Recently, long time Swedish and Nordic Studies lecturer Lena Karlström announced her early retirement. To commemorate her long and impactful career, UBC Nordic Studies sat down with her and discussed everything from how she got her job, tips for someone starting out in a job like hers, memorable moments in her career, and more. Read the interview down below.
UBC Nordic Studies (UNS): How exactly did you come about your job here in CENES?
Lena Karlström (LK): Well, I knew I wanted to work abroad, so that was my game plan. The Swedish Institute, an agency that promotes Swedish culture and language abroad, organizes lectureships, like the one I have. So, I had kept an eye on their job announcements for a bit. The year before I got my job, I had already applied to go and teach at university in Britain, but they thought I was too young which is surprising to think about now, hah! So the year after that, Vancouver came up, and I applied again. It’s actually quite a thorough procedure to get the job. It’s a couple days of interviews and workshops at the Swedish Institute…and then they rank their candidates. I made it on the top 3 list the year that I applied for Vancouver, like the first time I applied. Then they sent a list to UBC and UBC decided depending on, of course, the recommendation from the Svenska Institute but also looking at your CV. So, that’s how I got it.
UNS: And what was your job before this here?
LK: I was actually quite recently graduated, similar to Ann-Kathrine. I had worked as a high school teacher for a while, but, I had taught Swedish courses to refugees and immigrants during my entire university degree.
UNS: Did you know anything about Vancouver before coming over?
LK: I had never been to Canada, and never been to Vancouver. I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t know anything. You know, in those days they let you bring larger and heavier luggage through, I think it was 32 kilograms, which is a lot. I came with one big bag and my backpack and that was it. I was actually so stupid that I didn’t think Vancouver would be an attractive place for people to go because I didn’t know anything about the city. So, I didn’t even make reservations at a hotel or anything for when I arrived. I thought to myself, “Well, I’m a seasoned traveller and I’ve lived abroad a lot. I’ll just make a phone call when I land or talk to someone there and find a place to stay!”
UNS: Uh oh.
LK: I was calling and calling and wherever I called was fully booked because, mind you, this was the beginning of August. I was so surprised. I was like, “Why are people going to Vancouver?” Then, I finally found a place, a bed and breakfast. The owner said his guest hadn’t shown up. It was 2 bedrooms and I had to pay for them both since I wasn’t smart about this. He was very nice and I asked him, “Well, how do I find you and your place?” and he told me he used to work as a flight attendant and had collected flags from all over the world. So he asked where my accent was from and when I told him Sweden, he said he’d hang a giant Sweden flag outside the door so the cab driver could find the house.
UNS: Wow. That’s actually quite sweet.
LK: Yeah. So, my first memory of Vancouver was sitting in a cab somewhere in East Vancouver and looking for a giant Swedish flag as we drove down the street.
UNS: So, when and how did you connect with the department and UBC after arriving?
LK: So, I slept for basically 48 hours, almost after landing here in Vancouver. I was exhausted, because before I left, I had to empty my apartment in Stockholm because I rented it out while I was gone. I was quite stressed and I had lots of work and we had to have, of course, a big farewell party before I left in Stockholm. I hadn’t slept a lot, so I just stayed in that B&B for two days because it was pouring rain too, which is strange in August.
UNS: That does sound weird hah.
LK: Yeah. It cleared up the day when I sort of woke up and I figured out there was a bus, the 99, to UBC. So, I went and took the bus out and kind of wandered around on campus and I was amazed with the views and the mountains because I didn’t have any real expectation of anything, really. I was quite naïve and adventurous too. I mean, I didn’t do so much research. I thought I’ll just wing it, you know? And then I came to the department and we were on the second floor of Buchanan Tower then. It was the middle of the summer, so there was no one there. And then I bumped into Peter Stenberg. I didn’t know it then but he would be my mentor, best friend, an extra dad for me. He was just amazing. He was basically running the CENES show then. So I bumped into him, and then he recognized me, of course, because he was in the committee that hired me. He took me to Koerner’s Pub for lunch and we went around campus, so that was nice.
UNS: What was CENES like when you first started?
LK: Well, it was a German department when I first started. It was called the Department of Germanic Studies and then it slowly changed to Germanic and Slavic and now it’s morphed into CENES. I’ve always felt as the minority here because the Nordic program is quite small, and it was so little when I first came. I had very few students in Swedish and for my literature courses, if I could get 20 to 25 students, the department would be like “Bravo, good job!”
UNS: I mean, now you have two SWED 100 classes with 20-30 people each, what about then? Any major changes from then to now?
LK: I think I had maybe five students in Swedish. Yeah. And the big difference was that then the students were almost only heritage students, like students who had Swedish or Nordic background. And that was a huge change actually. I worked really hard to broaden interest in Nordic Studies and emphasize that you don’t have to be Swedish to take Swedish. I think that it shows some vulnerability for a program if you can only attract your own people. You know for many years, the Swedish program here was in the top 3 in North America in terms of enrolment. We were even competing with Seattle, and they have a big Nordic and Swedish thing going on.
UNS: How’d you know it was time to retire?
LK: I still really don’t know. I went over it so many times in my head and then I ended up talking to my daughter who’s excellent at making sense of my thoughts. While I was talking to her, she was writing down a ‘Pros and Cons’ list. The pro’s list was very long, but it was the cons list that was making me hesitant. I think, of course, just talking about it is making me feel it, but being away from the Nordic community and my students like I was in the beginning of the year, it made me feel separation anxiety from the community because I enjoy this so much, seeing and working with you all the time. I think we have such an amazing program, seriously. That plus your student club [SNSA] is fabulous. I mean, all the fun stuff you do and the great energy you’ve created in the program….
UNS: You helped a lot with making that energy, Lena…
LK: Yeah, but I mean, now we attract so many wonderful, different people, right? I think this is something I have been, and the club has been working on for so many years, so now I feel that it’s sad to leave that. Also, just thinking about the 9th floor. I love having everyone around here all the time. It’s like our floor is a living room for most people, don’t you think? You come up and you’re all here and you can’t get out of the elevators without talking to someone about something and I love that. But, then I also have been struggling with quite a few health issues that I still struggle with and it’s not resolved just yet. That was basically the strongest argument for retiring. I felt, “Okay, well, I will have to retire at some point and can’t go on forever.” I might as well do it now while I still have lots of energy to do other stuff, you know?
UNS: I get that. You talked about relationships you have with the department and the Nordic program here, I have to ask, what was it like working with the Danes? (laughter) Was it nice having another Nordic person around?
LK: Yeah. Well, Denmark, they’ve sent Danish lecturers, you know, every 4-6 years. I would always be their point of contact and I sort of took them in as much as I could. I’ve invited them to private events and stuff like that. It’s funny though, with Ann-Kathrine [Danish lecturer], I did less with her than the other Danes because I thought, “Why would you want to hang out with me?” She could be as old as my kid, you know? But, we have a great relationship if you ask me. I’ve always been close with my Danish colleagues. One of my former colleagues, we became very good friends. I went to his wedding last year in Denmark, actually. He came to my house and was the Santa Claus for my kids during Christmas when they were little, hah. I was and still am so happy Danish was added to the Nordic program because, first of all, it’s important to have someone to conspire with, and second, it’s lovely to sit and talk Danish and Swedish at lunch. I love being able to do that. Yeah, even though sometimes I have no idea what Ann-Kathrine or any of the former Danes are or were talking about haha. My Danish has improved over the years, thankfully.
UNS: Are there any moments in your 30+ year long career that stick out to you the most?
LK: The absolute highlight was receiving the Killam Teaching prize. Thinking about where I started from and then to getting the prize… It was really nice. So, Geoffrey Wintrhop-Young [Nordic and German Studies professor] was spearheading the committee to put together the nomination. There’s a big portfolio that they put together and a lot of it is statements and recommendation letters from students. That’s the core of it. Plus, they look at all your course syllabi and all that. I felt like it was a huge honour to get. I was so happy, and had this big party at my house afterwards with all my students and I invited the whole department. It was great.
UNS: You’ve mentioned your students quite a bit throughout this interview. How important have your students been to you and your career?
LK: My students are a group I’m so thankful for because they’re the reason I thrived here. When I first came over to Vancouver and started teaching, I wanted to do things outside of the classroom to build connections and have fun. Like when I taught summer courses for example, they’d end later in the day so I’d ask the class if anyone would want to go to Koerner’s to grab food or a drink, so that was lovely. I’ve also had Christmas parties at my house and have other gatherings where we’d eat pancakes and pea soup, which is a Swedish tradition to eat on Thursdays. You know, I’d always wanted to do something like Fika since I started here, and I had an idea during COVID, what if my Swedish students and I met at Jericho Beach for a mini-Fika? When it happened, it was so nice to see my students and have them see each other – whom they only knew from a computer screen – within a safe distance in person. Returning to campus, I talked to the department head David [Gramling] about this, and David was on board and after some logistical conversations, we moved from the beach to the lounge. Now, it seems that Fika gets bigger each week, and there’s so many different people that come through, and that’s thanks to you guys [SNSA] too. In terms of connection, I think there’s a mutual love and respect between my students and I. From the beginning, I’d tell them, “Welcome to the Scandinavian family,” because I wanted them to know that in the Nordic program, we’re like a family. I wanted them to have a space where they could just be themselves. And also, you know, I have an open door policy in general. People are welcome to come and talk to me and have tea and stuff like that. I’m very flexible with my office hours too because I understand schedules are different and life happens, so I always try to accommodate people. I think slowly but surely, this program has gone from being a tiny Scandinavian family to an actual large community here within our department. I think people felt a very strong sense of community here and that we are all very respectful of each other and accepting of everyone’s differences. It’s just a wonderful, very safe atmosphere.
UNS: I think what you noted is definitely part of the draw to the program. I’ve been to other departments’ events before but it never feels like how events feel in Nordic, or CENES as a whole.
LK: Yeah, exactly!
UNS: Do you have any tips for someone who’s starting off in a job like yours?
LK: It’s very important to learn student names quickly. And like I usually tell you, within the first or two weeks, I will know all your names even if they’re big classes. I spend a lot of time studying your names and trying to memorize everything and make sure I pronounce your names correctly. And that’s also to show that I see you and you are individual people, not just a big group. It makes it much easier to teach too. Obviously it’s different if it’s a 100, 200 student class, but I think making that effort shows that you care. So, that is one of the main tips I’d give.
UNS: What about tips for those still learning or beginning to learn Swedish?
LK: This isn’t a very popular answer, but you just have to keep reviewing and reviewing and reviewing! It’s really hard to build on the foundation that’s shaky. With language, I find if you keep adding on a bunch of new structures or a vocabulary, but you don’t have the basics down, it’s going to be much harder for you. So, actually, students come in sometimes and ask, “Can I do this instead?” or “What app can I use?” I tell them, go back to make sure that you know the basics. And that’s boring, but it is actually very helpful. When I learn languages, I try to turn off my inner perfectionist as much as I can because I know that I can be too critical of my own attempts, and I hear myself and go, “Oh God, that was the wrong verb!” or “Oh, I sound like an eight year old…” If you can get over that and just try to speak with whatever you’ve got, it’s going to be more natural to speak and then you’re going to actually get over that hump and it will be fun. So, basics and lots of practice.
UNS: And do you have any future plans now that you’re retiring?
LK: My big, big, big thing is, of course, I can spend more time on Galiano Island at my cabin. I am setting up a little studio there, and then I can do more art. It’s just a lovely environment to be in. The oceans and mountains are beautiful there. I have this very strong craving to be in nature and now I can be more in nature. So that I’m very excited about. I’m also excited about not having to book a ticket back. I can go there and stay as long as I feel like it. So yeah, more art and more nature-based activities, like hiking and things like that. Everyone keeps saying, “Oh, you love kids so much,” and “You love to work with young people,” and they think I do something with that. Because I do like kids, a lot. So, I will look into volunteering later on, but for now, I have an urge to travel during the off season, because I’ve never really been able to do that. I used to be a travel writer, so this is sort of in my blood – to travel all the time.
UNS: Have any Nordic literature and movie recommendations?
LK: Well, I’m incredibly attracted to Nordic Noir, of course, in all its different forms and shapes. I managed to convince the department to teach a course on Nordic Noir, as you know, 336, and that was cool because before my Nordic Noir course, I taught contemporary genres, which was nice, but Nordic Noir is just something else. I don’t like to read about happy families and happy people. Dysfunctionality and miserable, problematic, and traumatic events… I think that’s way more interesting to read about. I strongly think everyone should watch The Bridge (Bron/Broen), that’s a classic, I don’t think you can find a more intriguing female lead [than Saga Norén]! Read anything by Sjöwall-Wahlöö if you like the combo of societal critique and absurd humour!
UNS: And what is one thing about Sweden that you wished Vancouver had? Vice-versa?
LK: As we are having fika right now, good bakeries! And I mean, I think one of the first things you notice when you come into Stockholm is the smell of cinnamon or cardamom buns everywhere. Sorry, this was a very superficial answer! Living in Vancouver, I think everyone always says to me, “Oh, this must look just like home!” but it doesn’t. Because I think they think of Norway. BC does look like Norway! But, Sweden? It’s much more flat, especially where I come from. If you look at the horizon in Stockholm, there will be islands, of course, but we don’t have this magnificent layered landscape that you have here. I mean, look at this view! Points at window in her office. I can’t get tired of this. I just think it’s just incredibly gorgeous. Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver reminds me of Stockholm though with the soft bedrocks cascading into the ocean. It’s like the archipelago. And it reminds me of the place where Tove Jansson and her partner had a cabin.
UNS: Do you have any favourite spots or hidden gems in Vancouver?
LK: I learned that as a travel writer, there was a code between us on what we could use in articles about places. You wrote as much as you could about unique places and you’d give some good suggestions. But the real gems you didn’t give away. Having said that, come visit me on Galiano Island and I’ll show you the best places to watch the sunset.
UNS: Åh tack! :))))))
UNS: Alright, last one. Are there any thanks, acknowledgements, or people and places you’d like to recognize. Perhaps people who have helped you in your career or touched your life?
LK: I’m so grateful and thankful to the students that took Swedish. Otherwise I wouldn’t have a job. I feel lucky that they found our little program and that they are here and they made that decision to take Swedish. And the Danes! Like I said, I was really happy we got Danish added to the program because I felt quite isolated before, so having a fellow Nordic person here was nice. Mads, Jens, Kim, Ann-Kathrine…They have a special place in my heart. Geoffrey Wintrop-Young, Peter Stenberg, Thomas Salumets, I worked with them for a long time and they’ve helped me and supported me so much. This office. I’ve had so many chats with students and colleagues here. I know it’s sappy but anytime I walk in here and come to my job, everything else disappears. This is my safe spot. Things here are stable, static. That’s another fantastic thing about teaching for me. I could be in a completely crappy mood before walking into the classroom but as soon as I walk out, I leave with a smile and I feel happy. It’s cheesy, I know.
UNS: Are you gonna miss it?
LK: Oh yeah. I’ll be crying. I’m almost crying right now mentioning it.
UNS: I think we’ll all be crying…
LK: I can say strongly that I’m so lucky because I have never felt that Sunday anxiety. I know many people who are like, “Oh no, tomorrow I have to be at work,” on a Sunday night. I’ve never felt that. Sure, sometimes I felt, “Oh my God, I wish this term was over because it’s just overwhelming and I have so much to mark,” and aspects of the job like that. But, it’s just always been fun to come to work. It’s been so great.
