I thought my arrival went very smoothly.  I had a fellow physiotherapy student meet me at t-centralen right after I arrived at the airport.  She had my keys and directions to the dorm I was to stay at, and she helped me work my way through the subway system.  Having a local Swedish person show me around and help me get orientated to the city was extremely helpful and the entire experience would have been much different had I not been provided with this.  My contact with the student health services went very smoothly via email.  It was not a problem to get my MRSA test prior to starting my clinical rotation.  I felt it was very organized. 

I was very impressed with the housing arrangement here in Stockholm.  I thought the rooms were well kept and quite large.  I was provided with all of the necessities I would need, like furniture, mattress, pillow, and blanket.  The kitchen was not the cleanest, but many people were sharing the space.  The space in the kitchen provided to me was moer than enough for my things.  The laundry room was also kept up well and I was impressed with how efficient the scheduling system worked.  I applied for housing through UAC and they were very good at returning my emails and addressing any concerns I had.  I also was provided with everything I asked for as far as rooms go.  The cost, I thought was very affordable and fair, you definately get your moneys worth.

I did not participate in any social programs while I was here, but I met many people, mainly other international students, through my dorm. 

I attend the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Every year for second year physiotherapy students, the school offers to pay for one student to study with the Karolinska Institute and perform one of their clinical rotations in Sweden.  I thought it would be a wonderful experience and that I would learn alot.  Being exposed to physiotherapy in a different country would be fascinating as I would learn about their treatment techniques and patient-physiotherapist relationships.  I felt having this experience would only make me a better physiotherapist once I graduate, and provide my patients with the best care, as I would have different techniques and experiences to share with them.  Teaching my classmates and colleagues was also important to me.  I was required to get an MRSA test prior to leaving, as well as  when I arrived in Stockholm.  I did not have to get any other tests or vaccines prior to leaving. 

I was very pleased with my exchange period here, and I have learned alot.  Aside from attending the clinic, I also had the opportunity to attend a thesis proposal which was interesting to see, because I have not seen something like that in Canada.  Although it was completely in Swedish, it was interesting to see how the judging process and decision making went.  My clinical experience was very fulfilling and I feel I have learned alot and been exposed to many things I would not have had a chance to otherwise.  The only thing I feel could be better organized was the internet access to my room.  I arrived here on a Wednesday and the following 2 days plus the weekend were holidays, so I could not contact anyone about setting this up or any other questions I had about the room.  I went some time without internet which was very hard, because it was my only connection with my family and friends.  I think next time it may be better if the internet connection was set up before my arrival.

I did not attend any language courses as I was only here for 6 weeks.  I did find I rather quickly picked up simple words that helped me communicate with people.

I did not attend any classes at Karolinska during my stay, I was in clinical rotation at a private physiotherapy practice in the city center.  I felt the relationship between me and my supervisor was one of respect and I felt very comfortable asking questions and giving or receiving feedback.  He was very eager to teach me techniques he used on his patients and allowed me to practice.  He slowly introduced me into having my own case load and caring for patients, so I felt very comfortable and not under pressure, it was a great learning environment.  As far as differences in Sweden vs. Canada went, much of the patient care routine was the same, as well as charting.  The only difference I found was that the patients in Canada very seldomly undress to only their underwear, there is always a gown provided, or we treat through the clothes.  Where as here, nearly all of the patients undressed to only their underwear, which was something to get used to, but I felt it did provide better access to the tissue and area being treated, and patient comfort was always maintained.  Another difference was that in Canada, our big focus is on home exercise programs, and we spend alot of time teaching the patient this.  I found here, there was less emphasis on this and more on treating the ailment and disfunction in the clinic.  Both of these approaches seem to work as through treatment I would see much patient improvement, so it was interesting to see how different treatment approaches are just as efficient.