BY CHRISTINE PAHEL

Get Your Residence Permit 

Prior to arriving at Lund University, UCEAP students are required to apply for a residence permit. While all the paperwork is completed back at your home university, it is in Malmö where you finish applying for the residence permit. The immigration office is most easily accessible by bus. I recommend taking an interregional bus straight there instead of transferring from the train. At the immigration office in Malmö, students have their biometrics taken. After a short waiting period, successful applicants will receive their permit in the mail. Note: always carry your residence permit with you, especially when traveling. Immigration officers may ask to see it, and if you have surpassed your 90-day period for being in the Schengen Zone, you’ll need to it prove that you have the right to stay longer because of your studies. 

See the Turning Torso 

The Turning Torso is a landmark of Malmö designed by Santiago Calatrava. This skyscraper definitely steals the horizon of Malmö. With its intricate twist, this architectural feat is difficult to miss. If you are unable to make the 25-minute walk from Malmö Central Station to the seaside where the building is located, don’t worry. You should be able to steal a glimpse of the building from many locations throughout town, especially near Malmohus.

Shop at IKEA 

In Sweden, IKEA products are everywhere. 95% of the furnishings in my apartment, from the bed to every last piece of silverware, are from IKEA. The first few weeks here, I noticed that the glasses throughout town looked remarkedly the same until I realized: they are all from IKEA. Whether you need to furnish your barren bathroom or just want to design your dream apartment, you are bound to go to IKEA during your time in Sweden. Take a break during your shopping to enjoy some Swedish food in the café. It is one of the few places I’ve been able to find Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce. Unfortunately, there is no IKEA in Lund, so you’ll have to travel to Malmö if you want to go to IKEA. Luckily, Malmö Syd Svågertorp station drops you off right outside of IKEA. 

Walk through Slottstradgarden 

 Slottstradgarden is adjacent to Malmöhus Castle. I recommend stopping here either before or after your visit to the Castle. It has a charming Swedish windmill and wide open spaces for reading a book, taking a walk, or playing Frisbee with some friends. 

Relax in Kungsparken 

Kungsparken is a large park that is also adjacent to Malmöhus Castle. The park has quaint streams and a large pond that are gorgeous to look at. It also has large spaces for playing sports and walking trails. 

See Malmöhus Castle 

 Malmöhus Castle is located by both Slottstragarden and Kungsparken. It still has its moat, though it is less intimidating when you see ducks swimming in it during the springtime.Visitors have the opportunity to explore the inside of the castle. Part of the castle has been retrofitted as different exhibits, including a natural history museum. At the natural history section of the museum, you can explore the formation of earthquakes, see a collection of taxidermied animals from around the world, and explore the skeletons of various wildlife. The natural history museum is geared towards being family friendly, so it’s a good place to take visiting relatives. In addition to the natural history museum, the castle contains an aquarium. The aquarium hosts both fresh and salt water marine life including seahorses and jellyfish. It even has a nursery section where you can see baby fish and other aquatic species. When exploring the aquarium, see if you can find Nemo and Dory! The castle also has an art exhibit that contains antique furniture and paintings. If you prefer modern art, there are also modern art exhibits as well. If open, there is a conference like room off to the side of the art exhibit that hosts a magnificent organ. If you are lucky, you might be able to steal a peak at it. After the art exhibit, there is a temporary exhibit section of the castle. When I went, it was on the Romani people.The castle also lets you explore the guard towers. You can walk around the tower, peering outside like the guards once did. On your way towards the next part of the museum, the hallway gets dark and you can barely see the museum poster in front of you. If you turn on your flashlight on your phone to better see the museum description, you might notice something in your peripheral vision—a skeleton still bound by chains. Without a flashlight, the skeleton is practically impossible to see, making you wonder what the conditions were like in this prison portion of the castle. The last section of the castle has a warning that it isn’t for children—this is the section focusing on the prison. The first room has a wall of photos of past prisoners. As you continue, you learn about the rats and lice that invested the buildings. The attempts to scare you with dramatic music and enlarged photos of lice were a little brought down by the adorable mouse playing on its hamster wheel in the same section. As you moved on, you learn about the people who were executed in the castle. Warning: this section really isn’t for children. The room is dark, filled with gruesome stories, and in the background you can hear a guillotine dropping and the sound of it chopping. This dark section is the last section of the castle open to visitors. 

Remember the Past in Gamla kyrkogården 

Gamla kyrkogården is a graveyard from the early 1800s and is still being used to this day. While that may not sound like somewhere fun to visit, it has the atmosphere of a park. Many people walk through or relax there during a sunny day. 

Shop at Triangelm Mall 

Triangelm mall is easily accessible by train from Lund. Whether you are looking for jewelry, home goods, restaurants, or a dress for a ball, this mall has it all. If Nova Lund doesn’t have what you are looking for, I suggest checking here next. 

 

Christine Pahel studied abroad in Lund, Sweden, in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/sweden/Pages/lund_univ.aspx