Finding Inspiration in Travel

Nicolas Downing (Junior, Agricultural Economics; Albion, IN) spent four weeks of summer 2025 studying in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of the Summer in Scandinavia Study Abroad program. While abroad, he earned three credits in COM 47800, Health Communication Campaigns, and COM 49502, Travel Writing.

As part of his travel writing class, Nicolas traveled solo to Lithuania to write an article about the Trakai Island Castle, which is a historical and architectural gem of Lithuania. He also wrote a blog about the best places to catch the sunset in Stockholm, as the city enjoys nearly 24-hour daylight, which provides some beautiful, very long sunsets!

Nicolas shared, “My favorite memories from this trip include walking around the city to take in the different sights and culture, participating in fika breaks, hiking and exploring parts of the Stockholm archipelago and going on two solo trips to Lithuania and Poland. Fika is a Swedish tradition of taking a break to socialize and slow down. It usually involves going to a cafe or somewhere where you can get a coffee or hot drink and a sweet treat such as a cinnamon or cardamom bun.”

When thinking about the impact of this trip on him personally, he summarized, “It has definitely made me catch the travel bug. I loved experiencing a new country and culture. It also helped me develop a side passion for travel writing, which is something I plan to continue after visiting new countries. I also really enjoyed the process of navigating a new country. As this was my first trip abroad, it was definitely difficult and sometimes stressful to navigate around a new country, but I feel like figuring out how to navigate and communicate in a country where I don’t know the language has helped me become more confident in myself and grow as a person.”