At many moments during the day, it felt quite challenging. Interacting with people from vastly different cultures felt easy but was, in fact, very challenging. Disagreement, dissatisfaction, and challenge—I felt it all. While at the surface level one might just vent their anger on any object they could find, when you think about it, that taught me a lesson about working with people. It was difficult at first, especially with language as a barrier, but Kerstin and Malin helped us a lot. From organizing activities to bond with each other to teaching us about their culture, we learned that being ethnocentric can hinder innovation. Learning about Swedish culture introduced us to ‘Dela’ (Sharing). Combining this with our culture and common problems gave birth to Re: Lana.

While I learned a few important things from this project, something that I cannot forget is the kind and helpful nature of our teachers—Malin and Kerstin—and our classmates. From taking out their personal time to give us a tour of Enköping and IKEA, to the special meals at Kerstin’s house, they have truly made my, if not our, experience memorable. I would also like to thank the students for contributing to our enriching experience.

I have to add that Malin has to be my favorite personality. From the nerve-wracking but fun bus rides to us comparing our height and joking about it, she’s one of the most fun people I have met. Malin, if you are reading this in the morning, then GOOD MALIN !

The time spent with Kerstin, especially at her house, was truly memorable. From playing new games to trying out food cooked by our classmates, it was a new and exciting experience. Kerstin is one of the sweetest and most welcoming people I know. She took care of absolutely everything that we would need and treated us as her students.

Alas, as my time in Enköping comes to an end, I must say goodbye but also leave a permanent token of my appreciation for everyone. I will miss everyone immensely. Thank you, everyone, for making my last summer vacation a truly memorable one.

Goodbye, Kerstin, Malin, and everyone else. Hopefully, I will be able to meet you sometime in the future.

Regards, Rush (Aarush)