The Scandinavian Voyage

March 2025

One of my biggest goals for my semester abroad was visiting Scandinavia. In my head, I wanted the trip to play out like a song: shifting through moods, verses, and refrains. The perfect reason came from Zoya, a friend I’d met the semester before when she was studying in Richmond, who lived in Stockholm. With her there, I had both the excuse and the anchor for my little journey: a stop in Copenhagen, Denmark, followed by Stockholm, Sweden.

A couple of skipped classes later, I arrived in Copenhagen on a Wednesday. Almost instantly, I understood why Scandinavia so often ranks among the happiest corners of the world. The city carried an ease that felt contagious- light, stylish, and full of life. For two days, I slipped into that rhythm, blending into its fashion, its café culture, and its insistence on enjoying the moment.

Nyhavn, Copenhagen

Copenhagen was a city best explored alone. Its cafés were a dream for someone like me, every cup of coffee flawless, as if each one had been fine-tuned like a note in a melody. Beyond the coffee, I wandered through parks, visited the Little Mermaid, and strolled streets that felt both carefully planned and wonderfully spontaneous. The city seemed to hum on its own frequency, reminding me that happiness often lives in the everyday details.

The Little Mermaid

When my time there ended, I boarded an overnight bus to Stockholm. It wasn’t exactly a “Super Trouper” moment, but the fatigue faded the moment I arrived.

Reuniting with Zoya felt like coming back to a familiar refrain. From her cozy studio to the little corners of the city she loved, she let me see Stockholm through her eyes. With no itinerary, I followed her lead. We explored Gamla Stan, tucked into coffee shops, and laughed until strangers stared. The weather was unexpectedly sunny in a month that usually promised snow, almost like the city itself had decided to give us a “Summer Night City” of our own.

Gamla Stan, Stockholm

There were moments of pure comedy, too - like ending the day with butter chicken as our “Scandinavian” meal or filming TikToks at sunset, our laughter echoing through cobbled streets. Those imperfections stitched the day together, making it unforgettable.

The highlight, though, came with our visit to the ABBA Museum. Wandering through sequins and stories felt like slipping into a world I’d grown up hearing in the background. And then came the stage. Dressed in costume, I found myself belting out Dancing Queen - not into a private booth as TikToks might suggest, but in front of an actual crowd. It was exhilarating, absurd, and perfect all at once, a true bucket-list moment.

The ABBA Museum

From sampling Swedish candies to losing track of time along the waterfront, the trip felt like its own medley: a solo in Copenhagen, a duet in Stockholm, and finally, a finale that left me grinning under the lights. More than anything, this Scandinavian voyage was a reminder that sometimes life really does feel like music, carrying you from one verse to the next until you find yourself in the chorus you never want to end.