Within minutes of stepping off my flight, I knew that Sweden would be well worth the long travel time. The tall spruce trees surrounding the thousands of lakes, partnered with the picturesque city, all combined with an abundance of coffee for the weary traveler, Stockholm certainly knows how to welcome foreigners with a warm embrace.
Originating from Iowa State University, I was drawn to Scandinavia because it has much to offer, and yet is often overlooked. The midnight sun provides a multitude of outdoor activities well into the night, which is perfect for a nature lover like myself. What set DIS apart for me was the diverse courses, many of which have a geographical focus on the region, including my session one course, Transgender in Scandinavia (Stockholm).
Along with the diverse courses, the Field Studies and Study Tours provided within the courses were also a major draw for me to come to DIS. These opportunities will allow me to apply my learning to the real-world, and learn from people within the field about their experiences, knowledge and both future academics and careers. I will have the opportunity to go on Study Tour with my session two class, The Good Life (Copenhagen), and session three, Power of Women in the Viking Age (Stockholm).
As a Philosophy and Spanish major, I am well accustomed to charting my own path and taking the road less traveled. Along with my women and gender studies minor, the basis of my studies centers around different cultures, knowledge, and identities. For me, studying abroad was the best choice in order to grow as a philosopher and scholar to immerse myself in another culture and language.
I have always loved to wander, and to expand my knowledge through unique perspectives. I spent this past spring semester in Cáceres, Spain, completing my Spanish degree with another program. That program was much more focused on cultural immersion, paired with our linguistics courses taught in Spanish. We also lived with host families, which was another level of immersion into the Spanish language. To come directly to the full DIS summer program after Spain will certainly be a unique experience.
I am anticipating that both DIS and Scandinavia will be a compelling juxtaposition with Spain and the United States. I am not only doing all three sessions, but I will be switching between locations for each. I am hopeful that switching locations will help me gain a fascinating viewpoint into the DIS summer program. I am excited to become acquainted with both countries, and truly immerse myself in Scandinavian culture through multiple locations.
Scandinavia has already given me amazing sites, delicious vegan and vegetarian food, and blossoming nature, all combined with the cool summer breeze and endless summer sunlight. Although this has certainly been a memorable adjustment from my sizzling Spanish spring, I am thrilled to dive in head-first into the rest of my summer in a brand new culture, language, and academic environment.
Stay tuned for more adventures and with Tubbs Travels!