Alice believes that taking yourself out of your comfort zone academically mirrors the experience you get from studying abroad. “I would always encourage students to try something they are not familiar with,” she says. “You always gain something, you don’t lose much; and the more experience you have the more you know yourself.”
Since graduating in 2008 she has stayed in Gothenburg, her home from home today. “I had few expectations but the country made a big impression on me,” she says. “I was motivated to come to Sweden because I knew it was so different from Australia. Now I consider it my second home.”
The mystery of Sweden solved
There had always been something mysterious and attractive about the Nordic countries for Lu Peng, 27, from China. “I knew they were very developed, known for their welfare and a stable education system but more so because of the brands and music,” he says. “I listened to ABBA and The Cardigans in high school and knew about companies such as Ikea and Volvo.”
It was important for Lu to study abroad. “A lot of people tend to stay in their own environment, they don’t want to change a lot,” he says. “Traveling enriches your experiences so it’s something that’s always been on my mind.”