“Six months is too short – stay in Örebro for a year”
From top left: Martjin Geldhof, Andreas Aichele, Radek Smurzynski, Sylvain Blomér, Tim Henry, Erik Bergbom, Caput Angelique, Inga Pizane-Dilba, Anastasija Matrosova Front: Joris Laluc, Jonathan Frazier, Raphael Morlier, Jessica Young, Elina Lehto, Céline Descombe, Linda, Mark, Julia Fischer, Esther van der kaay, Jaume Brunter Foster, Jeroen Sman, Lydia Cornillet, Tomas Rincon Luego, Axel Roesener, Christopher Hagger, Mathias Groh
The atmosphere, the meatballs and the good reputation. The reasons for choosing Sweden and Örebro University 10 years ago were many. This weekend, these former exchange students returned to hang out and to see how Örebro has changed.
Have you just arrived in Örebro as an exchange student? This is the programme for this year’s introduction.
"Coming to Örebro as an exchange student was a totally new experience for me. I was living in the middle of nowhere, 20 minutes away from the nearest town with 600 inhabitants in Missouri, USA," says Jonathan Frazier.
"It was easy to make friends in Örebro. We had a party in the student halls on Tuesdays, there was the sports club, roommates, and the Swedish students who took the same classes as we did. And then of course our student buddies," says Matthias Groh from Germany.
For their visit to Sweden this weekend, it was in fact one of the student buddies who was pulling the strings. In 2007, Erik Bergbom was one of those who welcomed the new exchange students. He was also the one who arranged the programme for the weekend – kept secret until the very last minute.
A surprise visit
"We see each other every year. Not everyone is able to come, but those who are, come together. We come from different parts of Europe, USA and Canada and we have met up in London, Berlin, Rome, Paris, Gdansk, Vienna, Helsinki, Mallorca and Amsterdam," says Lydia Cornillet from France.
The weekend in Örebro included a surprise visit by Sofia Sohl, also known as "the boss". She was involved with the Student Union in 2007 and responsible for the exchange students. Today, she is a senior lecturer at Örebro University.
"It was great seeing Sofia again. She was involved in the University's introduction programme at the time, and it was thanks to the introduction that I was able to make new friends already from the start," says Jonathan Frazier.
Still live in Örebro
"To any future exchange students I would like to say that six months is too short – stay in Örebro for a year," says Lydia Cornillet.
"Yes, there is more to discover than meatballs," says Joris Laluc from France and laughs.
"Yes, obviously, as I stayed on. I met my wife here, and I still live in Örebro," says Sylvain Blomér who moved here from France.
Did they miss anything when they were in Sweden? Most of all family and friends at home.
"But you can always pick up the phone. The sun was worse – it's not exactly just a phone call away. I actually used a sunbed at times when I missed it too much," says Tomas Rincón from Spain.
This Örebro weekend was not the end – they will continue to see each other.
"Next time I hope we can meet up in the US," says Jonathan Frazier.
Text: Linda Harradine
Translation: Charlotta Hambre-Knight