Sweet Time in Sweden

Traveling can open your eyes and help you learn more about yourself. Stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to experience many things which in turn can lead to personal growth.

Jaimie Schramm did a great job of giving us the inside scoop of her experience studying abroad.

Read on as Jaimie gives an account of her time abroad and how she has grown personally.

This was in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is on the street called Nyhavn, it has restaurants and shops. 

Jaimie Schramm

Inclusive Childhood Education, concentration in Humanities, Sophomore

Port Jefferson Station, Long Island, New York

Cortland Wishmakers

Describe the city where you are studying abroad.

I am studying abroad in Kalmar, Sweden. It is a small town in southern Sweden, with amazing views. There is a castle about 10 minutes away from my apartment. 

This is the castle that is about 10 minutes away from my apartment. No one lives in it now but in the past kings and queens lived here.

What were your preconceived thoughts of Sweden? How have they changed since actually being in Sweden?

Before coming to Sweden, I really didn’t know much about it; which really drew me to it. We never learn about Sweden in school and looking at pictures, it looked beautiful! The one thing I knew was that they eat a lot of fish since they are surrounded by water. Fish is a big part in dinners but there are many different options you can get! 

This was in Abisko, we visited the Ice Hotel in a village called Jukkasjärvi. They keep the hotel at -5 celsius. You can spend the night there, they provide you a warm bed and warm blankets. One of the blankets is made out of reindeer fur. 

How has studying abroad brought you out of your comfort zone? 

Studying abroad has really pulled me out of my comfort zone a lot. When I came to Cortland as a freshman, I went away with my best friend. It was very comforting to have someone always there for me, and someone who really knows me. It was very different when I came here to Sweden because I came by myself. I didn’t know anyone, not even the people I was living with. This experience has really pulled me out of my shell and I am really happy it did because I have made so many new friends! 

This was taken in Narvik, Norway. This was the fjord we stopped at and saw. 

What kind of independent travel have you done and how did you arrange it?

I have done a lot of traveling since I have been here. I actually just got back from Lapland, it is a place above the arctic circle. We did many activities while we were there, the student union I am in organized it for us. I have gone to Copenhagen, Denmark and Narvik, Norway as well. It is very easy to plan these trips, there are many different trains or buses to take and there are always hostels available if you need to stay a night there. I am going to Stockholm next weekend, Berlin, Germany; Helsinki, Finland; and St. Petersburg, Russia in April. Traveling around Sweden is very easy! 

This was taken when we were in Abisko, we were able to see the Northern Lights! 

What have you learned about yourself while being abroad?

I have learned a lot about myself while being abroad. I have learned that I actually am not a shy person anymore. I use to be very shy and I wouldn’t go up to anyone to start a conversation. Now I have no problem going up to someone and getting to know them, or asking them questions. I also learned that I can actually cook! There are no dining halls here, so we have to cook everything we eat. I am now learning how to cook different meals and its great! 

This was taken in Abisko when we visited the Sammi village. The Sammi people are the indigenous people of northern Sweden. The Sammi’s have their own reindeers and we were able to feed and pet them! 

What has been one of the best moments you have experienced while being abroad so far?

My favorite moment while being abroad was when I was in Lapland. We were in Kiruna and we went dog sledding. For me, I have never had an opportunity to do that before, I’ve only seen it in movies. It was incredible, there were 4 of us on the sled and 12 dogs pulling us. We went through these trails that had amazing views. At some points we were on a frozen lake which was scary and amazing at the same time! 

This was in Kiruna when we went to Lapland. In this picture, the dogs were bringing us through the trails. 

What are some things that people in the U.S. may not know about Sweden unless they visited?

Some things that people may not know about Sweden are that fish is not the only thing people eat! There are many other dishes to eat! Americans also do not know about Fika. Fika is a coffee break that Sweds take very seriously! Whether you are in class, walking around town, or visiting a new city, everyone takes a fika!A fika usually is about 20-30 minutes. Also, in Sweden, they have Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday is February 13, it is a day to eat Semla’s and enjoy. A semla is an amazing pastry, it is a bun with almond paste and whipped cream. 

These are two pastries many people eat for fika. The pastry on the left is a chocolate ball. It is chocolate cake with oats in it rolled in coconut or sprinkles. The pastry on the right is a semla. Both are amazing!

Stay tuned for next weeks blog post featuring Business Economics major Alyssa Roderick!