This post is dedicated to all the newbies that just landed in Sweden either as a student, visitor or just got a job to move to Sweden. Getting used to a new environment can be overwhelming but with my little experience I am here to ease your pains and provide 5 awesome apps that would make your stay easier and less dramatic...😉
1.
Blocket - Settling in as a newcomer can be overwhelming with so many things to buy. Your number 1 stop is
blocket. This website provides various items from household items to accessories including books and bicycles that you can buy second hand from people. You are not only limited to
blocket, there are so many groups and pages on
facebook as well that have been created in whatever city that you live. All you need to do is to check marketplace regularly and you are good to go. This will ease your settling in and of course you will pay less for good items. So good money saving tip, right 😉
2.
Google Translate - As a newcomer, you might be confused, surprised and worried when you step into the malls, supermarkets, classrooms, etc and find most things written in Swedish.
'welcome to Sweden' (btw, this is also a very interesting comedy drama series for newbies. You can check it out on Netflix). Google translate is a life saver. It might not be 100% accurate all the time but it will save you from being totally lost.
3. Weather App - Swedes believe that there is '
no bad weather, just bad clothing', lol😀. Don't ever step out of your house without checking what the day has in store for you including Summer time. I mean Swedish weather is so unpredictable. This moment, its all sunny and the next minute, its all rainy🤦♀️. Don't be caught unawares, just be ready at all times. There are so many weather apps that you can use such as yahoo weather, AccuWeather, amongst others. Be sure to download one of them and use it daily.
4. Transportation App - As a newcomer, you will need to move around a lot. In whatever city you find yourself, ask for the name of their transportation app. E.g. In Umeå, there is
Tabussen, in Stockholm, there is
SL. There is also
Tågkartan to see where all the trains are in Sweden. These apps will let you to know the next available bus/train time. They will also teach you time management while reducing your long waiting time at the bus/train station.
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| Screenshot of Tabussen app in Umeå Sweden. Image from iTunes |
5. In terms of knowing more about the city you live in, the culture and the people. I would recommend
The Local, its a Sweden news app in English. They have A LOT of tips, news, hacks, job postings and so many information that you might need to acclimatize to your new environment. Some of their articles are not free and you might be asked to subscribe. However, you can also check
Newbie, it is equally an awesome website for newbies in Sweden and doesn't require any subscription fee. I was privileged to be one of their contributors for a while. You will find a lot of useful tips and also stories of how people like you adapted to the new environment.
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| Images from their website |
I have also shared my tips for newcomers to Sweden
here. Although the post was dedicated to Nigerians coming in Sweden but I also believe that some of these tips will be useful to any newbie coming from any part of the world. Above all, keep an open mind and be ready to explore your new environment.
Until next time...💋
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