Nashirra, or as her classmates call her, ‘Nash,’ studied abroad with DIS Stockholm this past summer. She’s a sophomore at Yale University and picked the DIS Stockholm program specifically because the World of Vikings: Fact, Fiction, and Fantasy course is unique in combination with her history major at Yale. In the summer of 2020, the same course is offered at DIS Copenhagen.
Nash’s World of Vikings
“As a history major, I was really excited to see that there was a class available at DIS that isn’t available at my home university,” Nash says. “I feel like so much of my exposure to history has been the same Western European/Americanized lessons so when I saw the option to explore a topic that I had never been taught before, I knew I had to take it.”
Not only did the World of Vikings: Facts, Fiction, and Fantasy course give Nash a learning experience that was outside that of her home university but she also got the chance to truly use Europe as her classroom because Viking history, artifacts, and legends are scattered all over Sweden.
There’s even a rune stone inscription in Gamla Stan, in the heart of Stockholm, dating back all the way to the Iron Age. In fact, the inscription is older than the city itself.
“I think it’s so cool to talk about a topic in class, such as Viking rune stones, and then take a quick trip on one of the public busses to see the actual rune stone itself,” Nash shares. “On our second day of class, an article was posted that announced the discovery of two new Viking burial ships in Uppsala, Sweden. This was so cool to hear about, especially since we had just taken a Field Study trip there.”
Faculty Can Make all the Difference
Nash’s faculty member for her World of Vikings: Facts, Fiction, and Fantasy course, Janis Granger, has been with DIS since 1984 and has learned the Stockholm streets up, down, and backwards.
“I absolutely adore Janis. She’s one of the nicest women I have ever met, and she knows so much about the Vikings and Nordic Mythology. She’s so enthusiastic in class which makes it 100% easier to learn because as students we know that she enjoys what she’s doing,” Nash says. “She also took us on a walking tour the first day of class to let us know where the most affordable places to grab lunch were located. She’s amazing.”
Some Final Advice from Nash
Stop being afraid and take the plunge!
These next 3-4 weeks (or perhaps even longer) will be some of the best weeks of your entire life. Get out there and meet new people, try out some Swedish phrases, and get temporarily lost in the metro system.
I am so glad I made the decision to study in Stockholm, and I’m really happy to say that I’m ending this session with no regrets! So, if you’re hesitating about doing this program, stop, and take the plunge!
>> Check out Nash’s Instagram takeovers on @summeratDIS
>> Click here to look at other summer courses offered at DIS Stockholm
Hint! The World of Vikings: Facts, Fiction, and Fantasy course takes place during Session 3, meaning you can add courses during Session 1 and 2. In the summer of 2020, The World of Vikings: Facts, Fiction, and Fantasy will be offered at DIS Copenhagen. If you are interested in history or literature, possible courses to mix and match with could for example be Nordic Mythology, Food and Identity, Travel Writing, or Arctic Orientalism: Postcolonialism in the North.