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We are all familiar with the phrase “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. 

Well, when you are in Sweden, it’s always helpful if you can walk and talk in Swedish. In this post, we will only focus on the latter, talking in Swedish.

Swedes are super fluent when it comes to conversing in English but they do appreciate it if you can speak their language. Learning Swedish will prove invaluable in forming strong bonds with the community and in integrating seamlessly in Swedish society.

Today, I’ll enlighten you with very basic Swedish phrases so you are able to introduce yourself in the Swedish language.

Attention: LiU offers free Swedish language courses to all international master students. Once admitted, you will receive an invitation from the university, asking if you are interested in the course once the fall semester starts. Be sure to sign up for the course as seats are usually limited and are filled on a first come first serve basis.

Your Name

English: My name is….

Swedish: Jag heter

Your Age

English: I’m… years old

Swedish: Jag ar…. ar

Your home country

English: I’m from

Swedish: Jag kommer fran

Where do you study?

English: I’m studying at….

Swedish: jag studerar pa Linkopings universitet

What do you study?

English: I’m studying…here

Swedish: Jag studerar….har

What languages do you speak?

English: I speak…..

Swedish: Jag talar

My introduction in Swedish

Jag heter Asad. Jag ar tyugosex gammal ar. Jag kommer fran Pakistan.

Jag studerar pa Linkopings universitet. Jag studerar statistik och Maskinin Learning har.

Jag talar Engleska, Urdu och lite Svenska.

 Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Learning a new language always seems like an uphill task at the beginning but the trick is to keep learning a few new words every day. It can be a bit challenging at the beginning but its fun and rewarding. 

Bonus Tip & Wrap Up

As a starting point, you can search for the book Rivstart A1 online. It’s the textbook that is used to teach the language here at LiU.

It is a very helpful student-friendly book with lots of practice exercises to assist you in grasping the key concepts. If you are really interested in learning Svenska, this book is a must-have.

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When one thinks about Austria, the city that usually comes to mind is Vienna or Innsbruck. However, there is a city that is surprisingly beautiful and culturally rich. That city goes by the name Bregenz. I was there for only a few hours but the town did manage to capture my imagination.

Bregenz is sandwiched between Lake Constance, Central Europe’s third-largest lake and Pfänder mountain. It’s the combination of lake and mountain that makes Bregenz an attractive tourist spot due to its distinctive feel.

Fun fact: Lake Constance sits on the border between Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Hop onto a ferry and you can visit all the three countries in one day. 

Bregenz Opera Festival

If you plan to visit Bregenz, make sure it’s during the summer when the Bregenz Festival is in full swing. 

You will be greeted by a grand spectacular floating stage on the waters of Lake Constance, featuring stunning theatre designs.

The set designs are renowned for being extremely ostentatious and seem to get more and more extravagant with each year.

The opera of choice changes every other year, and with it, the design of the custom-built stage. It’s a visual spectacle that you simply cannot miss.

If you’re looking for a city that’s full of culture but also close to nature, the charming town of Bregenz would be a delight to visit.

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We have all heard about how beautiful and charming Switzerland is. The first impression that is formed in our mind when we hear about Switzerland is a combination of banks, chocolates, cheese, and timeliness. We all desire to visit the place at least once in our life. I got that opportunity during my winter break.

From elegant mountain peaks to crystal clear lakes, well-preserved medieval cities, lush alpine pastures, and mesmerizing villages, Switzerland will sweep you off your feet and blow your mind away.

Here are a few places which I visited:

Zurich

First things first. Zurich is not the capital of Switzerland. It is the largest city and the financial capital but the official capital of Switzerland is Bern.

Rhine Falls

Rhine Falls is one of the largest and most water-rich waterfalls in Europe. Only a few kilometers from Lake Constance, the Rhine Falls are one of the great attractions in this region.

Einsiedeln

Einsiedeln is the most important place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Switzerland. The high valley of Einsiedeln located in the heart of Central Switzerland is characterized by moors and Lake Sihl.

Interlaken

Interlaken is in Bern State, Switzerland and is one of the best tourist spots in the world. If you are interested in skiing, skydiving, hang gliding, canyoning, or paragliding, then Interlaken is the place for you.

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During my winter break, while I was on my way to Switzerland, I got to stay for a few hours in Copenhagen and explore the captivating and enthralling city.

I had almost half a day to spend in Copenhagen which I made full use of by visiting different parts of the city on foot to soak in all the little details that make this place unique.  It is one of the cleanest cities in the world and is often referred to as “Venice of the North” since it is surrounded by the sea.

Copenhagen can be expensive though and you will need to have some money in your pocket if you truly want to enjoy your stay here.

Here are a few pictures that I took while I was there. I would love to go back and spend more time there to truly appreciate the beauty and greatness of the Danish capital!

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Today, I’ll be sharing some interesting facts about the country I come from.

Grab a cup of coffee as some of these facts will come as a surprise to you. You may even want to visit this beautiful country once you are finished reading.

So let’s get the ball rolling, shall we?

1. The youngest-ever Nobel laureate is a Pakistani

The Pakistani nation is a battle-hardened nation that has a rich history of producing courageous, valiant people.

One such example is that of  Malala Yousufzai who became the youngest Nobel Prize winner in the world in 2014.

She was awarded this honor for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.

Her age at the time of winning the Nobel prize was 17.

2. About 60% of all soccer balls in the world are made in Pakistan

If you are a football/soccer fan, this fact will be of particular interest to you.

The city of Sialkot in Pakistan produces 40-60 million footballs a year, which is roughly 50-70% of the world’s total production.

The next time you see or play with a football, you can be pretty confident it was made in Pakistan.

3. Pakistan is home to the world’s second tallest mountain

Pakistan’s killer K2 or Godwin Austin is the world’s second-highest peak and is part of the Greater Himalaya Mountain range also called the Karakoram Range.

The world’s third and next highest Tirich Mir is also found in Pakistan’s Hindu Kush Range.

Thousands of tourists visit the country each year to get mesmerized by the exquisite and soothing scenic beauty.

If you are an adventurer, then Pakistan can be the perfect destination for you as it will surely test your limits.

4. The largest volunteer ambulance service in the world is in Pakistan

Pakistan is a generous country and it contributes more than one percent of its GDP to charity.

It comes as no surprise that Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation runs the world’s largest volunteer ambulance service, which is a record that has been held by Pakistan since 1997.

5. The world’s highest paved road is in Pakistan

Also called the eighth wonder of the world or the China-Pakistan friendship highway, the Karakoram Highway is the highest road ever built. The 800-mile highway is regarded as one of the world’s hardest alpine climbs. 

6. The world’s largest deep-sea port is in Pakistan

Gwader port at the Arabian Sea, Balochistan is the largest natural deep port of the world. 

The real key to this vital Pakistan port lies with its close proximity to the Strait of Hormuz – the body of water that lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

It’s estimated that some 20% of the world’s petroleum supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz annually.

7. The second-largest and oldest salt mine in the world is in Pakistan

Another fact that many people are unaware of.  Pakistan is home to the world’s second-largest salt reserves, found in district Jhelum of the Punjab province.

The Salt Range is located about 160 kilometers from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

The mammoth mines have over 40 km of tunnels along with their own mosque inside.

A must visit if you are in Pakistan!

8.  The highest polo ground in the world is in Pakistan

Located at Shandur Top and also called “Roof of the world” is the highest polo ground at an elevation of 12,200ft.

9. The world’s highest Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is in Pakistan

Pakistan boasts the world’s highest ATM (automated teller machine).

The ATM is operated by the National Bank of Pakistan and it is installed at a height of 16,007 feet above sea level, at the Pak-China border, Khunjerab Pass.

Since the area is a major tourist attraction, the facility was set up to facilitate tourists.  The ATM was opened to the public on 6 September 2016.

10. The first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country was a Pakistani

Pakistan became the first Muslim nation to elect a female prime minister, Benazir Bhutto in 1988.

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