Sweden: Morgan Rippie
Program: DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia, Spring
Major: Genetics and Genomics
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
I wouldn’t say that I have any one moment that is my most memorable, rather it is the relationship I formed with my host family as a whole. I connected on a deeper level with both my host parents and host brothers, which I now consider a familial relationship that will last a lifetime. My program did an exceptional job pairing us based on both personalities and interests. During my free time in Stockholm, I spent the majority of it with my host family, further strengthening our bond. I have now been back home for several months, and I still contact my host family members regularly. I am even going to visit this winter to spend Christmas with them! Overall, I am incredibly grateful for them entering my life, and they will always hold a place as family members to me.
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin and then also going to a university here, I really have not seen much of the world or learned about different cultures first-hand. To me, the world seemed so big and vast, and I didn’t know much about it. I have always liked Wisconsin, and thought I would live here my whole life because of this and my family. It was my first time in Europe and it was amazing to observe the dynamics of different cultures first-hand. European countries seemed to have a much better work-life balance overall than people in the United States. What shocked me the most was that Stockholm specifically seemed like a city that catered to my exact personality. It was perfect for introverted-extroverts, as people are generally quiet in public or with strangers, but are very friendly with close friends and family. They value working hard, but also having a life outside work and spending time with family. In my experience, they see the importance of BOTH maternal and paternal childcare duties. What shocked me the most was how much of the world’s history Swedes are taught in primary school. My host siblings seemed to have learned more about the United States history in primary school than I did myself. Due to all these things, it opened up to me the possibility of one day moving to Stockholm, as it is full of my own ideals!
What shocked me the most, is that Stockholm seemed like a city catered to my exact personality. They valued working hard, but also having a life outside work and spending time with family.
Describe your internship, research, or fieldwork and how the experience helped advance your career or studies.
While in Stockholm, I did research at the Karolinska Institute. With the permission of the principal investigator of the lab I am involved in here at UW-Madison, I was able to continue the research project I was working on in Wisconsin while in Sweden. In Stockholm, due to differences in supplies and equipment, I had to do a lot of problem-solving to keep my research project standardized. This helped me to further my abilities as a scientist when tackling problems since my mentor in Stockholm was new to my project, and the time difference between Wisconsin and Sweden made it difficult to get a response from my mentor in the lab in Wisconsin. I gained valuable knowledge and skills in tackling scientific problems and setbacks independently.
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
There is a tradition in Sweden called fika, which is my personal favorite. It is a time in the day that people take a break from work or school to have coffee and a pastry. During this time, coworkers, teachers, and classmates all respect that it is a work-free time, allowing you to effectively revive during the day. It doesn’t occur at any specific time, but if you tell someone you are “taking a fika,” they value the break and do not ask anything of you until fika is over. In the states, I have struggled with allowing myself downtime and breaks in the day, not having much of a work-life balance. In Sweden, I took many fika breaks and still did my work efficiently and effectively and I had a much better mindset. Since returning home, I have taken daily fika breaks, which has seriously helped my mental health and established a more stable work-life balance!