I decided to study abroad because I wanted to learn more about different government policies from a first-hand immersion perspective. I participated in the faculty-led Stockholm and Gothenburg Sweden family well-being and child policies. I have just changed my major from nursing to psychology, and I wanted to take a trip that would be an excellent new step into my new academic career. I had to do a lot to prepare for this trip. The first thing I had to do was make sure my phone plan would be covered while abroad. Physically I started walking around my neighborhood for a couple of hours just so I would be used to walking around on our tours.
Another thing was preparing myself mentally because I hate flying and flying alone. I also watched some documentaries on life in Sweden, so I would have a little idea of what to expect. I also used these videos to help plan what I would pack and wear. In our pre-departure meetings, it was suggested we try to dress as expected for that country possible. For my packing, I decided to go for comfort and casual, so my packing list consisted of most jeans and plain shirts with tennis shoes. I also made sure to pack layers because the weather would change throughout the day. I also packed business casual outfits for the days we went on different tours of our companies and programs. The one thing I forgot to pack was a rainjacket, so when I got in, I immediately bought one because we were expected to bring rain many days.
While preparing for my trip, I found myself going through various motions. I went from fearful to doubtful, excited, and nervous, and those emotions were on a constant cycle. I helped myself deal with these emotions by watching travel videos of people going to different countries to ease my anxiety. I expected the trip to learn about childhood well-being and other policies. I expected to learn a lot not only from an academic side but also about myself and hopefully more about what I would like to study in my future. I was really looking forward to learning about the education system in Sweden because there is free higher education which has always interested me. I had questions about the competitiveness of the school because it is free. Overall I was mainly excited about my trip and the things I would experience.
