Linnaeus University - The Swede Life - Blogs

Posts Tagged ‘Linnaeus University’

En fråga om “varför?”

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

A mystery is afoot. No, I didn’t lose my keys (again), get lost in the woods and find myself halfway to Alvesta (it’s happened before), or require a recipe for ermine stew (if you’re reading this, Furry Weasel Who Must Not Be Named, let this be a warning).

This mystery also has nothing to do with mathematics (took one math class my first year at university, got a C-, and am damn proud of it), unsolved murders (sorry, but I’m no Mikael Blomkvist), or the meaning of life (I’m not Monty Python, either).

The mystery is this: why do you read this column?

Seriously, why do you? 110% Lagom has better pictures. Julie’s Nordic Island is more insightful. Snuggling with the Enemy is more entertaining. And Julie’s Melodifestivalen blog is written by, well, an actual Swede.

So why do you read this? Don’t you have better things to do? Like, I don’t know – go fishing, spend time with your family, or buy something online that you really don’t need and costs way more than it’s worth?

This column isn’t funny. It isn’t insightful. Heck, it’s not even well-written. In the pantheon of great writing, it’s the equivalent of the guy who couldn’t even get hired as the night janitor at the nearby Burger King.

But you’re still reading it. I mean, do you actually enjoy hearing about the misadventures of some poor chap with about as much common sense as an ostrich and who frequently finds himself more out of his element than Steve Buscemi in “The Big Lebowski?”

Hey, buddy: you’re still reading this. Haven’t I made myself clear? This column is about nothing, nothing, and more nothing – with some more nothing added in for good measure.

It’s pointless. It’s rude. It’s downright crass. But if you’ve gotten this far, you’re downright hooked.

Sure, you’ll comment on how terrible this is, how I’m a disgrace to the journalistic profession, and how it should be illegal for me ever to type anything ever again. But just remember this: you chose to read this. Since I doubt the CIA, FSB, or the AIK front line forced you to look at this as part of some elaborate and unquestionably bizarre torture method, you have only yourself to blame, bucko.

Not my fault you’ve lost 90 seconds of your life you’ll never get back.

Report abuse »

Tags: AIK, Ben Mack, blogs, ermine, Linnaeus University, study abroad, Sweden, Swedes, The Local, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 18 comments »

On the sunnier side of dragon tattoos

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Rough past few weeks for Sweden. Just brutal.

First, Saab’s automobile division declared complete and total bankruptcy. Goodbye. Sayonara. Enjoy the fishing season in Kobe.

Then, 23 women and one man were convicted in Falu District Court of participating in a child pornography ring that resulted in 1,181 explicit images and 40 films being found on the man’s computer.

Also, the Swedish government continues to refuse to acknowledge that alleged secret CIA flights have been taking place over the country, despite the fact that some of the flights are thought to have transported suspects who were later tortured, and the Swedish head of the world’s “first international sex school” in Austria admitted the whole thing was an elaborate hoax. Great. There goes both those ideas for impressing my girlfriend.

To boot, Ibrahimovic & Co. (AKA the Swedish National Football team) lost against England for the first time in – get this – 43 years.

Oh, and H&M – which I always assumed could do no wrong – has kicked up a hornet’s nest of controversy with its new Dragon Tattoo Collection, a line of clothes based on David Fincher’s remake of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” that some have claimed glamorizes rape. Ouch.

On a more personal lever, the V?xj? Lakers continue to struggle in their first season in Elitserien, and at second-to-last place one has to wonder if they’ll be relegated next year. Back in the States, my beloved Boise State Broncos lost at home for the first time in 10 years, and now instead of playing for the National Championship are paired up against a 6-6 Arizona State Sun Devils team that just fired their coach.

To top it all off, my great nemesis – an ermine that lives near my flat whom I’ve nicknamed “El Diablo” – has returned: I saw him dart into the bushes while I was taking a walk yesterday afternoon. I’m sure he’ll strike when I’m most vulnerable – probably while I’m taking a shower.

All of it’s enough to make any man, woman, or child want to plunge themselves headfirst into a frozen river (without getting back into the sauna afterwards) or eat a blowfish at a disreputable restaurant after a few BASE jumps.

Maybe it’s a case of seeing the glass as have empty rather than half full. There’s bound to be some good news, right?

Well, the Danish investment firm Saxo Bank predicted that in the coming year the Swedish krona will replace the Swiss franc as a safe haven in a debt-riddled Europe, thereby strengthening the Swedish economy. O.K., so apparently Sweden’s the place to go if you don’t want to be stuck eating lima beans out of a can.

There’s also the news that Sweden has one of the most democratic Twitter accounts out there. An intrepid reporter at The Local named Rebecca Martin – who unlike myself actually organizes her thoughts into a cohesive argument when writing – discovered that by handing its official Twitter account over to regular citizens – including a priest, a teacher and a “coffee-drinking bull-dyke” – Sweden is defending its reputation as one of the world’s most democratic nations. Alright, the whole “free and open society” thing is covered.

But there can’t be any more good news, can there? I mean, really, what could be better than Sweden serving as the real “star” of the new “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” film with a score composed by none other than Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor?

The shortest day of the year is over. And Jul (otherwise known as Christmas, otherwise known as… well, you can’t get any bigger than Jul) is upon us.

So yeah, maybe things are better than I sometimes make them out to be. I guess sometimes I get a little carried away.

But what made me come to this revelation, you ask?

It was five degrees in V?xj? yesterday. Enough said.

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, Boise State, Broncos, culture, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, H&M, Lakers, Linnaeus University, Saab, Saxo Bank, study abroad, Sweden, The Local, Twitter, United States, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 5 comments »

Credit where credit is (not) due

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

You up for a challenge?

Try leaving an Elitserien ice hockey match with your sanity intact.

It doesn’t matter where you are – be it Stockholm, Jӧnkӧping, or the outdoor icebox known as Luleå – I bet 500 kronor you can’t do it.

But I did not do it.

I never allow my personal feelings to affect what I write. That’s why, even though I study in Vӓxjӧ, home of the Vӓxjӧ Lakers, I’d never speak unfairly about motherless Djugårdens IF.

When it comes to class, integrity and fair play, goon-laced Djugårdens IF ranks with any team in Rugby Union Elitserien.

It’s true that at times in the past all of the some Djugården players have exhibited some criminal aggressive behavior against the Lakers, but what else would you expect out of freaking animals one of the most elite hockey leagues in the world?

Just because referee-paying Djugården won 4-3 after a penalty shootout at the brand spankin’ new Vida Arena in Vӓxjӧ after the worst officiating I’d ever seen a great game, I don’t necessarily think the players for Djugården are anything less than hitmen gentlemen.

There is nobody Vӓxjӧ fans detest respect more than Djugården’s fine left wing, Elmer Fudd Christian Eklund. True, Eklund got lucky made a terrific shot that made everyone want to get medieval silenced the crowd, but this was only because Eklund is from hell such a skilled player.

There are also a few isolated fans in Vӓxjӧ who don’t like Djugården wussy-boy star Kristofer Ottosson. I, for one, think his cringe-inducing team-leading 18 points is nothing short of a travesty a true testament to how he cheats good of a player he is.

Also, unlike some in Småland, I think Stockholm is a wonderful place to whack meet somebody and, in fact, bring charges up a family. The citizens should be under house arrest proud. I once got lost in Stockholm, and a local citizen was more than happy to help. He said, “Go right at the second burning car and left at the corpse, and park. You can try and buy your car back later.”

Some folks in Vӓxjӧ poke fun at the fact that Stockholm calls itself a hockey town, but butt-lucky Djugården has won 16 fluke championships, whereas the Lakers are only in their first year in the Elitserien and will win the championship this year. But what people don’t realize is that Djugården fans eat, drink and sleep in cardboard boxes hockey.

All in all, the Lakers-Djugården rivalry is about mutual loathing respect. I can honestly say that if Djugården were to play in, say, Iraq, I’d be there holding up a picture of Saddam Hussein supporting them. To me, Djugården represents everything that is fully prosecutable good in hockey.

In summary, even though the puppy-kicking, handicap-space-parking, Rebecca Black-listening Djugården is ahead of the Lakers in the standings by one point, all of us in Vӓxjӧ hope they lose from here on out have a great season. And are relegated to HockeyAllsvenskan.

See, told you I am very biased could do it.

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, Christian, Djugårdens IF, Eklund, elitserien, hockey, Kristofer, Lakers, Linnaeus University, Ottosson, Stockholm, Sweden, The Local, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 7 comments »

Photo of the day: Växjö city center

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

One of the wonders of living or studying abroad is the opportunity to take photos and create lifelong memories. Every instant, every inhalation of frozen air can be digitally captured (or on film, if you nostalgically long for a simpler time) as easily as Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores a goal. Can you say “smile?”

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting photos of some of the sights (can’t quite get sound in pictures yet) of Sweden, taking you on a tour of the land of ABBA, IKEA, and meatballs. While you won’t even have to go outside, just have some coffee ready to go if I drop in.

__________

Växjö is the seat of Kronoberg County in the region known as Småland. With a population of about 64,200 and home to Linnaeus University, it was granted city charter status in 1342 by Magnus Eriksson. The city’s name is believed to be constructed from the words “väg” (road) and “sjö” (lake).

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, culture, Kronoberg County, Linnaeus University, Magnus Eriksson, Photography, study abroad, Sweden, The Local, United States, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 4 comments »

Secrets of Swenglish

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Before I go any further, let me apologize for not posting anything in a while. You see, I was in Vegas, and made the mistake of entering Cheetah’s at three in the afternoon. Let me tell you, those steak specials tend to keep you in there. To quote Jesus, there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Speaking of Cheetah’s, you hear a lot of strange stuff there. Guys telling their life stories to women they just met. Women discussing comparative psychology while dancing around a pole.

Personally, it all sounded a lot like gibberish. I think it was English, but it definitely wasn’t Swedish.

‘Cause if it was, I swear I’ll eat crow.

When it comes to my native tongue, English is my first language. My father’s mother tongue is English, and my father’s father… well, he speaks German, but that’s an entirely different story.

The point is, I grew up speaking English. It’s the language I use to relate to the rest of the world, and defines what many things are to me.

Chances are, whatever your native language might be – whether it’s Russian, Chinese, Tagalog, Dutch, Cherokee, or any other – it’s what you use to relate to the rest of the world, too.

Let me clear something up: yes, almost everyone in Sweden speaks Swedish as their first language.

But pretty much everyone also speaks English.

It’s that last statement that surprised me the most when I first arrived. See, I was expecting the entire populace to be speaking a Germanic language that sounded like its speaker could break out into song at any given moment. Instead, not only did they speak the language I knew best (my Spanish, while serviceable for me to survive in South America, is still far from perfect), but with an accent easier to understand than anyone I’d ever met from, well, England (ditto the Australians, New Yorkers, 95 percent of Southerners, and Texans).

Seriously, after being in Sweden for a year I’m yet to meet someone under the age of sixty who doesn’t speak English. While the reasons for this are numerous (TV shows only subtitled in Swedish rather than dubbed, English classes beginning in primary school), what it means is that you never have to worry if people don’t understand your Swedish as well as your girlfriend/boyfriend does your text messages.

However, that DOES NOT mean you shouldn’t learn Swedish. Think about it: if you were in Japan, would you want to learn a little Japanese? Of course you would.

Fortunately, there’s more options for learning Swedish than there are varieties of sausages. From classes when you’re at university, to lessons at a language institute, there’s something for everyone.

You’ll also hear a lot of Swenglish while in Sweden, a bizarre mix of Swedish and English that has many glass half empty-types convinced Swedish will one day become a dead language. It’s especially common among young people, particularly when they’re excited and/or have had too much to drink at a student pub. While it may sound confusing at first, it’s a great way to start picking up on some Swedish.

And here’s a secret: if you start speaking Swenglish, people might just think you’re a Swede. I should know: it’s happened to me on several occasions, though people tend to think I’m Swedish anyway when I ask “I speak but a little Swedish. Do you speak English?” (“Jag talar men en liten Svenska. Talar du Engelska?”) – in Swedish.

So despite the “safety net” of English – and the desire of many young Swedes to practice their English – swallow your pride and try your hand at Swedish. After all, you want to impress that blue-eyed, blonde-haired bombshell don’t you?

That’s what I thought.

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, culture, English, language, Linnaeus University, study abroad, Sweden, Swedish, Swenglish, The Local, United States, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 2 comments »

The strange case of the missing Swedes

Friday, August 12th, 2011

Ever lose something? You know, like something really important? A prized possession? A pet? Your keys? Your sanity?

I’ve lost all of the above – and then some. But even I don’t lose things as much as Sweden does. Every summer the entire country goes missing.

It’s true. I think the police should put out missing persons posters all over town so people can find out where all the Swedes have gone. But wait, there’s a problem: all the police seem to be missing too.

So where the heck has everyone gone? That’s a good question.

I know a grand total of only one person who’s traveled exclusively in Sweden this summer: Vӓxjӧ student Gertrúd Larsson.

“I’ve only been to Stockholm this summer,” she says, “because many times it means I have to leave my cat with someone else.” But, she quickly points out, “I still like holidays, especially when I can leave Scandinavia.”

Her and apparently everyone else.

It makes no sense: this time of the year is when Sweden is by far the prettiest. Seriously, up in Norrland it’s about the only time parka-wearing isn’t necessary for your survival. And summer is the “high season” for Swedish tourism: you know, when everyone, their brother, and their goldfish decide to visit Stockholm or Gothenburg or some other city whose name they completely butcher.

Compare Sweden to where I usually study in Boise, Idaho: with highs around 20 degrees Celsius, Sweden is the perfect blend of not-too-hot-not-too-coldness that many folks dream about. It’s sunny for about 18 hours a day (even more up north), and water remains plentiful. Back in Boise, it’s usually over 35 degrees every day this time of year, and water becomes so scarce there’s sometimes government-imposed limits on how much you can use. Oh, and did I mention that Idaho typically leads the U.S. in the amount of land burned by fires every year? Gives the term “heat wave” a whole new meaning.

But back to the Case of the Missing Swedes. Someone should call a private eye. Or the FBI. Or Interpol. Or at least someone who can track them down. Because frankly, they’re all over the place.

Name the exotic locale, and you’re likely to find Swedes vacationing there. Thailand, Malta, Bali, Miami, Ibiza, Africa, the Canary Islands – all receive healthy amounts of Swedish visitors. My friend Julie just spent the last week in Cyprus. My buddy Martin decided to go to France twice – with a stop in Monaco along the way. And my friend Fanny visits Phuket, Thailand every year with her family.

I think you’re more likely to find a Swede who doesn’t travel this time of year. If such a person exists, I’m yet to meet them.

Maybe they have their reasons for traveling. There must be a reason there’s a travel agency every hundred meters throughout the country.

When your employer gives you several weeks of vacation per year, I’m sure that’s a plus. And when warmer climes are practically a hop, skip, and a jump away (O.K. so maybe it’s a three-hour plane ride, but it’s sure a lot closer than having to travel several hundred kilometers just to get to the next state over) I guess that helps too.

But wait! Let me explain! Sweden’s still a great place this time of year. It’s just that, well…

Hold that thought. I think I have a sunburn.

Report abuse »

Tags: Bali, Ben Mack, Boise, Cyprus, holiday, Linnaeus University, Stockholm, summer, Sweden, Swedes, Thailand, The Local, tourism, travel, Vӓxjӧ, vacation
Posted in Ben Mack | 16 comments »

Sweden: the best vacation spot north of Antarctica

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

I’m two meters tall with blue eyes, bench 200 kilos and often win prizes for my coq au vin. I was valedictorian at Yale, can barrel roll an F/A-18 Hornet and dumped Gisele Bündchen for hogging the covers.

True, I’m lying like a Persian rug, but when talking about nature in Sweden, everyone’s going to think you are anyway.

What, nature? That place is a frozen wasteland! The only “nature” you’ll see is nude hot tubbing!

Sorry to disappoint, Uncle Lester, but it’s true. When studying in Sweden, you actually get to see all four seasons. Summer, Fall, and… okay, I’ve forgotten the names of the others, but only because back in Boise we have only two seasons (hot season and hotter season).

But yes, you will see a bit of the white stuff known as “snow.” But no, it doesn’t stick around all year, unless your university happens to be located on top of a mountain or in Siberia (in which case you’re not in Sweden, bucko). Here in Växjö, the snow was gone by March, and now it’s over 20 degrees every day (one of many advantages of studying in the south of Sweden versus the north).

Seriously, the nature here is truly one-of-a-kind. When I first came here, I was extremely confused by the abundance of these tall green things with brown trunks. Apparently, they’re called “trees.”

All in all, most folks from where I come from – where tall green things are called “cacti” – would think the Swedish countryside is about as real as Shangri-La, Atlantis, or Middle-Earth.

And they’re missing out, along with the 6,991,000,000 other people that don’t live in Sweden.

Let’s face it: humans are rather visual creatures. Think of something, anything, and the first thing you’ll probably think of is what it looks like, whether it’s good (that pretty little blonde at the bar last night) or not quite so good (you, circa seventh grade). Unless you have some sort of strange attraction to urban decay, no one wants to go someplace ugly. So why do it? The myth that everything is prettier in Sweden is, for once, actually true.

As you know, federal law stipulates that each summer every American family must drive at least 14 hours in a Plymouth Voyager with no air conditioning to visit Mount Rushmore, just so the children can estimate how many canoes they could stuff up Teddy Roosevelt’s nostrils. What the Smiths – and every other family east and west of the International Date Line – should do, however, is visit Sweden.

Just remember to bring a camera. Otherwise, you won’t convince anyone you went there.

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, Boise, culture, fall, Idaho, Linnaeus University, nature, snow, spring, study abroad, summer, Sweden, The Local, Växjö, weather, winter
Posted in Ben Mack | 50 comments »

Technological transgressions

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

When you’re several thousand kilometers from home, and know you’ll be there for at least the next 263,520 minutes, a few things come to mind right away:

- Where’s the nearest bar?
- Will I be able to find my way back to my flat after the bar?
- What’s the deal with classes?
- Will I freeze to death?
- Will my girlfriend survive us being so far apart?
- How will I stay in touch with everyone back home?

While I can’t exactly answer questions 1-5, you’re in luck for the last one, bucko. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, hamming it up all night with your friends, family, or ferret named Freddy is more than doable – though not recommended on nights you have a class at 8 a.m. the next morning. Let’s take a look at some of the options:

SKYPE While mobile phones are unquestionably cost-prohibitive for all but the children of movie stars or royalty, the Internet makes having a conversation with someone on the other side of the world quick, easy, and – above all – affordable. Services such as Skype not only let you talk to someone, but you can see them as well (provided your computer has a webcam), pimples and all. Remember to brush your teeth before logging on.

INSTANT MESSAGING Of course, for those who prefer the written word to the spoken word, there’s more Instant Messaging (IM) services available than there are empty seats at Råsunda Stadium these days. AOL, AIM, Hotmail, Yahoo, and even Facebook all offer free IM services, meaning you can practice your writing while sharing your day with Mom, Dad, and Grandpa Fritz. Just make sure your fingers are warmed up first.

EMAIL If you’re like me, and your parents are still using dial-up Internet or prefer only to talk to people back home when you absolutely have to, then email is your best bet. If I were writing this column five years ago, I might offer a brief explanation of where to get an email address, but these days I can safely say if you don’t know how to use it, you’ve either been living under a rock, just awoke from a decade-long coma, or are a dog. Anyway, you can say a lot in an email, and once you’re done you can relish the fact you won’t have to hear from your family for the next six weeks. And if you don’t want to say a whole lot, well, just attach a couple of self-explanatory photos. Just don’t attach those pictures of you and four of your girlfriends taking Jell-O shots at the bar last weekend, if only to avoid having to explain the whole potentially embarrassing situation to your equally disappointed and dumbfounded parents when you finally get back home.

POSTCARDS They may be “snail mail,” but they sure look cool, and make great souvenirs. Remember that, literally, getting a post card from you might be the closest some people will ever come to actually going to Sweden. And to boot, most girls find postcards to be just a little evocative of old-fashioned-y romance. And ladies, us guys don’t mind getting them when our girlfriends are abroad, either. Just saying.

Technology. It’s a blessing, and a curse. Kind of like the Swedish winter. But when it comes to staying in touch with friends and family, it usually falls into the “blessing” category. But some days… (text deleted due to offensive comments towards computers)

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, culture, email, Linnaeus University, postcard, Skype, study abroad, Sweden, technology, The Local, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 6 comments »

Sitcom syndrome

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Temptation. Ever dealt with it? You know, it’s that feeling you get every time the weather warms up, or whenever you walk inside H & M. In my case, it’s also what I deal with when I see anything with a combination of the words “free” and “food.”

But there’s another temptation too. And no, it has nothing to do with clubs located on campus, cheap travel to foreign destinations, pool halls, and/or the worldwide phenomenon known as herring.

That temptation, faithful readers, is the temptation to remain complacent. It’s the temptation to not go out of your comfort zone, to only hang out with people who come from the same country, speak the same language, or wear the same brand of skinny jeans you do.

There’s a lot of sad stories out here in Växjö. Students that come to Linnaeus University and only spend time with other students from their home country, never making an effort to meet any Swedes or even learn a word of Swedish. It’s a dark, lonely existence, and unfortunately happens more than you might think.

Sure, going abroad might be scary. Sure, it can be hard to try and learn a new language. And sure, the typical Swede might not exactly be as talkative as, say, the average Italian. I know this sounds horribly cliché, but that fear can be overcome. Because I did it.

Hey, come closer! Yeah, that’s right: get over here. Now lean over. Closer. Just a little closer. O.K. That’s perfect. Now listen to this. Let me let you in on a little secret: I’m not the only American in Växjö. It’s true. No I’m not lying. But while there are other Americans here, I don’t spend any time with them.

Sounds cruel, doesn’t it? But it’s the truth. The logic is simple: if I wanted to hang out with Americans, I would have stayed in a certain country that happens to have over 300 million of them called America. But in Sweden I prefer to meet, well, Swedes.

Once you take that first step of conquering your fears, everything else seems to fall into place in almost fairy tale-like fashion. O.K. so it’s not quite Cinderella corny, but it’s still pretty cool.

Let me give you two different scenarios. Billy and Bob both came to Sweden for a year from a small college in Kansas. Billy didn’t know any Swedish, but went out of his comfort zone, joined a choir, and now speaks Swedish more than he does English.

And Bob… well, when Bob came back to the U.S. and shared his adventures with me in a fictitious Seattle sports bar, I turned to my equally fictitious server and asked if the place served crow. Alas, the kitchen was closed.

Take my advice. Be bold. Go out of your comfort zone. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with what I hereby christen Sitcom Syndrome – the state of being where you’re forced to watch boring reruns on TV because you didn’t take the chance to live life to the fullest.

How’s that “Lone Ranger” box set treating you, cowboy?

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, culture, friends, Linnaeus University, Lone Ranger, study abroad, Sweden, Swedes, The Local, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 6 comments »

Teleborg’d

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

I’m not usually one to brag, but here at Linnaeus University we actually have a castle on campus. Seriously.

Yes, I know I sound conceited. But hey, it’s pretty freaking cool, especially when your home university is well-known for being ugly even by U.S. standards.

Your campus might have a massive football stadium. Your campus might be in the heart of a major city like Stockholm. Or your campus might even have its own movie theater, or be located in Hawaii. But your campus doesn’t have Teleborgs Slott.

Teleborgs Slott (Swedish for “Teleborg Castle”) was built in 1900 by Swedish count Fredrik Bonde af Björnö as a wedding gift for his wife Anna Koskull. After the couple died in 1917, the castle was used as a hotel for young girls. Finally, the city of Växjö bought it in 1964 for – as legend says – one kronor.

Today, the castle is used for a variety of purposes, including weddings, city council meetings, conferences, and a 23-room hotel. But as a student, perhaps its best function is as the site for Sunday afternoon fikas, where from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. anyone can come and have coffee. And at only 22 kronor (about $3.50) per person, it’s even cheaper than a trip to Starbucks. But it serves another purpose as well: the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

When I was a kid, I owned enough Legos that if I had called the right people I probably would have set a world record. But of all the strange and bizarre things I spent countless hours building (and rebuilding, and then rebuilding some more), my favorite thing to build was castles. I’d imagine having all kinds of great adventures, usually involving dragons, treachery, blackmail, the impending end of the world and/or lots of unnecessary violence resulting in the deaths of virtually every non-essential character.

As I got older, my love affair with the archaic medieval architectural innovation took on different forms, from reading fantasy novels to watching sword-and-sorcery films such as “Lord of the Rings” to even trying to write my own novel (alas, it remains unfinished).

But for all my adoration – and even my parents visiting the famed Neuschwanstein in Germany – I had never actually seen a castle in person, Disneyland not included. Up through high school, and even my first couple years of college, I still dreamed of how cool it would be to actually visit one at some point.

Then I went abroad. If I were to tell you that having a castle on campus wasn’t a factor in my decision to come to Sweden, I’d be lying. Teleborgs Slott, though not large, was the first castle I ever saw in person, and though small, remains the prettiest I’ve seen so far – despite its eerie similarity to Hogwarts in the “Harry Potter” films (the real-life inspiration, perhaps?).

Yes, I’ve had some wild times in Sweden so far, but I’ve also had some more calming ones, too. And most of those calming ones, I’ve noticed, tend to happen in and around the vicinity of Teleborgs Slott. In terms of the most memorable times of my life, they’re definitely up there.

Normally this is where I’d tell you how beautiful the castle is, how it’s many parlors open to the public are exquisitely detailed, how the luscious grounds look they were used as background in a major motion picture or how the ivy growing along the Western side of the main façade gives the castle an overpoweringly romantic feel. But for the first time in my life, I’ve got nothing.

All I can say is this: words truly cannot describe how beautiful it is. Sure, studying abroad anywhere is great, but when you have something so overpoweringly beautiful on campus, it makes the whole experience even better.

So when I eventually go back to the U.S. and am feeling nostalgic, I just might unbox the Legos or try again at writing that novel.

And this time, my adventures would be based on a true story.

Report abuse »

Tags: Ben Mack, blogs, culture, fika, Linnaeus University, study abroad, Sweden, Teleborgs Slott, The Local, Växjö
Posted in Ben Mack | 1 comment »