Living Out My Study Abroad Dreams With The Gilman Scholarship

Lynley Bowen studied abroad in Sweden in Summer 2024.

Studying abroad is a life-changing experience, one that broadens horizons, fosters personal growth, and creates lasting memories. For me, this transformative journey was made possible through the support of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Reflecting on my time abroad, I’m reminded of the countless ways the scholarship shaped my experience and made my dream of studying in another country a reality.

My name is Lynley Bowen and I am a 2024 Gilman Alumni from Farmington, Arkansas studying communication sciences and disorders. Without the help of the Gilman Scholarship, I never would have been able to live out my study abroad dreams. I had the opportunity to participate in the Health Teams Abroad Sweden program. We visited different healthcare facilities in the United States prior to our departure, and visited the facilities in Sweden for a comparison. 

As a first-generation college student coming from a single parent household, college has already been initially difficult to navigate. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to study abroad. The Gilman Scholarship made it possible. Getting to study abroad is an experience that has forever shaped my college experience and has helped me become a more well-rounded person. Getting immersed in a culture other than your own is a powerful, character-building opportunity. 

When I first decided to study abroad, the financial aspect felt like a weight on my shoulders. As a college student in charge of the majority of their financials, I worried that this incredible opportunity might remain out of reach. That’s when I learned about the Gilman Scholarship, a program designed to assist students with financial need in pursuing international education. Applying for the scholarship was not only an opportunity to potentially fund my study abroad program, but also a chance to reflect on my goals and professional aspirations. 

During my time abroad, I grew in ways I never anticipated. I made lifelong friends along the way. My peers and faculty leaders helped me grow personally and academically. Studying abroad allowed me to experience different ways of healthcare that I never would have seen without going.

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Communication sciences and disorders major Lynley Bowen spent the summer 2024 term abroad with the U of A Faculty-led: Health Teams Abroad in Sweden program with support from the Gilman Scholarship. 

Learn more about the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Check out our Gilman Resources Page for more information and resources to apply for this scholarship!

What Does it Mean to be a Gilman Scholar?

    Studying Abroad, what a wonderful thing! You get to live this whole new life, in a new country, with new people. It’s a chance to put your life on pause and live out the dreams you’ve always had, or reinvent yourself to the person you’ve wanted to be. But this all sounds too good to be true right? Something only a rich person with unlimited money can do? False! 

    As a student who relies on FAFSA and other financial aid to pay for college, I did not think Studying Abroad would be an obtainable option for me. Let alone extending my semester into a semester and summer program in two different countries! What allowed me to do this extension was the Gilman Scholarship, it managed to pay the entire expenses of my summer study abroad program, including the flight. 

    What is the Gilman Scholarship? This scholarship is designated to undergraduate students who are receiving the Federal Pell grant (through FAFSA) at the time of their application. The student must be a U.S. Citizen or National, and the study abroad program chosen must be in an approved country, but don’t worry the list has almost 200 countries/territories that have been approved! 

    What’s the Gilman Scholarship’s purpose? According to the Gilman website, “A principal objective of the Gilman Scholarship Program is to expand international education opportunities by encouraging applications from students who have not previously studied abroad for undergraduate academic credit”. This is truly a great chance to get out and see the world without the stress of finding the funds to do it. There are normally two opportunities to apply each year, once in March and once in October. The scholarship is worth up to $5,000 which can often cover all or the majority of a summer program, or be a great start to funding a semester-long program! 

    So let me tell you about my trip! I got to go to the lovely city of Stockholm, Sweden and take part in the DIS program. With this program, I was able to take one of many unique courses, mine being Medical Diagnostics. This is a type of course I would not have expected to take until medical school. During the course, we were taken on two field trips, one to their big Hospital in Stockholm and another to a Mammogram center. This gave me and all the other students interested in medicine a new perspective to a healthcare system so different to our own here in the United States. Aside from such a great educational experience, I also had a great time with the new friends I made. In my session, I was the only Arkansas student (that I was aware of) which meant I would get to make all new friends all by myself! Intimidating at first, but easy once I got started. Six months later, I am still in regular contact with my roommate and our neighbor we became close friends with as well as a sweet friend of mine from the course I took. During our three weeks, we managed to travel all over Stockholm to all the big spots and hidden treasures. We also planned our own little trip to Oslo, Norway for a long weekend (another beautiful place I highly recommend). 

    As of now, I am back home at the U of A where I work at the Study Abroad Office. I get so excited when I get to talk to students about my experience and all the opportunities you have to fund your trip and make it happen. Being a Gilman Scholar will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to advocate that every person eligible apply.

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About the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
"The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. 

The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide."

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SCANDINAVIA #HogsAbroad in Denmark and Sweden

Hey y’all! My name is Tori Henderson. I’m a kinesiology major in the College of Education and Health Professions (COEHP). This summer I studied abroad for 3 weeks in Copenhagen, Denmark and 3 weeks in Stockholm, Sweden through the DIS program.

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SCANDINAVIA + ADVICE

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen might have been my favorite of the two. It was a larger city than I’m used to, but it had a compact and “homey” feel to it. The colorful buildings and architecture that date back to the 1700-1800’s make you feel safe. The transportation system was incredibly easy and took you just about anywhere you needed to go. The city is extremely walkable- not to mention the beautiful views you see on your walk. The number of bikes constantly moving through the city was a bit overwhelming at first, but it becomes normal after a week or so. There are more bikes than cars and chances are you might almost get hit by one trying to cross the road (I’m mostly joking). I got the metro card since it tends to rain quite often in Copenhagen, but part of me wishes I did the bike pass since it is such a large part of the culture.

I took “Sports Medicine: Performance and Fatigue” and it was a super interesting class. It had a focus on human posture and its effects on growth and performance. My professor was Italian and was very passionate about what he taught, which made it that much easier to come to class every day. He made it very clear that at the end of the day that your grades do not define you, your experiences do, so he always made sure we were doing hands on learning and not stressing about grades. This was an extremely refreshing concept since I tend to hold a large amount of self-worth in my grades. This was one of my favorite parts of studying abroad because as I was learning information relevant to my major, I was also learning how to not be consumed in my studies 24/7. I will definitely be carrying this mindset into my senior year.

With all of that said, I had a lot of free time to explore the city. It’s not always super warm and sunny in Copenhagen, so when it was, everyone gathered and sunbathed. Every free patch of grass would be covered by a picnic blanket and happy humans. I have listed a few of my favorite places and recommendations below, but I recommend finding a friend and just wandering around after class because that is the easiest way to find the best places. Seeing the town from the water is a must if you visit - DIS offers a canal tour that was a beautiful experience. If you’re a sunset person, there isn’t a bad one in Copenhagen. The whole sky bleeds color so it feels as though the sunset is wrapping around you. I recommend watching it from the Nyhavn strip or finding a rooftop.

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  Reffen Street Food (20+ food trucks)
• Wilders Plads Food Trucks
• Nyhavn (Pinterest location)
• Bastard Café (board games + food)
•  Bertels Salon (cheesecake)
• Tivoli
• Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum
• Copenhagen Contemporary Art Museum
• The King’s Garden
• The Round Tower
• Rosenborg Castle
• Christianborg Castle
• National Art Musuem of Denmark
• Fresh Bagels (best bagels by DIS)
• Rumors
• Stereo Bar
• Italiano
• JUMP IN THE CANAL!!!!! 

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is a very close second to Copenhagen. It is a larger city that is much more spread out. The transportation system can be intimidating at first since it is very complex, but after a few days you will figure it out (Apple/Google maps will save your life). I took my study tour during the second week here and traveled to Dublin, Ireland. I loved getting to visit another country while abroad, but it did make it a bit more difficult to settle into Stockholm.

While in Stockholm, I took “Precision Medicine: Tailored Treatment in Clinical Practice”. This was the perfect course for a pre-medical student. It had a focus on oncology which was super interesting. We also compared the healthcare systems in Sweden and Ireland throughout the course. The best part of the course were the hospital visits. My favorite was a visit to a wing of a hospital that specialized in breast cancer. We got to watch mammograms and ultrasounds being done on patients. We also got to witness a core-needle biopsy. Although it doesn’t count as clinical experience, I am very grateful for the exposure we were given. The course was heavily genetics based but I wouldn’t shy from it if genetics isn’t your favorite (it’s not mine!).

I didn’t have near as much time to explore the city since my course was heavier and we took a 5 day trip to Ireland, but I still have several recommendations. During my session, we were there for midsummer. I HIGHLY recommend scheduling your time in Sweden during midsummer. It was the most beautiful weekend and the easiest way to immerse yourself in Swedish culture. Skansen is the place to be during midsummers weekend or you could find a beach and relax. Stockholm is made up of cluster of islands - it is called the Stockholm Archipelago. With that said, seeing Stockholm from the water is a great idea. There are also many tours and ferries you can take from island to island. Stockholm also doesn’t have a bad sunset, especially if you watch it from Monteliusvagen. It is a bit of a hike up to the top, but the view is well worth it

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  Gastabud (incredible Swedish food)
• Mister French (waterfront restaurant/bar)
• Thaiboat
• La Neta (if you miss Tex-Mex)
• Monteliusvagen (sunset lookout point)
• ABBA museum
• Baras Stalle
• Langholmsbadet (beach)
• Skansen
• Fotografiska
• Gamla Stan (old town)
• Subway art
• Icebar (oldest permanent icebar!)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I can’t recommend studying abroad enough. A lot of people joked around with me before I left and even while I was there that I was going to come back a changed person. I didn’t realize completely at the time but studying abroad changed my outlook on life entirely. I met the most incredible people, and I satisfied my desire to travel and explore. I have always wanted to travel but I haven’t had opportunities to. This summer has sparked something inside of me that has been waiting to be lit. I feel like I have a stronger passion for living life rather than just going through the motions. All in all, if you have even been slightly considering studying abroad, do it. The anxiety and nerves that come with going somewhere unknown dissolve as soon as you get there and are encapsulated in the beauty around you. I thought 6 weeks was forever, but now that I’m back home I’m already planning my next trip to Europe. It is 100% worth it.

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Kinesiology major Tori Henderson spent the Summer 2022 term in Copenhagen, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden with DIS with support from the Office of Study Abroad Scholarship.

You can start planning your adventure abroad today! Dive in to our Explore page at https://studyabroad.uark.edu/explore/index.php, and start your program search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

An Amazing Opportunity #HogsAbroad in Sweden

Hi My name is Kylee Buck and I am a junior majoring in exercise science. This June I studied abroad in Sweden with the Health Teams Abroad program. I loved studying abroad and would be interested in doing it again! 

The first two weeks we stayed in a town called Jonkoping and studied at Jonkoping University. While we were there, we visited many different health facilities and attended a few lectures. It was very interesting to learn how different Sweden's healthcare system is. 

After our school days we got to explore the town at night and it was super fun. The last week, we stayed in Stockholm. Almost every day we visited a museum in the morning then had the rest of the day to ourselves. 

I met so many friends from Arkansas on the trip that I will stay friends with now that we are back. The trip was educational but so much fun and an amazing opportunity at the same time!

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Exercise Science major Kylee Buck spent the Summer 2022 term on the Health Teams Abroad in Sweden program with support from the Office of Study Abroad Scholarship.

You can start planning your adventure abroad today! Dive in to our Explore page at https://studyabroad.uark.edu/explore/index.php, and start your program search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Hej! My Time with Health Teams Abroad in Sweden #HogsAbroad

Hey! My name is Angel Campos-Melara. I’m a Fulbright College student on a pre-med track majoring in Biology and Spanish. This summer I participated in the faculty-led study abroad program: Health Teams Abroad in Sweden.

This program is ideal for students who are interested in having a career in health care. The purpose of this trip is to compare the health care systems in the United States and in Sweden. Not only does one get to expand their knowledge on two different healthcare systems, they get to immerse themselves in a new culture in a beautiful country. This is an insight to my study abroad experience which includes tips and what to expect if you get selected for this amazing program.

We left for Sweden the Monday after finals week. I didn’t get to pack until after my last final was over. Items that you should definitely bring include a passport (make sure to get one and if you already have one make sure it will be valid during your travels), medications you are on, a credit/debit card with a chip (many places in Sweden only accept cards), a few of your favorite snacks (you might want a taste of home), a reusable water bottle, laptop is a must!, invest in a portable charger, bring an eye mask because it is sunny around 3 am in Stockholm, and if you want to use your electronics you will need to purchase outlet converters (there are pretty cheap options on Amazon). In terms of clothes/accessories bring 2-4 business casual outfits that you can alternate throughout the trip because it is expected that you dress nicely when you visit clinics and hospitals, do bring 1-2 items of athletic clothing because you will go hiking & biking, bring a raincoat because it will rain occasionally, bring comfortable shoes because you do a lot of walking on this trip, and bring a jacket that will go with most of your clothes. The weather was more on the colder side but even if the weather for the first week shows cold weather the temperature may rise during the last two weeks. Therefore, I packed a variety of clothing that is appropriate for both cold and warm days. Also make sure your suitcase does not exceed 40 pounds when you leave the US because you might want to buy souvenirs or clothes while abroad and you are only allowed to have a maximum of 50 pounds before extra baggage fees. It is crucial to not overpack!

I traveled with 20 students and 8 faculty leaders to Sweden. The day I left for Sweden I made sure to dress comfy because I had to take three flights. My first two weeks were spent in the city of Jönköping. I lived in an apartment with people from the program, but I know some people stayed in apartments with students who attend Jönköping University (JU). The apartments you live in are about a 10-minute walk from the nearest supermarket and bus stop. You will travel by bus to JU and various other locations such as nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, and rehab centers. While in Jönköping a typical day is getting up early, meeting with the rest of the group, traveling together to a lecture or study visit, having a group lunch, working on your case study and completing a meta for a day. You are assigned to a particular group that will work on a case study while in the US and you continue that case study while in Sweden to evoke team-based learning. Metas are a way for you to write out your expectations before a lecture or study visit and then to write what you learned and a reflection after a lecture or study visit. Afternoons and weekends were mainly free time and when I could go explore with the group and enjoy fika (a very important part of the culture, it is like a coffee break you take with friends or family to catch up). The majority of Swedes are reserved and quiet, but they are kind, love nature and take care of their environment. The last week of the program is spent in Stockholm and I stayed on a boat hostel. In Stockholm we visited many museums and historical landmarks. Stockholm is beautiful and rich in history. Go out with friends, enjoy some ice cream, and always watch the sunsets because they are magnificent. After this experience I would encourage everyone to study abroad if they have the opportunity because it is life-changing. The knowledge you gain, the friends you make, and the memories you make will last a lifetime.

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Angel spent the summer 2019 term in Sweden with our faculty-led program, Health Teams Abroad with the help of our our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship and the Gilman Scholarship.

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

LESS THAN 3 WEEKS LEFT!! #HogsAbroad in Sweden

So it has been a while since the last time I posted. I’m so sorry the last 2 months have been so busy!

In the past 2 months I took my first round of finals (they went great), went to Denmark, Russia, Estonia, Finland (TWICE), and now this weekend I’m going to Scotland!! I am actually currently writing this on the bus to the airport.

It is so crazy that I only have 2 and a half weeks left here. It is very much a bittersweet feeling. I have made so many great friends here and I think that saying goodbye to them will be the hardest part of leaving. I am very happy to get to go home and see my family, friends, and especially my dog. This has been the best 4 months of my life and I’m so grateful I got this opportunity. I’m also so beyond grateful for the study abroad funding I got through the University of Arkansas Study Abroad Office and the Walton School of Business Global Engagement Office. If you are planning on studying abroad anywhere, apply for funding. The time you put into essays will be worth it.

Some advice to anyone thinking about studying at Jönköping University:

• If you only have the money to go on one of the school trips, I recommend the Norway trip. I went on all 3 and while I recommend all of them, the Norway one was by far my favorite.
• Travel a lot, but don’t fall behind on studying because it’s hard to catch up.
• Everyone here is so stylish so your wardrobe game will increase so much.
• If you’re thinking about studying here 100% do it. It has been the best decision.
• If you’re debating about what housing you should live in, I recommend 1. Råslätt -> it’s a little bit further out so you’ll have to take the bus to and from school, but the community vibe is amazing. 2. Match House because it’s close to campus and Aka. It is a community kitchen and bathroom, but having that is a great way to meet people. 3. Beta House or Vilhelmsro. Beta House is close to the city center, but Vilhelmsro has a pretty view because it overlooks the lake.

I stayed at Backdal and while it was nice because I was so close to the university, it didn’t have a community feel which sucked at times. I did get my own bathroom and kitchen (I just shared with one other person).

Here are some pictures from the past 2 months. Thanks for reading!

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Accounting major Arielle Amburn is spending the Fall 2018 semester in Sweden with our U of A Exchange program at Jonkoping University with the help of our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship and the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Read more from Arielle at https://ariellessemesterabroad.wordpress.com/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Visiting Norway #HogsAbroad in Sweden

So much has happened since I last posted in the beginning of September. I have found some great hiking trails, I went to Norway for a week, and have gotten sick for the first time.

For anyone coming to study at Jönköping University who likes to hike, I highly recommend going to a waterfall in Röttle. It's about 45 minutes from here and it is right by a 12th century mill. I’ll post some pictures below. I’ve already been twice because it has great hiking trails right beside it. I also went to an overlook called Vista Kulle that was pretty cool too.

I went on the school’s Norway trip last week. It was so unbelievable. I highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about going. When I initially signed up I was pretty nervous because I only knew one other person from Montana who was going, but not really knowing anyone made me get out of my comfort zone and I met some super cool people. It allowed me to hang out with multiple different groups of people, compared to just one the whole time.

During the trip I went to Oslo, Jostedal, Gjerde, and Bergen, Norway. Jostedal was probably my favorite part of the trip because we stayed in these super cute cabins for 2 nights, did a camp fire, went glacier hiking, and kayaking through a fjord. The glacier hike was so unbelievable because it was like nothing I’d ever seen before. There was so much snow. I also got to see my first real life snow man. We got to take a 5 hour fjord ferry/cruise from Gjerde to Bergen which was also super cool. In Bergen there was a big fish market that had a fun vibe to it. I also met two American families from Georgia while I was eating lunch there and it made me home sick for the first time. One of the biggest differences between Sweden/Scandinavia and the US, especially the south, is how reserved people are here, so meeting the Americans was nice because even though I’d just met them they just came right out and started talking to me for like 20 minutes about where they were from, where I was from, how I was liking exchange, etc. It made me feel at home again. After they left the Austrian guy I was with couldn’t believe how friendly and talkative they were to a complete stranger. After we left Bergen we had a 13 hour bus ride, overnight back. That was the only part of the trip that was not so fun. Norway was so amazing though. I would really like to go back in the summer at some point in life.

While in Norway I also got sick for the first time, probably because of the cold weather (it was like 25 degrees Fahrenheit there). It has been pretty bad having a cold in a place that doesn’t have DayQuil/NightQuil or Theraflu. If anyone is reading this that is planning on studying abroad here make sure you bring some from the US when you come. Their cough and cold meds just aren’t the same here. Luckily I am just now starting to get over being sick, after having it for 2 weeks.

My classes are going great too. I have about 2 and a half weeks until finals. I am looking forward to my next quarter classes even more. The school work is not as homework orientated here, it is more about group work and projects, which is really nice because you have most of the quarter to work with your group when it is convenient for everyone. I also have been very blessed with getting great groups for both of the classes I’m in this quarter.

My next update will probably be after finals. Here are some pics from some hikes and the Norway trip. Thanks for reading!!

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Accounting major Arielle Amburn is spending the Fall 2018 semester in Sweden with our U of A Exchange program at Jonkoping University.

Read more from Arielle at https://ariellessemesterabroad.wordpress.com/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

VISINGSÖ! #HogsAbroad in Sweden

I just started my third week of classes and I am finally starting to get in the groove of things. It is kind of weird not having classes at the same time every week, but it is also kind of nice because it allows for a more open schedule. So far I like the 2 classes I am enrolled in. It is a lot more group work and project work than I am used to, but it is a nice change. The work is also a lot more independent, it is with groups, but the professors just give you your project and that’s about all until you turn it in at the end of the quarter. You also call your professors by their first name here, which is so hard for me to get used to.

On a different note, I went to the center island of the big lake that I mentioned in a previous blog post. We had to take an hour bus to get to Gränna and then take a ferry to the island (Visingsö). It was so beautiful. We rented bikes and rode around the island, ate lunch, and went on a hike. I also got to see a castle! When we took the ferry back we visited candy cane shops because they are what Gränna is known for. The candy canes were so good!

The weather is already starting to get chilly here. I am not prepared for winter at all. When I was talking about the weather with a Swede they told me “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” So I am definitely going to have to go clothes shopping soon!

A challenge that I did not think about before coming here was having to use the metric system and temperature in Celsius. It has been one of the most confusing transitions. When someone asks me what the weather is like where I’m from and I say “around 80 degrees” they look at me like I’m crazy. Sierra and I also made homemade cookies last week and had to convert all the ingredients to deciliters and milliliters. It has been a struggle, but I guess if a change in measurements has been the worst thing I’ve had to adapt to, then it’s been a pretty good trip.

Here are some pictures of Visingsö. Thanks for reading!!

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Accounting major Arielle Amburn is spending the Fall 2018 semester in Sweden with our U of A Exchange program at Jonkoping University.

Read more from Arielle at https://ariellessemesterabroad.wordpress.com/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

First Week Update #HogsAbroad in Sweden

Update on the train ride to Jönköping…we did miss our connecting bus, but it was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be.

In the past week since I got here so much has happened. I have experienced the best introduction week ever, met so many new people from all over the world, and already fallen in love with this town.

Kick off week has been so incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever walked this much in my life, but it has been so worth it. We also wear overalls to all the student events, which is AWESOME. JIBS color is green and they are the most convenient things ever. You never have to worry about what you’re going to wear. You also get these fun patches to put on them. I wish UArk had them. There is also so much school spirit here and everyone is so nice.

I have met so many people from all over the world because Jönköping has such an international campus. I’ve met people from Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Russia, and so many more. I am so glad I chose to study here just for the international reasons alone. I have also met many locals from Sweden and they are all so nice and helpful (especially when it comes to not speaking the language).

It has only been a week and I’ve already fallen in love with this town. It is so beautiful. The school is located by two lakes. Right now my favorite place to walk to is the really big lake, the water is so clear and the scenery around it is so spectacular. The public transportation here is also amazing. I live within walking distance from the school so I don’t use it to get there but it is amazing when going to Ikea or out to Raslatt. Walking and biking is huge here, which is great when you don’t have a car.

Overall, this first week has been so amazing. I’ve already planned a trip to Italy this week with 2 people I’ve met here. So next time I post I’ll let you know all about that trip. Thanks for reading!

Here are some pictures of the big lake and toga night with my kick off week group…

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Accounting major Arielle Amburn is spending the Fall 2018 semester in Sweden with our U of A Exchange program at Jonkoping University.

Read more from Arielle at https://ariellessemesterabroad.wordpress.com/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Arrived in Stockholm! #HogsAbroad in Sweden

Today is my second day in Sweden. I am currently sitting on the train from Stockholm to Jönköping. It has been a crazy two days. I am so grateful that I am not doing this alone and that there is another U of A exchange student with me. I got into the airport at about 1 PM yesterday. It was very confusing for Sierra and me to find each other. Thank God for WhatsApp and Wi-Fi because without it I don’t think we would have ever found each other. We took the train from the airport and then found our hotel, which was super easy. We spent the entire afternoon exhausted and exploring. Stockholm is so beautiful. We went to Old Town and the Royal Palace both yesterday and today. We did get lost yesterday in the rain, luckily, we had our rain jackets. A lot of the buildings in the Old Town look very similar, but once we took a moment and evaluated where we had been and what looked familiar we were able to find our way back. Coming from our hotel to the train stations has been a little frustrating. We bought our train tickets before we arrived to leave at 3:50 PM. We had to check out of hotel by noon, so we’ve had to walk around for a little over 3 hours with our luggage. If I could do it again, I would’ve booked an earlier train. We also have to take 2 trains and a bus to get to Jönköping. It was a little confusing finding our second train, but all the train stations in Stockholm have people in yellow vests that speak English to help you. Right now, we are on our second train and are currently stopped, 10 minutes into the train ride, because someone tried to jump in front of another train (they were able to stop her), so they’ve halted all trains to get her off the track. We only have 20 minutes when we get off this train to get on our final bus. We have been stopped for 30 minutes, so I think we are going to end up missing our next bus and will have to book another one. I’ll keep you updated on if we made it in time on my next post. I’ve also attached some pictures of Stockholm, to show just how beautiful it is.

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Accounting major Arielle Amburn is spending the Fall 2018 semester in Sweden with our U of A Exchange program at Jonkoping University.

Read more from Arielle at https://ariellessemesterabroad.wordpress.com/

Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/