Last Day for the TripleAAA

Today we woke up for our last day in Goteburg. Time has truly flown. Breakfast from the hotel provided us with an array of delicious options which we agree will be one hardest piece of this trip to depart. After breakfast we made our way on the bus to Goteburg University. A retired professor of Geography began with a brief introduction and description about the city. The historical working class city of Goteburg developed its reputation as one of the primary ports for Swedish exports as it is surrounded by many rivers. We experienced the benefit of these rivers with ferry rides which provided us transportation throughout the day. One of the most enjoyable moments for us was spent in the sun on the top deck of each ferry ride. In the short time spent in Europe we have observed many methods of public transportation which we have attributed to a cultural attitude on conservation. It was very interesting to watch how the buses shut off completely at each stop in order to save energy.

Anyhow, after a short history we were given another lecture by a Goteburg researcher which covered the Swedish health system. It was particularly interesting to hear about the lack of competition and discussion of profit in Swedish health care. The professor stated that the Swedes as a people are more concerned about the budget in health care rather than the profit which we agreed was a very telling and powerful statement. Unlike the United States system which has shifted to market-driven competition, we observed that the Swedish industry is driven to provide the car that is needed and is less concerned about making money off health care procedures.

Once the lecture concluded, a few Goteburg University students lead us to a town market for lunch. There we were given time to browse fresh market options and enjoy some of the best Swedish meatballs and of course some Swedish pastries. We agree that fika will be a very missed tradition once returning back to the States. Following lunch and a tour of local shops we were given some free time before a final meal with the group at an Italian restaurant. All over Sweden it is common for restaurants to provide outdoor seating with blankets and heating lamps. This was something we agreed is uncommon in the States and a fun option for those that want to enjoy fresh air during a meal. Overall, we agree that this trip has provided us with an experience of a lifetime and would like to thank everyone that helped make it happen. Love, TripleAAA gals + Lauren 🙂