Author: Abdullah Asif | Major(s): Biochemistry, Arabic, Middle East Studies Country: Sweden
Semester: Summer 2024

Adventures in Gothenbert

Before traveling to Sweden this summer, I had never ventured outside my home country. I knew this would make my experience in Sweden especially impactful, shaping my initial
perceptions of travel and foreign cultures. Now, two months later, I am delighted to report that my time in Sweden was nothing short of phenomenal. The entire experience was truly enriching, leaving me with a lasting impression and a strong desire to visit again in the future. I applied to the Health Teams Abroad in Sweden program due to its personal significance and the academic benefits it offered. Growing up, I was captivated by Swedish content creator PewDiePie and spent countless hours playing the Swedish-developed game
Minecraft, which fostered an early affinity for the country. Additionally, my interest in political
discourse made me eager to visit a Nordic country known for its high standards of living and
well-developed social welfare programs, often compared to those in the US. This program
perfectly aligned with my academic pursuits at UARK, as the courses BIOL 3923H and CHEM
3923H would contribute 3 credit hours each towards my Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
and my Medical Humanities minor.
My “foreign” experiences began the moment I boarded the plane at XNA, marking my
first-ever flight. The sensation of the plane lifting off the ground was surreal, and watching my
familiar hometown shrink until it was unrecognizable added to the magic of the moment. My
fantastical journey continued to O’Hare International Airport, quickly becoming one of the most
magnificent experiences of my life. I was awestruck by the airport’s immense complexity and
size, marveling at how such a vast place could be so efficiently organized and run. Moreover, I
was captivated by the incredible diversity of people I encountered from every country and
nationality, making me feel as if I were standing at the crossroads of a global microcosm.
Finally, I arrived at my destination, Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport, where I would have to
wait 24 hours until my group from UARK joined me. I felt a childlike excitement at being
unsupervised in a foreign country and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the airport, talking to
strangers, and even spending the night sleeping on a bench. I included these paragraphs on my
experiences with airplanes and airports because, to me, the magic of traveling is not just about
seeing new countries but also about experiencing the processes and being in the liminal,
transitional spaces that make such journeys possible.
Finally, my classmates arrived, and our journey truly began. We drove to Jönköping, the
main site of our program, where we would be studying, and settled into the cozy Huskvarna Inn,
our home for the next two weeks. On the first day, we received our bus passes and met the
Jönköping University (JU) students who would be our early ambassadors to the country. Some
of my classmates and I decided to explore the surroundings and noticed several key features:
public transportation was highly accessible, robust, and well-organized; almost everyone could
speak English; and the residents were surprisingly culturally diverse.
My favorite part of Jönköping was the lifestyle it fostered and reinforced. The streets and
environments were impeccably clean, with parks, gardens, and natural greenery seamlessly
integrated throughout the city and beautifully maintained. There was a strong emphasis on
walking, biking, or using public transportation to get around. During my time there, I felt much
more active and connected to the place, unlike my usual car-dependent lifestyle back home.
Although I haven’t traveled extensively, Jönköping stands out as a truly beautiful city, and I loved
every moment of my stay there.
Our weekdays followed a structured routine of morning sessions, lunch, afternoon
sessions, and free time. Mornings were typically spent at Jönköping University, where
professors or guest speakers presented over a variety of intriguing topics such as disabilities,
accessibility, habilitation, interprofessional teams, consent, children’s rights, prosthetics and
orthotics, and tax policies. My favorite discussions were the moral scenarios and learning about
the various global healthcare models. We particularly focused on Sweden’s Beveridge model of
healthcare which is characterized by public funding through taxation, universal coverage, and
government-employed healthcare providers.
Lunchtimes were a delightful experience, as the faculty often treated us to various
restaurants around Jönköping. A common joke among the JU students was that Swedish food
kinda sucked and the country didn’t really have its own distinct cuisine, so the city’s restaurants
contained a lot of foreign cuisines like Thai, Italian, Asian, American, and Mediterranean.
Afternoons were dedicated for visits to clinics, hospitals, or facilities relevant to our
morning sessions. My favorite visits were to the Wetterhälsan private healthcare facility and the
Rosenlunds public health center. It was fascinating to compare the differences between these
providers, learning directly from the facility directors. Both speakers were highly engaging,
answered all our questions, and provided honest insights into the competition and cooperation
between private and public healthcare facilities.
On weekends, students either enjoyed free time or participated in exciting excursions
organized by our faculty. With them, we embarked on multiple hikes, biked 14 miles across the
stunning, flower-adorned Visingsö Island, and visited some incredible museums. These
excursions allowed us to explore beyond our resident city and experience more of Sweden’s
natural and cultural beauty. During one of our free weekends, three other students and I decided
on a spontaneous trip to Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city. This unplanned adventure
turned out to be one of the best highlights of the entire trip!
The last stop on our journey was the capital city, Stockholm. As a reward for completing
all our coursework, we were granted an entire week in Stockholm, filled with mostly free time to
explore at our leisure. It was a marvelous city full of historic charm, modern elegance, and
breathtaking natural beauty. By this point, I had grown very fond of my group, and my favorite
activity became our many late-night walks together. Nothing can compare to a beautiful
nighttime stroll filled with laughter and good conversation with people who make you happy.
Reflecting on this journey, I am immensely grateful for the many factors in my life that
enabled such an incredible experience. Exploring this beautiful country and delving into the
complexities of healthcare systems has sparked within me a keen interest in public health and
healthcare policy. While I don’t feel fundamentally changed or different after the program, I have
formed some cherished core memories and feelings that I still recount warmly. These
experiences fill me with excitement to travel again and see even more of the world.
Until next time✌️🇸🇪,