Written by Joshua
16 Dec 2024
I’m not going to lie. This one was definitely my favourite. I caught myself thinking during the interview, “Finally, somebody understands.” Let’s back track a bit though. We’re going to do our usual. First, I’ll tell you how I met Akua.
It was a cool (I mean, it’s never warm 😂) afternoon in Stockholm. There I was, walking to my class when I noticed Akua. I was still one person short for the series and again, I thought to myself “Should I be approaching this person.” The pressure was on, my classroom was getting closer, and the questions in my head getting louder “I wonder if I should ask her for an interview?”, “What if I miss out? Suppose she has a lot to say? What if she rejects me?” I took a second look though, Akua was wearing a beautiful coat, a trendy pair of white sneakers and she had the most amazing braids. She seemed to carry herself with a sense of purpose and of pride. Something was telling me that there was much more than meets the eye. So, I did it, I chased her down in the middle of the campus hollering “Excuse me! Excuse me! Can I ask you a question?” And guess what? The rest was history 😂. Ok, I’m done exaggerating, let’s hear what Akua had to say! Spoiler alert, she definitely is more than meets the eye 🥹.
Who is Akua?
Akua (pronounced ‘eh-KWEE-ah’) is a second-year master’s student at KTH studying Sustainable Urban Planning and Design. She’s a bubbly character, with a beautiful smile and a distinct sense of fashion. Studying in Sweden has definitely been a journey for her, and with one year already under her belt, she has so much wisdom to share.
Where are you from, what is home like and what does it mean to you?
When Akua thinks of home, she remembers family and friends. “It’s warm, always sunny…I think of my family, friends, food, (just) the ease with which you do everything.” At home, Akua says that there’s a different sense of security. “Knowing your way, knowing how the system works. It’s almost like you don’t think about it, you just do stuff.” She admitted that it’s been difficult to get used to things in Sweden, saying that no matter how hard you try, it just doesn’t feel the same. I think for her, and for most of us to be honest, the feelings of home just hold a special place in our hearts, and they can never be replaced.
What is your fondest memory of home?
I think Akua’s fondest memories fall into the category of things we generally take for granted. She spoke about missing just being able to sit at home and binge watch Netflix with her father, cooking and eating with her family, or just randomly being able to go out with friends or go to a party. “Anytime I feel like I need connection with people,” she said that somebody was there. “Social connections have been really difficult for me to build…Swedes are a bit more reserved, not very forward with conversation…If you get to break through that ice, there’s a really amazing Swede on the other side, but going through it is not always easy.” For her, she has made friends but says that the friendships she has now are not as deep as the connections she has at home. Akua still maintains her friendships in Ghana, saying “I (virtually) live on my phone.” I don’t know if anyone else can relate, but when she said this, I truly felt seen 🥹. Sometimes moving to another place will make the connections you have with home even deeper. While maintaining that it’s difficult to build those new relationships, Akua says she’s still learning, and is always trying to open up to new people and experiences.
What has been the hardest part of moving to Sweden?
Akua said “I don’t know if I missed it (but) there’s no support system that says when you come to Sweden, these are the things that you should know or do.” Challenges related to residence permits, adjusting to the new school system or understanding how to interact with Swedish people were topics that came up. Akua says that there are things which she is learning now, which, if she had known in the beginning, would’ve made a world of difference. I can categorically say that I will try my best to use this platform to create that support system, but we both think that universities in general could make the transition smoother, not just for Ghanaians or even black people, but for everyone.
What is one thing that you wish people knew about you?
Moving from the majority into the minority is a massive change. Any black international student considering studies in Sweden needs to get used to the fact that we aren’t represented in large numbers, at least in our university. Akua said that she almost wishes that she could be her full self in Sweden. “Being in Sweden, I don’t get to be who I really am…I’m very outgoing and extroverted, I’m very lively, and sometimes I don’t get to show that here.” Not to be taken negatively, Akua says that there are just some things that it’s difficult for people to relate to in this new context. For instance, she said “People are fascinated about when you change your hairstyle. For them it’s like you’re a whole new person whereas for us, it’s normal.” In other words, the difference in cultures changes the way you interact with people, and that is something that you just have to get used to. “I only get to be a tiny fraction of who I really am…sometimes I just wish I could be in an environment where I get to be one hundred percent me.” While it may be a lonely road to walk sometimes, Akua acknowledged the need for culture sharing, and while it is not always easy, she says that she is happy to be able to authentically represent her culture 😊.
Where do you want to guide others’ attention?
“Being confident, being brave, being very outspoken about the things you want or the things you need.” Going back to a side conversation we were having during the interview, Akua said “I was in my head a lot when I came, because I was one of only a handful of African persons in my class. It used to make me think ‘what do they think of us?’, ‘are we properly representing every black person?’ For me, I felt like there was a lot on my shoulders.” It’s very common for black students, especially international ones, to feel like they have to be the perfect representation of millions of other black people ☹️. The reality is that people generally tend to assume things based on the evidence that they have, and if you’re the only evidence, it’s easy to feel like you’re not allowed to make mistakes. “Being my first time away from home, I was scared to do the wrong thing because I was worried that this was the standard that they would hold all of us to; that I would misrepresent my culture and my people.” For a while, finding the strength to ask simple questions was difficult for Akua, for fear of sounding stupid. Now though, she says “If you’re lost, ask for help, if you’re confused, ask for clarity, regardless of where you are…nobody will do it for you 😊.” Akua says if she had figured that out sooner, life in Sweden may have been easier.
Have you ever been stereotyped? If so, what did that mean for you and how did it make you feel?
“Honestly, I haven’t had a bad experience…Maybe they don’t know a lot about my context, but it doesn’t come off like they do not want to know.” Akua said that it’s natural to not understand a context beyond the one in which you exist. “I wouldn’t say that I’ve been practically stereotyped. Me being different in this new space, it just makes people curious to want to know you,” and she actually thinks that’s a great thing, especially in the context of an international student community.
Where do you see yourself going in the next few years?
Akua’s first response was “What if I said I don’t know? 😂.” She said that coming to Sweden has given her some clarity as to what she wants to do next in her life. “Home is definitely a consideration…but I’ve come to appreciate the Swedish way of life.” She spoke about her love for the work life balance in Sweden, saying that she almost doesn’t know how she would function in a different environment. “Being in any other environment would make me think, if I could have stayed in Sweden to have this type of opportunity, then why didn’t I take it?” Akua said that the next three to five years of her life need to be about exploring and about challenging herself. After all, she says “No other experience toughens you (the way that living abroad does).”
Well, that was refreshing. I definitely related to so many of the things that Akua talked about. For the first time, I felt validated. Hearing someone else speak so specifically to things you thought only you were feeling is so affirming. As I said, I took so much out of this conversation, but these were my highlights:
- You have the right to exist – Never be afraid to speak up for yourself. For a lot of us, moving to Sweden means going VERY far from home. We don’t immediately have the support system that we’re used to, which means we have to look out for ourselves. That involves speaking up when you don’t believe you’re being treated fairly and asking hard, or maybe even simple questions. At the end of the day, you have a right to be, and part of loving yourself is choosing to be your own biggest advocate.
- You have to open up to learning something new – Akua said that you need to get to know yourself before coming into this new environment. “You will find yourself questioning everything you’ve ever known.” There may be times when things don’t go your way, but you need to learn not to take it personally. It takes time to learn and adjust to a new environment and you can’t be too hard on yourself 🤗.
- There are other people out there going through the same thing – Believe it or not, every single one of our experiences in Sweden is unique, but that doesn’t mean they’re isolated. If you think you are going through something alone, and that no one else is feeling or experiencing what you are, think again 🥹.
I think Akua closed out our series with a bang 🥰. I’ve had so much fun creating this series of blogs and want to sincerely thank Caroline, Chris and Akua. They’ve been brave enough to talk about their authentic experiences and undoubtedly added perspective to so many people considering or currently studying in Sweden 🥹. As Buju Banton said, “I could go on and on, the full has never been told.” Continue to follow this space as we unpack what it really means to study in Sweden 😃.
