University of Wisconsin–Madison

Denmark and Sweden: Ava Jaffery

Program: DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia, Summer

Ava’s Majors: Botany, Environmental Studies, Life Sciences Communication

Ava leaning against the railing of a boat. Behind her, across dark water, is a blue and white glacier.
My first time seeing a glacier on a boat in Svalbard!

What is the moment you are most proud of?

My most proud moment was completing a huge hike while in Svalbard doing fieldwork. It was 16 miles in one day, and we didn’t know ahead of time! It was amazingly rewarding because of all the wildlife we saw, including reindeer and walrus, and served as a great experience to connect with my classmates over the shared struggle.

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

The academics were quite different than my classes at UW-Madison. Firstly, they were 3-week courses, so I was in class ~3 hours a day, 5 days a week. It was really intentional time focused on one topic, and sometimes that could get a bit tiring, but I felt like I got a really good grasp of the concepts. The homework wasn’t any harder than anything I’ve taken here, in fact I’d say it was a decent bit easier.

Ava standing on a log in a grassy park. Scattered trees are behind her.
I really loved exploring all the public parks and beautiful green spaces around Stockholm and Copenhagen.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

In planning to go abroad, I was very intimidated by the financial factor. It’s very expensive! However, UW-Madison offers tons of scholarships and financial planning help. Although it took some extra effort, I was able to accomplish my goal of studying abroad within my financial means.