Hello, everyone! My name is Mary Todd and I’m studying abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, this semester with DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia. Here’s a little information about me: I’m a junior majoring in biomedical engineering from St. Charles, Missouri. I love skiing and winter weather, so I have been thoroughly enjoying Sweden so far! My core course at DIS is Biomedical Engineering in Scandinavia. My other classes are Engineering Biomaterials, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Swedish Language and Culture, and History of Sweden in Europe and the World.

I arrived in Sweden bright and early on Jan. 15 and was greeted by my host family with a festive “Welcome to Sweden” sign. On my first full day in Stockholm, they taught me how to navigate the public transportation system, and we played tennis together. I spent the next two days meeting and spending time with other DIS students during our orientation.

Wednesdays are always reserved for what are called “field studies,” which are essentially field trips to various locations around Stockholm for hands-on learning. Before classes officially started, I attended a field study with my core course at the Tekniska Museum. We were focusing on the exhibit called “Hyper Human.” It was an intriguing exhibit that highlighted how medical innovations have evolved over the years and what could possibly be invented in the future. I was most interested by the CRISPR/Cas9 information in the exhibit since I have always enjoyed genetics. Additionally, the exhibit had interactive stations where you could answer ethical questions that currently exist in biomedical science, such as: Should someone be allowed to change their genome if they are at risk for a deadly genetic disease? These ethical questions are extremely important when researching new medical innovations, and it was neat to see ethics being emphasized throughout the exhibit. I am so excited about the future opportunities to see real-world applications in biomedical engineering throughout Stockholm.

Classes began on Thursday, Jan. 20. I have been enjoying all my classes so far. On my most recent field study, we went on a guided tour through the Medieval Museum and the island Gamla Stan, which is their “Old Town.” The Medieval Museum was very cool and built around the original 16th century brick town wall. Gamla Stan felt like I walked directly back into the past. Many of the original buildings from medieval times are still standing. Sweden was not involved in either World War, so history has been preserved beautifully in Stockholm. The streets are cobblestone and it’s a maze of gorgeous architecture.

On our tour, my class and I just so happened to meet Sweden’s prime minister, Magdalena Andersson. She told us how she was an exchange student in the United States and wished us a wonderful stay in Sweden. It was an incredible experience to talk to a politician like a normal person, and she was so kind to take time out of her busy schedule to speak with us for a few minutes. Ending the field study, we went to Stockholm’s City Hall where the Nobel Prize dinner takes place every year. I am so grateful to experience these field studies with my classmates and learn Swedish culture firsthand.

I have had the most amazing (almost) two weeks here in Sweden! I am looking forward to exploring Stockholm more. Enjoy the pictures I’ve taken! Hej då (Goodbye)!