Me in Hallstatt, Austria last summer. I love to travel!
Hi there! My name is Sam and welcome to my page where I’ll be documenting my study abroad journey! The city I will be living in is Stockholm, Sweden.
Why I Decided to go Abroad
Traveling is not a stranger to me, in fact, my family and I travel a lot over the summers for fun! However, choosing to live abroad for a few months is a different experience. For me, the biggest deciding factor to spend a semester abroad was the opportunity. College is a time for exploring new things and it is the perfect time to learn how to live on my own. Another deciding factor was the program I decided to pursue. Since Wofford does not have any classes similar to the Forensic Psychology course I will be taking, I decided that pursuing education outside of Wofford was a good opportunity for me as well.
Like many others, I was concerned about being in a different country for an extended amount of time. I think my “epiphany moment” occurred during Interim this past year when I went abroad to Morocco. As part of the cultural experience, my class was paired off to live with host families in the Medina of Rabat. My host family included a mother and grandma who could not speak English. Communicating was challenging at times, and after the struggle I decided that if I could survive in a country where I cannot communicate, then I can definitely survive in a country that speaks English!
Why Sweden?
Choosing where to study abroad is a hard decision, but thankfully, there are people at Wofford who are there to help with that! The first time I went to meet with someone from International Programs, I walked out with about eight catalogs of possible programs and cities all over the world! Because I am a very indecisive person, having so many options overwhelmed me for a while.
In the end, I picked Sweden because of what I wanted for my education. As a Psychology and Anthropology/Sociology major, the DIS Stockholm program gave me the opportunity to take many classes in both of my majors. Also the Forensic Psychology course I will be taking is something I am interested in, but would not have the opportunity to explore if I stayed at Wofford. Language also influenced my decision to live in Stockholm. Other programs that appealed to me came with required language classes, which was something I did not want to take.
One thing about DIS that made me a little apprehensive was how little people at Wofford go through the program. I am the only student from Wofford going to Stockholm, and only two other students are going to the Denmark location of the DIS program. After seeing how many people were going to the same programs or same cities, I was a little worried about going to Stockholm alone. Having a familiar face would be comforting, but I think it would be a good opportunity to meet new people.
Thoughts, Concerns, and Goals
Going to a new school is very nerve-wracking, especially when it’s in a different country! I am nervous about taking unfamiliar classes, learning a big, new city with a large transportation system, and meeting new people. One thing that is very comforting is that all the other students in my program will be experiencing the same concerns so I know I am not alone!
My biggest concern just days before leaving for Stockholm is packing. How cold will it be in Stockholm? Is my winter clothes warm enough? D How many shoes do I need to bring? What can I survive without for four month? And most importantly, how will everything fit into my luggage?! Hopefully I don’t forget anything.
Through my experience abroad, I hope to explore new classes that will hopefully help my decisions for a future career. I also hope to get a taste of city life and master public transportation, since you don’t find much of that in Spartanburg! I also want to be more outgoing and explore as much as possible, whether it be around Stockholm, or other countries nearby!