Lindsay Preseau, USA

"I like how there's nature inside of the city. You've got everything you need in the city but without the skyscrapers and the dirt. I think that Stockholm is a very clean city."

Name: Lindsay Preseau
Age: 20 years
From: Michigan, USA
Study: Linguistics, Stockholm University
Live: Kungshamra, student apartment

Why did you decide to study in Stockholm?
- I was learning Swedish back in Michigan so I knew I wanted to study in Sweden. I first studied in Uppsala, but I thought the city was too small. I wanted to study in a bigger city. That’s why I chose Stockholm.

- We have a Swedish language department in Michigan and it was from my professor at that department that I heard about the student exchange between the university in Michigan and Stockholm University.

What do you think is the best about Stockholm?
- I like how there’s nature inside of the city. You’ve got everything you need in the city but without the skyscrapers and the dirt. I think Stockholm is a very clean city.
What is the downside with Stockholm?

- I think that negatives with Stockholm are the public transportation in the winter. The busses are often late.
- Another negative thing with Stockholm is that it’s expensive. Especially for me, coming from the US.

What’s your favourite part of Stockholm?
- My favourite part of Stockholm is Vasastan. I like the area around Odenplan. It has a lot of cafes.

- For studying, I like Studentpalatset by Odenplan. The opening hours there are better than the ones at Stockholm University. You are also in the city in another way compared to the University.

What is linguistics?
- I think people believe linguistics is about one language in specific, but it’s more language in general. In linguistics we talk about language systems and how the language works.

- I’ve taken a lot of sociolinguistics here. I’ve also studied historical linguistics. Here in Stockholm, you get the Swedish language perspective. In Michigan they talk lot about the African-American language culture. The perspective here is more about the differences between Sweden and Finland. Which is quite unlike the perspective in Michigan.

How did you find a place to live in Stockholm?
- I came to Stockholm in August, and it was in my exchange agreement that I would have an apartment when I got here.

- It’s hard to find a place to live in Stockholm. I had some friends who had problems with finding a place to live. Finally they got a place from Blocket.

- The student housing in Stockholm is extremely affordable.

How do you finance your study time in Stockholm?
- I have a scholarship. I also babysit for Swedish kids whose parents want to have an English-speaking babysitter.

What are your plans after you graduate?
- I have a semester or two left in Michigan. After that my goal is to get at PhD in linguistics. I am interested in Germanic linguistic, so to be a researcher would be good.

What hints and tips would you give to someone who is thinking of studying in Stockholm?
- My best advice to someone who’s thinking of studying in Stockholm is to start looking for a place to live right away. The international student’s network can sometimes help you find a place to live.

- One thing that’s different from the US here in Stockholm is that you’re so associated with your department at school. So I would give the advice to associate with the department. Then you can go to pubs and meet other Swedish students.

- It’s cheap to travel in Sweden. I’ve been to Norway, Finland, and some parts of Sweden. The courses are built up with a lot of free time, so there’s time to travel if you want to.

Do you think that Stockholm is an expensive city?
- The first time I came here on vacation I thought it was very expensive. But now I don’t think it is that bad anymore. There is substituted healthcare, and cheap student apartments.

- Normal everyday things like food and clothing are expensive.

What do you think sets Stockholm apart as a student city?
- In Stockholm you have the opportunity to meet other people who are not in your school. You are not just in the bubble of students. A lot of students in Stockholm have a life outside of school.

- You have a lot of group projects here in Sweden.

Interview: Mimmi Toreheim
Photo: Mimmi Toreheim and Lindsay Preseau

 

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