Life in Högsbogatan 30

18 maj, 2014

Home sweet home

Choosing the right accommodation boils down to finding the right balance between price, facilities and transportation options. Even though I chose Högsbogatan specifically due to the possibility to share the room with someone else, the rest of the parameters had a good outcome for me.

Starting with the price, accommodation in Högsbogatan costs 5211 kr monthly, a number that compared to other accommodations’ prices might sound a teeny bit expensive. However, if the cost is shared with someone else, it is cheaper than most. So if you need to preserve your economy, this is a place to look into.

The facilities in Högsbogatan are a little more scarce than in other student buildings, as some even have pubs and saunas. Högsbogatan  might not have many leisure options, but all the basic needs will be covered.

These basic needs also include the visual factor. One thing that reminds me of home is the window inside the apartment. Back in my city I used to have three windows, two of which were covered by the leaves of an avocado tree. In Gothenburg it would be impossible to see avocado plants, but the view from my window has more than enough greenness to keep homesickness at bay.

There is also a small kitchen inside the apartment, which saves you the trouble of having to share one. It has been the landmark of all my culinary breakthroughs!

My kitchen – with added dishes for the sake of accuracy

If you, however, need more space to make a big pot of soup or a gigantic batch of cookies – or simply to have a small party with friends; you can use the common kitchen in your floor. It is very spacious and comfortable, having couches, tables and a balcony. The laundry room can be booked, it has several washing and drying machines, and some cleaning utensils.

In regards to the time spent moving back and forth, Högsbogatan is at a very convenient location. Below is a list of the time it takes to get to the places I frequently visit.

3 min walking – Recycling station

View of the recycling station from my floor’s emergency stairs

Since living away from my parents home, I have realized how much garbage is really produced in a household. Living in the Dominican Republic I would feel horrified at the prospect of all that solid residue going to a landfill – but here, I feel calm in the knowledge that my waste will have a few more lives to live! In the recycling station you can deposit glass, plastics, cardboard, paper, batteries and even clothes.

6 min walking – Pressbyrån, Marklandsgatan, ICA Nära, Pizza

Nice view over Marklandsgatan

This is the most important spot near Högsbogatan… as it has nearly all you need!

Pressbyrån is the place where you’ll be buying your Västtafrik passes for public transportation, top-ups for your cellphone and most probably freshly cinnamon buns – the smell in the morning in hard to resist!

If pizza is an integral part of your life (as in mine), you’ll be glad to know that there is also a pizzeria in Marklandsgatan.

ICA Nära is the mini market that will probably be saving your life a couple of times, since it’s the one nearest to the building. Nonetheless, I would recommend to leave it as an emergency option; there are much cheaper supermarkets at a couple tram stops length.

And the one you’ll never be able to escape (nor will want to) is the Marklandsgatan Bus/Tram stop. It is one of the main stations in Gothenburg, giving you the option of 18 busses and trams just a 7 minute walk away.

16 min walking – Slottsskogen

Slottsskogen is a beautiful park in the middle of Gothenburg. The entertainment options are countless- from running marathons to watching penguins. And that’s almost precisely what I did on my arrival to Gothenburg. My first visit to the outside world was to Slottsskogen; on that day only I saw that there was a music festival going on, a midnight marathon (in which I of course didn’t run but did try to cross over  it diagonally) and discovered that there were (gasp!) penguins. I would never have imagined I’d have penguins just 16 minutes away from home. Ever since, I’ve developed a strong, loving relationship with Slottsskogen. There is always something happening there, regardless of the season. You will probably love it too.

16 min walking+public transportation – Chalmers

As a student, this is will be the most important place to get to. And the lucky thing is, to arrive there you can use a special 16 bus pass. The 16 bus takes you directly from Marklandsgatan to Chalmers, the city center and even to the Lindholmen campus. It is also extremely cheap compared to the rest of passes.

Glimmering 16 bus

16 Bus Route

18 min walking+public transportation – LIDL Linnégatan

This is the supermarket I buy in regularly. It may not have as much variety in products as other supermarkets, but it balances out when you take their prices into account. Also, it is located in one of the most beautiful streets in Gothenburg, Linnégatan, and has a huge candy shop nearby.

30 min walking+public transportation- Brunnsparken

This is the center of the city. You will probably go there rather often, as it has a main station, two malls and a lot of activity! The time it takes to get there is very convenient.

I hope you have enjoyed the overview of my life in Högsbogatan. Have you already started to imagine how your life in Gothenburg will be?

Skriven av diviaj Publicerat i Divia, In English, Next Stop Chalmers, Nytt om chalmerister