Leaving

Gothenburg's frozen Lake Deljsön

So the end of my study abroad has finally arrived. It’s been imminent for a long time now - many others have already left, I rushed to do the things I hadn’t already done, I revisited my favourite places - and yet, as I write this waiting to go to the airport, I still can’t believe it’s about to end (maybe with good reason, as there’s a good chance my flight will be cancelled due to the snow, and to be honest, I wouldn’t mind!). It makes me sad to think that within the next 48 hours I will be back at Keele for the new semester, and this amazing period of my life will be behind me.

But as sad as it is to leave, I have absolutely no regrets – studying abroad has been the best experience of my life. I have made some great friends from all over the world, which have given me (if I needed it) even more reason to travel from now on. I’ve visited so many places in a region of the world I previously knew very little about and had no interest in. I’ve seen the northern lights, the ice hotel, gone snowmobiling through Lapland, spent new years in Stockholm, travelled to three other countries. I’ve taken Swedish lessons. I’ve taken some interesting courses and now have a completely different approach to my degree. It’s not quite like I’ve been on an extended holiday, but I’ve sure done a lot more here than I would normally do at Keele!

NYE in Stockholm

    

One of my friends said the semester abroad was mandatory at her university, and I almost feel the same should be true here. When I was first considering it, there were so many reasons not to go, and now I can’t believe I even questioned the idea of going. Two of the main reasons I hear from people who didn’t study abroad are that it costs extra and they didn’t want to be away from their friends and family. These are perfectly understandable, and I had the same doubts, but I think an Erasmus semester in particular is ideal for dealing with these. The Erasmus grant helps with the extra costs, and it’s much easier to have people visit, or to go home for Christmas etc. and a quick glance at a map reminds you that you’re not that far away in the grand scheme of things! Anyway, my advice for anyone still considering going (perhaps too late for this year), is just go for it, you won't regret it. And for those continuing on or about to start next semester, make the most of it and do everything!

An emotional goodbye to my 'Swedish family' 

Lapland and Festivities

Midday in Kiruna - Sweden's northernmost town

As the end of the semester approached, it was time for the must-do thing for anyone studying abroad in Sweden: Lapland! Now, having already been living in the Gothenburg winter for quite some time, I found it hard to imagine it could be much colder up there. I found out – after 22 hours on a bus to Sweden’s northernmost town, Kiruna – that it really is much colder. But thankfully I brought my entire wardrobe with me.  And so, after climbing into thermals, 3 t-shirts, 2 jumpers, a fleece, a pullover, tracksuit, jeans, 3 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, jacket, coat, hat, scarf, and a thermal suit to go on top of it all, I was ready to hit the snow. First, dog sledding. For about an hour, 12 husky dogs (by far the sweetest animals I’ve ever come across) took 4 of us gliding through the Lapland snow as we watched the sun rise, as much as it can be called a sun rise (the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all, instead it looks like a permanent sun set for the four hours a day it is out).

Dogsledding, then a change of transportation to a snow mobile

After a day in Kiruna, it was time to leave for the Abisko National Park, with a stop first at the world-renowned Ice Hotel, still in construction. The unique design of each room is truly amazing, and even better, any person with an idea and who is handy with a pick axe can apply to build a room! Onward to Abisko, where a barbeque in a Sami tent was followed by some northern lights chasing. Luckily, they appeared both nights we were up there! No amount of pictures can make up for witnessing them live. I could watch them for hours and completely forget I was outdoors standing still in subarctic temperatures!

Inside the Ice Hotel

Back in Gothenburg, they were getting in the full festive mood. A Christmas market or a glögg (mulled wine) stand seemed to appear on every major street. Also, the Christmas period coincides with Sweden’s ‘festival of light’, which means literally every building is lit up in some way by mid-December, making the lack of sunlight a lot more tolerable! After a lovely Christmas at home, I’m now back in Sweden with less than two weeks to go (trying not to think about it). 

Posing at the Arctic Circle

Gothenburg in full Christmas mode!

2012 Review - From Snowy Colorado

The fire roars gently while I view Aspen’s mountains from a comfy sofa. The scene is idyllic, and well deserved given my grades for my first semester at Southern Miss. Despite the constant barrage of work (quizzes, tests, essays, reading!) classes were the mad grade scramble we all know and love at Keele. Two essays and a book analysis due two days before the final exams started – stressful to say the least. But I can rest easy in the knowledge that a 100% is indeed attainable for a university level exam – on the American Civil War no less.

Aside from the stretching academics I have learnt a lot this semester. Of course, I gained in the usual ‘finding myself abroad’ cliché – knowing I can handle leaving important documents 5,000 miles away from where they’re needed, being pleasantly surprised at my lack of homesickness, and making friends who see me as more than just some Brit who hangs around – were some highlights in that regard.

I’ve had some adventures. I’ve been to Memphis, Tennessee – and learned more about music in that weekend than I’ve known my whole life. I’ve been to Austin, Texas for little more reason than attending my friend’s friend’s Halloween party. I spent Thanksgiving in Jackson for traditional food and family fun. I’ve been to New Orleans for the evening of Halloween, and to play Quidditch. And now I find myself in snowy Colorado, leaving for Ottawa in a week, and then Chicago.

I’ve not totally evaded a Southern twang – y’all is my new favourite word. But, I’ve no taste for grits or fried chicken, and have reached the end of my tether arguing against the Second Amendment. But I love the sunny climate, and dodged Hurricane Isaac.

Next semester beckons with several Quidditch tournaments – and a shot at the World Cup in Kissimmee, Florida. February sees New Orleans’ speciality: Mardi Gras. And a long summer of seeing sites and travelling to come.

Roll on 2013 – Southern Miss? To the top! 

Pictures: stunning Aspen, on the way to New Orleans with friends (photo by Anna Hotard), sunset Memphis, and some local foliage in NOLA (photo by Andrew Carpenter). 

Wandering through Scandinavia

Thanks to Gothenburg conveniently being located in between the 3 Scandinavian capitals it has been easy to get around and see other countries as well. Copenhagen was the first city I got around to visiting. From those I know who’ve been there and the group I went with, people seem to either love or hate the city.  For me it was kind of nice to be in a ‘real’ city again. I hadn’t realised how relaxed, almost sleepy, Gothenburg was until I got to Copenhagen.  One of the more odd places I’ve ever been to is Christiania, a self-declared ‘free city’ within Copenhagen that somehow escapes the country’s drug laws. In fact, there are only three rules here: No running, no photos and.... have fun! Back in Copenhagen itself, a visit to the Danish National Museum, seeing the famous statue of the Little Mermaid, and (conscious that I spoke about food a lot in my last blog), the best brunch I’ve ever had, were the main highlights. Below: Atop the Round Tower, the oldest functioning observatory in the world!

Next on the list was Oslo, for which my expectations were already very high thanks to Bex in Mississippi. It certainly exceeded them and by the end of the trip I was already imagining myself living there one day. It’s hard to explain more than just it’s a really nice city. Perhaps it was the fact that there was music playing wherever we went, the amazing views, or that the weather just happened to be good on our visit. Oslo did live up to its reputation as the world’s most expensive city, but that didn’t matter once we were there. The views from the Holmenkollen ski jump (something I didn’t even know was a sport) alone were worth it. 

If there’s anything to make your study abroad destination feel more like home it’s a trip somewhere else. Fun though they were, it was always good to be back in Gothenburg, where I don’t need to walk around with a map in my face. 

The reason I haven’t updated this in a while is, as you can probably guess, work. The Swedish system of a module per month means that (all the trips, dinners, parties etc.) aside, I always seem to have an impending deadline. Which means things get a bit hectic sometimes. Still, I have picked up some good habits here (I’ve never spent so much time in the library). And it’s nice to think that this time last year (and probably this time next year) I still had almost all of my semester’s work to do in the Christmas break, but this year I will have pretty much completed everything!

Below: Oslo's mesmerising sculpture park.