"Of all the books in the world, the best stories are often found between the pages of a passport."
~ Unknown
After having travelled so extensively due to my other Study Abroad opportunities, I had not anticipated finding myself contemplating going back to travel for at least a few months. But as I sat at my job in September having barely returned from my time in Europe under a month ago, I found myself missing my time exploring more than ever. During this time, I had set up a meeting with Dr. Debashis Pal who has been a mentor for me since Freshman Year to get some guidance on graduate programs for the future. During our conversation, he brought up the study abroad to Scandinavia that he led in the Spring semester, and as I heard more and more about it, I was extremely intrigued by the program. After much deliberation, I decided that I really wanted to experience the beauty of Scandinavia and learn more about the business environment in this unique part of the world. Hence, when I was amongst the 21 students selected for the program, I was over the moon with excitement.
Fast forward to Spring 2024, our Wednesday night classes every week comprised of presentations from 2 students talking about different topics from Scandinavia ranging from the Economic Model, the Sports outlook, the Food choices, etc. These classes gave me a chance to learn so much about this region and added to my excitement as I got closer to the trip. Throughout this time, Dr. Pal did a great job with building out an extremely detailed itinerary and went above and beyond in communicating any packing, food, transport tips, etc. As a part of this 10 day program, I was able to travel to different cities in Norway, Denmark, & Sweden and learn more about the differences in their industry and business environment as well as immerse myself into the Scandinavian culture. The curriculum was structured in a way that we got enough time to not just learn new things through company visits and attending corporate presentations, but also enough freedom to explore the beauty and the culture of these countries independently and through unique experiences that were built into our itinerary.
One of the most interesting company visits that I found, was to the LEGO headquarters in Billund Denmark where we were able to tour the office as well as play at the LEGO house. Throughout the presentations given by company executives, I learned a lot about sustainability goals of the company as well as their people and work culture which I found very unique not just because Scandinavia has such a huge emphasis on work-life balance, but also because the company urged people to play and innovate while thinking outside the box, with built-in facilities for employees to unwind through games, sports, etc. Apart from this we were also able to witness the importance of the local fish farming industry in Norway, as well as learn more about IKEA in Sweden as well.
Focusing on the cultural aspect, there were many highlights of the trip, but my most favorite experience was called "Norway in a Nutshell" where we travelled by trains, buses and boats from Bergen to Oslo. Through this journey we were able to cruise through the beautiful Norwegian Fjords, enjoy the sights of the amazing snowcapped mountains, as well as go to the top of a glacier to enjoy the surreal beauty of the country.
Reflecting back on the 10 amazing days I spent in this region alongside amazing peers and professors, I can confidently say that I have come out of this trip a completely different person. Strolling through the beautiful streets of Copenhagen, enjoying a coffee in a little cafe in Bergen, witnessing the serenity of the waters in the Fjords, enjoying a 5-course meal with the group, each and every one of these experiences made this trip so memorable. As a part of the final project for this class, I wrote a journal on the experiences I had throughout this trip!
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