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Upon First Arrival

Written by Brant Maxwell, Winter Quarter 2024

Upon first arrival to your abroad placement be sure to take it all in. There is almost always going to be a welcome precession, and a host of people ready to help you with the bookkeeping and administrative tasks that you’ll need. It is in your best interest to take this opportunity to introduce yourself to all those around you! Take it all in and enjoy your new town - your first steps will be something you always remember. For me, it was walking through a Swedish town at 3:00 am. Arriving at my hotel with ½ an hour of sleep and being greeted by a seemingly equally tired doorman with a platter of Swedish cheese and crackers - a classic story I think back on often to this day. 

Everyone around you at this point is similar to abroad students who have never been to the city before and are trying to figure out everything just as you! It will surprise you how easy it is to meet new friends and have a community of people to rely on with questions or inquiries about adventures. During the precession or welcome week, be sure to say hello to everyone you can. A simple, “Are you studying abroad too?” can open up the conversation to tons of new opportunities and conversations with students to be able to grow your network of friends and people to reach out to for a night on the town or for a study session. 

Make sure to make note of great study spots and stop for an espresso or cup of coffee to see what places you may frequent on an early morning commute that you can go back to. This is actually immensely helpful in getting to know the city. You can get to know your new place of residence through them, understanding perhaps that, “the library is just down the street from my favorite café.” It is great to know these places too as they can become a very easy suggestion for a place to go for making new friends. If you get to know the people working there very well you could get a discount every once and a while too! 

Another thing you should try and do is try the local cuisine and get something tasty for lunch. Trying out some new food is another great way to meet people. We all need food and so is an easy way to invite new people you meet out. It is a fun way to learn about the streets and the city as well. When I first arrived in Lund I went straight to the market in the center of the town. There were men eating pickled fish skewered on long sticks walking around the place and I really got to know the town, the energy, the everyday spot, and a great food place. It is not a bad idea to try and find a new place every week. Trying to go from the center of the city to the outskirts of town can be yet another fun way of exploring! However, right when you get to your city, head to the center of town and enjoy yourself some great food. Do not be afraid to help ordering, or to ask others around you if they go to the same university. 

Find a great second-hand shop too! This will be essential for getting silverware, plates, houseware, and all other miscellaneous items for your accommodation. These often will be very local in their feeling and will set you up great with local items at a great price. You can find fun games and great warm coats at these places. On my first day, I got an amazing chess set for 99 cents and used it for all of my time abroad. We would use the set and I would invite people to come over to my flat and play a game. I made countless connections with 99 cents and at the end of my time abroad, I donated it to the people on my floor to keep alive the chess traditions we had. I knew people who got golf clubs at the second-hand shop and knitting supplies there too. It is a great way to find cheap games and local items - highly recommend you find this! 

Lastly, when you are going to bed, make sure you peacefully unpack the rest of your stuff and settle in. You have had a long day and deserve to have it end peacefully. Look back at the photos you took during the day and appreciate how brave and strong you have been! A lot is going on and a lot of change and you are doing amazing things! Take some time to yourself, get on the clock with a long night's rest, and wake up the next morning with a trip to that wonderful coffee shop you found. You made it through so much and you have so much to look forward to - just enjoy every second of it!