The common view from the streets of Stockholm; in the back, one can see Stockholm City Hall amongst other historical features.

My name is Gracie Blaschke and I am a 21 year old nursing student from Subiaco, AR. I attended the Health Teams Abroad program, where two weeks were spent studying in Jönköping, SW, and the last week in Stockholm, SW. As a senior in nursing school doing my thesis on rural access to care, I was first attracted to the program because of my passion and interest in US healthcare. However, once I was accepted to attend, I started having second thoughts on committing to the trip. As someone who’s further along in their schooling than most who apply, I wasn’t sure if the program was a good fit for me. However, I am so grateful that I followed through, as there are no words available to explain what this program did for me. Academically, the itinerary is packed with opportunities; I learned extensive amounts of knowledge regarding Swedish healthcare and how to work in interdisciplinary teams centered among the patients. Personally, I grew in critical thinking skills and perspective, both from professors and the peers that I graciously attended this program with.

Brunstorpsleden: a challenging but rewarding hike in Huskvarna, SW.

To describe my academic experience, we utilized a mixed-methods approach to education. We attended lectures, took guided tours, participated in workshops with staff/students from Jönköping University (JU), and completed group projects where we completed a case study as an interdisciplinary healthcare team. We had numerous lectures and tours, however, some components of our learning stood out to me. All of our lectures were headed by Swedish natives, meaning their learning style was utilized in the classroom. A large difference in their classroom environment was the emphasis on discussion. Several of our lectures required us to gather into discussion groups, many with the students of JU. This was unusual for me, as my normal classes are often long lectures with little to no group work. I was hesitant at first, but then I realized that being able to discuss with peers encouraged critical thinking and allowed us to ask each other questions. It was especially interesting when we would discuss differences within our countries’ healthcare systems, as we obviously have vastly different experiences. Additionally, our guided tours of facilities allowed us insight into their healthcare system, as well as ask questions to providers and many different members of the healthcare team. As someone who is near graduation and has worked two years in the US at a for-profit hospital, I enjoyed being able to ask questions to nurses abroad, as well as discuss with JU nursing students about their personal experiences with their career path. This experience was rich and valuable because it took us beyond traditional classroom learning.

Walking around Stockholm with new friends teaches one beyond the environment of a classroom.

As for my personal experience, this was the part of the trip that surprised me in the best way possible. To illustrate, let me discuss numbers. There were 21 students, including myself, that attended. Out of these 21 students, the majors consisted of: 9 speech pathology, 7 biology, 3 nursing, and 2 public health. How many of them did I know going in? That answer would be one. This meant that I was going to live in a small hostel for two weeks with two girls I had never met in my life; this is, of course, a purposeful decision made by the faculty. I did not realize it at the time, but the intent is to put us with people outside of our major. When we were two weeks in, I realized that I was learning about healthcare without intention. Whether we were at dinner, sightseeing, or hanging out in our rooms, I was learning about different healthcare fields and the individual motivation behind each one of them. I vividly remember calling my parents to tell them that the people I was with were so inspiring. They were intelligent, well-rounded, kind, and passionate about their futures. When I came home, everyone wanted to know the details of my time abroad. I showed the pictures of the hikes, the tours, and the niche sights that Sweden has to offer. Though, I always described the people I was with as my favorite part. Walking around Stockholm, staying up late in the hostel, and multiple fika (i.e. Swedish coffee break) together gave me lifelong memories that I regard deeply. To elaborate on our relationships, I want to leave you with this moment. During our farewell dinner in Stockholm, one of our peers made everyone superlatives, i.e. “most likely to lose their passport on the bus” (yes, that was a real one that did, in fact, happen). Each person had one and at the end of the night, we were all in tears that this trip was complete. I looked around and realized that I knew none of these people before the trip and, no matter how cliche it sounds, the faculty/classmates felt like family. Everyone has heard that studying abroad is life-changing, but I am here to say that it most definitely is, in the most unexpected ways. I will never forget my time in Sweden and I whole-heartedly encourage all who feel the urge to go abroad; you will receive more than you could dream.