Penn Abroad Ambassador Serena Camici

Program:

• SA: Architectural Association School of Architecture

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When I went to Sweden, I had no prior knowledge of the Swedish language itself. That being said, I wanted to experience a culture in which I didn’t understand the language. Most Swedes speak very good English, so I worried that it would be easy to stumble into complacency and just get by through speaking English. However, I pushed myself to learn as much as possible, by taking an introductory Swedish course, taking exercise classes in Swedish, and meeting Swedish students to practice with through the university's Student Association. Slowly I was able to get by around Stockholm exclusively in Swedish (i.e. ordering coffee/pastries!). I found that as a result, I was able to learn more about Swedish life and culture than I would have without doing so.

While abroad, I also had to juggle maintaining my connection with a club that I cared a lot about (since I didn’t want to drop off the face of the earth while I was gone!). Although I wasn’t able to be involved at the same level that I once was, I stayed responsive to messages and emails. Whenever they needed an extra hand, I helped out with club interviews over Zoom, administrative tasks, and client sourcing. The main challenge was the time difference and not seeing people face-to-face. To counteract this, I tried my best to set up calls at times that worked. This has helped me in my transition back to Penn as a senior, since I feel like I have remained in touch with the club in some capacity.

My Experience Abroad:

As an International Relations major, I always wanted to study abroad, to supplement my academic learnings with real-world experiences. I picked Sweden because the Arctic Circle is my region of interest within the study of International Relations; it presents a unique case-study of how future environmental changes will converge with strategic economic and military interest. My experience in Sweden did not disappoint. Through the political science and literature classes I took, I learned about Sweden’s forward-thinking environmental policy and its laws as an Arctic nation. The Swedish Program also offered a trip to the Arctic Circle, which deepened my love for the landscape of the Arctic itself. As a result of this experience, I was further impelled to write about the Arctic for my senior thesis. This year, I will be researching Scandinavian policy making as a model for future international law in the Arctic. In addition, I was inspired to apply to job opportunities in global governance and international trade, partly because of the research I did for my abroad classes focused on assessing the EU’s history and governance structure.

Other Highlights:

• Traveling to the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland. I got to participate in activities like dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. We also visited an ice hotel and a Sámi village and saw the Northern Lights.
• Doing the polar plunge in the Stockholm Archipelago.
• Going to the Swedish national women’s soccer game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• Celebrating Valborg, a Swedish tradition that celebrates the beginning of spring. I went to the university town of Uppsala, about an hour away from Stockholm, to see the bonfires they lit at dusk and listen to speeches given by students and faculty.
• Taking a walking tour class, entitled “History of Modern Scandinavian Art and Architecture,” where we explored a new museum or neighborhood and learned about Stockholm’s urban history and artistic movements. It was a great way to get to know the city better and learn about Swedish culture.