantage of seductive surprise if I start carrying a crate around, and I am almost certain that a flying leap will not end well. So we’re stuck.

On the other hand, recently I went to the cinema with a friend. There’s never been anything that I would describe as a flirtatious frisson between us, so when he asked me to see a film, I happily wandered along wearing a big woolly jumper and glasses. At the end of the evening, he walked me home and said something to the effect of “good date, let’s do it again sometime.” What? Date?! But I’m wearing a big woolly jumper and glasses! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a false eyelashes and Wonderbra kind of girl, but the poor chap deserved better than a big woolly jumper and glasses. If only I had realised.

To be fair, whether or not a man is interested is always something of a mystery; but when there are certain conventions in place, you’ve got at least a rough map with which to navigate those complicated waters towards true lurve. I don’t mind going Dutch, but I do miss that clear signal, if he reaches for the bill, that he considers it to be a date. If there are any such conventions in Sweden I have yet to discover them, so I sit in coffee shops, trying to stop my head from exploding, wondering if equality in matters of getting to know one another nakedly is all it’s cracked up to be?”

By Claire Duffy- http://yourlivingcity.com/stockholm-guide/dating-sweden/

The A-Z of dating Swedish men

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:10:59 +0100

Looking for some new Swedish curiosities, we stumbled upon a very funny post of an American woman. She presents us the A-Z of dating Swedish men. So, for our international readers who are planning on conquering the heart of a Swedish man, read this first :) As for the Swedish man reading it, do you recognize yourselves in this portrait?

“So let’s figure out the A to Z of Swedish men:

A – American Dating, what’s that? “We have sex first, then see each other.”
B – Beautiful and blond. How awesome is that?
C – Confusing; few understand the male species and even less understand the Swedish man
D – Dutch dates are possible, especially if in Sweden.
E – Equal opportunity. Hold that door for yourself.
F – Fashionable. Men sport color and style in Sweden!
G – Growing chest hair, not a fur coat, is needed. (Anonymous comment from a male friend)
H – Hair gel is a necessity, not an option.
I – IKEA will be the ‘big step’ in your lives as couple.
J – Jeans, can they get any tighter?
K – Kinky … so the rumors say…
L – Lagom. They want life and love and everything else in between to be “just right” or rolling down the middle of the road. Pushing men too hard left or right, risks alienating them and sending them away.
M – Mysterious. Ask many questions, answer few of their own.
N – Nagging is what girls may feel when the Swedes are unresponsive. It’s okay, give the guys some space and time to write/text you back.
O – Obtuse, like any man, the Swedish man has proven to be equally if not more obtuse at times.
P – Punctual; don’t show up late for a date.
Q – Quiet and shy describes 90% of Swedish men in Sweden and 10% abroad. Okay, exaggeration but they lose their very quiet nature when going abroad.
R – Rude; if you don’t know the ways of Swedes, they can be perceived as rude. This is especially true if you believe the man should pay for dates, etc when he is more in dutch / equal paying.
S – Sambo, rhymes with mambo, is the traditional way for Swedish being ‘together’ but not married.
T – Text messaging is the best way to communicate with Swedish men. It may be the best way to communicate in general for Swedes.
U – Unemotional, hard-to-read, and sometimes stoic, the Swedish man keeps his feelings to himself.
V – Valentine’s Day is nearly nonexistent in Sweden; don’t fret if nothing happens on this un-special day.
W – Wintertime is the period in the year to not dump your swede. Stay inside and cuddle during the miserable Swedish November. When springtime approaches, feel free to move on to greener grass.
X -
Y – Youthful appearance but sagacious within.
Z – Zealous with text messaging. Really? I still have not understood the obsession with texting. :P”

Anything to add for this A-Z?

Reblogged from http://lostinstockholm.com/2010/03/20/the-a-to-z-guide-on-dating-swedish-men/

How much you will really spend when studying in Lund

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:23:14 +0100

There are various numbers floating around the web for how much you have to spend when studying in Lund. However, these seem to be calculated by non-students. So here comes the (=our) truth:

Rent: SEK 3,500 – SEK 4,000
Grocery: SEK 1,000
Going out: SEK 1,000
Travel: SEK 1,000
Shopping: SEK 1,000
Books: SEK 500
Leisure: SEK 500
Phone: SEK 100
Miscellaneous: SEK 500
Total: SEK 9,100 (~€ 1,000; US$ 1,400; GBP 850)

Rent: Sorry, but this is the amount you realistically have to spend on rent unless you want to share a room, live in a cellar or sleep on a park bench… See our post about accommodation for some tips on how to find the perfect accommodation. Tip: save some money by renting out your room during exam time, you will be sleeping in the library anyways ;)

Grocery: Unless you want to live off water, knäckebröd and pasta, you have to spend a little more than you are probably used to on food in Sweden. To save money, go to cheap stores like Netto, Lidl or Willie’s for your basic groceries. Also, you can buy family sized packages (e.g. 1kg of cheese, 5 packages of Knäckebröd or 1kg of Kötbullar) to save some money… just share with friends or freeze part it.

Going out: Nothing is cheap in Sweden, but going out is especially expensive. Try to go to the nations instead of bars and clubs. If you need a venue change, visit Herkules on Wednesday (free entrance and three beers for SEK 99!). You can also try to sneak in your own alcohol, but that will probably get you kicked out.

Travel: This is a part of the budget many underestimate. But there are so many places to visit around Lund (Copenhagen, Malmö, Göteborg etc.) that you will probably spend quite a lot on travel. Also, during the winter you might want to use the bus which is already around SEK 500 per month.

Shopping: Lund is a small town and you will most likely pass by H&M, Gina Tricot and Vero Moda many times a week… Also, you will probably want to buy some Swedish souvenirs. Just don’t forget that you have to bring everything back home!

Books: For most students, books are an issue every second months as a new period starts. Try to buy your books used, e.g. at Lundaböcker, ebay or amazon.co.uk/ amazon.de. Also, buy them as early as possible as all your class mates will also be looking for them. When you don’t need books, you will still spend a lot of money on printing out articles and other university related stuff.

Leisure: Plan to spend some money on other activities, e.g. fika, sauna, ice hockey games, eating out etc.

Phone: Having a phone is one of the less expensive things in Sweden. If you have comviq, you can top up your phone with SEK 75 each month to get free calls and texts to other comviq users. For an additional SEK 19 you get 0,2 GB Internet.

Miscellaneous: This includes stuff like bike repairs, cough medicine, gym membership etc.

Of course, this number will be different for everybody depending on your spending habits. Some students might be able to survive with as little as SEK 6,000. However, in order to be able to make the most out of your stay in Sweden, make sure you have sufficient funds before getting here.

Did we forget something?

Visit Europe from Lund

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:07:16 +0100

One of the many advantages of living in Lund is the proximity of Copenhagen and Malmö airport. From here, you can go basically anywhere in Europe for a very affordable price. Here are our favorite destinations:

Amsterdam: Amsterdam is the beautiful capital of the Netherlands and famous for its Grachten, coffee shops and red light district. Like Lund, it is a bicycle city with lots of atmosphere. Get there: with various airlines daily from Copenhagen, from SEK 900 return

Barcelona: Barcelona is one of Spain’s most exciting cities, located directly at the Mediterranean Sea. Must sees are La Rambla, Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. Get there: with Ryanair 3x a week from Malmö, starting end of March, from SEK 900 return or with various airlines daily from Copenhagen, from SEK 1,300 return

Dublin: If you have never been to the Green Island, make sure you go! Experience Dublin for a few days and see Trinity College, Temple Bar and St. Stephen’s Green. Also visit the surrounding sights to experience the “real Ireland”, e.g. Howth, Wicklow Mountains and Malahide Castle. Get there: with various airlines from Copenhagen, from SEK 1,000 return

Edinburgh: Visit the “birth place” of Harry Potter and feel like living in Hogwarts! Places to go are Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile and Arthur’s Seat. Get there: with with KLM 3x a week from Copenhagen, from SEK 1.400 return (Ryanair connection from Malmö to come)

London: London is without a doubt one of the most amazing cities in Europe. There are many must do’s, for example Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square… we can’t name them all. Get there: with Ryanair daily from Malmö, from SEK 250 return or with various airlines daily from Copenhagen from SEK 600 return

Mallorca: If the Swedish weather gets you down, make a short trip to Mallorca and relax under the Spanish sun. Contrary to general prejudices, Mallorca does have beautiful beaches and landscape (outside Palma). Get there: with Ryanair 2x a week from Malmö , stating beginning of May, from SEK 1,500 return or with various airlines daily from Copenhagen, from SEK 2,000 return

Sushi for Beginners

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:29:00 +0100

You love Sushi but here in Lund it’s just too expensive? Or you want to try something new? Then do it yourself! It is really simple and tastes delicious. Here is how you make Sushi:

For 4 persons you need:

500gr. Sushi Rice
1 package Nori Leaves (dried seaweed)
300gr. Fresh Fish (e.g. tuna or salmon filet, ask for sushi quality!)
2 Avocados
1 Cucumber
1 tube Wasabi
1 small bottle Soy Sauce (Tip: take ‘Kikkoman’)
1 jar Pickled Sushi Ginger
2 spoons bottle Sushi Vinegar
2 spoons Sugar
Optional: Surimi, Shrimps, Fish Eggs

Here for some inspiration for starting the Sushi adventure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkHJKakHMpo

You can get all ingredients at ICA

What else:

Sushi rolling mat
Chopsticks

How to proceed

Wash the sushi rice
Cook the rice as described on the package. If this sounds too complicated to you, just put the rice in a big pot and fill it up with the double amount of water. Wait until the water starts boiling and then lower the heat and leave it for 20 minutes until all the water is evaporated. Afterwards the rice must cool down to room temperature before you start making your sushi. Tip: Prepare the rice in the morning when you meet friends for dinner.
Before starting the sushi adventure, you must add 2 spoons of sugar and 2 spoons of sushi vinegar to the sushi rice and stir it a bit.
Chop all the vegetables and fish in very thin long pieces.

Place a bowl of water next to your sushi battlefield. You need it for moistening your hands so the rice doesn’t stick to them.
Place your sushi-rolling mat on a table and on top one of the Nori leaves.
Now you can start taking the sushi rice and place it onto the Nori leave. Be careful to fill the leave with a thin layer (0.5 cm) until the leave is covered with approximately ¾ of rice.

After this is done you can choose what you would like to have inside your sushi. Take for examples your chopped cucumber and salmon and place them horizontally on top of the rice layer. If you like you can squeeze a bit of wasabi on to the rice as well, but be careful, it’s crazy spicy. Don’t take too much.
Now the difficult part comes. You need to try to get the lower part and roll it over the upper part, so that you are creating a roll. It needs to be tight. Therefore, you take the rolling mat afterwards and place it around the sushi roll to get it even tighter and press everything together. Then you can release the mat again and roll the rest of the Nori leave together.
Congrats, you created your first sushi roll
Take a very very very sharp knife (Japanese knife) and cut the sushi roll into 2 cm thick pieces.

Now the great part comes. You are free to eat your self-made sushi. Eat it together with soy sauce and wasabi. If you are good at it, you can eat with chopsticks. This is the traditional way.