We had a slow start this morning, letting students acclimate to the time change, and met up in the afternoon to take a short ride on the Metro and walk together to Gamla Stan! There we had a guided group tour at the Nobel Prize Museum. Tucked into the old city’s historic Börshuset (formerly the Stock Exchange building), the museum felt both modern and timeless. It’s not huge, but it was packed with inspiring stories that make you think about what it means to change the world.
What many students expressed surprise at was how personal everything felt. Laureates have dedicated their lives to their work, but there were handwritten notes and personal items from other aspects of their lives, allowing visitors to relate to people they’ve only ever read about in textbooks. The museum does an excellent job of making complex ideas feel accessible. Many students wrapped up their visit with a fika (coffee break) at the café in the museum and then posed for pictures with some of the medals – pretty surreal!
The Nobel Prize Museum was 100% worth a stop. It was a wonderful reminder of the incredible things people can accomplish. Afterwards, the students got to explore the shops and have dinner in Gamla Stan. Later, we met up again in the evening to do a small painting project in a park surrounded by large oak and beech trees. Overall, a perfect start for our first official day in class in Sweden 😊
(Post by Tara Bal)