A Wholesome Semester in Stockholm Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2019 to 05/10/2019 with

DIS Stockholm Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Social connections are the most important.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were interesting, but not very academically rigorous and I felt as though the lectures could have been condensed to allow for more time outside of the classroom.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

DIS was very helpful with visa information, housing accommodations, and recommendations for things to do while in Stockholm.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I grew close with my host family and they were as accommodating as possible. The main major downside was the long commute, which was at least an hour to/from school/the city.

* Food:

In Stockholm, there are more options, but in my homestay (and 95% of homestays that my friends were in) fruit vegetables were limited and there was a large focus on red meat, white rice, candy, and chips.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Living with my homestay helped, but it was difficult to meet Swedes mya ge.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

DIS did all that they could to help me in my emergency health situation, but the waiting time in the emergency room was awful.

* Safety:

Stockholm couldn't be more safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I needed the change in academic pace and to be exposed to a new environment.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Stockholm is very expensive

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Be intentional about eating out

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Don't be shy!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Meeting friends
  • Support structure
  • Homestay
* What could be improved?
  • Course rigor
  • Integration with local students
  • Shorter weeks to allow for more travel
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Homestays are quite far out of the city and can make you feel like you don't have independence

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Public Health Policy in Practice

Course Department: Public Health
Instructor: Rachel Irwin/Nora Doring
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I loved learning about Sweden's history of public health policy. We went on field trips in Stockholm and had papers and a poster for evaluation.
Credit Transfer Issues: not sure yet
Course Name/Rating:

Swedish Language & Culture

Course Department: language
Instructor: Djina Wilk
Instruction Language: Swedish/English
Comments: Djina was excellent! So knowledgable and always prepared. We went on multiple field trips in Stockholm. I participated more that I would have at my home institution. We had papers, exams, and a verbal exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: not sure yet
Course Name/Rating:

Research Assistant

Course Department: n/a
Instructor: Rachel Irwin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I was challenged to learn about qualitative research, which was a new field for me. Rachel was always well-prepared.
Credit Transfer Issues: not sure yet
Course Name/Rating:

Epidomiology

Course Department: Public Health
Instructor: Nora Doring
Instruction Language: English
Comments: We had a field trip to a local epidemiologist that was quite interesting. Nora is extremely knowledgable, although I wish the course would have been more quantitatively rigorous. We were evaluated with one main test and then a final paper and presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not sure yet.
Course Name/Rating:

Public Health and Migration

Course Department: Public Health
Instructor: Rachel Irwin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Rachel was extremely knowledgable and well-prepared. We learned a lot about UN treaties and agreements and had an awesome week-long field study to Geneva.
Credit Transfer Issues: not sure yet