A Wholesome Semester in Stockholm Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2019 to 05/10/2019 with
DIS Stockholm Semester
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 |
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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 |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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* What could be improved? |
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* 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 BlazerCraving 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 |