Culture | | Page 20

Living, Learning, Loving (Posted by Blair in Ecuador)

February 22, 2013

The homestays are a very important aspect of the SIT program. I think the experience of living in a different culture almost requires this aspect. The families help us a lot with our Spanish language skills, as well as cultural behavior learning, information about Ecuadorian society, and, obviously, the quintessential family love and caring. I can go to my mamá when I have a headache, when I’m frustrated with my classes, even when I feel really confused about being here in Ecuador.

More than just living with a family, we often have homework assignments that incorporate them. Sometimes it’s something as simple as talking with them about an Ecuadorian movie we’re watching or a news item we talked about in class. Later in the semester, we have to write a Personal-National History Essay about a historical event in Ecuador that also affected some family member of ours and how his/her personal account compared to the history books. These little assignments help us learn about the history and culture, as well as to form a closer relationship with our family members.

Living in a homestay certainly has its difficulties as well. It sounds so silly, but after “moving out of the house” into university housing, I felt that I was in control of my life: how I spend my time, what and when I eat, when I sleep, when I get to simply have some alone time. This homestay is quite an adjustment. Now, I depend on my host mamá for my food, for clean clothes, and for help in absolutely every part of life.

Mamá prepares and serves us all the food, sets and clears the table, washes the dishes, stores the food, and the kitchen is spotless again before I know it. Still not sure how she does that… I still don’t know how to boil some water for tea on the gas stove because she’s in the kitchen asking what I would like before I can even find the kettle!

I have washed my own clothes for myself at home since I was about 14, when thought I was too grown-up to have my mom do my laundry (I don’t remember her objecting too much). I have no idea how to wash clothes here… and the machine is even in English! Apparently you have to hook up some hoses though, lesson learned. But my mamá simply insists upon doing it.

I went to the pharmacy with my mamá the other day when we were running some errands and I remembered I ran out of band-aids. When I went to buy them, not only did I have to ask my mamá how to say band-aid, she had to explain to me that No, you don’t buy an entire box of band-aids, who would possibly need that many? About 10 minutes of explanation later, we left the pharmacy with 5 individual band-aids.

Apart from Band-aid runs, we get to go out with our families and they show us around their city. We went on Saturday afternoon to the Virgen de El Panecillo, a hill in the center of Quito where a priest built a large Virgin Mary back in 1976. From that point, you can see all around the city of Quito, much like the panoramic view I got to see from the Volcanic mountain hike on my first day here [see Centers of the World (Posted by Blair in Ecuador)].

The Virgen de El Panecillo from directly beneath, after climbing many flights of stairs for a better view of the city

My host dad pointing out the historical churches of Quito's Old Town, after climbing to get a better view of the city

My dad pointing out the historical churches of Quito’s Old Town

We also got to go to Molinuco Falls on Sunday, which is a HUGE waterfall at the end of a lovely hike. The walk there includes smaller waterfalls, some pools where you can swim, even a ‘Meditation Pond!’ For an idea of the size and force of this waterfall, you should know that I could feel the mist from where I was standing in the photo below!

The GIANT Cascada Molinuco

The option to live in a different culture, in a society different from mine, to share with the people of that society, and to live for some time in a different country is a rare opportunity. Not everyone can spend a year of their life hopping between countries due to their committments. I believe many people also prefer to stay in their safe and comfortable space. However, the information and the lessons that I will have learned by the end of the program, whether learned in the classroom, in the daily activities of my family, or during the excursions we take, will make this an unforgetable semester.

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them.” Lao Tzu

P.S. My family prefers that I do not write about them personally in this blog. We will also be living with a family in a different section of Quito beginning in March and I hope to be able to talk a bit about them.

1 Comment | Blair in Ecuador, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Ecuador, Host Family, Housing, Language, Sightseeing | Permalink
Posted by blairinecuador

Bernin it up! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

February 22, 2013

Bonjour à toutes et tous! This is to say, hello to all ! This is typically how emails that I receive from the University begin. For those of you who are not familiar with the French language, toutes and tous both mean “all,” so essentially I just said hello to all! However, in French there are also the different genders. As such, it is necessary in various circumstances to use both the masculine and feminine forms when sending mass emails or writing to many people! It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does often with official emails. Hope you enjoyed your free French lesson of the day!

What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been. To sum it up really fast before reading on, I have experienced fondue and the festival known as Carnaval. Within the course of a quick four days, I feel as if I got a lot of Swiss culture really fast, but it was all amazing! I will start with the food.

Last week, I went out to fondue with my cours de vacances class, which you may remember reading about in my last entry. Fondue is a very traditional Swiss meal. It is not the typical chocolate fondue that we like to think of using fruit, although one can find it. Rather the Swiss eat bread, a mixture of cheese, and then finish the meal off with wine or tea. The cheeses most typically used are gruyere and emmenthal, melted together in a pot. At the restaurant, we were presented with a plate of bread, and it is your job to take a piece, break it up, put it onto the “fork” and cover it in cheese.

Cheese for the fondue!

The utensil used was something that I’m used to roasting marshmallows on. It is also critical to make sure you don’t delicately or lightly cover it just to taste the cheese. It was completely obvious to all Swiss people around me that it was my first time eating fondue. I was instructed by a friend who comes from the German part of Switzerland to completely sink the piece of bread into the cheese, then pull it out and let the excess cheese fall off. One also must pay close attention that the bread doesn’t fall off of the “fork” because then the person who lost it needs to either sing or do some other embarrassing task that the table decides. Luckily, this didn’t happen to me. When the cheese is all gone, there is usually some burned cheese left on the bottom of the fondue bowl. According to the fondue experts, this is the best part, and cannot be left! I tried it and must say I loved it. While this entire meal is going on, you need to drink either white wine or tea with the fondue. Otherwise, your stomach is going to be left to digest a block of cheese. While it was very filling and unlike anything else I’ve ever eaten, I did absolutely love it and I am excited for the next time I’ll get to try it!

The food experience certainly doesn’t stop there. This weekend I also got to go to a Swiss festival known as Carnaval! It is very similar to the idea of Mardi Gras, though it happens throughout the country on various dates, beginning anywhere from the weekend before Ash Wednesday to the end of May in some cases. On Saturday morning, a friend and I hopped on a train and headed into Bern for Carnaval in the Swiss capitol city. After a breathtaking train ride through the mountains, we arrived in the city, without a single idea of where to go! Our friend who had planned it wasn’t able to go at the last minute, so we had to improvise in order to figure out where to go. The one thing we did know about Carnaval is that people would be dressed in very colorful costumes. Luckily, we saw some people dressed up for the party and followed them from the train station into the city, until we found where we were supposed to be. Along the way, we saw some of the famous sites such as the Swiss Parliament building, and the most elaborate clock tower I have ever seen (so far). Included in this tour was trying probably way too much food that we found at various street vendors lining the main street of the festival. We ate things such as tarte flambée, crêpes, and of course, German sausage. With our stomachs filled, we lined the street with the rest of the carnaval-goers! In Bern, it is tradition to commence carnaval celebrations with a freeing of the bear that had been captured and held in prison for its winter sleep, and so the parade begins with the bear leading the way.

Parade starts when the bear comes marching through the street!

After the mascot passes through the street, there are marching bands dressed unlike anything you will ever see in your life, playing all kinds of music, and throwing candy to the crowds. There is also a lot of confetti throwing. If you ever go to a Carnaval in Switzerland, don’t be surprised when a kid maybe as young as six year old looks up at you, takes a handful of confetti from a bag, and throws it right up at you with a huge triumphant smile. People usually have confetti of their own to throw right back at whoever throws it at them, but my friend and I didn’t know about this before everything began, so we generally just laughed with surprise when we would get covered in all sorts of colors. I absolutely loved Bern! The city was truly quite beautiful and the festival was amazingly fun!

So many colors!

There were many creatures like this who also joined in throwing confetti

Probably my favorite site at Carnaval was this lady, who was dressed like a snail and walking at the same speed as a snail (despite kids throwing confetti at her the whole time)

This week has been the first week of classes. Stay tuned for my next post to hear about just how very different of an experience trying to get settled into classes here at a large university has been, and also to get a glimpse of some photos of the Alps, as this weekend I’m headed skiing! Thanks for reading, and à bien tôt!

1 Comment | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Food, Friends, Language, Music, Public Transportation, Sightseeing, Switzerland, Travel | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

곧: Countdown to Seoul (posted by Indira in South Korea)

February 18, 2013

Thinking of Seoul many words come to my mind, but the loudest for sure is 곧 (god) meaning “soon” since I am leaving home in less than a week to start my semester abroad in South Korea.

I am Indira and I am a junior. I am a double major in International Studies and German Studies. This semester I will be studying abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. Ever since I decided to go to South Korea, I am asked “Why?” more often than anything else. But really, why South Korea?

Well, I am from Bosnia and Herzegovina, I study in the US, last semester I studied abroad in Sweden, I’ve been to most of the European countries, speak multiple languages fluently, and study International Studies – very international, right? So why not expand on the internationality and step out of that frame? I think that is one of the most core reasons I decided to go to South Korea. Actually it was the internationalism that brought me on the path to Korea – while in Sweden I met a lot of students from all over the world, including Korea. Talking to them about Seoul and the Korean culture made me start thinking more about it and I decided to apply to Yonsei University. Basically, had I not studied abroad in Sweden I wouldn’t have met people who would made me think about a whole new set of possibilities and opportunities and I would probably not be going to South Korea this semester.

South Korea is a country like no other: economically it is very much like the US or Western Europe since it is so advanced, but culturally it fits perfectly in the frame of an Asian country – customs and tradition play an important role. Seoul itself is a reflection of this rather specific union of modern and traditional space that is truly fascinating. Living and studying in a country such as Korea and experiencing it from the perspective of an exchange student is definitely another reason why I chose to study abroad at Yonsei. I think that getting familiar with Korea, the way the system works, the culture, and the language is also going to solidify my International Studies major giving it a whole new dimension.

The main reason, however, why I decided to study abroad at Yonsei University is to step out of my comfort zone. I believe that we can only challenge ourselves and find out about ourselves when outside our comfort zone. Most of my life has been spent stepping outside of my comfort zone, but I think that going to Korea is going to be the biggest thing I’ve done so far. I do not speak a word of Korean, I’ve never been to that part of the world, and I don’t really understand the culture – I think it should pose a challenge that I will learn a lot from.

Even the period before leaving for Korea has taught me lot: for example, I learned that there is no issue that the OIE (Office of International Education at my University) cannot help with. Being a citizen of Bosnia it was quite a challenge to get my student visa. I needed a whole lot of documents I didn’t have and I had to go to Croatia to apply for and pick up my visa. The last month was filled with a gazillion of emails and phone calls exchanged between Bosnia, Croatia, the US, and South Korea. That is actually when it hit me that starting in less than a week I am going to be all about balancing my life on three continents and at least 6 countries. That is going to be another challenge I am looking forward to, to be honest. I think it’ll teach me more about being a true global citizen.

Now, all the problems are solved – I got my housing assignment (I’ll be living in International House on campus and I’ll have a roommate. Roommates are assigned randomly and I won’t get to know her until I get to Seoul), I got my visa, and my flight is booked. I leave on Wednesday and I definitely should start thinking about packing soon. Wow, I can’t believe I’ll have to pack again. Once I get to Korea it’ll be the 5th country I’ve lived in in the past 10 months!

Right now I will just try to enjoy my last days home and simply prepare for a once in a lifetime adventure! 🙂

Leave a Comment » | Indira in South Korea, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Host University, Housing, South Korea, Travel | Permalink
Posted by indirainsouthkorea

Centers of the World (posted by Blair in Ecuador)

February 4, 2013

My first day at Quito’s 9,350 feet of altitude after a long flight began by meeting up with two girls from my SIT program (Camila and Teaghan) and two more whom they had met in their hostels. We headed to the Central Market in Centro Histórico/Old Town together to grab some breakfast before exploring the city. We were convinced that the soup we were being sold did not have actual sangre (blood), but rather an ingredient which they called sangre simply due to its color or consistency: silly assumption. We enjoyed the experience for what it was, got some extra iron in our oxygen-deprived bodies, and continued on to silly assumption number two!

We hopped a taxi, filled it with one too many people, and went up a nearby mountain on the TeleferiQo (Quito slyly snuck their Q into that one, but it’s just like any other ski-lift style hanging cars that take you up a mountain). On the way up, I clearly remember saying to the group “Hey, maybe we should walk down on that trail, it looks like a good time.” I could hardly make it to the door of the hotel by the end of the afternoon. At the top of the TeleferiQo, I learned that we had plans to hike up higher so we started walking up. I had no idea that the plan was actually to climb the inactive volcano seen in this picture. Below is another picture showing how far we actually made it and how much relaxing had to be done.

Pichincha Volcano

Pichincha Volcano from our calling-it-quits point

That night we met our academic directors and a bunch of the SIT group arrived in Quito! Our directors introduced themselves: Fabian, an Ecuadorian Anthropologist who seems to know absolutely everything about his country, and Leonore, a US citizen who moved to Ecuador to raise her children and who can tell some great stories. They asked us to pack a bag for a couple of days, fed us a delicious Ecuadorian corn-husk snack, and sent us off to bed. The next morning, we headed out to San Antonio de Pichincha, better known as the location of “La Mitad del Mundo,” a monument to the ‘center of the world’ with a line marking the northern and southern hemispheres; unfortunately, the line is in reality a bit off-center by current calculations.

Orientation in San Antonio consisted of reviewing schedules and expectations, health and safety guidelines, an introduction to experiential learning, lots of discussion about the homestays and cultures in which we will be living, an overview of the rules and regulations, etc. There was plenty of time to get to know one another a bit, as well as time to eat delicious typical Ecuadorian foods (we actually ate about five times a day!). We took advantage of the opportunity to practice our Spanish and to meet our first Ecuadorian friend, Roberto, the son of the Hostería owner. The directors had also set up a night to watch an Ecuadorian movie, a night to hear some Ecuadorian/Andean music, and a salsa class with Maestro Lucky! We also had a couple of “drop-offs,” in which we went to a certain part of town in groups to learn about the area; this observation and asking questions is a sort of introduction to what we will be doing with the Independent Study Project (ISP) later. Finally, we had the opportunity to talk with students from different universities of Quito about all sorts of topics: Ecuadorian slang, travel throughout the country, politics and religion, and everything in between.

Orientation also included a required reading of “The Green Banana,” a personal account by Donald Batchelder of “temporary difficulty, resulting in a discovery which resolved the problem while opening up a whole new perspective of shared belief and speculation.” He admits that the green banana had only ever been an unripe fruit to him, while the people whom he met had known of its properties and uses for years. The tale includes a rock which the people state marks the exact center of the world and how each person has his/her own center of the world; the author states, “Personal discoveries converge in a flow of learning moments, developing a healthy tug of war between that original center of the world from whence we come and the new center being experienced.”

Because of the orientation schedule, I did not get to visit La Mitad del Mundo monument in San Antonio. However, I believe my entire semester in Ecuador will be full of encounters of centers of the world, from the Intag Cloud Forest in northern Ecuador to the Rain Forest in the South, and that I have a lot of learning to do from all the people who I have the opportunity to meet along the way. Donald Batchelder says it best: “Personal discoveries converge in a flow of learning moments, developing a healthy tug of war between that original center of the world from whence we come and the new center being experienced.”

Who knows, maybe I’ll even find a green banana or two along the way?

Quito from above: my home for the next few months while I study in Ecuador

You can read Donald Batchelder’s “The Green Banana” here: http://suzy-friendship.blogspot.com/2010/09/green-banana-donald-batchelder.html

Leave a Comment » | Blair in Ecuador | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Ecuador, Food, Friends, Housing, Politics, Travel | Permalink
Posted by blairinecuador

Culture Shocked! (posted by Pierre en suisse)

February 1, 2013

Madames et Monsieurs:

Bonjour! As I write this, my first week in Lausanne, Switzerland, is coming to a close. It has been such an incredible week; trying to collect all of my thoughts in order to write this has been such a challenge! A French word that describes what I am currently experiencing is habitué (hah-bit-chu-ay; or go on google translate to hear it said if you like) which means, not surprisingly, to accustom, to get used to, or to habituate oneself. Fortunately, I can report that this process is going quite well!

No matter how well my adaptation here has been going, there is still a huge list of things that I could never have been prepared for. As silly as this sounds, I was not really prepared to start speaking French at first! I first realized this when I stepped onto the airplane and was greeted with “bonne soir monsieur!” rather than good evening, like I would have expected. When I stepped off the plane and was in the Geneva Airport, my first step was to go through customs; when the official was asking me to step forward in French, he had to repeat himself several times before it registered with me that I had to move. If I got into anyone’s way while walking through the airport, my gut reaction was to say “oh sorry!” after this happened several times though, I remembered that I should be speaking French instead, and say pardon! If you read my first post, Last night in the US, you may recall that I was very nervous to come here, since it is my first time traveling abroad. I was really afraid that I would have trouble getting from the airport itself to Lausanne. I did make it though, finally, and it was magnificent! I took a taxi from the train station to my hotel, and successfully had my first conversation in French with the taxi driver who did not speak any English. I was so proud afterwards! After checking in at my hotel, I quickly set out to explore the city.

Beautiful buildings here!

Another beautiful building!

The buildings are a very interesting mixture between medieval architecture with some very modern twists here and there. However, amidst the cobblestone streets and pastel-colored buildings, there were so many people! Lausanne is a small city with about 300,000 people living there. However, walking through the streets, even on a Saturday and Sunday as I did the next day, it felt like I was in one of the busiest parts of New York City! Unfortunately on my first day, it was cloudy and I could not see the mountains. However, I reminded myself that there would be plenty of opportunities for this.

I don't think a picture will ever fully capture how beautiful these Swiss mountains are...ill keep trying though

I don’t think a picture will ever fully capture how beautiful these mountains are…i’ll keep trying though

The next morning, when I left my hotel room to go downstairs for breakfast, I am not lying nor exaggerating when I say the smell of fresh croissants greeted me. It was too good to be true, I thought, until I headed down and saw the breakfast display. It was as if I had never seen food before; I had no idea at first what to do to put a meal together. There were familiar things like fruit, bread, coffee, and nutella, but then there were other things that I was not expecting: swiss yogurt, which I discovered to be a bit more liquidy than the greek yogurt I usually eat at D-Hall but yet still so very delicious, different types of jams that I had never seen before, and various types of cheese spreads. I had never seen cheese like this at breakfast, so it really took me by surprise. When I chose a table, I noticed there was an empty jar in the middle. I had no idea what its purpose was at first, until I saw people around me putting things like food wrappers into them. This was how to get rid of my food trash, and to leave a clean plate for the staff to take away!

The list of surprises does not stop here. In the US, I am so used to having shops and stores, especially for food, open fairly late. Here in Switzerland, it seems like almost every store is closed by 7 pm, and it seems like anywhere for food that is still open after that is too expensive. It can be very difficult to find something after a certain time, so I have learned that planning ahead is very necessary. Another of my favorite differences is the vending machines for coffee that one can find spread out around the university. Even if you don’t have a cup with you, the machine will produce a small plastic cup for you if you ask for it. The coffee that is consumed here can fit in these cups. It is much more similar to an espresso than it is a typical Starbucks coffee. This also means it is much stronger, and for a coffee addict like myself, this has been an interesting adjustment. It has also been an adjustment for me to get used to the metro system here. It is not that the system itself is confusing, but the trains and buses at first can be a source of confusion. The doors don’t typically open by themselves; you must press a button at the nearest door to open it, or else you won’t get on the train. Before I learned this, I did miss a train once. I expected the door to open, and stood there staring at it, and nothing was happening. Eventually it just left the station, with me standing there feeling embarrassed. Luckily this hasn’t happened since then because I did learn quite quickly how the system works.

A brand new concept for me: coffee vending machines

It is a huge understatement to say things are different here. Overall though, it is a great difference, and I know that in the coming months that I am here I will learn so much. I already notice my French improving a little bit, but it may also be that I am gaining more confidence in speaking with others. One of the main reasons that I chose to come to Lausanne rather than a large city like Paris was because I expected in a smaller city that there would be less people who would speak to me in English. This has held true, and there have been plenty of times where I would go to look for something like a cell phone and I would have no option but to speak French to understand my options. I think that this is going to be very beneficial in the end, even though at this point it can still be a bit difficult. But in any case, there are plenty more adventures and tales to come, but in the mean time, à bientôt!

Leave a Comment » | Peter in Switzerland, Spring 2013 | Tagged: Adventure, Culture, Food, Language, Switzerland | Permalink
Posted by PeterinSwitzerland

Uppsala: A Journey of Discovery (posted by Indira in Sweden)

January 4, 2013

The time truly flies by. It’s already 2013. 2013… it feels really weird to write that number. Since it’s the New Year we all makes wishes and hopes as compared to the previous year(s). I was thinking really hard, but my 2012 was good on so many levels that I honestly didn’t want it to end. My semester abroad in Uppsala definitely plays a huge role in that.

Today when I checked my Facebook there was an entry saying: “Graduated from Uppsala University” and then it hit me – wow, that was really it. The best semester yet is over, but I learned so much about Sweden, as well as other countries, traveling, people, my major, and most importantly about myself. The last 5 months in Uppsala have truly been a journey of discovery. I started learning a new language, learned how to cook (I’m really proud of this one), figured out how to live on my own, mastered the art of constant cycling, made friends from all over the world, survived Swedish winter (which involved -7F temperatures and a major snowstorm), travelled a lot, attended a Nobel Lecture, took some amazing classes, gained the experience of living in Sweden, and so much more. It’s really hard to remember everything I went through over the past semester. Sometimes it feels like August was just yesterday, but then again when I think of everything that has happened since, August seems so far away.

The Swedish summer truly is amazing: You learn to appreciate every second of the sunshine, enjoy countless barbecues in parks and on the rooftops, and buy a bike. Uppsala looks absolutely breathtaking in summer – there is green everywhere, city parks and squares look stunning, and people are so happy.

Summer in Uppsala

Fall is no less impressive: Uppsala puts on new clothes and amazes everyone with its colors. The whole city looks like it came from a fairytale scene. Golden and red leaves, somewhat pleasant cold, and warm sunshine, as well as rain create a perfect atmosphere to spend hours in cafes drinking some hot beverage, eating cake or a cookie, talking to friends, watching people, or simply studying. Fall In Uppsala has it charms for sure!

Fall in Uppsala

Before you can notice, the rain is replaced by a snow layer and golden leaves are nowhere to be seen. That is a sign that another glorious season has arrived in Uppsala – Winter makes a grand entrance and it doesn’t cease to impress. It is not hard to enjoy Swedish Winter even with the cold and snow: Glögg, Julmust, fikas, sledding down the Flogsta or Uppsala caste hill, cycling in the snow adventures, and snowball fights can definitely make anyone enjoy Uppsala even during its most cruel months.

Winter in Uppsala

Seeing Uppsala change through the seasons is like seeing yourself grow fonder and fonder of this place, but also seeing yourself grow as a person. There is something magical about it. I feel Uppsala is home. But that is not the only reason why someone would want to study abroad in Sweden; the list of things one can love about Uppsala is very long:

Uppsala University is an old and prestigious university
Diverse classes
Great professors: knowledgeable and chill (you can go for fika with them)
Mixed student body: a lot of internationals from all over the world and Swedes from every part of Sweden
You are very much in charge of your in class experience: some classes are not mandatory and you choose your seminar groups
One class at a time system: you take only one class and you focus on it for about a month, take the final exam and then move on to the next course
Campus makes up most of the city and the buildings are in different parts: great way to explore the city
Each building is unique in its own way and has a story to tell
Attend Nobel lectures: Need I say more?

Chance to make friends from all over the world
New culture, language, traditions
Everyone speaks English: In the beginning when I needed help with something I would always first ask if the person spoke English but then I would just go over and ask for help right away. Basically everyone is bilingual in this country
Flogsta: you get to live in the most amazing and fun accommodation area ever! Ever thought of a 500 person Halloween party in two corridors? Well, that is how wonderful Flogsta is. The party was even featured in the local newspaper!
Your corridor: you corridor-mates become your family and your corridor your new home. Corridor dinners and parties are definitely one of the best part of dorm life in Uppsala.
Cycling: you get to cycle everywhere, anytime. And you’re gonna love it. Seriously.
Ekonomikum: Most amazing place to study, chill, or simply get some snacks
Blåsenhus: probably my favorite building. One part of the building looks like a spaceship hovering over the entrance hall. Great place to study or get fika
Carolina Rediviva: the most beautiful library ever. Even if you don’t have to study, you simply go there to hang out since it’s so cozy
FIKA! Forget Starbucks or whatever you consider to be “the best coffee ever” because I’m sure nothing beats Swedish fika. Just imagine great coffee/tea with amazing pastries, cookies and cakes, cozy kaferummet atmosphere, and the warmth of the people around you while it is snowing outside. And you get to do this for hours every day. One of those “I don’t think life can get any better” moments!
Kanelbullar: Oh, sweet love o’ mine! Cinnamon buns/rolls that simply taste great. Oh, and there is a day dedicated solely to this delicious treat: Kanelbulledag.
Marabou: best chocolate ever! Don’t even try to argue it. I mean it.
Music: Do you love house? Electronic music? Well, then Sweden is a heaven for you. Everyone makes music (I don’t think it’s even possible to keep count of how many people who make music I’ve met) and Sweden’s home to Avicii, SHM, Adrian Lux, Alesso, Lykke Li and many others.
Student nations: It’s really hard to explain, but once you get here you’ll get it. BEST thing ever! Every university should have them.
Great night life!
Stockholms nation’s lunch: make sure you get there at 12 sharp otherwise you’ll spend some time waiting for the deliciousness prepared by the Stokcholms nation’s Kökmästare
Värmlands nation’s bread: I don’t think I ever had better bread. Definitely worth going for the lunch at Värmlands. Make sure you start queuing at noon.
Gasques: there is a gasque for everything (newbies gasque, Halloween gasque, Fall gasque, Christmas gasque, Lucia gasque, and even Doomsday gasque)
Uppsala: it’s a student city so literally everyone is organized in a way that serves the students.

I think those reasons are more than enough to make anyone want to study abroad in Uppsala. I couldn’t have asked for a better semester. Coming to Uppsala was one of the best decisions I ever made. I fell in love with the city, country, and the people – I plan to go back one day. Maybe even sooner than I think. I actually remember my first month in Sweden when I met so many international people who live/work in Uppsala and they kept telling me that one day I will be back to Uppsala (or at least Sweden) for whatever reason, and could quite possibly make this place my home. I sure hope they are right, but right now I should focus on Seoul.

In less than two months I will start a new adventure on the other side of the world; with new people, a new system, new language, new culture. It is frightening, but also exciting. Knowing that the new adventure awaits around the corner makes me miss Uppsala a little bit less. New year – new adventure. And I’m more than ready to embrace it in the fashion of the words of one of my German friends: “Vollgas!”. 🙂

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Culture, Food, Friends, Host University, Housing, Language, Music, Public Transportation, Sweden, Travel | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

Uppsala Celebrates: Nobel Prize Laureates and Sankta Lucia (posted by Indira in Sweden)

December 19, 2012

Uppsala, being a very old city (it was founded in the 13th century), respects traditions in a way that integrates tradition with the modern-day setting the city has. Student life itself is a big part of the traditions that made Uppsala what it is today- a university city that each student cherishes. Over the last week two important traditions that are specific to both Uppsala and Sweden took place: Nobel Prize laureates opening lectures at Uppsala University and the Sankta Lucia celebration.

It is a tradition that some of the winners of the Nobel Prize hold open lectures at Uppsala University in connection to the festivities that take place in Stockholm. First there is a reception with the Vice Chancellor and lunch at Uppsala Castle, and then the much appreciated and well-attended open lectures by the guest laureates. This year I had tremendous luck to be in Sweden when Prof. Serge Haroche and Dr. David J. Wineland (Physics), Prof. Shinya Yamanaka and Sir John B. Gurdon (Medicine), Prof. Alvin E. Roth (Economics), and Prof. Robert J. Lefkowitz (Chemistry) paid a visit to Uppsala University. Unfortunately, all the lectures were at the same time so I was forced to choose only one to attend. In the end I decided to go and see the lecture by Professor Roth and learn more about Game Theory. First of all, the lecture started at 10.30am and we had to get there super early (a few of my friends and I got to Ekonomikum (the place where the lecture was to be held) at 9am, got breakfast at the cafeteria there and patiently waited for the lecture hall to open) in order to secure a seat. There were incredibly many people interested in all the lectures and getting a seat was truly a privilege. The lecture itself was amazing. Prof. Roth’s lecture on The Theory and Practice of Market Design was definitely one of the most fascinating lectures I have atteneded. I have to emphasize that I have very poor background in economics (I only took a Microeconomics class at UR last year), but I really enjoyed the way Prof. Roth explained the work he won the Nobel Prize for. I never thought I’d attend such an important lecture given by a person who shaped Economics so much and it’s all thanks to being an exchange student at Uppsala University this semester. This is definitely another highlight I would add to my study abroad experience in Sweden!

Lecture at Uppsala University by Prof. Roth, Economics Nobel Prize Laureate

Another important tradition (and experience for me) was the celebration of St. Lucia that takes place on December, 13th. Ever since the late 18th century Sweden celebrates St. Lucia (or St. Lucy) around Christmas time. St. Lucia’s Day is nowadays celebrated by a girl dressing in a white dress with a red sash round her waist and a crown of candles on her head. Lucia walks at the head of a procession of women and men, the ‘maids’ and the ‘star boys.’ Being the Lucia is a very honorable role and as far as I understood, a girl who is to be chosen as a Lucia needs to be very beautiful and to sing well. Everyone in the procession is dressed in long white dresses and some of the procession members also wear white pointy hats (we were told about this back in August. When we first heard the part about the long white dresses and pointy hats Swedes would respond to our confused looks by saying: “Oh no, no – it’s not what you think we mean. That’s just a part of the Lucia tradition.” Also, everyone recommended we attend Lucia events since that really is a big deal in Sweden). The tradition also involves singing traditional Lucia songs (such as the song “Sankta Lucia” which is really nice) and eating sweet, saffron-flavoured buns (lussekatter) and gingerbread cookies best enjoyed with glögg.

There were so many events all over the Sweden for Lucia. In Uppsala, there were concerts in the Domkyrkan (Cathedral), Lucia processions in various Univeristy buildings (I was lucky to see the one in Ekonomikum). All the processions, no matter how big, involved Lucia, maids and star boys. There were multiple Luciagasques as well. I didn’t attend any, but I went to an after-party of the Luciagasque in Snerikes Nation and there were so many people wearing shiny decorations that are usually part of the Lucia costumes.

Another highlight of this semester is actually related to the celebration of Lucia. Every year there is a big Lucia Concert held in Friends Arena in Stockholm and International Committee at Uppsala University organized a trip for the students who were interested to see it. It was amazing! Friends Arena was full and the performances were really great.

Lucia Procession, which I attended, with Lucia in the middle of the stage

Lucia Procession with Lucia in the middle of the stage

There was an orchestra and choirs singing and playing. Multiple groups performed: Elementary and middle school children, high schoolers, and some university students. I really enjoyed the concert.

Now I’m kind of doing the final countdown. Just a few days left in the place I consider to be “a home away from home.” It is really sad to get so many invitations to the Farewell Parties since it means that I might never again see some of the people I spent so much time with this semester. I remember when I attended the orientation with the previous participants of the exchange program with Uppsala University back during the Spring semester at UR: I was told that I would be really sad to leave and that I’d probably want to stay a year in Sweden. At that point I thought that would be impossible, but now those words echo in my head. Leaving is really hard, but I will use the days I have left in the best way possible in order to wrap up my Sweden experience the right way. After all, next semester I will be in South Korea and that’s a great reason to put a smile on my face. 🙂

2 Comments | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Culture, Host University, Music, Sweden | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

Sleepless in Uppsala: Exams, Projects, and Concerts with a “Little” Pinch of Snowstorm (posted by Indira in Sweden)

December 15, 2012

Too much to do and not enough time! That is basically my life right now. Can’t a day last longer than 24 hours? Or can we at least get an extra day in a week?

Finals – we all know the stress and the amount of work that comes with them. Even when abroad. Last week I had my final exam and a project for the two classes I was taking in November. For one of the classes 100% of the grade is based on the final exam. Actually, that is one of the things I am not that happy about. I like it much more when there are different assignments that each carry a certain percentage of the final grade. For my Sustainable Development class, for example, we had to write three individual papers and a group case study, and make a group presentation. In this way I feel like the grade is much more structured. Having only one exam, however, does have its benefits. Classes and seminars are much more relaxed and as a result students feel less pressure. On a happy note – now I am done. Yesterday I had my group presentation and my November courses are finished. It was actually sad thinking that I might never again see the people I worked so hard with on our group case study.

Speaking of exams: they can be a challenge…but think about going to the exam hall (which is located on the opposite side of the city compared to the area where I live) in a raging snowstorm. Yea, you read well – snowstorm. It was snowing the entire day, but it got really bad about the time I finished my exam. I tried walking over to the bus stop to go back to Flogsta and it was so hard walking because the snow was getting in my face – it was kind of snowing horizontally. First the busses were late and then they were not running at all after 5pm. I was lucky enough to catch the very last bus to Flogsta and get back to my room. The trip back, however, took more than an hour (usually it shouldn’t take more than 15-20 mins cycling): I had to wait so long for the bus and the ride took much longer since there was so much fresh snow on the roads. I have to admit though: This was a rather interesting experience. I figured out that if I survived very low temperatures and a snowstorm, and yet I still love every bit of Sweden… well, then it must be that special study abroad bond. 🙂

View from my window: Snowy Uppsala

After the snowstorm, the skies cleared, the roads were cleaned and I hopped on a new adventure – an all Swedish concert. In the Stockholms Nation there was a gasque and at the after-party Alina Devecerski (she is pretty popular Swedish singer, especially among the youth) was to hold a concert, so I went there with a couple of my friends. The place was full! I don’t think that Stocken (Stockholms Nation’s club) was ever that full. And the concert was amazing: I enjoyed it so much, especially the front row! The only bad thing was that she sings in Swedish and that makes it kind of hard to sing along. We were also in a very Swedish crowd; there were only five exchange/international students there, which makes this event “all Swedish” as my friends call it.

Alina Devecerski concert (hosted by Stockholms Nation)

And then came Stockholm City as a great finish to a busy week, kind of a well deserved time off. I went to Stockholm with one of my friends simply because we felt like it (good thing Uppsala is only 40mins by train away from Stockholm and trains are running almost all the time so it’s easy to get to Stockholm and back anytime you want/need). We had a great afternoon of walking around the city, seeing the Christmas market, enjoying fika, and doing some shopping.

Stockholm City

One really has to use one’s time wisely – only one more week left and I’ll be leaving Sweden. I always try not to think about it, but it’s impossible. I feel like I’m on a time pressure now: I want to do as much as possible before I leave, but the time is simply slipping away. Still, I’m postponing the thought about leaving for some other time (Basically along the lines of “I can’t think about that right now. I’ll think about that tomorrow”).

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Friends, Public Transportation, Sweden | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

White, white Uppsala: Julgasque, Snowball Battle, and Fireworks (posted by Indira in Sweden)

December 7, 2012

I don’t think I have ever lived in a place that could get this much snow at once! Right now snow is knee-deep and it’s white everywhere. It is both beautiful and dreadful (it can get really cold – last week we had -7 degrees Fahrenheit!). I find it funny how no one really cares about how cold it gets; we all try to make the best out of the very few weeks we have left in Uppsala.

Since it’s all so snow covered what can we do – well, how about a snowball battle with 250 participants? Sure, we’ll organize it and take part in it! Definitely an epic 1 hour long fight with more and more people joining in every moment. Due to the excitement and adrenalin rush you don’t even care about the snow getting into your mouth or your eyes, and eventually you get used to the fact that you can no longer feel your fingers. It was worth it in every possible way.

Snowball Battle

Right after the snowball battle, we all rushed to get warm and ready for yet another gasque of the semester – Julgask (Christmas gasque). Värmlands nation was fully in Christmas spirit – Christmas tree, decorations, presents, and the smell of the pepparkakor (gingerbread) was everywhere in the Big House. During the gasque we had a huge choice of typical food you eat in Sweden during Christmas, and Christmas drinks, (here they have this thing called Julmust which is the most popular soft drink during the Christmas and Easter season; it has a very strong smell and taste, but it’s really good – I love it!). Entertainment did not lack either. Choir performances, Christmas songs, dancing, and a visit from the Göteborg nation made this gasque so amazing. Of course, if you are surrounded by the right people at your table the night is guaranteed to be a blast. Even though the seating arrangement is random and you don’t have any say in it, I have had great table-buddies during all of the gasques I have attended. One of the Julgask highlights was Santa. Since Värmlands nation got a new First Qurator (officer), he had to dress up as Santa and take pictures with the gasque attendees. After the dinner, we had the after party until 4am. I am definitely glad I was a part of this gasque since it was my last gasque in Uppsala and I had loads of fun with my friends, but I also made a lot of new friends.

My table buddies and I during the Julgask

Last week I also had a lot of school work. My biggest assignment was due – a 9000 word case study on sustainable urbanization in Stockholm. It felt so good clicking submit after spending hours and hours working on it. Countless group meetings, articles and books read, interviews, and hours spent putting it all together payed off. I was really happy with our case study and our group effort. Next week we have a presentation, but after that my Sustainable Development class will be over.

And what is a better way to finish off a week than watching the fireworks? Well, I can’t think of any. Luckily, Uppsala has a few tricks up its sleeves and rewarded us all with amazing fireworks on Sunday. The Uppsala Lights Festival ended and it was also the First Advent, so there was a huge closing ceremony that included the fireworks. Even though we had to wait for half an hour in the freezing cold, we all enjoyed the show. We also learned that the best way to stay warm is to just randomly dance to whatever music they are playing – lifesaver.

Fireworks

Now I’m anxious to see what my last three weeks in Uppsala will bring. 🙂

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Indira in Sweden | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Food, Friends, Host University, Nature, Sweden | Permalink
Posted by indirainsweden

Christmas Lighting Ceremony and 8th Week! (posted by Jimmy in England)

December 1, 2012

After a very eventful Thanksgiving I thought it would be impossible to have a better weekend in Oxford. I was wrong. Even though the British do not enjoy Black Friday, they do know how to have light festivals. The morning after Thanksgiving I woke up and attended a Health and Disease tutorial. Our director of studies told me to attend the evening’s light festival. This was bold advice considering our college was hosting Olympic gold medalist Andrew Triggs Hodge at our formal dinner that evening. As I walked back from the tutorial I saw that the center of the city, a mile in each direction, was being blocked off and decorated for the evening’s events. The Oxford Christmas lighting ceremony, an annual tradition where the tree in the center of the city is lit and children from local schools parade around town, was that night. Jordan and I were prepared to attend for a few hours before the St. Catherine’s formal ball. It was the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of St. Catz and the festivities would be extravagant. Anyways, that night Jordan and I attended the lighting ceremony before the ball. Since we live in an apartment in the center of the city, we were able to walk out our door and experience the ceremony. A large Christmas tree was lit and the rest of the festival was based on the American carnival. There was a ferris-wheel, merry-go-round, carnival food, games, and thousands of families roaming the streets. The event was incredible. Jordan and I bought Brazilian cheese-balls before we experienced an a cappella performance by the Oxford all male “Out of the Blue.” Even though they are English, they rely heavily on American pop culture songs including “California Girls”, “Hit me baby one more time,” and “In the Jungle.” The performance was brilliant, but we had to leave early in order to prepare for the formal ball.

Ferris Wheel at the Oxford Christmas Light Ceremony

After Jordan and I got ready, we walked to St. Catherine’s in time to see the fireworks show. I will say that it compared to the 4^th of July ceremonies in the states. After the fireworks display, we headed to the formal ball. The formal balls at Oxford seem to be a big deal. All males must wear black bow-ties and a suit and entertain their tutors from the first term. The night was very interesting. I will say that it was a different experience seeing my professors in a ‘party’ setting. All of the tutors attend and get to experience the evening’s festivities. That night was definitely incredibly memorable.

Firework Celebration at St. Catz 50th Anniversary

Black Tie Formal Ball Attire

The day after the formal ball, I began to prepare for 8^th week. Oxford terms last eight weeks and although it might not seem like a lot, I am ready to take a break. Every week I have had either 2 essays due or an essay and a 10 minute presentation. By the 8^th week, students are worn out. That Saturday I set my weekly schedule for my HIV tutorial and my Health Prevention tutorial. I knew that it would be a long week, but the idea of finishing kept me energized. Before this year, I had never pulled an all nighter, but in the last 7 days I have been through 3. Looking at it from the other side, I will say that they were all my fault. If there is anything that I have learned from my time at Oxford it is that you are the reason for your success or failure. My nonchalant attitude in the first few days of the week forced me to make up for it in the back end. With my last tutorial completed I can say that I have successfully completed an Oxford term. It feels amazing.

I will leave you all now for a few days. I will take the next segment to prepare my final post for the term. In that post I will highlight how much I have learned and where I will go in the next two terms. I have had a wonderful time here and look forward to writing this last post!

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2012, Jimmy in England | Tagged: Academics, Culture, England, Friends, Host University | Permalink
Posted by JimmyinEngland

Living, Learning, Loving (Posted by Blair in Ecuador)

Bernin it up! (posted by Pierre en Suisse)

곧: Countdown to Seoul (posted by Indira in South Korea)

Centers of the World (posted by Blair in Ecuador)

Culture Shocked! (posted by Pierre en suisse)

Uppsala: A Journey of Discovery (posted by Indira in Sweden)

Uppsala Celebrates: Nobel Prize Laureates and Sankta Lucia (posted by Indira in Sweden)

Sleepless in Uppsala: Exams, Projects, and Concerts with a “Little” Pinch of Snowstorm (posted by Indira in Sweden)

White, white Uppsala: Julgasque, Snowball Battle, and Fireworks (posted by Indira in Sweden)

Christmas Lighting Ceremony and 8th Week! (posted by Jimmy in England)

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