Exchange report - incoming students
Source of the Nile
Home university: Universidad del Rosario
Study programme: Public Health Sciences (Master's)
Exchange programme: Linnaeus-Palme
Semester: Autumn semester 2016/2017
Name: Laura Aguinaga
Email address: lauaguinaga@gmail.com

Arrival and registration


The first impressions at my arrival was that Sweden and Stockholm are incredibles, so organized, had a perfect transport system, the people are quiet and serious but have a really good actitud to help the international students. 

I love, enjoy and learn a lot about my classes mates!!! they are really a representation about all the world. 

The first day, my classes mates maked me a lot of questions about me and my country and they questioned me if I need help with something.
Kampala

Acommendation


I lived for three months in a room from Karolinska Institutet Housing (at Pax).
I did the apply for housing through the web site, it was easy and they accepted me, one month later the application.

I think Karolinska Housing is a very good option for the international students. The room are was comfortable, so clean, and had everything that I needed, a private bathroom, big desk and internet conection.

The kitchen was comunal (for ten students) and had all I ned to cook. It was very interesting because I lived with 2 classes mates of my Master, and 4 more in the same building.

KI housing sended me an e mail with all the information an a map to make me more easy to found to my Swedish student house. 

I think the price of housing is the correct.
Soluppgång från min lägenhet i sydöstra Kampala

Leisure time and social activities


I enjoyed a lot the social activities at Stockholm, I went with other international students, to a reception at the City Hall, it was amazing!!!! I went to solvik for 1 incredible weekend with my classes mates, was an opportunity to know more about the different cultures and a good experience to talk about global health. All the students make a presentation about our backgrounds and what we can do at the future.
I can travel a lot, at Sweden and Europe!!! This opportunity changed my life forever in all different aspects.
I have a Swedish friend, she is a nurse, and she will come to Colombia the next month.  She is an exchange student, she is coming to my home University. I am so happy to see her one more time.

På ett hotell vid Mount Elgon

Pre-departure


Hello my Dear Karolinska Institutet family!!!

I am Laura, from Colombia and I am a Physiotherapist. In the last two years I worked in a very big and important Hospital in my country. The last year I decided to start studied a Master program in Public Health. 

When I went to the interview to be acepted to the Master, the director of the program told me about the possibility to travel to Sweden and study at Karolinska Institutet. She explained me that my University at Colombia (Rosario University) had a agreement with Karolinska Institutet (KI) and she said that two students will be going to Sweden for three months.

One month later I recibed a call from the director and she said that I have been accepted at Karolinska Institutet (KI) as an exchange student. This was an incredible, fantastic and so exciting notice!!!!!

Karolinska Institutet announce me about de Linnaeus-Palme scholarship programme and sended me all the important and necesary information by mail. My International Coordinator was so kinddel and all the time help me if I had questions.

(KI) sended me a very practical manual Information (all I needed to know about Sweden, KI, arrival, accommodation an courses it is there.)       

I filled an online application from KI, and sended by mail a verified transcript of records, copy of my passport, an updated CV and a photograph. 

I think (KI) was fantastic and help me a lot with everything I needed. My home University helped me too, but I think in some situations or questions they do not have the answers because we was the first students to recibe an scholarship.  




  

Courses during the exchange period

3GB001 : GH-Research Methodology
It was the most difficult course for me: The first month I was a little depressed and really I’m not good person with mathematics and biostatistics. I think Gaetano was a very good teacher. He has a very respectable attitude and he worked a lot explaining the topics. The course has a good quality.
3GB014 : GH-Health Policy, Management and Economics
I think Mariano is very intelligent but he need to work in his expression capacity, ones of his classes are bored. Always he asked about the students questions and how he can help us. Really I didn`t like Rachel classes, she spoke about strange things. Her classes are so boring, and maybe a lot of times my classes mates an me want to go out her classes.
3GB016 : GH-Infectious Diseases - a challenge to global health: Clinical, social and preventive aspects (GH)
It was my favorite course!!! All the teachers are incredible, are a expert about the topics. I think it was fantastic. This course opened my mind about global health. The exam was so extensive, a lot of questions and the time was not sufficient.
Överst: Mukono Health Centre IV Till vänster: Registreringen av kvinnor på mödravården Till höger: Rapportering av HIV-fall

Summary

Karolinska Institutet is a very important University, now a lots of opportunities are open for me (only because I had 3 months at karolinska)
KI and their people, teachers, coordinators, are always with the best attitude to help students. 
KI have students for all de world, study here is not only an academic experience it’s a multicultural process. Now I can said: I have friends from all the world.

KI, my classes mates, the teachers, Sweden, the food, the weather, the snow, the classes, the system transport, the Swedish people, the museums, fika, travel, study, walking, living alone, and all for my ...3 months at Stockholm changed my life!!!! I feel so happy for I can said that… and I am so grateful with all the people that  I knowed, and all the people that maked it possible.
I will never forgot Karolinska Institutet and Global Health people!!


Barn på Mukono Health Centre IV

Language and Culture


I didn`t participate in any Swedish course language.


"Sevärdigheter" i Kampala

Studies in general


In general, I though about my time and my studies at KI, was and incredibel experience. Now I am a different person, and really a best professional.

The first month it was difficult for me, because all the things was new, new life, people, food, house, culture, language, I was sooo far to my family… I think I was a little depressed (but only for one month or less.)

I think Karolinska have a very good educational system, fika time was an interesting form to take a break, meet and talk with other people.
The examination format was a good method to evaluate the knowledge. Maybe the numbers of question were too long, and 3 or 4 hours was much time for one exam. At the end of exam, we were mental tired. 

I think the teachers was in general so intelligent and obviously so Qualified. I am proud with the opportunity to knew them.

The schedule at KI was very different to my home university, because in my country all the students have a all time work, and we have the classes only two times per week (fridays at afternoon and nights, and saturdays at the mornings). The total time of the master programe is two years and we have a lots of homeworks and papers to read.

I arrived at Stockholm at Septembre 20th, I think if I was at the first day with all my classes mates an if I can asisted to the firsts weeks maybe I can passed the first exam.
  

Kampala från Kibuli mosque