Viking burial mounds, Kulturnatten and Tyresta National Park

Saturday     

     One thing that I’ve heard repeatedly upon arriving here in Sweden is to “brace myself” for winter. Yes, I know (but at the same time, I don’t know) that it is going to get very dark and cold very soon. Blah blah blah, but let’s not dwell on the future that is not yet here. From my view, it’s sunny and in the 70s, with zero humidity (had enough of that, Boston!) so, in other words, it’s perfect for exploring outside.

    As I mentioned before, I live in the forest. What do people like doing in the forest? Well, many things I think, but one is hiking. So behind my apartment and around 6-7k in either direction (look at me, using the metric system!) is a hiking path that cuts through all these beautiful trees and fields. So on Saturday I took off in one direction towards the city center and walked in solace and warm sun beams for a couple hours until I reached the bus stop.

trail head to Gula Stigen near my apt

From there, I hopped on for a short ride to the sight of Gamla Uppsala (or, ‘Old Uppsala’) where there are giant lumps in an otherwise relatively flat piece of land. What are these giant mounds, you ask? Why, they are some royal Viking burial mounds from approximately 500AC! Well. I’ve been to the Great Wall of China, so I can’t say it’s the oldest thing I’ve ever seen (and yes I’ve definitely seen other things that older but this is the best comparison I can make right now, ok!?) but it was still wild to be walking around and climbing up these giant mounds that contained the medieval remains of a medieval society. Here are some photos: 

Gamla Uppsala

From the top of a burial mound

A Swedish Selfie

The same mounds, except this time, horizontally!

    Saturday also happened to be the day when Uppsala hosted its annual Kulturnatten or Culture Night, where usually busy city streets were closed for pedestrians, all the museums were open all day, concerts were scattered throughout the city and there were food trucks at every corner. While for me, it absolutely was not anything compared to the Durham Fair (nothing is), I can only compare the town’s excitement, participation and overthrow of business as usual to the great Durham Fair annual event of all time. There were also pushy teenagers running around texting each other and looking way too dressed up for such a gathering, odd performances of the choral variety and tchotchkes for sale, galore. No cows, llamas or other livestock and definitely no mozzarella sticks in sight. There was, however, a truck claiming to be “America’s Pride” selling donuts so I guess that counts for something! It was good to see so many people out and about on a Saturday night, as usually the streets of Uppsala seem to be overtaken with those dang university students. But alas, it did just make me preemptively miss the fair!

Sunday

    Sunday was another day for exploration, this time taking a series of buses and trains to 12km outside of Stockholm to Tyresta National Park. Together with my friend from France, we were able to decipher the connections, get a free round trip on the regional bus by not having pre-purchased our tickets (not recommended for travel), hike in pristine forest for hours and make friends with several ducks. There were many people there carrying around woven baskets looking for the season’s end batch of blueberries (or mushrooms? It was unclear) but enough space and solitude to be able to walk around in the whispers of the trees. Aside from being nearly eaten by a couple of hungry ducks, the day was pleasant, reflective and beautiful. Here are some pictures! Note: they are not paintings even if they may look fake. 

'The Virgin Forest' as they labeled this section of the trail

A beautiful lake

Don't eat these

Very unafraid poultry

You may notice that the season here looks similar to maybe early-mid October back home in the states. Don’t worry, it’s throwing me off as well. The seasons here seem to accelerate much more quickly than back home. The trees here are beginning to turn and the days are shortening by minutes at a time. When I got here, the sun was setting around 9pm and rising around 5:30am. Today it will set around 7:15pm and rise at 6:15am. Bracing myself for the darkness, I know! I will join the gym soon because they have a ‘light room.’

Anywho, enough procrastinating with my dear diary.

Xoxo

Swedish Jamie 

The One Where Jamie Goes to the Migration Agency

As a student in Sweden, I am required to get a temporary resident card, which permits me to both study here and stay beyond the 90 days that I am magically awarded simply for carrying a Swedish passport. So far, aside from proving that I am “financially self-sufficient” (meaning my savings account from childhood with Tom’s name on it doesn’t count), the application process has been well-explained and efficient, as one would expect a Swedish state agency to function. Last Thursday, I hopped on a bus to ride 40 minutes away to get my fingerprints done for my ID card and found that things can never be as efficient as planned, especially amidst the largest refugee crisis since WWII. I arrived on time for my appointment (9:50am) and tried to sign in but quickly found that their technology system was not working and they were resorting instead to post-it notes. Since I had an appointment, I was told they would simply call my name, and so I found a seat in the crowded waiting room next to a screaming baby and two guys filling out paperwork while talking loudly on the phone.

The scene was chaos. People were chatting, yelling, asking questions in an array of languages and translation chains while in the background an information video played explaining your options as an asylum seeker. Just this past summer, Swedish parliament passed a couple different laws that  heightens the regulations for refugees seeking permanent residency. Asylum seekers who are refused entry or whose period of voluntary exit has expired will no longer have access to temporary food or housing, with the exception of those under the age of 18. The second law limiting the number of permanent residence permits that will be granted in the next 3 years. The law is temporary and will be reassessed in 3 years, but in the meantime it means that individuals seeking protection (i.e. being assessed as a refugee) will be granted either a 3 year temporary permit card or a temporary 13 months depending on the assessment of individual circumstance. Finally, the bill has increased requirements for family reunification, again in attempt to limit the number of individuals entering the country. Last year Sweden had a record 163,000 asylum seekers (compared to the US 70,000 globally) and was among the top countries affected by the European refugee crisis. While I understand creating policies that match with realistic capacities and capabilities, I always feel like there must be another way when creating solutions for a humanitarian crisis such as this. People are dying trying to get away from the violence and danger of their own homes. While I understand the existing needs domestically in every country, we can’t turn a blind eye to the suffering of innocent citizens who are literally driven out of their homes. Whether people like it or not, we are a globalized society with globalized needs. This crisis affects us all. While many humanitarian agencies seek to alleviate the urgent aspects of the crisis, political leaders need to come together for multilateral solutions so that people aren’t dying by the thousands in attempt to reach safer places.

While I have certainly been paying attention to the crisis, talking about it in many class discussions, meeting classmates and friends who have experienced similar danger in their own home countries, the situation didn’t become so clear to me until I was sitting in that waiting room imagining the lives these people may have left behind and the journey they took to get to these seats. I can guarantee it was more than one 40-minute bus ride. The laws in Sweden do not come without opposition. After reading a bit through old news articles, I find that many people are outraged. The laws will not only affect asylum seekers but other ex-pats trying to bring their families to Sweden as well. The laws are viewed as harsh but are met with a realistic government, who has looked at Sweden’s resources and intake capabilities and deemed the country unable to provide resources for so many people. For more information about the ongoing refugee crisis check out this infographic article from the BBC Migrant crisis and educate yourself about migration policies in your own country. For me as an American, knowing the dynamics of this crisis and listening to the Republican party this election season has been disgraceful, if not, my worst nightmare.

I will also share this American perception of Jewish refugees 1938 giving a historic perspective of American attitudes.

Part II

    Back to the inefficient waiting room in the Swedish migration office, we come to the moment where the computers start working again. I get up to go type in my now long ago appointment time and keep coming up with an error. Someone comes over to help me, also confused that my verification code is pulling up nothing. She asks me if I”m sure my appointment is today and of course, it is, it’s written for Thursday the 8th on all of calendars (2 digital and one paper). I pull up the email to show her and she agrees, yes, my appointment is here in Uppsala blah blah blah but then, no no no, it’s not today because it’s not the 9th and my appointment is on the 9th, tomorrow, Friday. So, that was fun and idiotic on my part. I sulked out feeling like a grade A dumb dumb and set off on my day.

    Friday morning began like a scene from Groundhog’s Day. This time, though, I was much more efficient in my path, knowing exactly which bus to take and unneeding of googlemaps to guide me walking from the bus stop. And, what do you know, the system does work efficiently and I was in and out within 20 minutes of my appointment. What fun you can have when you write things down incorrectly!

A smattering of random and mostly irrelevant cultural observations

Well I have officially been here for two weeks. Below you will find an ongoing list of cultural observations that have accumulated during this time.

1. I’m old and uneducated.

Everyone I have met so far in my program is extremely nice, welcoming, extremely well-traveled, probably knows multiple languages and is on average 7 years younger than I am making me feel old and relatively ‘uneducated.’ Now, this sounds great for humor’s sake, but obviously I know this is not actually true (I am very experienced and about to get two master’s degrees), but this context of self here in a master’s program is quite different than back home, where most of my classmates were on average around 30 years old and mid-career. In Europe, it seems to be the trend for students to go straight into master’s study after completing their undergraduate studies. It is also common for students to a) study abroad in high school b) study abroad in during their bachelor’s degree and c) study abroad during their master’s degree. So, different system and different culture for higher education in Europe and has got me thinking about higher education in the US (as if I could ignore that system anyways), where high tuition costs (and personal preference) often necessitates working for several years before returning to school. Both ways work (obviously) and I’m so grateful for the international perspective in these classrooms (and also envious of the multiple languages thing).

2. Man buns and half ponies

In the US man buns are a hair trend on the rise. Here, they are the norm. Sorry cool hipsters of the US, you’re a little behind! Half ponies for girls are the same- everyone embraces the trend here, as revolutionary as it seems back home.

3. The value of exercise- anyone can do it!

             Here, everyone is on the move. Biking, walking, running, rollerblading and roller-skiing (I    

I think that’s what it’s called?) you name it, and someone’s currently on the move. What a refreshing culture. Back in Boston, people are very active as well, but there’s an issue of space. With much more accessibility for pedestrians and bikers and much more open space to enjoy, recreation is a staple in everyday life. What is even more refreshing to see, is people of all shapes, sizes and ages enjoying these recreational opportunities. Just last week, when walking down by the lake, I shared the path with someone on a motorized scooter!

4. Pokemon Go!: Ruining vacations one smartphone at a time

A large part of my day in Stockholm was spent surrounded by children roaming the streets with a cell phone an arm’s length out in front of them. Of course, anyone who’s been tuned into the Pokemon Go! phenomenon can spot these hoards from blocks away. While I appreciate the merits of this game (bringing people together and active), I saw on several occasions kids having meltdowns because another child (who had current control of a presumed shared smartphone) had caught the Pokemon in reach. So, instead of enjoying a historic district (which maybe kids don’t really appreciate that much to begin with), they spent time having a temper tantrum in the middle of tourist traffic. Interesting for me to see this game building into family vacations. I’m skeptical of its place in such an experience.

5. Sweden Runs on Dunkin

            There is a Dunkin’ Donuts at the central station in Stockholm.

6. Stop lights are polite.

Here, before red lights turn back to green, the red and yellow lights will light up at once, to signal to drivers to get ready to pay attention again. Boston could really use such a mechanism. I often wonder how many hours of my life have been spent sitting behind a texter at a green light.

7. Laundry and garbage are still annoying chores but here they are at least efficient.

My apartment complex, made of 7 apartment buildings and four smaller buildings for other activities such as doing your laundry, sorting your garbage or showering your dog. Yes, there is an entire building reserved for dog showers. As with most shared goods, the garbage and laundry systems here are intricate and efficient. The garbage room is a series of bins made for different kinds of refuse (combustible, noncombustible, newspapers, compost, etc.). They value and encourage recycling at this level all over the place! For laundry, everyone gets their own key which unlocks a ‘reservation lock’ that you put on a timetable to reserve your time to do laundry. Then you use your ‘reservation lock’ to do your laundry and lock the door so no one will go in and mess with your shit. I haven’t done any yet, but this system is just too convenient.

8. All hail the cinnamon roll (and FIKA!)

On October 4th, Sweden will celebrate National Cinnamon Bun Day. Yes. It’s true, google it. Cinnamon buns will forever taste like Sweden to me. Another great thing about sweets in Sweden is FIKA! This is a mid-afternoon coffee break where you’re allowed to eat cake with your friends. Bringing that back to the American workday, that’s for sure!

Anywho, that’s all for now!

Xoxo

Swedish Jamie

Doing Swedish things in Sweden

Since last I wrote, I have done two things that I now think of as being distinctively Swedish. The first is that I visited Stockholm and the second is more obscure, but let me just say that I will never look at a crayfish the same way again.

First, I will describe my little jaunt to Stockholm. From Uppsala, the Swedish capital is only 39 minutes by train. This convenience is, well, convenient, but I would appreciate a few minutes more to really complete my nap cycle. Anyways. Sunday, I met up with a couple girls I met from the day trip plus a couple other friends. Together we were one American (me), an Austrian, two from France and one from Mumbai. Just read that sentence again and think, how can I not appreciate such a multicultural experience? So together, this little global bunch set out into the city. We started by exploring Gamla Stan, or the Old City and drinking the biggest latte I’ve ever had (it came in what appeared to be a soup bowl…). While Gamla Stan is the most tourist island of Stockholm, it is also the most beautiful part (that I saw anyways). With its little cobblestoned and winding streets, the area is charming and quaint despite the hoards of people running around with selfie sticks. In this part of town, you can also find the Nobel Prize Museum, the Royal Palace and the Stockholm cathedral. First record of ‘the town between bridges’ is in 13th century. And I thought Boston was old…

After wandering around the medieval streets of the old city, we wandered over a couple bridges to arrive at our boat tour. Now, I had never really thought of Stockholm as a city on the water, but in fact, it really is. In fact, it’s a series of islands connected by bridges. The word ‘Stockholm’ means log island or fortification island (depending on your faith in wikipedia) and officially became the capital of Sweden in 1634. The boat tour we went on, the archipelago tour, took us out to Waxholms (see map). Stockholm is actually made up of 30,000+ little islands. They are actually not 100% sure how many islands there are (which, I’m a little confused by given today’s technology, but w/e). The boat ride was beautiful, though it did get a little cold because here in Sweden, summer is buh-bye long gone! It was also so windy outside that I missed much of what the guide was telling us about. So below, you can enjoy the view just as I did!

By the time we got back, the sun had gone home for the day and it had started to rain, so we headed back to Uppsala in the early evening. I plan to return this weekend to visit the Vasa Museum . I will surely keep you posted how that journey goes as well.

So, onto the next, very Swedish thing I had the pleasure of participating in last weekend:

Kräftskiva. 

 

Kräftskiva, or ‘crayfish party’ is a traditional Swedish party, usually held towards the end of the summer to bid the season farewell. The event was, to the say the least, an experience! It was silly, communal and full of festive spirit, so I have to say I enjoyed it greatly. The decor for the outdoor celebration is mainly made of paper- comical crayfish-themed party hats, crayfish themed paper tablecloth, some paper lantern/chains and of course, a crayfish paper bib. The atmosphere is raucous with traditional crayfish-themed drinking songs breaking out intermittently, followed by shots of ‘snaps,’ which is code I think for fire-liquor. Aka it was very strong. Paired with relatively very little food (there’s not actually a lot of meat in a little crayfish), part of the goal of the party is to get shit-faced. Our Swedish classmates made sure everyone’s shot glass was full and made sure to sing lots of songs. Here are some links to some classic youtube videos that may help you understand the phenomenon a bit better:

How to eat a crayfish (according to an old Swedish woman)

How to eat a crayfish (according to a British man)

Overall, I have not much more to add to these videos. Thanks to the Swedes for hosting such a cultural event.  

P.S. Crayfish are not that delicious.

Go Yankees !

Go Yankees!

Well, to my delight (and surprise), Uppsala is full of people showing allegiance to my favorite sports team of all time… you got it.. THE YANKEES. I don’t have much to say about the phenomenon other than I see many people walking around with Yankees hats and bags (no t-shirts because Swedish people are notably fancier than that) and WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. I can come out of hiding in fear of the Boston scrutiny for supporting a team other than ... well.... you know! GO YANKEES!

Props to all the International students out there

Things continue to go well here, with new opportunities to socialize and learn all while managing the anxiety of balancing the two. Anyone who’s been in grad school knows this anxiety well… am I allowed to have fun? The answer is yes, but you definitely have to get used to the nagging and self-populating to-do list that stays on in the background of your actions and folly. As an exchange student in my last semester of grad school, the stakes feel different for me than those I perceive for my classmates. For example, while these classes will be intense and rewarding, my main academic priority this semester is writing my master’s paper. It feels like a lot to balance- a culminating academic exercise, an intense course load and figuring out how to live in a new country and find/make the time to explore. It’s a lot to come along in one semester.

That being said, I want to take a second to recognize all the international students at my home university (The Heller School) who have been (for the most part) sailing brilliantly through school and figuring this all out just the same. While I have always recognized and admired your resourcefulness as well as your natural ability to make connections and foster friendships, I am now in your shoes and wanted to take this brief second to highlight in this blog (that many people will not even read) to emphasize the intricacies of studying in another country. While sometimes, this combination of so many educational cultures creates tension in the classroom (especially when mismanaged), it is important to note the myriad of personal transformations and explorations that occur just by being in this situation. Back home, as a domestic student in an international program, I think I already mentioned the relative ease I had adjusting to studnet life, of socializing and living because I was in a place where I’d previously lived, surrounded by friends, familiarities and was a 2 hour drive from home. What a privilege and opportunity it has been to be in a school that is 50% international students (Heller) and now become an international student, if only for a short time. These relationships and connections, I truly believe, are how we make the most personal growth.

One aspect of student life

Today I just student nation Södermanlands-Nerikes. Here at Uppsala, nations are student-run and organized groups that date back to the 17th century. There are 13 nations, each representing a different region in Sweden. Originally, students were to join the nation respective to their home town so that they would feel comfortable and immediately connected to a community upon beginning studies at Uppsala. Now, they function more or less to the same goal- to encourage everyone to become a part of something from the very beginning of university and to have a place to go to feel welcomed and at home. The nation I joined (and I learned that I have joined for life and will always be welcomed there) is the oldest nation at Uppsala and is known as a gathering place for international students. I visited a few of the nations, could tell no real difference between them (other than the kinds of lunch specials they might offer) and so I joined. At first, the concept felt a little like American Greek life, but rest assured, this is not the same situation. Nations are an integral part of student life and socializing here, but they are not founded upon the stereotypical principles people often think of when they think of American fraternities/sororities. It’s difficult to explain because it’s difficult to imagine, but the concept and the culture is something, from where I sit, purely positive.

Well, that’s enough blabberings for today. Enjoy your day wherever in the world you may be!

Xoxo

Swedish Jamie

Allemansrätten

Well here’s the eponymous entry of the blog and in case you hadn’t yet googled its meaning, or gathered that my blog description line is the definition, I will start by telling you I’m not entirely sure how to say it, but I’m entirely sure that since arriving here, I can feel and understand its meaning. Allemansrätten, or freedom to roam, is a Swedish (also applicable in other Nordic and Baltic countries) rule of the land. It means that someone, anyone, is welcome to use and access all land, public or private, for exercise and recreation as long as they respect what’s there and leave the land as they found it. This concept is comforting to me as I find new trails and picturesque spots because if I want to go down someone’s little dock by the lake, for example, I know that I won’t be scared shitless by someone coming down and shooing me off their land. It’s a great feeling to walk around and feel that everything is mutually respected, I have noticed that grounds are kept nicer, there is notably less graffiti and shared trails are truly that, shared. My new favorite spot is the Lake I described earlier, which feels like a place that people flock to at all times of day in all kinds of weather.

This word also encompasses a sort of gift I have stumbled upon for the semester- it’s a sense of boundless freedom (aside from a heavy course load and my master’s paper), a chance to step outside of my US geolocation for a bit, gain some perspective through travel, embrace a global academic exchange and new friendships. Travel can change everything you’ve thought and everything you’ve perceived and sometimes we forget that when we are in intense situations (such as graduate school and work) for long periods of time. To have been selected for this opportunity to grow individually through rigorous academics and exploration of new corners of the world is something truly special. It feels like I’ve been granted my own kind of allemansrätten, a  freedom to roam.

A closing comparison I would like to share share is my conclusion that Sweden is a supersized state of Maine. For those who have talked to me for more than… ten minutes, you probably know that I LOVE MAINE. So here, I am also finding a deep sense of rejuvenation and admiration for this heavily wooded, pristine, clear-air country. For those who have been to Maine and not Sweden, just imagine a place where the trees are 10x thicker, 2x taller and noticeably more diverse. Imagine pops of color in their limbs where a variety of berries, apples and flowers grow. Imagine highways and side streets where you don’t feel endangered because of excessive speed and you don’t read radical political signs at every turn. Needless to say, it’s very peaceful and when it’s not raining, it’s a place where you almost never feel like being indoors (despite that it’s approximately 10-15 degrees colder than Boston).

Lake Ekoln

Anywho, that’s all for now.
Xoxo
Swedish Jamie