Global Journey Blog vol.6 Taisei Mataguchi

Hello, I'm Taisei. 

More than a month has already passed since the start of the year 2024. Have you set any new goals for this year? I have set a goal to keep working out and keeping a diary, and so far I have been able to do so.

I think I am able to continue them because I can get confidence by continuing to do them.

Some people may feel stressed and depressed when they try something new, even though they started with a lot of motivation and hope. I am like that.

If that is the case, I would suggest starting with something small and having the confidence that you can keep going!

Now, I would like to talk about what I felt during my stay in Gothenburg and some useful information for daily life.

It has already been 6 months since I started my study abroad program. I feel that time has passed very quickly since I started my study abroad program.

At first, I was so unfamiliar with things that I had to ask for help to get around and shop, but recently I have been able to live without any problems.

I think you will be able to start your life in Gothenburg smoothly if you know the information I am going to introduce in this article and the next two articles.

(1) Public transportation in Gothenburg
(2) Extra - Introduction to Cuisine

(1) Public Transportation

1-1. Types of Public Transportation

Which type of public transportation do you use most often? In Japan, buses, trains, and subways are well known.

In Gothenburg, trams and buses are the main transportation. I use buses and streetcars wherever I go and they are indispensable in my life.

Furthermore, it is easy to make connections between streetcars and buses.
Streetcars run on the same roadway as buses and often share stops, so transfers are easy.
Ferries are also used by many people in Gothenburg, as the city is very close to the sea and has many islands.

In addition to public transportation, there are also bicycles and electric kickboards that can be rented, which many people use because they are very convenient for short distances. However, I am not very familiar with them as I have never ridden on them since I am not allowed to ride them due to study abroad regulations.

1-2. Tickets

I will give a detailed explanation about tickets here, so you can skip it if you want!

All of the public transportation systems I just mentioned are operated by a company called Västtrafik.
The literal translation of the name in Japanese is "Seibu Kotsu" (Western Transportation).

There are three types of tickets: card-type tickets, credit card payment in the car, and QR codes on the app.

Fares are separated for adults, children, and students over 20 years old, and students can use the student fare if they have a Mecenat card, a kind of online student ID card.

Ticket types include single, 1-day, 3-day, 30-day, 90-day, and 365-day tickets.

In addition, tickets for public transportation in Gothenburg are common, so once you purchase a ticket, you can use the same ticket for different types of rides. Single tickets can be used for transfers within 90 minutes, but if you have a longer travel time, a day ticket or longer is recommended.

Areas are divided into three zones, Zone A, B, and C, and tickets must be purchased for each area. Tickets can be purchased for one zone as well as for two or three zones.

Since Gothenburg's Landvetter Airport is included in Zone B and the central station in the center of the city is within Zone A, it is recommended to purchase a Zone AB ticket when traveling from the airport to the city.
Most of the central area is within Zone A, and I have not bought many other zone tickets because my daily life is only within that area.

How to purchase tickets,

Västtrafik Store
Convenience stores
ToGo app
Machines in public transportation vehicles

There are four ways to purchase tickets.

1: First, the Västtrafik store is a building like a tourist information center where you can buy tickets.
I have only used the store in Gothenburg Central Station once, and I remember that they were very helpful. If you are not sure which area you want to go to or if you want to ask something you don't understand, I recommend the Västtrafik store where there are specialists.

2: At a convenience store, you can purchase a card-type ticket by telling the cashier the zone and type of ticket you want!

3: The ToGo app is an application provided by Västtrafik and I strongly recommend this purchase method.
The reason is that it is the easiest, most convenient, and least troublesome.
On this app, the QR code and ticket details are displayed and easy to understand with a single glance. And unlike other types of tickets, I don't have to scan it at every opportunity when I take the streetcar I use most often.

I have made many mistakes with other types of tickets, so I choose the app only.
For example, I once lost a card-type ticket, or when I bumped into a machine in the vehicle, the credit card in my wallet, which I had in my breast pocket, reacted and paid without my permission.

4: There are opportunities to scan card-type tickets in public transportation vehicles, but you can also purchase tickets directly there.
The method is simple: just hold up your credit or cash card that accepts touch payment until it beeps. However, it is not yet clear how they will confirm whether you have made a purchase or not. So, I personally would not recommend this except in an emergency.

Occasionally, an investigator will appear to confirm that you have purchased a ticket.
Be aware that if you find out at that time that you have not purchased a ticket, that your card has not been scanned, that you have not paid by credit card, or that you have bought a student ticket but do not have a student ID, you will pay a fine of 1500 kronor (about 21,000 yen) for an adult.

1-3. Swedish Useful for Getting Around

The Swedish language has many similarities to English. However, it is not easy to live or sightsee without a good knowledge of Swedish. Pronunciation is also quite different from English, so it is good to know the words I will introduce here.

The three words introduced here are Nästa, Därefter, and Stannar.

These words are often seen and heard on public transportation.

First, Nästa means next, and when this word is used it indicates the next stop.
Listen carefully to the announcements in the train as they also call out "Nästa + name of the stop.

Next is Därefter, which means "from then on. This word is written on the electronic board, which tells you that the stop indicated by this word is the next one.

Finally, there is Stannar, meaning stop. If there is a stop where you want to get off, press the stop button marked "Stannar" or "STOP" in English, and the name of the stop will also be played in the announcement in the vehicle.

Many place names and stop names in Swedish are unique and difficult to pronounce and intonate. Moreover, I arrived in Sweden without any knowledge of Swedish at the beginning of my study abroad, so I had a hard time understanding the meaning of the announcements and how to read the electronic message boards.
Therefore, I think it would be useful for those who are going to Sweden and Gothenburg to learn these words.

(2)〜Extra ~ Introduction of Cuisine

2-1. Curry

At the end of January, there was a time when it was as warm as spring for about two days.
The temperature rose from minus 5 to 6 degrees Celsius, the snow melted, and it was sunny all the time. It had been dark and cold all the time, so it felt like heaven just to have the sun come out and the weather warm up.

I wondered if this kind of weather would continue from now on, but it soon returned to normal, and now I am hoping for spring to come soon.

Since it became cold again, I have been feeling a little sick. I am sensitive to cold and to changes in temperature, and I have already had a fever of over 40 degrees Celsius twice since I came to Gothenburg.
This is another fever! So I decided to make something warm, and that is what I made this time: curry.

Anyway, I decided to get some nutrients, so I put in a lot of nutritious vegetables.
I added eggplant, which was on sale at a reduced price, broccoli, which had recently become a designated vegetable, and carrots. In addition, I used a lot of canned tomatoes instead of water.
I also added minced beef.

As for the taste, all of the ingredients are commonly used in curry, so it was very tasty.

2-2. Cooking parties with friends

I regularly hold cooking parties with my friends where we cook and eat Japanese food and other popular Swedish foods.

This month, I decided to cook Japanese food again with my Swedish friend.
My friend has asked me to teach her how to make Japanese omelet(Tamagiyaki) at this cooking party.
I have made Tamagyaki many times, but to be honest I am not that good at it.
Therefore, I am now practicing so that I can teach.

Through practice, I have come to understand the importance of oil. I used to use less oil each time because too much oil is not good for your health, but now I can make it better by adding oil every time I pour an egg into the pan and roll it.

I recommend everyone to try using more oil when making Tamagoyaki!

In conclusion

Thank you for reading to the end.

In the next installment, I will continue to talk about useful information for your life, focusing on the SIM card for your phone and the need for cash.

See you again in the next blog!