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.

A scene of summer in Uppsala

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!

A beautiful scene of fall in Uppsala

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.

A scene of winter in Uppsala

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!”. 🙂

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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 with 250 people!

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, a Christmas celebration!

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, a perfect way to end the week

Fireworks

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

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Thanksgiving in Uppsala (posted by Indira in Sweden)

November 30, 2012

Who said you can’t celebrate Thanksgiving unless you were in the US? Well, exchange and international students at Uppsala clearly showed the opposite! As the time for Thanksgiving approached American students at Uppsala University (and there are quite a lot of them, especially from California) decided to organize a dinner for about 50 people in order to show them what is so special about Thanksgiving.

I was amazed by the amount of food prepared by just a handful of hard-working people who made the commitment to organize such a big dinner. Everyone was taken by surprise, and the food was amazing (plus it’s nice when you get to eat great food with amazing people without having to cook yourself!). It was nice seeing how Thanksgiving is celebrated among an international community (last year I spent Thanksgiving with an American host family in Richmond so I got to see how it is celebrated among Americans), but it was also nice knowing the story behind it, as well as the traditions related to this holiday. I enjoyed sharing the knowledge I have gained during my two years in Richmond about Thanksgiving with other students who never actually thought they would be celebrating it. It’s funny how Uppsala keeps proving itself to be an international city where one can encounter the world.

Thanksgiving Dinner in Uppsala, Sweden

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thinking about it, it definitely is time to be grateful! Even though I keep pushing the thought of leaving away, it always hits me in random moments that I will be actually leaving the place I call home in about three weeks. Where did the time go? I can swear that it was just yesterday that I moved into my room in Flogsta, took my Swedish language course and met so many amazing people. It’s funny how I can still remember August warmth and barbecues on the rooftops, buying the bike and pushing myself into mastering the art of cycling. Those are just some of the things, moments and lessons I can be grateful for. There are so many more. I experienced so much in the last four months that it will take me years to remember and retell everything, as well as figure out how much this study abroad experience shaped me as a person, as a student, and most of all as a global citizen. It all lingers in my mind. The worst thing is that I am already nostalgic about this place and I haven’t even left yet. That is a sign that there will be a lot of tears shed and that leaving Uppsala will be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. At least I have something else to look forward to: a semester at Yonsei University in South Korea.

Even though I do get lost in my thoughts about leaving Uppsala, I don’t actually have all too much time to think about it. First of all, I try to keep myself busy at all times by taking part in all kinds of activities offered in Uppsala through student nations or the student union because I know this is my last chance to do it all. Secondly, I still have classes to attend. And since the end of the month (and semester) is approaching, most of my exams, papers and projects are due in this and next week. I’ve been working like crazy in order to  balance everything. One of the biggest challenges, also one of the most interesting projects, I’ve worked on is the group paper on sustainable urbanization and urban resilience in Stockholm. After weeks and weeks of intensive literature reviews, interviews, weekly group meetings and extensive writing, we are wrapping up paper up. I am extremely proud of our piece of work since I learned so much on the subject, but also got a chance to work with a very international group of people learning a lot from them and about their countries (one girl in my group is actually from Seoul so she’s been giving me loads of information on life there in preparation for my next semester abroad!).

My class on feminism, role of women and international development is also ending this week and I will be taking an exam next week. That class was amazing – I learned so much; academically on the subject, and technically though ‘expert model’ seminars where absolutely everything was student led. Also, my new class – Armed Conflict and Development – starts next week as well, so it’s going be really tricky balancing all of that.

On a happy note – Uppsala looks amazing. Today it snowed. A lot!

Snow in Uppsala, where its very cold!

Snow in Uppsala

Everything is white and pretty (unfortunately it’s cold too) and the snow is sticking to the ground so it’s beautiful. There are already plans to organize snowball fights at some point soon. As much as I like snow and enjoy winter, going to class in 2 degrees Fahrenheit is not going to be fun. Today when I was cycling back from my class it started to snow and it was already a challenge. The worst part about it is getting all the snowflakes in your eyes. I am definitely not a fan of that. I will be using bus and other means of public transportation from now on, though. It is just much safer (it’s really easy to fall off the bike on slippery paths) and warmer.

And since it is a winter season, Christmas craziness has already began in Uppsala. There are Christmas decorations on streets, in stores, and even in our kitchen on my corridor. I will be also attending Julgask (Christmasgasque) on Saturday and rumor has it that Santa will be present. I am looking forward to that! 🙂

Christmas Decorations in a shop in Uppsala

Christmas Decorations

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Thanksgiving in Oxford (posted by Jimmy in England)

November 23, 2012

Ever since I can remember, Thanksgiving Day has always consisted of a series of repeated events.  I would wake up, go into the kitchen and start eating with family.  We would all watch the parade, maybe play a little football outside, listen to Christmas music, eat more, watch some football, eat more, sleep and then prepare for what is known as Black Friday.  There would be endless amounts of different appetizers, stuffing, turkey, potatoes and of course pies.  The feast would go on all day and it was all about enjoying the company of family.  During college, Thanksgiving has also been a time to relax after 13 long weeks at school and prepare for that last haul before finals.  Last year if someone had asked me where I would be during the next Thanksgiving, Oxford wouldn’t have even been a fathomable attempt at an answer.  Yet even though I missed Thanksgiving this year, I will say that the day was pretty memorable.

I woke up early in the morning to prepare for my cancer tutorial at 11 o’clock.  Yes, I had a tutorial on Thanksgiving.  The previous three days had been marked by very little sleep. I haven’t mentioned it yet, but this summer my 3 friends and I started a non-profit organization called Chance To Play.  We aim to use sports as an outlet for families dealing with a medical issue.  We wanted to release our website on Thanksgiving as a way to show how thankful we are to the people who have helped us and for the opportunities that we have been given.  Needless to say, that is where the lack of sleep came from. (If you would like to check out the website, please visit us at http://www.chancetoplay.org it’s awesome! ) Anyways I was very excited about the launch and it is what got me through the devastating idea of having a tutorial on Thanksgiving.

After the tutorial, I slept for a few hours; what’s Thanksgiving without the typical mid-day nap?  After the nap, the true American festivities began.  The people who run St. Catherine’s College, the college that I am affiliated with at the University of Oxford, are amazing people.  They knew that the visiting students would be missing their normal festivities, so they planned an evening for us.  It started at 18:30 when we all met at the college for champagne with the Headmaster and Deans.  About 30 undergraduate visiting students, along with a few graduate students, attended.  It was one of those full circle moments where you realize how far you’ve come along.  The drinks were in the same room that our welcoming ceremonies were in and this was the first time that we had been back.  A little bit less than two months ago, none of us knew each other and at the time we were all imagining what the next chapter of our lives would entail.  After having been through 8 weeks I can say that we’ve come a long way.

Thanksgiving table at St. Catz, my college at Oxford University

Thanksgiving table at St. Catz

After the drinks, we went to a hall where all of the visiting students were given their own table to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.  I don’t want to betray the familial ties, but I will say that it came close (it wasn’t as good, but very close) to a typical Thanksgiving dinner. They went all out with potatoes (mashed and sweet), gravy, stuffing, breads, wines, green beans, turkey, bacon, sausages and of course pies.  It was incredible!

The menu for the evening, at our Thanksgiving celebration at St. Catz, Oxford

‘ The menu for the evening

One big family to feed at the Oxford Thanksgiving celebration for students

One big family to feed

Once the meal was over, two of my friends and I went to the University Club.  Jordan is a visiting student from Oklahoma City who goes to William Jewell College in Missouri.  We became friends over our mutual love of the NBA and the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Sports connect us all.  Jess is a visiting student from Oregon who goes to school outside of New York City at Sarah Lawrence College.  She’s the visiting students representative and is helping produce a play in Oxford in the spring.  There are so many amazing people at Oxford with different backgrounds and different interests.  It has helped me realize how big of a place the world is.  The University Club is a recreational hall for Oxford students…. it also was the only place that we could find the American tradition of Thanksgiving football!  We showed up in time to see the Texans beat the Lions in overtime and then stayed to watch the Redskins beat the Cowboys!  I couldn’t think of a more American way to celebrate Thanksgiving!

In looking back on it I can truly say that I will remember this one for a while.  Although I wasn’t home I did have a great time enjoying the day with friends.  Like every Thanksgiving, it gave me a time to realize how thankful I am for everybody in my life and all of the wonderful opportunities that I have been given.  Who knows where I will be next Thanksgiving, only time will tell!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Stand up, on this Thanksgiving Day, stand upon your feet. Believe in man. Soberly and with clear eyes, believe in your own time and place. There is not, and there never has been a better time, or a better place to live in. -Phillips Brooks.

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Uppsala goes fancy: Norrlands Nation’s Höstgasque and Gasque 101 (posted by Indira in Sweden)

November 23, 2012

As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, Uppsala is a meeting point for many contrary and contrasting things. Last week it was new and old. I was a part of a tradition so specific for Uppsala University students and so deeply embedded in the history of the student organizations here known as the nations, and yet so modern that still it occurs every semester.

The student life at Uppsala Uni is organized around 13 nations each representing a city or a region/county in Sweden. One can work in the nations, go for fika, study in nations’ libraries, meet friends, watch sport matches, go to the pub, attend concerts, participate in open mic and karaoke nights, go to the club there, take part in the gasque, as well as do many other things. But, let’s focus on the gasques (or gasks as they are called in Swedish). A gasque is basically  a formal dinner with an after-party. During the gasque you eat, drink, make toasts, and most importantly – sing. Yes, sing. Quite a lot, actually. Singing is basically the most important part of the gasque: You sing before making toasts, when drinking snaps (a celebratory tradition), when starting the dinner, when the dinner is almost finished, and for any other reason you could possibly propose to sing. And singing during the gasque is rather fun. Most of the songs are in Swedish, but you get a Songbook so you can follow and sing along. It’s also very easy to get the rhythm. Some songs even have their own little choreographies: My favorite song so far is one for which you stand up on your chair and sing and once the song is finished you should not sit in the chair since it means bad luck and you will fail all your exams. All in all, gasques are fun events where you get amazing food and meet new people, as well as familiarize yourself with Uppsala University and the nations’ traditions.

Höstgasque is the most formal of all the gasques during the Fall semester (höst means Fall in Swedish). The dress code is tail coat for the guys and ball gown for the girls. Ever since I heard of this gasque I made the decision to attend one, and I did so last week. A friend of mine plays in Norrlands nation’s orchestra so she attended the gasque and I joined her. All the members of the orchestra had dinner in a special room, but they followed all the gasque traditions.

The dinner table before the gasque started, a Swedish University tradition

The dinner table before the gasque started

There was a lot of singing, toasts, speeches, and chatting. I got to meet the members of the orchestra who were all Swedes. It was great practicing my Swedish and learning more about Sweden. Apart from that I enjoyed the food a lot – I ate moose for the first time ever. That was a whole new experience. We also played a game: All of us had a “top secret mission” that we had to fulfill during that evening. My task was to be obnoxiously loud after every toast and speech, applaud as loud as possible, and compliment the speech or toast. It was so much fun doing that! Other people had to propose toasts on every possible occasion, or start a conversation about music etc. It was a good way to bond with the people sitting near you at the table.

Some of the members of the orchestra, which, played during the gasque, at the after-party

Some of the members of the orchestra

After dinner, the orchestra played and other gasque guests danced waltz and polonaise – that is how formal Höstgasque is! The formal dance continued during the after-party as well since more classical and jazz music was played. This is the typical after-party for these formal gasques in all nations.  Below is a video of the orchestra that played:

My friend and I decided to go for a full Höstgasque experience and went to the after-parties in two other nations  – Värmlands and Östgöta. The whole atmosphere made me feel like I travelled back in time. It was definitely an experience I am happy I was able to have. Attending the Höstgasque is definitely going to be one of the highlights of my semester abroad in Uppsala.

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Battling a Stomach Virus and a Trip to the Hospital (posted by Jimmy in England)

November 16, 2012

Mom and Dad take a breath, I wasn’t hospitalized.  I do think that the choice of title is witty though.  So what happened then? Let me take you back to last Friday.  Why?  Well Friday was obviously the best day of the year! It was November 9th and that meant that college basketball season was officially starting.  It had been 284 days since the final buzzer went off in the first round of the Atlantic-10 Playoffs.  We had lost 80-72 to La Salle in Philadelphia and this buzzer signified the end of our season.  So 284 days later I was the happiest person on Earth.  That day I went to a talk in Oxford with two friends and since I was in a great mood I offered to host dinner in my apartment the next night. Had I not been in some euphoric state of happiness due to the upcoming Spider game, I do not know if I would have offered.  Anyways, that is besides the point.  The next night a bunch of people came over and we enjoyed Mexican style chalupas with many toppings ranging from avocados, to beans, tomatoes, sour cream, and even shrimp.  The nurse that I saw on Wednesday believes that is where I caught the very infectious norovirus.  It is easily transmittable and there are many ways that it can spread, especially through contact with undercooked food or contaminated objects.  It wasn’t until Sunday night that I started to feel the ramifications of this little virus.  I was starting a presentation on England’s NHS, the government provided health care system and had a horrible pain in my stomach. Oh the irony in being sick for the first time in over a year when you have to write a paper on the health system. I knew it couldn’t be appendicitis because I had my appendix removed when I was a kid, but I wanted to rest just in case it was anything serious.  I went to bed and woke up the next morning with a horrible headache and a fever.  I slept all day and tried to stay hydrated, but nothing seemed to work to combat my symptoms.  The next day I felt very weak and went to the college nurse who told me I had a stomach virus.  What have I learned from all of this?

I learned that nothing treats illness better than being at home and having your Mom cook soup and help you if you need anything.  When you live by yourself being sick is horrible.  You learn to appreciate the people who help you out when you can’t help yourself.  I also learned Paracetamol is the British version of our Tylenol; both are made from the same compound.  I learned that being sick slows you down, but that is sometimes a good thing.  You realize what is important when you move a little bit slower and can only use so much energy.  I can now say that the virus is gone and I am back to my healthy self.  Well almost healthy. You have to subtract the fact that I pulled an all nighter to write a paper for my tutorial because I didn’t do any work when I was sick.  I look forward to using this weekend to catch up on some more sleep and cheer on the Spiders as we play at Minnesota! By the way, just to clear up the reference to the hospital, I walked across town yesterday to listen to a lecture at John Radcliffe Hospital.  Sir John Bell was disussing how new research is allowing doctors to redefine diseases.  There have been recent breakthroughs that will allow doctors to easily define cancers based on their abundances in blood plasma.  It looks fascinating!

Other than being sick, I had a great week.  Last Saturday I visited the Botanic Gardens of Oxford.  It is the oldest botanic garden in Britain and was founded in 1621 to grow plants for medicinal research.  I probably cannot do justice to the history of these gardens because I was taken by the natural beauty when it was being explained.

Fall in Oxford at the Botanic Gardens, the setting of the original "Alice in Wonderland"

Fall in Oxford at the Botanic Gardens

A winding stream in the Botanic Gardens, next to Christ Church

A winding stream in the Botanic Gardens

The gardens are right next to Christ Church, which I explained in an earlier blog.  A fun fact that I learned: The story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland come from these gardens.  The author of this story, Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who wrote under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, worked at Christ Church.

Queue Waiting for Entrance to Christ Church, at Oxford, the place where Lewis Carroll wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Queue Waiting for Entrance to Christ Church, the place where Lewis Carroll wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University at the time was Henry Liddell.  He had a daughter named Alice and Reverend Dodgson used to tell her stories.  She loved them and asked if he could write them down and the rest is history.  People keep telling me (and I really am starting to believe it) that this place is magical. I look forward to experiencing some new things this weekend and I will report back in a few days!

“I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night. Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!” -Lewis Carroll

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November in Uppsala: New Course, Uppsala Light Festival, and Endless Fikas (posted by Indira in Sweden)

November 12, 2012

As it is getting colder and colder (it gets as cold as 17 degrees Farenheit), I find myself drinking more tea and spending more time at fika enjoying the warm atmosphere of the Swedish kafferummet (cafes). The fika and coffee drinking traditions are a big deal in Sweden. I have a feeling that Swedes can manage without some things, but if you take away their fika time – well, that would not be tolerated. In between our lectures we get 15 minute fika breaks, and professors bring in fika (coffee/tea and cookies) to class so you can have fika during their seminar. If you want to meet with someone, you meet for fika. Everyone fika (yes, you can use the word ‘fika’ as both a noun and a verb)! The peak hour is at 3pm. It becomes really hard to find a kafferummet that is not full. Luckily, there are cafes all over Uppsala and all the student nations serve fika as well.

One could spend an eternity at fika – especially when you find that one cafe you really like – but we also have classes to attend. Last week my new course started: (En)Gendering International Development. So far we have had 3 lectures and a seminar, and the class seems really good. The professor is amazing! I also know most of the people who are in class with me since we already took one class together back in September. The class is organized in more or less the same way as my other courses. There are lectures which consist of a professor lecturing (I have a feeling that the lectures for this course are a bit more interactive than for the other course I took earlier, which I like), and there are seminars. In seminars we mainly discuss the course literature and prepare presentations. I will have to present on anti-colonial movements in India next week. And this is the first time there are Americans in my class. I kind of got used to being surrounded by mainly Swedes and other European students. Uppsala University is highly international and it is really easy to find yourself to be the only representative of your country in your class or group of friends. I actually quite like this since it gives me the opportunity to meet so many new people. Basically, everyday I meet someone new. I guess that is what makes study abroad so exciting and worthwhile – the experiences one gains are hard to gain in any other way.

And Uppsala is full of surprises. Taking a simple walk before the sunset can show the best of this place. If you’re blessed and it is not raining, the Fall in Sweden can be magical. There are so many places one can go wandering or hiking. The nature here is just breathtaking. Luckily (kind of), it is pretty cold now and it doesn’t rain, so we get clear skies and can enjoy the most amazing sunsets (here, the sun sets very early. By 4pm it is already super dark outside).

Sunset in Uppsala, near Flogsta, my housing area in Sweden

Sunset in Uppsala, near Flogsta, my housing area

The City of Uppsala has its own beauty display whether it rains or not. Namely, in the month of November there is the Uppsala Light Festival (Allt ljus på Uppsala) and some buildings (this year it is 15 buildings and even two University buildings are part of the Festival: Museum Gustavianum and the Munken block on Trädgårdsgatan) are selected to be part of the Festival so they are lit. It all looks really beautiful, especially the light installations on the river in the City Center. It is somewhat magical to take a walk through the city and follow the ‘light trail’ and enjoy the Festival.

Light Installations in Stora Torget, the City Center for the Uppsala Light Festival

Light Installations in Stora Torget, the City Center

Light Installations at the Fyrisån River, part of the Uppsala Light Festival

Light Installations at the Fyrisån River

 

Even if it does get really cold, Uppsala has its way of keeping people warm. November in Uppsala can’t possibly be boring or eventless!

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Halloween in Uppsala: Scary Costumes, Flogsta Scream, and Deadly Cold (posted by Indira in Sweden)

November 2, 2012

Whoever thought that Halloween is not that big of a deal in Europe, was absolutely wrong! Everywhere in Uppsala one can feel Halloween (if you open you eyes wide enough,though). Of course, there are no carved pumpkins everywhere, pumpkin spice is not added into everything, there are no children trick or treating, and finding a costume is a relatively hard quest. Ok, where is the Halloween spirit then, you might ask? Well, in every student nation, accommodation area, and in almost every conversation Uppsala University students are discussing costumes, parties, and Halloween themed fikas.

Last week my corridor decided to host a Halloween party (we sort of opened the Halloween season in Uppsala). We decorated our corridor, came up with some spooky snacks, put on our costumes and started welcoming our guests. It was a really fun night and everyone came dressed up and in the spirit of Halloween. Parties like this (about 30 people in total) are really good because you get to know people better and have nice conversations with them. I met a whole lot of Swedes, as well as other international students at our Corridor Halloween Party. Of course, it was an amazing opportunity to bond with my corridor-mates. I already know that I will miss every single one of them. It is hard to think about leaving this place in December – sometimes it feels like I just got here, but when I think back and go all the way to the end of July, I realize how much time I’ve spent in this place I now call home. It was funny that when we came back from our Tallinn trip, the moment I stepped out of our ship, I felt that I actually came back home; oh well, Sweden’s growing on me. That’s why I push thoughts of leaving Sweden out of my mind.

Some of my corridor-mates and I at our Halloween party, which we hosted

Some of my corridor-mates and I at our Halloween party

Back to the happy topic – there are more Halloween parties coming up this week and next week! 🙂 My nation, Värmlands Nation, hosted the Halloween themed pub night on 10/31 in honor of this amazing time of the year. Wermlandskäller’n- my Nation’s pub that dates back to the medieval times, was all decorated with spider webs and served food and snacks that celebrated Halloween. In moments like those nothing could make me feel like I wasn’t in the States (well, the Swedish language and a high number of blonde people kind of sets me back into reality, but still…).

Wermlandskäller'n - The pub at Värmlands Nation that hosted Halloween themed pub night which we attended

Wermlandskäller’n – The pub at Värmlands Nation that hosted Halloween themed pub night

Speaking of spooky and scary things, I have never mentioned this amazing tradition that exists in Flogsta (student accomodation area where I live). Every night at 10pm students go out onto the balconies, open their windows, or go up on the rooftops and scream as loud as they can. Usually this Flogsta scream turns into a competition between the buildings (in Flogsta there are multiple buildings, but students usually live in buildings 1-10): I, for example, live in building 8 and we usually have scream offs against the people living in buildings 7 and 9. It is really fun! And a great way to release stress. There is actually controversy over how this rather interesting tradition started. Some say it was simply a stress reliever, which started during exam times and then became a daily occurrence. The story goes that there was a student who had an important exam and he was studying quite a lot, which made him very stressed out so he opened his window and screamed at the top of his lungs. Others say it started in remembrance of a student who committed suicide in the 1970s. Either way, the tradition is there and it is respected.  Below is a video I took of the Flogsta scream one night in August.

A cruel winter seems to be another Swedish tradition. It is getting colder and colder every day. The worst thing is that the bike and pedestrian paths get really slippery (especially in the morning and after the sunset) because of the icy surface and walking and cycling become really hard. I have witnessed people fall in front of the supermarket, and I’ve heard stories of my friends who fell off their bikes. Luckily, during the real winter (it’s already cold enough, I don’t even want to know what a ‘real Swedish winter’ is like) the city makes it possible to walk/cycle, and there are busses, so getting to classes and to the city won’t be a problem.

Now, I’m off to figure out my Halloween costumes and enjoy the joys of the Halloween season (meaning Swedish chocolate and other godis (sweets and candies in Swedish)). 😀

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Challenges as Opportunities

October 26, 2012

When I applied to be a foreign correspondent for this semester I did so to offer a different perspective on the whole study abroad experience.  I felt that my main purpose would be to inform potential study abroad applicants at the University of Richmond about the benefits of spending a semester (or year) away from campus.  My first 5 posts have mainly highlighted the wonderful intricacies that exist in an Oxford lifestyle.  I believe, however, that I would be doing an injustice to all those applying for a study abroad position if I did not discuss some of the challenges that also are present when a student goes overseas.  Many tasks in life have challenges, but we have the benefit of using them as opportunities to better ourselves. As George Patton once said, “Accept challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.”

When the visiting students were sitting in one of our orientation meetings we were told that by the 5th week of the term Oxford students begin feeling “it.”  Whatever “it” meant, we didn’t know for sure, but we could imagine.  At the time, we thought that it probably meant the typical stress and anxiety that college students feel during the middle of the semester when they are piled with work.  We usually fail to realize how blessed we are to actually be in that position in the first place, but we can talk about that another time.  What we failed to realize at the time was that if normal Oxford students felt this way at week 5, then we would probably feel it sooner since not only were we new to the workload, but we were also new to the country.  So what is “it”?  Well “it” is the combination of many different factors that begin to wear you down as a student and this reflects in your personal life.

The biggest factor obviously is academic work.  By the third week, you’ve already written three to five 2000 word research papers, which may not seem like a lot, but it can get to you.  That may be why I have yet to travel out of the area; I apologize to any readers if my lack of traveling has hindered your understanding of studying abroad.  Most students travel throughout their time, but this specific situation is atypical.  Being here for a year, I have less of an incentive to see the world in the cold weather when the beautiful European springtime awaits.

Outside of all the work, the Oxford system celebrates independent learning.  There is no mandatory class and individual study is encouraged.  I was thinking about it earlier today and realized that I met many of my best friends at UR through our experiences in a classroom (Shout out to Alyson, Lindsay, Meredith, and John).  How do you deal with the lack of social interaction at the academic level?  You handle it like everything else in life and make it an opportunity.  Because most of the visiting students are in their 3rd year of university, many of us celebrate our 21st birthday abroad.  There is a lack of significance in turning 21 in England when compared with the ‘right of passage’ as seen in the US.  But on Wednesday we went out to a local Indian restaurant to celebrate one of the students birthdays and it was a great time.  It’s the little things in life that matter.

Another big challenge is the lack of social interaction with the community.  At UR, there are endless opportunities to volunteer in the community and help better the city that we live in.  Most students at Oxford do not have the time to volunteer since their workload is so great.  Maybe it is being away from home, or the inability to volunteer weekly in Richmond, but I was going through a little bit of withdrawal this week.  Again, how do you change that?  You make something happen.  I decided to email the director of KEEN, a non-profit organization that provides social, sporting and recreational activities for children and young adults with special needs in the Oxford area.  They allowed me to volunteer last Friday and so in the afternoon I was able to draw, sing, and play Duck-Duck-Goose with a bunch of kids. It was big time!

Drawing with children during my KEEN non-profit volunteer experience

Drawing with children during my KEEN volunteer experience

99.9% of my experience here as been incredible.  But it would be foolish to say that challenges do not occur.  I am sure that there have been many more challenges this past month, but like everything else in life, we must make them opportunities. While writing this I realized how blessed I am to not only study at Oxford, but to also study at UR.  All of my challenges at Oxford are mere common activities at UR.  So for those who are considering study abroad, I encourage it, even though we are all already lucky to be studying at an amazing place like Richmond.

St. Catz (St. Catherines), one of the constituent colleges at Oxford

St. Catz, one of the constituent colleges at Oxford: my abroad university 

 

The University of Richmond, my home university

The University of Richmond: my home university

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company…. A church…. A home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.  I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.  And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.

-Charles R. Swindoll

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The Smartest Man in the Room (posted by Jimmy in England)

October 22, 2012

I woke up this morning and couldn’t exactly remember what had happened last night.  I tried to piece together the bits of information that were coming back to me but there was just so much missing.  Good thing that I wrote everything down. Let me take you back to when it all started.  During orientation week, thousands of college societies set up in a big auditorium so that every student has an opportunity to explore their interests.  Various societies include Sports Clubs,  A capella, Harry Potter Society, Philosophy Society, and my personal favorite, the Scientific Society.  I signed up for a few different societies and on Monday I received an email about different lectures that the Scientific Society holds throughout the year.  This week’s seminar was to be given by Ian Fleming.  There are probably many Ian Flemings in the world, but two of them particularly ring a bell in my mind.  The first is the English author that wrote the James Bond novels and the second is the man who appears in all of my organic chemistry textbooks.  Since this email was from the Scientific Society, I presumed that the organic chemist was coming to Oxford.  For those of you that have never heard of Ian Fleming, he is one of the most important organic chemists of the 20th century.  He was the first person to determine the full structure of chlorophyll in 1967, he helped synthesize vitamin B12 during a one year postdoc at Harvard, and he created a mechanism (Silyl-Hydroxy Conversion, also called the Tamao-Fleming reaction) that is used in many organic chemistry research labs today.  He also did all of this at a time when there were not accurate ways of determining chemical products based on computers. Dr. Fleming is included in the panel that nominates Nobel Laureates for Chemistry as well.  Simply put, he’s big time.

I jumped at the idea of going to hear this man speak and so I emailed the Scientific Society and told them that I would definitely be attending. An amazing woman, Aimee, who is from Oklahoma and doing her postdoc with her husband at Oxford, responded and asked if I would like to attend dinner with Dr. Fleming before his speech!  The simplicity at which you can make things happen via email astonishes me.  Within a few hours I went from potentially listening Dr. Fleming speak, to walking to a little dinner with an extreme sense of anticipation as I prepared to meet him.  The dinner was at an Italian restaurant off of Banbury road.  I have yet to mention the fact that it has been a few weeks and I still can’t get used to people driving on the left side of the road.

Banbury Road, the location of my dinner with Ian Fleming

Banbury Road

I expected that I would be one of about 30 or 40 people at dinner and I would probably introduce myself and eat with some graduate students.  When I got there, I couldn’t have been more surprised.  Dr. Fleming was sitting with one graduate student having a conversation.  I ended up joining them, along with another undergraduate and Aimee and her husband.  There were 6 of us in total, including Dr. Fleming, and I can’t even begin to explain how incredible it was.  If you want to talk about brilliance, look no further.

I want to share some of the advice that Dr. Fleming gave us throughout the night.  First off, he knew he was brilliant, but he didn’t act better than anybody.  He is 78, but still quick as a whip.  He told us to understand that we are smart, to be thankful for it, and to get better.  He also absolutely loves what he does.  He simply loves being in a lab, synthesizing organic compounds.  “It’s all about the chemistry” he would say.  At the time that he was doing all of his research, he couldn’t connect the dots, but random things would come to him later in life that ended up helping him in all of his work.  He was asked what makes him see the answers to problems that others have questioned for years and he responded, “My group of colleagues have the ability to think about a problem longer than anybody else.  We didn’t know what we were doing, but something would eventually work.  We would stare at a problem for weeks and something would click.”

During the lecture, I sat in front of two Ph.D students, one was from Canada and another from France.  Before Dr. Fleming started, these students were reciting the periodic table from memory.  They knew every element in order, all they way through.  At the end of the lecture, the French man said, “Wow, I feel like a schmuck compared to him!” His answers to problems are so simple, but they always work.  He says that most answers stare at you, and if you just think a little bit harder, they appear.  I ended the night by simply walking home and going to bed.  There was so much information that my mind was trying to wrap itself around so I made sure that throughout the night I wrote everything down.  My mind had been blown, and it clicked that I was in such a special place with the opportunity to meet one of the most important chemists of the last hundred years.

“All the greatest men are maniacs. They are possessed by a mania which drives them forward towards their goal. The great scientists, the philosophers, the religious leaders – all maniacs. What else but a blind singleness of purpose could have given focus to their genius, would have kept them in the groove of purpose. Mania … is as priceless as genius.” 
-Ian Fleming, Doctor No

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