A year ago I made the decision to intern abroad in Stockholm, Sweden. I got asked a lot, “why Sweden?” I even asked myself this question because I didn’t know much about Sweden besides the fact that I was confusing it with Switzerland.
Fast forward to today, I can now tell you why Sweden. Sweden is a Scandinavian nation whose people are friendly, fashionable and pride themselves on their Swedish meatballs — rightfully so. Their old town is rich in character and makes a great spot for some Fika. There’s also a small dumpling shop in Södermalm, straight from the heart of China. The owner/cook will even sing to you as she brings your dumplings. These are some of the things that made me fall in love with Stockholm but the real reason why I picked Stockholm, Sweden was because of the lessons I was meant to learn from my time there.
Here are three things I took from my time in Sweden
1. Being put in uncomfortable and undesirable situations is where you grow.
On the second day of my internship, I learned that the company I was placed with was on the brink of bankruptcy and my internship position could not be promised for my two month trip. Suddenly, I was catapulted into a sea of distress and many, many emotions. I had to face this challenge head on and come to a solution. It required uncomfortable conversations with my boss that I would be getting re-placed with a new brand. It required me to own a type of professionalism I had never experienced before and it put me in a place of vulnerability of not knowing what was to come next. Despite all this, I lived through it and I grew from it. I now see the value in undesirable and uncomfortable positions. One cannot evolve in a comfort zone.
2. Get lost, literally and figuratively.
I love structure and I love control. However, I’ve come to realize that when you’re in your early twenties and you’re abroad, it’s a perfect time to explore a new country and yourself. Something my dad told me when we were together in Venice was, “getting lost is the best way to experience a new culture and see things that you wouldn’t have seen if you followed a map.” I applied this to my experience in Stockholm. There are lessons to be learned and mouth-watering restaurants to be found when you are lost. You escape from the tourist traps and into the arms of locals, you learn independence, and even end up realizing that you’re a lot smarter than you may think you are. Sometimes, breaking away from the itinerary is also where you make the best memories. I’ve also come to realize that it’s okay to get lost within yourself while you’re abroad. You don’t have to have everything figured out because your experiences, wherever you are, are meant to mold you into a better version of yourself.
3. It’s the little things you hold onto.
As I reminisce on my times in Stockholm, it’s not my internship or the big weekend trips we did that I miss the most. It’s the nights on the dock where my friends and I watched the sunset, the days we danced around in old town, the time my friends and I struggled to cut our pizzas and many more small memories. The moments I didn’t realize I would miss the most are the times that made my trip so special to me.
I believe that you are always where you are meant to be in life. I think I was meant to be in Stockholm so I could grow as a person and re-discover my passions. Discover the world as you discover yourself is my greatest advice to people my age, looking to study abroad.
– Emily Pascale, GlobalWorks Internship: Fashion Industry in Stockholm
