March 31, 2024
Celebrating holidays abroad – exciting or lonely?
Hej! Hej!
Easter has approached and it is my fifth year celebrating it abroad without my family. But there are also many other celebrations international students miss such as Holi, which was just last week, Lunar New Year, Carnival and more.
As perhaps some of you reading it may have received admission results recently, you may be excited for the opportunity to fly away from your home country for an adventure. Being an international student is an enriching experience filled with opportunities for personal growth and cultural exchange. However, celebrating holidays away from home can also bring a mix of emotions, from homesickness to the excitement of experiencing new traditions.
Easter, known as Wielkanoc (Great Night) in Polish, is one of the most significant celebrations in Poland. Of course, it is rooted deeply in religious traditions, some even centuries old! Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday, holds special significance in Catholic tradition. It begins with Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. In Poland, people attend church services holding elaborately woven palms or decorated branches which you can see below. The blessed palms are then taken home and often displayed in houses to bring protection and blessings. What I found interesting is that in Sweden, firstly, you can buy a branch in church and secondly, they are an actual branch from a plant (something resembling e.g. Areca palm).
Time from Maundy Thursday until Saturday night is for mourning and reflection, with church services focused on the Passion of Christ and Stations of the Cross (Friday). It is possible to find a church and mass in various languages in cities like Gothenburg or Stockholm but since Linköping is smaller, it does not always have these opportunities. On Saturday morning, we have food blessings in church. It is usually a decorated basket, filled with symbolic foods such as bread, eggs, ham, sausage, and horseradish, each holding significance (mine from this year doesn’t look very impressive but the look isn’t the main point). In addition, on Saturday night we have fire blessing which looks quite different between my home country and Sweden.
Easter Sunday is the culmination of Holy Week and the most joyous day in the Christian calendar. In Poland, the day begins with an early mass. Following the mass, a traditional Easter breakfast is held. This special meal consists of an array of foods that have been blessed the day before. These celebrations don’t differ so much between these two countries. Perhaps my largest shock was when I attended a mass in Swedish which is just a different experience. No matter how well you know the process, it still confused me when it was in a different language. In Sweden, the Sunday early mass is held on Saturday night (it is the case in Poland as well but not as commonly as here). Also, there are some differences food-wise. To get some particular ingredients, I would have to go to the Polish store (which is located in Gothenburg or Stockholm) as I won’t find it in any Swedish store.
Easter Monday, known as Śmigus-Dyngus or Wet Monday, is a playful and lively continuation of the Easter celebrations. It’s a day filled with water fights where people playfully drench each other with water, symbolizing cleansing and renewal. The tradition of Śmigus-Dyngus dates back centuries and is believed to have pagan roots, symbolizing the awakening of spring. This tradition is extremely joyful but I never met any Swede that would know about it.
Celebrating holidays as an international student teaches valuable lessons in adaptability, resilience, and cultural competence. It’s an opportunity to step outside the comfort zone and embrace new experiences. Despite being far from family and familiar surroundings, you can create a sense of home by celebrating holidays in their own unique way. Whether it’s gathering with friends, decorating your room with festive decorations or embracing Swedish traditions, finding the most suitable way for you can bring you comfort. And while it’s natural to feel homesick or nostalgic for traditions from back home, I believe every holiday celebrated abroad is an opportunity for personal growth and cultural exchange.
/Aleksandra, Experimental and Medical Biosciences
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