Travel Blog » Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Luleå Travel Blogs

Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Sweden

Map of Sweden

Sweden's Flag

Hostels in Sweden
Latest Luleå Blog Entries
Luleå Photos

By BrettSallach
June 23rd 2009

Research Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Research In Sweden After arriving in Luleå, our first task was to figure out what research project we would be working on. We had oppertunities at two locations, LTU the technical University in Luleå, or at SICOMP (Swedish Institute of Composites). At first my priority was to stay in Luleå where ten people would be staying, only three would be going to Piteå. But after going over the projects, I realized that to make the most out of the experience I should move to Piteå where there was a project with Civil Engineering applications. SICOMP is funded with grant money [View Full Entry]

By BrettSallach
June 22nd 2009

Hello Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Scandinavian Adventure So this week is our last week here in Sweden. After spending the first week in Stockholm and a week in Norway, it seems that our six week stay here has gone so fast. Sweden has been awesome though. We have met some really fun people and we have experienced so much. It is not that hard to imagine living here, as almost everything is the same as America and everyone speaks English. The one thing I wish is that there were more oppertunities to speak Swedish. Most everyone would rather just speak English instead. This makes it [View Full Entry]

By Emily O
December 16th 2008

Thanksgiving 2008 Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Delicious Meal
Happy Thanksgiving!

I know I'm a month late, but I had such a great Thanksgiving this year! I flew up to Lulea to visit Kai for the weekend. I got there on Tuesday evening and there was so much snow! I don't know how much exactly, but check out the pictures. It was a beautiful winter wonderland! On Thursday, we started cooking at 1pm. We started by peeling potatoes and cutting bread into cubes for the stuffing. Kai worked on the coconut cream pie while I started the stuffing. I mixed olives, apples, and onions with the bread and chicken stock for my [View Full Entry]

By Emily O
October 24th 2008

Prague & other Swedish Adventures Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Old Town Square!
I love this place!! Please go here!

I am sitting in the library of Lulea Tekniska Universitet, where Kai takes engineering classes. The town of Lulea is in Northern Sweden, only a two hour drive from the Arctic Circle. It looks just like Northern Minnesota with an array of coniferous trees, birch, and lakes. I had a week off from classes so I came up here to spend time with Kai. On Sunday, I reserved three trains from Vaxjo to Lulea (totaling 20 hours of travel). On the second train bound for Stockholm, there was some delay and we waited at a stop outside the city for an [View Full Entry]

By Kai G
September 17th 2008

Stockholm Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Church in the Night

Greetings again! I recently took a trip to Stockholm for the weekend. I arrived around 9pm Thursday the 11th and met Emily and our friend Cassy a pub close to our hostel. We took the subway to a couple of pubs around town to get a feel of what Stockholm had to offer for our sightseeing weekend. I purchased a subway pass that allowed me 8 rides for about $27 (each ride was good for one hour of transport). Not cheap, but nothing is in Stockholm. It is more expensive than Luleå. Stockholm is a fantastic city...much larger than I had [View Full Entry]

By Kai G
September 1st 2008

I am settling in Luleå Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

My Flat
The upper right hand balcony is where I live

I Made it! I arrived in Luleå (pronounced Lu-li-yo), Sweden two days ago. My flight took me from Minneapolis to Chicago to Stockholm to Luleå. One of my bags was routed to Sweden instead of Stockholm, but it arrived to my apartment Sunday evening, albeit with a broken shampoo bottle. Luckily my clothes were protected and the mess was easy to clean. Because of visa issues, I arrived at the end of the two week orientation period. Today I rushed around town to try and purchase all of the goods I needed. One of those is a cell phone. I can [View Full Entry]

By Chelfie14
May 21st 2006

Eurovision Song Contest Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Eurovision Logo
The Contest Features all countries in Europe.

Okay so..this is a big deal, although it is more important in some countries than others. In Sweden, it starts with Melodifestivalen, their country's round of it. Melodifestivalen's first rounds are held in cities around the country, like Goteborg, Stockholm, Linkoping, etc. So then the groups that win each of those, compete in the final. The person that wins that gets to go to Eurovision. This year, Sweden's winner was Carola. She went onto the semifinals of Eurovision and secured a spot in the finals, though it was the 22nd spot-a little low on the totem pole. Well, the finals of [View Full Entry]

By Chelfie14
May 10th 2006

Crazy Swedes Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Robin & Mia
This would be Robin's girlfriend who I made cheesecake with and whose house I went to.

Okay so this just happened but: I woke up early this morning. I go into the kitchen and do toast for breakfast. Johan comes in, has breakfast, we watch TV. He left to go to school. Well, I'm sitting there watching TV since Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were on Oprah. Then, the aiphone rings. (For those that don't know, the aiphone is a phone in our common room. Downstairs, you can ring a bell in each person's room when you come to visit or do the aiphone on each floor.) I didn't answer it. Instead, I walk down to the [View Full Entry]

By Chelfie14
April 16th 2006

Happy Easter Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Yes, it's Easter Sunday. And let me tell you, it was an interesting Easter for me. Probably the first one that I didn't go to church. I thought about attending the services here, but I would not have understood a word. Anyhow, so yesterday Mia came and got me and we went to her house. It's the cutest. It's a duplex. You walk in the door and there's an entryway. There's the laundry room and the bathroom on the left. On the right is the kitchen. So you keep walking and the left is the dining room, on the right is [View Full Entry]

By Chelfie14
April 11th 2006

Bjorkskatanskola Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå

Time to talk about my volunteering, since it is a rather big part of what I end up doing here most of the time. Okay so-across the street from where I live is the school. It's a middle school, which means it comes before Gymnasium, which is Swedish High School. I basically go into the English classes and help kids, speak with them, have discussions with them, and let them hear what a native speaker sounds like. The teachers are nice and the Headmistress there is too. Her name is Berit. There's also a male Headmaster and they are the school's [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Europe » Sweden » Norrbotten » Luleå