The lay of the land was like I had remembered, but this time I was looking at the city from a whole new perspective. I spent the spring semester studying sustainable communities in Europe and America, with Sweden as the main focus. I lived in Sweden for six years, but I didn’t know certain details about the area until I began studying it in college. Then, I got the opportunity to travel to Malmö, Sweden, to have hands-on experience with the Western Harbor and Bo01.

My study abroad trip was unique in several ways, the first being that it was a six-credit course. It met several requirements for my major, including the practicum class I had to take. I couldn’t afford to plan my own trip and pay for it out of pocket, so I applied for the Tompkins International Scholarship. The grant covered all my necessities for the trip as long as I met certain standards, such as extending my trip to three weeks and presenting my findings to the general public when I returned.

I planned my class with Tom Huber, which involved creating a master course outline and also agreeing that my final grade would be based on a portfolio I would create, including an essay, journals, photos and a presentation. Before I knew it, I was flying off to Sweden. I spent a few days looking at different green technologies, such as solar panels and wind turbines, in various towns and cities. The bulk of my work was in Malmö at the old dockland now called Bo01.

I wanted to know whether a building could be sexy. Lets just say, they can be. My favorite building was sleek, black and made out of completely recyclable material. The permeable grounds of the area got me interested, but the green rooftops took my breath away.

Each block of the area I studied was designed by a different architect to show off the distinctive characteristics of each building. The design was genius, and I hope to one day see it on a larger scale in America.

I wouldn’t mind living in the Bo01 site at some point in my life. The area, know as “The City of Tomorrow,” is right on the ocean, and Copenhagen, Denmark, is just a 20-minute train ride away. The city of Malmö is so rich in cultural diversity and language. The university in the city offers several environmental field programs in Swedish and English, and Lund University is only 15 minutes away.

I never imagined I would learn as much as I did on a study abroad. I also gained connections to businesses and universities. My trip resulted in a job with a sustainable organic and natural food distributor, and I have also applied to go to grad school in Sweden. I am so very glad that I didn’t settle for a class substitution and that I created my own independent study. I recommend taking advantage of the study-abroad opportunity whenever possible. I had an amazing experience and can’t wait for my next adventure!