Alve: Six Months in Sweden – And It Feels Like Yesterday

Hi, I’m Alve, a master’s student at Örebro University. I didn’t even realize it had already been six months until I started writing this today. It feels like just yesterday that I walked into my first class — not knowing anyone, not knowing the city, and not knowing what to expect.

But everything has changed over these months. That’s what time does, isn’t it? We just have to give it time, give it a chance, and trust the process.

Örebro, in my eyes, is a wonderful city — and the people are even more wonderful. Before coming here, I was worried about the language barrier. I thought I would need to speak Swedish even to buy a bottle of water. But little did I know that Swedish people speak English so well — sometimes even better than me.

Everywhere I went — from the train station to the grocery store — I was treated equally. I was never made to feel like I didn’t belong here. Instead, I felt accepted and welcomed.

And now, six months later, I have many friends whom I truly love and many people I deeply care about. What once felt unfamiliar now feels like home. The strangers I once passed by are now familiar faces. The empty spaces in my life are now filled with friendships, laughter, and shared memories.

You might read many things on the internet about Swedish people — that they are quiet or reserved. But to truly understand them, you have to experience it yourself. Sometimes kindness is not loud — it is calm, respectful, and genuine.

Every day here, I am creating new memories. Memories that one day I will look back on and smile. Hej då.