For my STEP Signature Project, I completed a semester abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, where I focused on Gender and Sexuality Studies. Some other classes that I took this past semester included Swedish Language and Culture, and a class about how television affects culture and vice versa. My program included trips to Oslo and Berlin, and I travelled with friends independently to Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
In a larger sense, in my travels to Sweden I realized that no country is perfect. I have a lot of issues with how the United States functions as a country and had viewed Sweden as sort of a progressive utopia. It is, in many ways, better than the United States, but there are still issues with racism, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights within the country. Although Sweden isn’t perfect, it also helped me realize just how messed up the United States is. The infrastructure of the United States, specifically public transportation, is really horrible. In Stockholm, the tunnelbana, or metro, and buses are almost always on time. They go anywhere and everywhere that you need to go, all with one relatively low-cost card. In addition, Sweden does not have issues with random gun violence. Yes, there are still guns in Sweden, but the gun-related crimes are 99% percent of the time related to gang activity. In Stockholm, I could walk in the park late at night alone without feeling threatened or scared that I was going to get shot. I was able to sit in a movie theater completely relaxed, something I can’t do in the United States. Now, Sweden is a more homogenous country in relation to the United States, but it was eye-opening to realize that the United States does not have to be the way that it is.
On a more personal level, I think that I became more independent and confident in myself over the course of the trip. I had to navigate an entirely new city, in an entirely different language, with entirely new people, and I was able to do so successfully. It felt so freeing to be able to take the metro across the city alone, running errands and meeting friends. Also, with the Swedish work culture, I felt that I was able to find a healthier balance between work and social life, something that I believe many Americans struggle with.
There were several times throughout the semester where I felt overwhelmed and decided that to fix this I should take a walk. And so, I bundled up, put my headphones on, and headed out into the dark Swedish night alone. All at once, it hit me that at no point did I feel in danger. If I was in the United States, I would not have felt comfortable at all walking around alone at night, especially in a park, due to the general random violence that occurs in the United States. It was so, so lovely to be able to navigate through this city without feeling threatened at any point, and I really wish that the United States was a place that I could feel that same way. But, with the legislation that’s in place, I feel that that is impossible.
In terms of finding a work-life balance, I had around 12 credit hours of courses during the week. Swedes put a heavy emphasis on taking a coffee break, or fika, to break up the work day and allow for relaxation. In the United States, I feel like the culture for work is like a hamster running on a wheel. Even this semester back at Ohio State, I am taking 18 credit hours, and must work two jobs in order to afford my rent and groceries. In Sweden, students are given a monthly stipend to lessen financial stress. Their tuition is also free. The Swedish university courses are tough, that is for sure, but they are encouraged by their institutions to live a life outside of their studies, and provide resources to make that happen. When I return to the United States, I want to take this idea of maintaining a work-life balance with me. It is not healthy to be focused on school at all times, and it is important to me to maintain a healthy social life going forward.
In addition to studying in Stockholm, I did some extracurricular travelling to Oslo, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Two of these trips were academic, but two of them were just for fun. I had never really felt a strong urge to travel around before, and going to Sweden was my first time leaving the United States. However, getting a taste of Europe has made me want to see more. I hope to travel more in the future, even perhaps pursuing a master’s degree abroad. But my urge to travel is not relegated to Europe. The world is so big, and there are so many places to see. It was especially special to be able to live in another country for a short time, and while I do not see myself permanently moving to Europe any time soon, I think that it is an experience I will never forget and yearn after for a long, long time.
These experiences that I had in Sweden (and Europe in general) are important to me, because I think that it made me a more well-rounded person. I was able to learn to rely more heavily on myself, and know that I can do hard things. I know now that I am able to adapt to new situations, and can make happiness wherever I am. I made new friends for life. There are pieces from the Swedish culture that I am going to take home with me, that will make life in the United States one million times better. My time abroad has left me with many stories, many questions, and many answers, and it is something that I would not trade the world for.