Sharing a meal can turn strangers into friends. With Lund’s diverse community, these moments take on even more meaning. I sat down with people at LUSEM from different backgrounds to learn how they find collection and a sense of home through the moments they share around the table. Each conversation revealed how food can carry memories, bridge cultures, and create belonging in the unexpected. Those include: Shanti, a Bachelor’s student from Stockholm, Sweden; Daniel, a Bachelor’s student from Vaasa, Finland; Marta, a Bachelor’s student from Tallinn, Estonia; and Jaco, a Senior Lecturer of Economic History from Katwijk, The Netherlands. 

When you think of gathering ‘around a table’, what memory comes to mind first?

Shanti: My first Thanksgiving in Lund. A Swedish-American friend invited us to hers for a ‘student friendly’ thanksgiving. Something about crowding around her corridor kitchen to get a taste of each dish felt like a little family moment and we’ve kept up the tradition ever since!   

Daniel: Christmas or Easter meals with my family where we spent the whole day cooking, bonding, and catching up with relatives. Those gatherings always felt warm and memorable.

Marta: The Christmas dinners I have every year with my friends in Austria. We all worked a ski season a few years ago, and since then we’ve gone back and celebrated Christmas together. We all bring a dish from our home country, and one year, my friend’s mom even express-mailed us Estonian sausages; probably the most expensive sausages we’ve ever eaten!

Jaco: We had a New Year’s Eve tradition in my family of eating oliebollen, a very Dutch donut. It was always casual and festive and something we still do whenever we’re back in the Netherlands.

How have shared meals shaped your life, and how has that changed in Lund?

Shanti: Growing up, shared meals were the center of every celebration. In Lund, meals are more spontaneous and usually with a few friends, but they carry the same warmth, even if my student budget means I have to get creative! 

Daniel: At home, shared meals were big family occasions. In Lund, they’re smaller and more intimate, but still a time to unwind, talk about our days, and support each other through the typical student challenges, like surviving the days leading up to getting CSN.

Marta: Shared meals mostly happened on birthdays or holidays back home. Here, I celebrate more often, meeting friends for dinner or marking small occasions. It brings us closer and makes everyday moments feel meaningful.  

Jaco: My wife and I always had the rule that we sit at the table for dinner every night. We cook together, eat together, and spend about an hour talking and being with each other without distractions. I find this really important in a time when it’s so easy to be occupied with other things, like looking at our phones or working.

What dish feels like ‘home’ to you?

Shanti: For my brother and me, “home” is our banana-and-chicken pizza tradition, which started when we were kids. It sounds odd, but it’s our thing. If I get to choose dessert, it’s always a meringue sviss (with banana, of course).

Daniel: We ate tacos weekly growing up, so they definitely taste like home to me. When I hosted my first bike party in Lund we made a huge batch of them, and everyone bonded over how they built and folded their tacos. It was a great icebreaker and created new memories around a comfort dish.

Marta: I don’t have one comfort dish, I love everything. Comfort is more about the moment, like getting sushi and watching a movie or talking with friends. I also enjoy making Estonian food for my friends, and sharing that part of me with them. 

Jaco: Dutch pancakes, the big ones with apple and syrup, that’s my favorite. It’s typical childhood food, and whenever we’re in the Netherlands I always try to get one. It’s a pretty tough negotiation because my wife does not like pancakes but she happily watches me enjoy mine. 

What was a meaningful gathering you’ve had and what made it special?

Shanti: I love gatherings with a bit of structure, like with games or small traditions that make them feel intentional. For New Year’s and Thanksgiving, my friends and I always reflect on the year. It brings us closer and creates a sense of appreciation for life and each other.

Daniel: A meaningful gathering that comes to mind are the Thanksgiving dinners my Swedish-American friend hosts every year. I’d never experienced one before, and learning a new tradition through food was special and tasty.

Marta: Last summer my friends and I rented a country house in Sweden and celebrated Midsummer early. Our Swedish friend prepared traditional dishes and games, and those few days immersed in Swedish culture made the gathering really meaningful.

Jaco: For me, it’s always about the people. When we moved here, we began hosting dinner parties for colleagues, especially those traveling to Sweden from abroad, to make them feel at home. It’s a great way to connect and get to know people, and people really appreciate it. It’s our small service to the international community here in Lund. 

Who would you invite to your table, dead or alive, and what would you eat?

Shanti: My grandma and my favorite artist Joni Mitchell eating banana pizza. If I could add more guests, I’d invite Fleetwood Mac to play softly in the background.

Daniel: I’d invite a historical figure, like Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, or even a small Victorian child, and serve them something modern like a Big Mac or sushi just to see their reactions.

Marta: Both of my grandpas. I never met them, so sharing a meal would be really meaningful. I’d introduce them to fast food since they’ve likely never tried it.

Jaco: I’d invite Floris V, a 13th-century Dutch count. I’ve written quite a bit about him and although I don’t speak medieval Dutch well enough to hold a conversation, I’d love to observe the way he looks and acts. As for food, I’d try to make something medieval, perhaps deer or another wild game he might have eaten.

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For both students and staff, moving away from home has invited a mix of new traditions. As a Swede born and raised in the US, I relate to the people I’ve spoken to. I grew up with Swedish traditions at home but lived an American life outside of it. Coming to Lund and being able to share my traditions while experiencing others’ has been one of my favorite parts of being here. For many at LUSEM, shared meals have taken on a deeper meaning and serve as a reminder that the real difference lies in the connections formed around the table. 
In other words, the food doesn’t make the moment, the people do.