Meet Beidi from Singapore
Name: Beidi Wu
Home Country and City: Singapore, Singapore
Programme of Study: Msc in Public Health (Health Systems/Economics profile)
Favourite thing about Umeå University: Diverse, receptive learning environment!
Favourite Swedish word or custom: Lagom... and FIKA!
Three words to summarise your time in Umeå: Enriching. Beautiful. Friendships.
Why did you choose to study at Umeå University?
The university chose me! But in all seriousness, I felt Umeå University would be a more conducive environment to study in, as compared to the larger cities in central/ Southern parts of Sweden. Friends who have taken Public Health programmes and courses at other universities in Sweden, shared that Umeå International School of Public Health (UISPH) offers one of the best programme content and also single courses that no other school offers, like the one about Markov Modeling (course name: Advanced Topics in Health Economics). I am glad Umeå University chose me.
What do you like most about your programme?
I think there are many factors that add up to my enriching experience here: the Master’s programme content is well-planned, holistic and coherent, supportive administrative staff who go the extra mile to make us international students feel at home, lecturers and mentors are experienced in their fields and adept at teaching. The most unique experience is the cultural diversity: there are no less than 15 different nationalities in my class, this gave me 15 different perspectives and brought learning to whole new levels.
What has been your most memorable moment about the programme so far?
It was a class outing to snow sledge last Winter at Berghem! You could sledge alone, in pairs or threes. Most of us have never played in the snow before so we went nuts and had a lot of fun sledging We also brought hot chocolate, coffee and roasted marshmallows and hotdogs over the campfire. We all walked home tired but satisfied, glad for good times and memories with friends.
What do you do when you’re not studying?
Fika and IKSU! As you can tell, they balance each other out. Haha! Since my arrival last Fall, I have had a lot of practice baking for fikas with friends. For a Singaporean, Umeå is cold for most parts of the year… but it is true when they say, “The road to a friend’s house is never long.” The IKSU (gym) here is larger and has more facilities than the ones in Singapore. I enjoy my regular workouts with Sandra, my IKSU buddy, classmate and good friend from Romania!
What you like best about the town of Umeå and its surroundings?
I love the dual character of Umeå, beautiful, calm and wide open spaces yet youthful, vibrant and colourful with students from different parts of the world. I love how Umeå is closely-embraced by nature: there is a small forest, river or lake near any living quarters…great for a walk to ponder or unwind. I also like how friendly the people are, it is not so strange to smile and say “Hej” to a random stranger on the street.
What do you find as the biggest cultural difference, both socially and educationally, from your country with Sweden?
Sweden is a larger country by land area and has a temperate climate while Singapore’s land area (~710 km²) is just one-third of Umeå city’s land area (~2330 km²) and has a tropical climate. Singapore is densely populated, people are warm and friendly but it can be crowded and stressful as well. The Swedish may come across as stoic, but they are also warm and friendly once you get to know them. Singaporeans (being Asian) tend to have stronger family ties and more reliant on that for social support. It is hard to pinpoint the largest cultural difference; it is easier to state the similarity: we are both hardworking and warm people.
What you would say to another international student thinking of attending Umeå University?
Remember to bring your quilt, cold wear and a smile! This city is easy to live in and love; there are many good reasons to be excited about your study trip here.
What are you career aspirations?
Improve the health care system to enhance public health in the population, using health economics as a tool. Eventually I will realize my calling and work to advocate for or further the cause I believe in.
