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The Final Week: Thoughts and Reflections

Hi all!

Well, we’re here at the end of the semester and i’m writing what will likely be my last (or second to last?) post. It’s been one heck of a semester, and I thought I would take this opportunity to piece together some of my final thoughts and feelings about this abroad experience as the semester comes to a close. 

The first thing I want to say is that abroad is truly an important experience. No, it will not be the instagram picture perfect experience you expect it to be at all times, but it’s an important time to experience new things, get some distance and perspective (about your home university, the U.S, your friends, anything really...) and just to give what is for many of us, a much needed step outside of the comfort zone. I’ll be honest, I don’t feel like abroad has changed me in the way that many juniors returning from their time over-seas like to gush about, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t important. While i don’t feel “changed” per se, I do feel like i’ve learned a lot about Swedish culture and the world, but more than anything about myself, my thought processes, and my approach. One of the most important lessons I feel I can take away from these past four months is the importance of expectations. One of the dangers of going abroad, and something that I definitely feel that I fell victim to, is the temptation to set expectations incredibly, and virtually un-meetably, high. With all of the expectation created on social media and instagram, and the hype created by abroad websites, DIS included, it’s easy to picture your semester going in a very particular way. My best advice in this regard would be to avoid this at all costs. Of course you should read up on your program, and if you have the opportunity speak to past students about their experiences, and as you are doing right now read the blogs, but do not let these images, depictions and experiences overcome your interpretation. Instead, go into your abroad experience with an open mind and your experiences will be your own. It’s important to remember that abroad programs are businesses trying to sell you a product, and DIS is no exception. The way they advertise and project themselves is obviously in a very positive light, and for the most part rightly so, but as with nearly any other program, or any institution DIS is not perfect. This is especially true for DIS Stockholm, as it is only a few years old and still working out a lot of its kinks as the program attempts to expand. DIS does a fantastic job of marketing themselves, but to let these images and videos shape your goals and preconceptions for your abroad experience is to set your self up for some kind of disappoint. 

My second piece of reflection is as you go into your abroad experience try to remember the choices you made at the beginning of your freshman year of college. In many ways, the social dynamics of abroad mimic freshman year of college, but in one semester instead of two and among a lot of confused, jet-lagged and culture shocked upperclassmen. Just as with freshman year of college, it’s very easy to glom onto the first people you meet. Some of these people you may find will make fantastic friends, but for many the first friends you make are not necessarily the friends you keep. As you navigate your first few weeks abroad, pay special attention to the people you interact with and really consider how you’re investing your time. Are these people you enjoy, or are these people convenient? It’s easier said than done, but it’s an important step to consider especially as people form groups and begin to make travel plans early in the semester. Consider also making a special effort with those in your core course. These people already share a common interest with you, and you’ll be spending a great deal of time with them throughout the majority of the semester, including a week-long trip to another country. Not all core courses get along, some have 10 people and other’s have 20, but core courses nonetheless present a clear and easy opportunity to meet other students on the program who you may very likely find yourself connecting with. Don’t take these folks for granted, because the core course ends ahead of the end of the semester and it comes before you know it! 

The last reflection that I want to share with you is that at the end, it’s okay to feel ready to go home. A lot of people on your program, and friends away on other programs, will gush about how they aren’t ready to leave, are sad to go home, or even how they would move to their abroad location tomorrow if they could. The fact that they feel this way is fantastic, and clearly shows that they’ve had a meaningful abroad experience, but just because you are ready to go home does not and should not invalidate your own experiences abroad. Just because you are ready to go home, or even really want to go home, doesn’t make you a Debbie downer. For many, a semester abroad is just that, a semester, and by the end of it you may feel satisfied and that your time abroad was sufficient. One thing i’ve found is that being abroad has given me an immense new found appreciation for the US that I was really missing right before I left for Sweden. Traveling around Europe and experiencing so much of its culture has reminded me how much there is to see in the US that I haven’t seen, how many states I haven’t been to, how many regional dishes I want to try, how many national parks I have yet to visit and so much more. The end of the semester, and going home represents different things for different people. For some, it means saying goodbye to their new favorite place, and for others it means closing a small chapter and returning home in search of the next. Whatever that means for you is perfectly acceptable, and I urge you to remember that.

Pictured here: Some lovely ladies from the Positive Psychology core course (representing the many faces of abroad?), and my sign off! Thanks for following along, it’s been lovely. Catch ya on the flip side.

Thats all for now,

Ruthie

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One Month Left: Some Dos & Dont’s

As we near the end of the semester here in Stockholm, I thought it would make sense to do a post detailing some of the little tidbits of information that I’ve learned in my time here that don’t necessarily fit into clear cut categories like “academics” or “housing.” With that said...these are those tidbits!

Do

Do Send postcards! Early on in my semester I decided that instead of collecting knick-knacks or small souvenirs from my travels, I would instead make a special effort to send post cards to the important people in my life from all, or most, of the destinations I visited. I am so glad I did this, because not only did it allow me to update my favorite people back home, but as a result I won’t be weighed down with lots of trinkets from all over the place on my way home. Postcards are great gifts because they are light, get your message across quite literally, show that you care, and are an authentic gift from whatever destination you’ve visited. 

Do use instagram to find cool restaurants and cafes! While a quick google search can show you plenty of nearby eateries when you’re roaming around Stockholm, some of my favorite places that i’ve discovered while abroad have been by using the location functions and hashtags on instagram. Plus, once you find one cafe you like you can typically find more good local cafe and business by checking out the accounts the cafe is following!

Do take advantage of Oktav, the cafe in the DIS building. The food there is really great, and likely the best deal you’ll find around Stockholm. They also take cash, so if you’re in a homestay it’s one of the best places to spend your cash lunch stipend. Their bread is also, no lie, some of the best bread i’ve ever tasted! seriously, while you’re here use this place to your advantage.

Do speak up if you have a concern. Whether your concern is related to housing, classes, social life, you name it it’s better to say something earlier rather than later. A lot of student are unhappy in some respect, but don’t do anything about it because they figure “oh its just a semester abroad, it will be over soon” and that is absolutely NOT the way to approach what is supposed to be an amazing and informative semester. Plus, DIS can and wants to help you with a lot of your concerns.

Dont

Don’t go to all the museums you want to visit right away. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t visit the museums, because you absolutely should, but a lot of classes at DIS involve field trips or special after class visits to a number of museums on DIS’s dime! Also, unfortunately not many of the museums in Stockholm are free, so instead of paying upfront to see a museum you’re really excited about, you might want to check your syllabus first to see if any of your classes involve a trip there. Just to give you an idea, I’ve visited the Viking Museum, Fotografiska (twice), Moderna Museet, The Nordiska, The National Museum, and the Historical Museum all with different DIS classes. 

Don’t forget about the impact of darkness and seasonal affective disorder. Even if you come from a cold from a cold weather climate with lots of snow, nothing quite prepares you for the darkness here in Scandinavia. Even though it’s only a few extra hours on either end of the day compared to North America, the sun rising at 9:00 and setting at 4:00 can really take its toll. Before you even arrive I suggest reading up on season affective disorder, and maybe even considering bringing some vitamin D or purchasing some when you arrive. 

Don’t bring a ton of sweaters. In anticipation for the chilly climate I packed as many cute sweaters as I could, and I have to admit this was probably a mistake. While the winter is cold and you’ll definitely appreciate a heavy and warm sweater in the colder months, you really only need 2 or 3 warm, neutral sweaters to get by. Sweaters are serious bulk, and they end up taking up tons of room in your suitcase. Even if you don’t buy souvenirs, you do end up accumulating some random stuff over the course of a semester, and by eliminating 1 or 2 sweaters in your packing you could give yourself some much needed room.

Don’t take out cash! Stockholm is a card city. All establishments take card, and many of them don’t accept any form of cash at all. Instead of worrying about ATM fees and how much cash to bring, I strongly recommend you forget about it entirely. Instead, look into getting a credit or debit card with low fees, and use that for most of your purchases. Also, the credit card gift cards that are wildly available in the U.S do not work internationally, so avoid those as well.

That’s all I could think of for now! If I come across some more nuggets of information I will be sure to add them here. Further, if you have any questions you’d like me to address do not hesitate to reach out.

Thats all for now,

Ruthie

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Long Study Tour: Five Days in Athens, Greece

Pictured here: Approaching the Parthenon through its ancient gates

Hello all!

Sorry for my recent lack of posting! I was experiencing the trip that I’m about to tell you all about, and then my computer broke!! It’s okay though, my trusty laptop is back up and running, which means I can finally sit down and write this blog post! 

If you go abroad with DIS, you will have plenty of opportunity for independent travel, but there is also an emphasis on organized group travel, and this comes in the form of your long study tour. Each core course goes to a different location that is selected depending on their area of study. I am in the Positive Psychology course, and at DIS Stockholm Positive Psych gets the amazing opportunity to go to Athens Greece! There are two weeks during which your study tour could take place. In the spring, this is either the first week or the last week of March. We were assigned the last week of March, which meant that we were in Athens for Greek independence day! Because we were in Greece learning about Well-being across cultures, it was particularly relevant to see how the holiday had an affect on Greek cultural pride, and how the Greek people expressed their feelings towards their culture and their country. 

Pictured here: A father and son wait to watch the Independence Day parade

For our academic activities, we had a number of guest speakers, and the opportunity to visit a really special organization, The Smile of The Child. This is an NGO that seeks to help children struggling in Greece, whether that be with mental illness, poverty, abuse this organization seeks to give every child the resources they need to like a happy and healthy life. The organization is funded nearly entirely through donations, and because of the way the Greek government works not only did they receive little government funding, but they also have to pay taxes. At this visit, we sat down and spoke to the therapists and care givers that work in the different sectors of the organization, including the report and helplines, the day-time mental health services, and the live-in home. We also had the opportunity to visit their off-shoot organization, You Smile, which works to get teenagers in the organization and in community service. We also had the opportunity to visit The Diamond Way Buddhist Center in Greece, and to learn about the value of meditation for well-being, and Buddhism in the lives of the Greeks who are involved. We also discussed the influence of religion in Greece, and what it’s like to take part in a lifestyle and practice that varies from the Greek Orthodox church. 

Pictured here: Group lunch at Acropol Plaka

In addition to our incredibly interesting academic visits, we also had a number of cultural excursions! In fact, upon arrival to Greece the very first thing we did was go on an extensive and amazing food tour! We tried souvlaki, grape leaves, cod, tzatziki, greek yogurts with honey and walnuts, baklava, loukoumades and so so much more! In the mornings, we had plenty of time to explore the city, including countless numbers of Athens’ beautiful small side streets and paths. 

Pictured here: An Athenian side street

We also had a special excursion where we learned a few simple Greek dances, some of which we later preformed at dinner that evening after a very filling meal of greek salad, moussaka, bread, and more souvlaki. We also of course had the opportunity to visit the Acropolis with a tour guide and to see the Parthenon, its gate, and the other ruins that still stand atop the Acropolis. 

Pictured here: Ruins on The Acropolis in Athens

On our last full day in Greece, we had the unique opportunity to visit the nearby island of Aegina! This island is known to be one of the pistachio capitals of the world, is in home to the temple of Aphaea. In order to get there, we took a ferry early in the morning and spent the day roaming the town with a tour guide and on our own. While it was rainy and a little chilly the day we visited, the island was beautiful and the water was still so clear that you could see the bottom despite the weather!! The first thing we did was visit the Church of Saint Nectarios, the patron saint of the island, and learned some information from our tour guide about Greek Orthodoxy and island of Aegina itself. For lunch, we ate amazing fresh seafood at Remetzo with a view of the water and a neighboring island, and even got to try some pistachio ice cream at a road side stop near the temple of Aphaea. I made sure to pick up some pistachio brittle to bring back to Sweden with me for my homestay family. 

Pictured here: The Church of Saint Nectarios 

All in all, this week was probably my favorite part of the semester so far! We were able to learn about positive psychology from a different cultural perspective, and the long study tour presents a really great opportunity for core courses to bond as a unit. 

That’s all for this time! -Ruthie

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School and Such

With all the exciting travel, delicious food, and foreign experiences, it’s easy to forget that studying abroad has “studying” in it for a reason. Study abroad is first and foremost an educational experience, and DIS as a program prides itself on being academically rigorous. I’m going to break down some of the main things i’ve noticed about DIS classes so far, and hopefully you find this helpful in some way shape or form! 

In General 

First, I would say that people are generally quite happy with their classes here at DIS Stockholm. Here and there people may be disappointed with a specific class, or have issues with a specific professor, but across the board the attitudes towards DIS classes are generally positive. DIS seems to put a lot of effort into selecting their professors and I think, for the most part, as a student you can tell. While many of the teachers are active in their careers, they also take time out of their schedules to teach at DIS and sometimes other universities and programs in the area of Stockholm and more generally around the greater country of Sweden. The fact that many of the professors are also professionals in their careers allows them to offer some really unique insight, on top of the already different Swedish perspective that we’re getting through being in Sweden rather than the U.S. I will say that sometimes, unfortunately, there are some professors who while very intelligent, and successful in their fields, don’t necessarily know how to teach information. While I haven’t experienced this issue with my teachers here, I have heard of some situations where the teacher struggles to appeal to the class and has a hard time conveying their information either because of language barriers, or simply because they aren’t experienced in teaching or in teaching college students. However, I don’t think this is a concern that is unique to DIS, and if you’re having problems with your classes or your professors DIS does have resources available to discuss and potentially even address these types of concerns through the Student Affairs branch.

Group Work

Something I wish I knew about the classes at DIS is that there is a HUGE emphasis on group work. Sweden in general values group work and cooperation, and so DIS tries to reflect these ideals in their classrooms. As a result, nearly every class you take at DIS will involve group work in some way shape or form, and in some classes more so than others. While I think this group work can be beneficial in some ways, it is definitely something to be aware of. Since this is an abroad program, the people who will be your peers in class come from a number of different academic backgrounds, and also have different expectations for their abroad experience and how much work they expect and want to put into their classes. In my own experience, as well as the experience of many of my friends on this program, this tends to result in disparities in the amount of effort applied by a group’s various members to group projects. If group work is a concern of yours specifically, I would recommend reading your class syllabi before you arrive to see just how much group work you will be participating in, and maybe even discussing your concerns relating to group work with your professors early on. 

Workload

Here at DIS i’m taking five classes. Normally at my home university I take 4 classes a semester, but my registrar requires that I take 5 DIS classes to transfer to the equivalent of 4 classes at my home university. I think this was a good decision, because a five class work load feels about right. I’m not overwhelmed with work, but I do feel that academics takes up a fair chunk of my time, and through the five classes that i’m taking i’m learning quite a bit as a result. On a day to day, week by week basis I feel that the work load is quite manageable. Most classes have required readings or assignments due each class, as well as optional readings, with two or three larger assignments that are due throughout the semester. I will say that the midterm season, which falls in the two weeks between the two long study tour slots, can be a bit hectic. A lot of people, myself included, had a number of important assignments due during these two weeks. However, teachers do a good job of making you aware of these midterms, and if you plan ahead this two week period, although potentially exhausting, shouldn’t be too overwhelming or come as a surprise. 

On the whole, I’ve been quite pleased with the DIS academics. I think academics, at least in my experience, is a place where this program really shines especially in comparison to a lot of other abroad programs, and it shows. Professors are generally accommodating and receptive, and the academic administrators welcome criticism and critique so that they can continue to improve the program. If you have any questions about DIS’s academics, or specific classes at DIS, don’t hesitate to reach out! The classes I’m taking are Swedish Language & Culture, Positive Psychology, Psychology of Loneliness, History of Vikings, and Ways of Seeing: Storytelling Through Photography so I can offer more specific insight on my experience in these classes.

I’ll be writing again next week at the end of my long study tour in Athens, Greece with Positive Psychology, so stay tuned!

-Ruthie

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Spring Break

Pictured here: Yours truly in Wicklow, Ireland 

Hey there! It’s been a hot second since I last wrote a blog post, but with good reason...I was on spring break! At DIS, March is a major travel month, and there are two weeks in March that you will spend traveling if you are considering being a DIS student. One of these weeks will be spent with your corse course on a long study tour (which for me is the last week of March in Athens Greece...stay tuned!) and the other is an opportunity for independent travel. The way my schedule worked out meant that my spring break came first, and so i had the opportunity to what ever travel I wanted. I decided to split my time between Berlin, Amsterdam, and Dublin and now I’m here to tell you all about it!

Berlin, Germany

My journey started bright and early on Saturday morning with a flight to Berlin. My friends and I stayed at a hostel called Three Little Pigs, and while the hostel itself was pretty and cool, the crowd wasn’t very young and so i’m not sure i’d recommend this hostel as a first choice, but it made for a good place to stay, especially since my friends and I booked our room in this hostel quite late. While in Berlin we did quite a bit of walking, saw the Berlin wall, and visited the spy museum. While we were only there for two full days, we still got to see many of the popular sites and try some of the token foods (currywurst...kind of just like a hotdog with some sauce on it). We also visited a very aesthetically pleasing brunch spot called House of Small Wonders. While this location was adorable and served delicious food, the wait for Sunday brunch was outrageous, and so I would recommend only visiting on a weekday.

Pictured here: House of Small Wonders, brunch location

While Berlin was certainly an experience, I have to say that it wasn’t really my vibe and is a rather harsh feeling place in general. While I think it can be worth seeing, it was probably my least favorite of the three locations that I went to, but it is an interesting place to go to learn about it’s history, and it is certainly an experience nonetheless. If you are planning on visiting Berlin, here are some tips I can offer you: It’s important to note that in Berlin many places are cash only, so you should get euros as soon as possible when you arrive if you plan to travel there. Also, in many of the restaurants and cafes there’s smoking indoors to the point that it can be hard to breath and you will smell like cigarettes when you leave. The one thing I didn’t get to try while in Germany was some authentic schnitzel, but I later found out that schnitzel is technically Austrian, so I suppose that means i’ll have to pay a visit to Austria! 

Pictured here: My friend and me in front of the Brandenburg Gate 

Amsterdam, Netherlands

After our stay in Berlin, arriving in Amsterdam was like a breath of fresh air! While it was fairly windy when we landed, eventually the sun came out and we were able to enjoy some time outside. The hostel we stayed at was called The Generator, and is part of a larger hostel chain. This hostel was a fantastic option, and I would highly recommend it. It was located in a park which made for a lovely atmosphere, was very clean, and had a cafe on-site. Like with Berlin, we did a great deal of walking in Amsterdam, but walking in Amsterdam is fairly simple and as a result we didn’t buy any transportation passes for our stay. There are all sorts of interesting and cute shops along the canal, making Amsterdam a beautiful city to explore in the daytime. We went into all sorts of shops, including the Tulip museum, and also went for an incredibly pleasant canal ride in one of the boats. 

Pictured here: On the canal cruise

We also enjoyed the Heineken experience, which is aptly named because it is less a tour of a brewery and more an in-depth look into how Heineken has progressed and is trying to market itself. We of course also paid a visit to the Red light district, which while certainly odd and different, was interesting and i think important to see from as a visitor to Amsterdam and from an outsider/observer’s perspective. One of the coolest places we visited in Amsterdam though was an incredibly tiny dutch pancake shop called Upstairs Pannenkoeken. This adorable little spot is known as Europe’s smallest pancake shop, and I believe it because this place was tiny! They are open from 12-6 and only take cash, but you can make reservations by phone and they are very accommodating. One thing to note, however, is that the shop is up a set of extremely step stairs (more like a carpeted ladder, honestly) and so if you have a disability or difficulty walking you may not be able to access this spot. Nonetheless, they had delicious pancakes and I think it’s worth checking out! 

Pictured here: The outside of Upstairs Pannenkoekenhuis

Dublin, Ireland

The last leg of my week-long travel journey was in Dublin! This was the city that I was looking forward to the most, and the one that most lived up to my expectations! Firstly, the Irish people are just something else. My friend who I was visiting there is studying abroad at Trinity and he told me the most amazing quote from William Butler Yeats that just about sums up my impression of Dublin: “There are no strangers here, Only friends you haven’t met yet.” As with the other cities on this trip there was a ton of walking involved! I got to experience a full Irish visit, and of course payed a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. We went to a number of different pubs throughout the visit, many of which had live Irish music playing, others with a hilarious and catchy selection of early late 90s and 2000s hits. Aside from the traditional Irish food we ate, we also visited a killer burrito shop, Mama’s Revenge, a super nice healthy breakfast at The Fumbally, and a really delicious ramen restaurant, Ramen Bar. 

Pictured here: Breakfast at The Fumbally 

On the second day we took a bus out to the Irish countryside and went for a walk around Wicklow. We got to see SO MANY sheep, the greenest grass in the world, and some neat stone church ruins. My friend of course also took us for a tour of the old part of Trinity College, where we go to the see The Long Room and The Book of Kells (free of charge with a trinity student!). All in all, my visit with Dublin was the perfect way to wrap up an insanely long and action packed week. 

Pictured here: The stacks in The Long Room

That’s all for now! Feel free to ask me any question about my travels specifically or DIS in general and check out more pictures from my trips on my instagram page, @mugsnshrugs.

-Ruthie

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Helsinki, Finland

Pictured here: Hanging in front of the Helsinki Cathedral 

Hi all!

I’ve just arrived back home from a weekend away in Finland, which means it time to tell you all about it! This was my first weekend traveling outside of Sweden, and some friends and I decided to take an over night boat to Finland and back. We left Friday afternoon, arrived in Finland at 10:00AM on Saturday and were able to do a few hours of chillin’ and site seeing before getting back on the ship for our return voyage to Sweden! We took a cruise with Viking Cruise Line, and while the boat did the job of getting us to and from our destination this is not a trip for weak-stomached folks. If you’re looking for an easy way to get to Finland on a budget, this is definitely a cheap and easy way to go, however it wasn’t the most pleasant accommodations and the rest of the ship’s passengers were a bit of an odd variety. If you choose to go via the cruise, I would recommend going with a group you enjoy and trust and bringing a deck of cards to pass the time (and snacks, the food can get expensive!). 

Pictured here: Another look at the Helsinki Cathedral 

Once we go off the boat and actually spent some time in Finland, we hit a number of fun and interesting places! Finland is such an interesting place to visit because of its history of both Russian and Swedish control. As a result there’s a lot of diversity in the architecture, and you can really see the Swedish vs. Russian influence as you explore the streets. 

Pictured here: Exploring the market place area 

The first place we went was the dock and market/food hall! This was a neat place to go with lots of different food options, and LOTS of fish. They have some seating areas as well so this is a great lunch option

Pictured here: Smoked salmon in the food hall! 

We also went to two big tourist attractions in Helsinki, the Helsinki Cathedral and the Uspenski Cathedral. Both were prime photo opportunity spots, and really beautiful to look at from the outside, as well as to glimpse at from the inside. After doing some site seeing we stopped for lunch and coffee at a nearby cafe, Café Esplanad. After this our group split up with one half of the group going to the Temppeliaukio Rock Church and the other half paying a visit to the biggest department store of all the Nordic countries, Stockmann. After an action packed few hours walking around Helsinki we boarded the boat and headed back home, satisfied with our visit but also very excited to get back to Stockholm. 

Pictured here: The ceiling in the Uspenski Cathedral

Thats all for now, check my instagram @mugsnshrugs for more pictures of the trip!

-Ruthie

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Rosendals Trädgård

Pictured here: A selection of terracotta pots for sale 

This week I had the good fortune of having Wednesday off! While normally field studies occur on Wednesdays, the way my schedule worked out I had no field studies on this particular Wednesday, which meant a completely free day. My friends and I took this opportunity to explore a garden and restaurant on the island of Djurgården, Rosendals Trädgård! This island is normally known for all of the museums that it holds, but if you wander farther into the area beyond the Nordiska and the ABBA museum you will come across this gem. This little area features gardens you can walk around in, a gift shop/boutique, a store for plants and seeds, and a lovely cafe and restaurant that stays warm in the winter months because its in a green house! 

Pictured here: My pals waiting in line to order their soup 

We started by exploring the shops and checking out the selection of plants and seeds. The shops also had a number of pretty cards of purchase, but unfortunately none of them were postcards, which is what I was in the market for. There was also another shop, which was connected to the bakery for the restaurant so that shop had all sorts of cute wooden cooking supplies, olive oils, and some loaves of bread for sale. 

Pictured here: Some of the prepared food options. Vegan! 

After doing a bit of exploring, we decided to sit down for lunch. As you walk in there is a buffet style table down the middle of the room with different quick options to choose from. They also have a small menu of hot food items that you can order at the front. We decided on the sweet potato soup and it was absolutely delicious! We of course followed this meal with dessert, and I had some semla and coffee. 

Pictured here: Seeds for sale.

All in all this was a great day! I highly recommend this little spot as your lunch choice if you’re already on Djurgården or as its own little adventure. 

Thats all for now! -Ruthie 

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Housing: The Unofficial Lowdown

Hey all! 

For this week’s blog post, I thought I would take the opportunity to describe my take on DIS’s housing for any potential students that are looking for a more in-depth opinion on the housing situation in Stockholm. I’ll start by saying that I actually moved housing about two weeks into my time at the program. I originally was placed into the Outdoor LLC, which had been my first choice, but ultimately switched to a homestay. Upon arrival at the program I basically realized that the Outdoor LLC wasn’t what I thought it was and therefore wasn’t for me. I’ll talk more about the reasons why and the ins-and-outs of that particular housing option as I continue this post, but before I launch in just some important reminders. First, DIS Stockholm is still a fairly new program and as a result much of their housing options/locations are not concrete. Additionally, the Swedish housing and real-estate regulations are quite confusing and strict with temporary housing, so some of what I say here could be subject to change in future semesters. Second, these are opinions based off of my own personal opinions and observations! With that said...here we go! 

Homestay: The homestay option is a popular choice and one that DIS strongly encourages. There is something very rewarding about experiencing Sweden through the lens of an actual family of Swedes. Depending on what you write in your housing application, DIS will try their best to match you with a family. So, If you have certain hobbies like baking, or really enjoy the outdoors, say that! It could make all the difference. Thus far nearly everyone that I have met who lives in a homestay is enjoying their experience. Of course, there will always be some pairings that don’t work out, but if that is the case DIS is prepared to make changes. However, it is important to note that in cases that are not considered emergencies, there is a mandatory 2-week waiting period from the time of arrival to the time when you are allowed to request a move. This two week period is in place to account for people who may be panicking as a result of culture shock, but it is nonetheless an important point to keep in mind as you consider your housing options! This 2-week waiting period applies for moving to and from any type of housing. A homestay is a good option for you if you want an authentic Swedish experience, and the ability to form close connections with locals, but it may not be for you if you prioritize night life, or having lots of personal space. Another important thing to note is that while the homestays are located all around Stockholm within a 70 min travel radius of the city center, this is nonetheless typically the housing option with the farthest commute given the nature of most family homes being in the suburbs.

Living & Learning Community (LLC): The Living and Learning Community is perhaps the most unclear housing option on the website, and the most vague. I will now attempt to break it down for you based on my observations! First, at DIS Stockholm there are two LLC options: Outdoor and Music. One major point that I feel I should make is that if you are really passionate about these subjects, you will most likely be disappointed with the LLC. The LLCs are meant to be accessible to anyone with an interest, and therefore not everyone in the outdoor LLC has been backpacking, and not everyone in the music LLC plays an instrument. As a result, many of the activities that you will do in your LLC are on the novice side of the spectrum. With that said, these are really great options for people that are interested in a subject, but have never really gotten to experience it. Another important factor to note about the LLCs that is not clear from the website is that they are located with the residential communities (RCs, I will discuss these next!) Therefore, it’s almost better to think about the LLCs as subsections of the RCs- you share common spaces, RAs, and buildings with the members of the RC, but do certain specialized activities with the fellow members of your LLC. In terms of location, as of this semester the outdoor LLC is in a suburb of Stockholm that is accessible by train, and the music LLC is in a downtown area of Stockholm accessible by Metro. These may be important factors to note if you are really interested in being downtown and care about your location. Joining the music LLC is a near sure-fire way to be downtown in order to be close to music events and concerts. The outdoor LLC on the other hand is typically in the suburbs, despite events being held all around the Stockholm area. 

Residential Community (RC): The residential communities are perhaps the closest housing option to typical dorm life at DIS. This housing option comes with a lot of freedom, as well as a lot of access to other DIS students. With this housing option you cook your own meals, clean your room, and have lots of control over your own life. While you will likely be living in the same building or nearby to Swedish residents, you will not interact with them like in the Studentboende. Members of RCs live in single and double dorms with their own kitchens, and sometimes participate in activities hosted by their RAs. However, the RA’s here are different from college RAs and can be relatively distant and non-participatory, but this strongly depends on the year, RAs hired, and your housing location. While DIS gives you the option to select a single or a double, unless you have an express reason to be in a single you will likely be sorted into a double. The RC in general is the most tricky housing to predict. As of this year there are three RC housing options, two of which are within Stockholm’s downtown area, and the third of which is in the suburbs however this suburban location houses a number of students. If you want to live in an RC, but are concerned with location you should either expressly discuss location preferences in your application, or consider selecting the music LLC or the Studentboende as your first choice instead. 

Studentboende: This housing option, while similar in set-up to the RCs in terms of independent dorm living and proximity to other DIS students, draws its appeal through the opportunities it creates to meet Swedish students. Usually located in Årsta, this housing option is fairly centrally located and within the city limits. As a result, choosing this option typically guarantees more centrally located housing. While the expectation is created that you will befriend Swedish students through this housing option, that is not necessarily the case. Some of the Swedes may be interested, others not so much. It is important to keep in mind that while you are only there for a semester, the Swedes may be there for longer and don’t necessarily want to hang-out with the temporary American students. This is a good housing opportunity if you want to live independently, value proximity to the city and night life, but if your main goal in choosing this housing option is to befriend Swedes, it may be more productive to consider a Homestay. 

Folkhögskola: For this housing option I cannot unfortunately offer much insight compared to the other housing options. This option was offered to DIS students for my semester after the housing applications were due as sort of a trial run, and so only a few students signed on. However, from what I can tell and from what I have heard the students in this housing are enjoying it. Compared to the studentboende, this options appears to be a better and more authentic way to meet Swedish students. Additionally, this option is what seems to be the Swedish version, or the closest relative to, an American college campus and offers unique amenities in that sense, including access to the outdoors and single rooms.

If you want to see what DIS has to say about their housing you can click here. It may be useful to read their descriptions as well as this guide side by side to get a fuller picture of the housing options.

I hope this review of the housing has been helpful to you as you consider applying and/or choosing your housing with DIS! Feel free to reach out with questions or for more in-depth information, i’m always happy to help. 

Thats all for now!

-Ruthie

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CCW: Positive Psych in Gothenburg

Hey all!

it’s been a minute since my last blog post, but with good reason! I just got back from an incredibly fun and action packed week, core course week. What is this you may ask? Well, basically core course week is when each core course has the opportunity to travel to a different location in Sweden to get a different or more in-depth look at a concept they are studying. For the Positive Psychology class, we went to Gothenburg with a focus on altruism and more general themes of well-being. Our week started on Monday at home in Stockholm with a guest lecture on Changing Habits.

On Tuesday, we visited the Fryshuset school in Stockholm. This is a really interesting community center and school combo of sorts that focuses on giving kids who potentially don’t have the opportunity to explore what they love a place to do just that! They have amazing facilities that include an ice rink, a recording studio, indoor skate boarding parks and i’m sure much more that our tour didn’t include. After our tour of these amazing facilities, we sat down in a classroom for another guest lecturer. This lecture was with the director of Exit Sweden, an organization that helps troubled individuals that are seeking help leave extremist groups. This insanely interesting talk was followed be a super yummy lunch sponsored by DIS at one of Fryhuset’s on-site cafes.

Pictured Here: Yours truly enjoying one of Gothenburg’s signature HUGE kannel bullar on Haga street

Wednesday we had the day off, but bright and early on Thursday morning we headed out for the main chunk of the week, our trip to Gothenburg! The class meet at T-Centralen, where we boarded our train for the three hour train ride west. The moment we arrived in Gothenburg and dropped our bags, we were onto our next activity. We started with a delicious lunch of duck (and more bread!!) at Brasserie Lipp, a french restaurant before being picked up by our tour guide for a walking tour of the city. Even though it was raining quite a bit, we had a blast walking through Haga street, and enjoying some fresh hot chocolate at the local chocolatier.

Pictured here: Fresh hot chocolate!

Thursday was our busiest day, and involved two really interesting activities The first was something really special, the Random Acts of Kindness activity. for this, our teacher handed us 100 kroner each (approx. 10 dollars) and told us to use it perform some kind of act of random kindness! After this activity was complete, we were free to grab lunch on our own, and my friends and i decided on a lovely little cafe on Haga street.

Pictured here: Insanely delicious salad I ate for lunch

After lunch, the group met back up for an activity with the Forum Theatre Workshop, an NGO in Gothenburg that uses theatre to help Gothenburg’s citizens struggling with homelessness. The organization provides a space and a context to work through struggles, and we had the opportunity to partake in some of the exercises that the leaders regularly use in their work shops. This activity was super interesting and engaging, but exhausting so i was very excited for the group Italian food dinner that followed.

Pictured here: pre pasta smiles at Nonna, our group dinner location

Our last day was Saturday, and we woke up bright and early to enjoy breakfast before heading to the University of Gothenburg for a lecture with a professor from the Psychology department. The professor lectured on her research regarding body image, and why some people have a more positive body image than others. One really interesting point she discovered was the concept of the body as a functional structure vs the body as some kind of appearance based feature. Really interesting stuff, if you want to know more feel free to reach out on this blog, I would be happy to tell you all about it! After this lecture, we went out for a group lunch and learned how to play petanque...because why not?

Thats all for now!

-Ruthie

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Fika...found??

Guys I think i’ve done it...i’ve found my go-to fika spot! Today was Wednesday, field study day, but since I had no field studies it meant a day off! My buddy Mary Kate and I decided this would be a good opportunity to hit the town and to simply explore. We went to Södermalm to check out the cafe and restaurant scene. We stopped for a fully vegan lunch at a little spot called Chutney, which was delicious and I highly recommend the coconut curry. When we were finished with our lunch we decided to find a cafe where we could get some work done, and stumbled upon an absolute GEM of a place, Cafe Pascal. Cafe Pascal was a place that I had found on instagram a few months back and had been following since before I arrived in Sweden with the intention of paying it a visit. I hadn’t had any opportunity to go searching for it yet, but we just happened to stumble upon it while walking around. We went in and found a cozy little table in the corner where we could chill and get some work done. 

Pictured here: My buddy MK in our lil’ nook of the cafe 

We went up to the register, and after browsing what looked like an incredible selection of different pastries we both settled on the almond croissants (a good choice, if I do so say myself). I went for a latte, and MK went for the standard cuppa joe (they have free refills!!). 

Pictured here: Some goodies at Cafe Pascal 

The overall vibe of the place was lively, but also super conducive to work. They were playing some nice folk-y tunes, and people were speaking, but quietly. The employees were also quite nice, and didn’t mind that we ended up staying for about two hours! Now that I’ve been here for nearly three weeks (woah) it feels nice to find a place you can claim almost. For some reason, this coffee shop in particular really reminds me of home, and I can see it being a place I can come to relax and read with a cup of coffee, or introduce to more friends during a fika. No matter what kind of housing you have here at DIS, i think it’s important to find ways to make Sweden itself “home” beyond your actual living situation. Growing up in a city, i’ve always had my go-to spots around town to spend time. The idea that I now have a place like that in Sweden in the form of this cafe is really starting to make this stranger of a city feel just a little bit like home. 

Pictured here: Assorted goodies available for purchase at Cafe Pascal 

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First Field Study, Bastu (Sauna), & More!

It’s been one heck of a week, which means its time for me to tell you all about it! Here at DIS, Wednesday’s are an opportunity for classes to venture outside the classroom walls in order to experience some hands-on learning at various locations around Stockholm and Sweden. This past Wednesday was the first round of field studies, and I happened to have two on the same day! My first field study was with my History of Vikings class, and we took a trip to the relatively new viking museum, Vikingaliv: A true Adventure on Djurgårdsvägen. While much of the information that our guide told us on the tour was information we had already learned in class, one really interesting feature that the museum has is a scary realistic replica of what a regular viking may have looked like based on the DNA evidence of an actual skeleton uncovered by archeologists. While this guy looked more like Smeagól than any viking I could imagine, it was super interesting nonetheless! 

After that, i hoped on a tram to head back to DIS to meet my Swedish Language and Culture class for my next field study. The focus of this field study was power in Sweden, and consisted of a walking tour and history lesson of Government buildings in Sweden along Queen Street, an out-side look at the Prime Minister’s home, and of course a tour of the royal palace. After the tour, we went and grabbed some Fika at a local coffee shop in Gamla Stan that is part of Stockholms Stadsmission, a series of businesses (mostly second hand stores) whose funds go to supporting Stockholm’s homeless population. 

Pictured here: David and Clara enjoying some Fika after our Field Study with Swedish Language & Culture.

Another exciting highlight of my week is that I went to Vete-Katten for the first time! Vete-Katten was established in 1928 and is one of Stockholm’s oldest and most popular spots for Fika among visitors and locals alike. They offer a wide variety of cakes, coffees, breads, and even some more substantial fare. I managed to order my first slice of princess cake for the year, and though not pictured here i can assure you that its absolutely delicious! Maybe i’ll try to order some more princess cake so i can post a picture next time... or maybe thats just an excuse to eat more princess cake.

Pictured here: Vete-Katten interior 

Pictured here: Latte and Kanelbullar at Vete-Katten

I have to say, as fun as this entire week was, my absolute highlight hands down was experiencing the Swedish bastu (aka sauna) for the very first time. On Saturday a group of pals and I took a train and a bus down to Hellasgården. Hellasgården, though only 20 minutes south of the city, is a nature lover’s paradise. As we drove by in the bus we passed countless nordic skiers, and families ice skating on the frozen lakes. While all of these outdoor activities looked like a blast, we came to Hellasgården for one thing and one thing only....a bastu and a dip in the frozen lake! I’ve honestly never experienced anything quite like it, but i think its safe to say there’s nothing quite as liberating as dunking yourself in nearly frozen water completely naked after sweating out all your bad energy in an incredibly hot small brick room. 

To any future DIS students reading this blog, I cannot recommend this experience enough (it was literally amazing to the point where I now feel like I need a sauna in my future adult home), but I do have some advice! Know that you are required to be naked in the bastu. On most days of the week the bastus themselves are separated into male and female sections, but the actual dip in the lake is NOT so if you’re uncomfortable with that idea consider a robe, or even a bathing suit that you can change into between the bastu and the ice dip (but either way, you’re probably never going to see the strangers at the bastu again so try not to sweat it...ba dum bum) Try to go during the week, as the weekend seems like an incredibly popular time to visit Hellasgården. Also, if you can, try to bring shoes. The dunk itself wasn’t even that bad, but walking barefoot on the ice and snow was a lot.

Pictured here: Post bastu smiles!

Pictured here: On site restaurant at Hellasgården for post-bastu noms!

Pictured here: Noms

Thats all for now!

-Ruthie

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Access to the Outdoors: A Saturday Walk

Pictured here: Cat, Outdoor LLC Program Director

Here at DIS, I currently live with the Outdoor LLC (living and learning community). This housing option is essentially a residential community that also separately goes on various outdoor themed adventures on some Saturdays and every Tuesday after classes. There is also a music LLC here at DIS Stockholm that has a similar set up, but instead of doing nature related activities they do music activities like attending concerts and shows. This Saturday we had our first excursion to one of Sweden’s many free and totally open nature reserves! As a country, Sweden prides itself on the maintenance and accessibility of its natural resources. If you go to one of these reserves, you’ll see plenty of locals walking their dogs or going for runs. The park itself (Östra Järvafältet) was only a 30 min walk from the dorm, and once in the park we had the opportunity to pet animals, walk the mainly flat foot trails, adventure out on the frozen lake and even warm up with some coffee and hot chocolate at the small cafe (Helena’s cafe) onsite.

Pictured here: Helena’s Kafé

While some of the animals like the horses, Icelandic ponies and pigs were visible from the foot trails outside, you could go inside to see sheep, goats, and one chubby bunny rabbit. You’re even allowed to pet the animals If you’d like.

Pictured here: Two friendly goats

(check out the one silly goat sticking his tongue out! BLOOP)

Pictured here: Members of the Outdoor LLC making their way to the frozen lake

Perhaps the most exciting part of the day though was following one of the paths down to a lake that has now completely frozen over with the Swedish winter. While we didn’t have skates with us, we did get the opportunity to walk around on the lake itself making this my first time walking on a frozen lake! I had no idea that its normal for the ice to shift and to make noises so that was an interesting and slightly terrifying discovery. In the end, we walked for a total of about seven miles and needless to say it was a blast, but i’m exhausted. Now that i’m home, nice and warm after an exciting, but chilly day, i’m excited to tuck into some homework and tea!

-Ruthie

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First Friday...and Semla!

Hi all!

Now that classes have officially started here in Sweden, I find myself really relaxing into a routine. I’ll admit, the first week here is a bit of a whirl wind. Not necessarily because of culture shock or Sweden itself, but just because you’re kind of still settling into being a student rather than a tourist. As the end of one full week comes around though I feel like my brain has finally acknowledged that i’m going to be here for four and a half months. I’ve officially met all of my professors for the five courses that I’m taking and I have to say I think I’m in for some really interesting course material. In addition to my core course, Positive Psychology, I’ll also be taking four electives here at DIS this semester: Psychology of Loneliness, The Vikings, Swedish Language and Culture, and Ways of Seeing: Storytelling through Photography. I’ll be writing plenty more detail on these classes as they get started, so look out for some more specific blog posts in the near future! Anyways, since today was Friday I had three of my classes for the first time (photography, Swedish, and vikings!) After classes were done for the day and the weekend began I headed to Slussen and Södermalm, for a bit of shopping and Fika with new friends.

Pictured here: Semla at S:T Paul Bageri

After hitting up one of Södermalm’s many thrift shops, Stockholms Stadsmission, we went on the search for a cozy bakery and boy did we find one! S:T Paul Bageri, a bakery and coffee shop, was everything we could have asked for for a little Friday afternoon fika. We got to try semla for the first time (pictured above...basically creme puffs with cardamom (cardamom is big here apparently) and almond paste! 

Pictured here: Various breads and pastries at S:T Paul Bageri

Since that was a cafe AND bakery, they had a huge selection of delicious looking pastries and breads...have I mentioned enough how good the bread is here?

Pictured here: Checking out the views in Slussen with two friends

After we finished enjoying our semla and coffee, we headed back to the T-bana (metro) to catch our train back home. I successful afternoon if I do say so myself. 

Thats all for now

-Ruthie

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Hey all! 

In addition to this blog, I keep an instagram that I will be updating with more frequent posts throughout my Semester. To follow along, be sure to follow @mugsnshrugs (there’s a direct link on this page’s menu!) Featured here are some samples of what you’d see on the instagram on a regular basis. 

Check back soon!

-Ruthie

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Academic Orientation, Day 5

Today (so far...its only 4:00PM) has been a really good day! One of the reasons that I picked DIS as a study abroad program in the first place is because they pride themselves on the classes they offer and the academic rigor they maintain, despite the usual reputation of most college study abroad options. After a one hour overview of academic expectations, the schedule for the semester, and other loose ends from the head of academics, we met with our core courses for the first time and spent 4 hours getting to know the topic, our professors, and of course one another. 

This semester i’m taking the Positive Psychology core course, and if this introduction day was any indication, this is going to be one interesting class. While I’m a psych major back home at Hamilton, I have not yet had the opportunity to study positive psychology, so its really interesting to be able to learn it here in Sweden for the first time from a professor who often practices in the field! One fun fact I also learned about DIS today from my professor Susana is that more than half of DIS professors aren’t actually Swedish, but are from other countries around Europe and the rest of the world! I really like the idea that in a sense, DIS seems to almost be an  academic meeting place for English speaking academics from all over to share their knowledge with curious American students. 

After the core course introduction, i went to have some solo Fika in the cafe/restaurant in DIS’s building, Oktav. I actually got to try my first kardemummabullar, which is a cardamom version of the usual kannelbullar (cinnamon bun). It was DIFFERENT but actually really good...we dont use cardamom enough in America. Now its back on the Pendeltåg to Sollentuna for me! Still need to get some groceries and school supplies before classes officially start tomorrow. I’ll check in again later!

-Ruthie

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The lake in Sollentuna

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Arrival and First Thoughts

Believe it or not, I have officially spent two full days in Sweden! Only one though if you consider the fact that i was horribly jet lagged and in a state of tired confusion for pretty much the whole first day. That aside, I was able to go on a nice walk to a nearby lake in Sollentuna (where i’m living!) and move in all my belongings before all the residents of Sollentuna go together for a meal of Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes. Today, I met up with some new pals from the walk to the lake and picked up my first round of groceries! While there wasn’t much English in the supermarket itself, I managed to do a pretty good haul. 

We also decided to test-run the trip into Sweden and wow I have to say i’m super impressed with the Swedish transit system. Everything is incredibly clearly marked, the voices on the commuter rail and t-bana are super clear and easy to understand, and from what i can tell so far everything is very clean! After checking out the outside of DIS for the first time (very pretty) we walked around, enjoyed our first fika, and even got dinner at little restaurant in Gamla Stan! I’m already looking forward to exploring the rest of the area, and with orientation coming up tomorrow its only a matter of time before classes start. 

Thats all for now!

-Ruthie