All I need is a time machine

Hello! My name is Nien-Tsu Hua (Gordon), and I am a 5th-year Dentistry student. I chose to spend the last semester of my career at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, through the Erasmus+ Program.

The international coordinator of my degree introduced me to the Erasmus+ scheme during my first year at CEU Valencia, and when I discovered that Karolinska Institutet was a potential option, I made the decision. Karolinska Institutet is recognized worldwide for its research in medical science and education around the world, and has recruited many leading scientists to go beyond the limits of human knowledge. In addition to academics, being Taiwanese-Canadian, I have always enjoyed snowy winters and freezing temperatures.

When I arrived at the dental clinic for students, where the practical sessions took place, I was glad to have made the decision to come to Karolinska Institutet. It was a great decision. I had access to the latest technologies and techniques in the dental profession and learned how they could be applied to patients in order to obtain the best treatment result.

For example, we learned about the CEREC machine, which could make a dental crown in less than twenty minutes. It would usually take a week in the laboratory! I call that a “time machine”! In addition, meetings were held after each practical session to analyze our learning experience and what could be done better, which was a very important protocol to provide quality care to patients and quality education for students.

The typical day on campus began at 8:00 am, with the first clinical session ending around 12:00 pm. Normally we had free afternoons to enjoy athletic activities, have a coffee with friends or just be outside and enjoy the snow! My explorations through Stockholm have shown me that it is a very welcoming and multicultural city, where people from different backgrounds come together to live, work and have fun. In my opinion, diversity is crucial for a prosperous city and a better world. The city of Stockholm has confirmed this reality in a wonderful way.

DIVERSITY IS CRUCIAL FOR A BETTER WORLD: STOCKHOLM IS A GREAT EXAMPLE

At the Karolinska Institutet, we were invited to many events organized by the Student Union, where I met many friends who were also exchange students through the Erasmus+ Program, as well as local students who were very friendly and welcoming. In fact, the dentistry building has a student bar that opens on Friday afternoons for students to come to socialize and relieve the stress of a week of hard work.

 

One of my best experiences was the Erasmus+ party, held only for exchange students, where they introduced us to the culture, people and university life of the country. Finally, I would recommend Karolinska Institutet to future Erasmus + students, as they will benefit academically and culturally. It will be a truly memorable period of your student life!… If you manage well in cold weather, of course.

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