tack så mycket sverige tack så mycket sverige

The weather is finally getting warmer as we all bid farewell to the snowstorms and early sunsets at 3pm in Sweden It has been a longer and more intense winter here in Sweden compared to the average as I’ve been told. For me, this has been my first spring and winter as I came to Uppsala for a study abroad semester on exchange. As I’ve covered in the earlier March issue of the magazine, I’m from Vancouver on the Pacific west coast of Canada. So while most of the world’s coldest places are indeed found in Canada, the region where I live in has one of the most mild and balanced climates in the world. The winters barely dip below zero degrees, and you enjoy the 20–25 degree summers with very well-defined seasons throughout the year attracting many to move here for the comfortable living. So as much fun and enjoyment as I had when trotting knee-deep through the snow for my morning seminars, I am really delighted that spring is finally here with summer just beyond the horizon ahead

I didn’t know what to expect from this half a year-long stay when I walked off the tarmac after landing at Arlanda in December. After all, six months is a really long time and much longer than the typical three to four months of an exchange semester. The trip started quite roughly with my plane from Canada getting delayed, causing me to nearly miss my connecting flight in Amsterdam by minutes Ironically, the delay was caused by an unprecedented sudden snowstorm in Vancouver, so much for the “comfortable” and “mild” climates –right? So besides all that along with my checked luggage being lost by the airline, everything was going according to plan! In all fairness to the chaos, I was flying out just days before Christmas, so I only have myself to blame But it was all worth it as I had my first-ever Swedish Christmas experience with my girlfriend’s family up in the beautiful region of Dalarna While everyone was watching Donald Duck for the millionth time again like they have done for generations, I was really enjoying it for the first time myself In contrast to Sweden, back home in Canada or in many places abroad, Donald Duck is not very popular nor nearly as well known as Mickey Mouse Yet, I was fascinated and mesmerized by this multigenerational Swedish Christmas tradition. I also went skiing for my first ever time even though I am from Canada I guess growing up surrounded by mountains and passionate hockey superfans kind of steered

During my day skiing, I was amazed by the fearless Swedish kids going down the steep slopes at full speed with no worries or hesitation. While I was unable to match their level of fearlessness and courage, I was able to go down quite a steep slope albeit with some assistance and moments of hesitation

At the start of my exchange semester in January, I was quite overwhelmed and rightfully so. From adapting to a completely different education system, grading structures, and the Swedish language along with cultural differences was certainly a lot to handle. But I got a bit better each day and with a bit of patience, things started to feel more routine and natural Before I knew it I was starting to incorporate Swedish norms and habits into my everyday life such as queueing with the right distance and going for routine fikas Compared to the Canadian school system, there certainly was a lot more independence expected from you as a student

One thing I really enjoyed was being able to take one class at a time. Compared to the majority of school systems in the US, Canada, or Asia where you take multiple classes concurrently at the same time throughout the entire semester. This was a breath of fresh air for me as I got to really focus and put an emphasis on learning something well This would have been very difficult to do under my school system at home where I would be simultaneously taking four or five classes. Meaning when exam season comes around, I have to stressfully cram five different subjects for exams all taking place in the same week sometimes on back-to-back days. So for those who are considering studying abroad, keep in mind of the different school systems as it may be something that could work wonders for you! Although I had a lot in common with most exchange students, I also had many differences First, I didn’t live in student accommodation, so I didn’t get a chance to meet many other students aside from those in a class setting But after hearing the complaints from many students staying in Flogsta, it was quite nice to live in a private apartment with my partner, and enjoy the finer luxuries of having our own washroom and laundry. In contrast to many who took electives or less demanding courses and courseloads, I went the complete opposite and often surprised many who asked I was enrolled in a 125% courseload which started out with a 15hp credit advanced c-level course I also wanted to take the Basic Swedish 1 course and learn some Swedish which took place twice a week at night So while many exchange students were out partying at the student nations, I was probably enjoying the peace and beauty of Uppsala while studying or reading.

As for my Swedish class, around 70% of my classmates were fluent in German or Dutch, giving them quite an unfair advantage when learning Swedish at the A1 level so most of them never showed up to class and aced the exam on their first attempt. As for me, I tried to embrace myself in Swedish by listening to Veronica Maggio songs and reading advertisements on the bus and SL commuter trains. Although it’s definitely no major accomplishment to brag about, I am genuinely happy with the amount of Swedish I do know. Learning a language is one of those things that you just cannot cram or rush through, nor can you cheat your way pass it as you’d only be cheating yourself. From not knowing a single word of Swedish, I am quite happy that I can at least now say, jag talar lite Svenska exists anywhere else. It is a very uniquely Uppsala thing, and I think it is one of the things that makes Uppsala the place it is. I will always be fascinated with the fact that most of the student nations existed long before even Canada became a country in 1867

Now for my fellow readers, I would like to end my final article for Reversen and Sweden by quoting former US president Abraham Lincoln who once famousely said “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years ” We can’t choose the hand we are dealt with in life, but we can choose how we want to play our cards. At the end of this summer, year, or particular stage of life, we will reap the seeds we sow and be left with the consequences of our choices and actions You shouldn’t do or not do anything because of what others are doing or for fitting in You should make your decisions based on what you want in life for yourself, whether that is studying abroad in a far away country, or applying for that job that seems out of reach. Make sure you end your summer, your studies, and your life with no regrets, because you can be the master of your own fate, and the decisions and choices you make today will result in the person you are tomorrow.

I couldn’t end my piece without talking about one of the most unique aspects and parts of Sweden, Uppsala, and student life in particular Did you manage to guess it because I’m talking about the student nations of Uppsala It was so amazing to see the monumental events and activties from pubs to clubs that the different historical student nations all offered I had never seen or heard of anything like that before, not do I think anything like this scale ha