Hej! (hello in Swedish)
My name is Alyssa Brion. I am an
incoming senior studying Kinesiology with hopes of furthering my degree with a
masters in Physician Assistant studies next year.
I attended a health teams
trip to Sweden where I learned the Swedish health care system.
Due to the fact
that I am a science nerd, words aren’t exactly my strong point so I have
provided pictures to let you have a quick look to my visit abroad!
This is half of the students on our trip before the Chris
Brown concert in Stockholm. We were surprised to find that Swedes sit down and
just listen at concerts… maybe a few claps here and there, but that was it. We
definitely stood out as the crazy Americans who sang and danced the whole time.
Don’t worry Chris Brown, we could “run it, run it.”
This picture was taken at the ABBA museum in Stockholm. This
was one of my favorite museums by far. There was karaoke, music video
production, and many other interactive activities. I was crushed to find out
the DAY AFTER we were at the museum, ABBA reconnected for the first time in
years. Rumor has it (from my aunt’s Facebook account) ABBA will be performing
in Louisville, Kentucky pretty soon… Momma Mia!!!
If you have ever seen “The Knick” on Showtime, you’re
probably completely nerding out right now looking at this picture. This is a
photo of the Anatomical Theatre in Uppsala, Sweden. It was built in the 17th
century and was used to teach students about surgery. I know what you’re
thinking. Surgery? Where? On that tiny wood table? The answer- yes. Wait, it
gets worse!! Back in the day, doctors didn’t wear gloves when performing
surgery. A medical professional’s true nightmare.
This is the Absolut Icebar in Stockholm where everything is
made out of, you guessed it, ice! From the walls, to the chairs, to the glass
I’m holding, everything is ice. It was by far one of the coolest experiences I
participated in on the trip.
Admission
is about $25 and includes one drink at the bar. If you plan to go, I hope you
like Lingonberry juice…
This picture was taken on a Wednesday night at Akademien, or
better known as “Aka.” On Wednesdays, Aka is reserved solely for students at
Jonkoping University where cheap food and drinks are provided. When I say
cheap, I actually mean the only drink you can get for under $10 in Sweden
practically. Yay for the government controlling alcohol sales.
Hands down, this was the best lecture I got to listen to
during my three weeks. We had 2 amputees come and speak with us about their
experience with Swedish health care. If you have some knowledge about Sweden,
you may know about the universal health care system they have. If you don’t
know, that basically means just about everything is free- doctor appointments,
surgeries, and even home modifications to meet your disability. The guy in the
white polo, Cristoffer, has competed in the Paralympics. Twice.
Here we are standing in flowers in the beautiful Visingo
Island just north of Jonkoping. We went biking and absorbed some of the most
stunning scenery I’ve ever witnessed. It was breathtakingly beautiful, until
the wind blew. After that, the smell of cow manure literally took my breath
away. I had seriously considered putting a vacation home here one day until I
got a whiff of that horrible smell. Nope. No thanks. Never mind.
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Don't miss out on your chance to study abroad!
Hej! (hello in Swedish)
