From the moment I stepped off of the plane, I knew that I was going to be spending the next months making Stockholm my home away from home. I knew I would take the time to get immersed in the culture around me and really put myself out there to try new experiences that I would have never dreamed of doing in the states. But after those long days of class, exploring the city, and hanging out with friends, it is imperative that I retire back to my place to get some rest.
Not only is Stockholm a beautiful place to travel within and explore, it is also a city that is just as amazing to live in. Here in Stockholm, I live in an apartment right in the middle of a beautiful island. From the time that I met the DIS contacts at the airport, I immediately got showered with nothing but heartwarming words about where I would be staying in Stockholm. “It is right in the middle of everything”, “It’s so close to the metro so you don’t have to worry about getting around”, and even “I wish I was living where you’re living this semester”.
Wondering if this was just a tactic to get all of us excited to get to our apartments, I kept a cynical but open mind about what I had yet to see but everyone was so interested to talk about. As the coach bus pulled up to the building, the first thing I noticed was a humungous infrastructure that was painted yellow and probably went for about a city block. In complete disbelief that I had the privilege to live in this palace, myself along with the other DIS students living with me made our way to the doors and up to our floor.
Before going into our rooms, we had to check in with our resident advisors first. We opened the common room door and the first things that hit me was a how well the common space was put together for us. I knew that I was going to be hanging out here more than in my own room. After checking in, we did our best to shake off the jet lag and stay up until it was a reasonable time to go to bed.
I really enjoy my living space if you could not tell already! In my apartment, there is a kitchen and bathroom that is shared between only my roommate and I. These amenities were awesome to see because back at my home institution, there is usually a bathroom and kitchen that is shared amongst the floor.
On our first day of exploring, I knew that all of the compliments I received in the airport did my housing option no justice. Whether it be going to the metro, finding a place to eat, or trying to find a place to go to the gym, everything was at my fingertips. To this day, I do not take what I have for granted and I wholeheartedly believe that living here has been a great experience for me. Coming from a traditional college where there are dorms and residence halls, I wanted to be in an area where I would be living with other students who although may not be in the same classes as me, they still share the idea of creating a community in the space that we are to call home for three months.
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