I have always been interested in Scandinavia and the northern region around it, but I was never really sure what it was all about. I knew the typical things, Vikings, fishing, cold, but after this trip my eyes have really been opened to the history and culture of the Scandinavian people.
It all started from the Newark airport when the class gathered, had the introductory, awkward hellos, and boarded the flight to a brief layover in London on the way to the final destination: Copenhagen, Denmark. For me, the trip did not start off on a good foot. I made it to Copenhagen alright, but the same could not be said for my luggage. However, my bag came in the next day and I was ready to enjoy what Denmark had to offer.
Copenhagen was a very cool city with so much to do and see. Everyone rode bicycles. There were probably more bikes than cars. The architecture and statues in the city were breathtaking. There were huge, ornate spires winding into the sky and regal knights and lions perched around the city, frozen in time for all to admire. The museums we visited were beautiful and filled with some of the best works of art I have ever seen. The city was steeped in culture, with museums all over the city and remnants of Hans Christian Andersen's fame always in sight.
The renown of Kierkegaard, whose works we studied in Denmark, was not as prevalent, even though he was also a Copenhagen native. However, his philosophical influence and that of existentialism as a whole could be seen in the Danish art throughout the city at its many museums.
Our next destination was Oslo, Norway, to study the plays of Henrik Ibsen. Oslo was a smaller, more compact city, with a more natural feel than Copenhagen. The Norwegian culture was very close with the nature of the land. This was seen both in the city and in the art at the several museums we visited. One of the highlights of Oslo was viewing The Scream by Edvard Munch in the National Gallery of Norway. Even though I have seen the picture a hundred times, there is so much more to take in when viewing the original in person. After seeing what there was to see in Oslo, all the students took a trip out to western Norway.
After an eight-hour train ride, we came to a town called Stavanger on the coast of the Norwegian Sea. Our mission there was a guided boat tour of the amazing fjords along the coast. The fjords are along the narrow inlet with the sides rising up like mountains with snow-covered tops. The sights there were absolutely beautiful. My friend Mike may have put it best, saying the views were “awe-inspiring.” After the experience in the fjords, I could see why the Norwegian culture is very much intertwined with the nature and landscape of the country.
Our final stop was Stockholm, Sweden. This city was really cool because the people were nice and there seemed to be a lot more happening than the other cities. Here we studied the plays of August Strindberg, who was a national treasure in many ways. His influence could be seen all over, especially at the gorgeous Royal Dramatic Theater, which was putting on one of his plays while we were there. We were even able to see his final apartment in the condition he left it. Dinner the last night was at Professor Ohlin's sister's apartment in Stockholm since she lived just a few blocks away from the hotel. It was fascinating to see the little difference between living in Sweden versus here in the U.S.
My trip to Scandinavia opened my eyes to who the Scandinavian people are, along with their culture, history, and art. I am so glad I took this extraordinary trip abroad, especially because of my amazing classmates who accompanied me and the great professors Shieber and Ohlin.
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