Barentsburg, Svalbard

by Dariusz Hareza and Lauren Ceckowski

Our third day in Svalbard began our adventure to Barentsburg, a Russian mining town.  To get there, we were split into two groups to journey across the arctic waters by zodiak! Our adventurous tour guides at Spitsbergen Travel suited us up in survival suits and lifejackets for the ride of a lifetime. On our way out of the dock we got our first glimpse of a seal basking in the sun beside the boats. Our two hour boat ride was exciting, but also full of learning experiences. We stopped along the coast of Spitsbergen to listen to a lecture on the history of Grumant City. It was a Russian mining settlement established in 1912, and abandoned in 1965, leaving behind an eerie ghost town of the Soviet Era.  Also along the way, we paused along a massive outcropping to observe hundreds of Arctic Puffins who had built nests precariously perched on the cliffside.  Then we were off again with the wind and the spray of the salty Arctic Ocean in our faces!

Wind burned and wet, but nonetheless exhilarated, we docked in the small port of Barentsburg, Svalbard. Barentsburg was established in 1932 by Arktikugol, a coal company, which still controls the settlement to this day. As we walked up the steps from the dock we first felt as if we were transported back in time to Soviet Russia, a much different feeling than arriving in Longyearbyen.  The center of town held a statue of Lenin as well as vacant buildings of a time past.  A single road cut through town connecting the school, hospital and sole hotel and restaurant.  As we looked past our initial impressions we realized that Barentsburg was not only a town of the past, but looking towards their future. Buildings were under construction, the hotel was remodeled and new murals were beautifully painted.  Barentsburg seemed to see a future outside of just a coal mining settlement.

After making our observations of Barentsburg, we got together as a group and prepared for another hike. This time we were planning to explore the shores for possible tidal pools so that we could get a better understanding of the abiotic and biotic factors involved in such a unique ecosystem where organisms had to be able to survive in both a marine and terrestrial environment. As we walked out of Barentsburg we arrived at our first sign that warned us that we were leaving the Safe Zone and that is when the threat of meeting a polar bear became chillingly real to us. As true tourists, we stopped to take a number of photographs with the sign. As we neared the end of our hike, Dr. Avango pointed out the Russian helipad off in the distance. He told us that it was built in response to the airport that had been built in Longyearbyen. Yet, though the Russians say that its purpose is solely for helicopters, we were driven to think that they may have had other intentions for its use since the runway was much longer than a helicopter needed to land. We will leave the political intrigue for another time.

After a thorough talk about the effects of erosion, we turned back since it was about time for dinner. When we arrived to eat, we saw our tables at the Barentsburg Hotel covered with a great assortment of Russian cuisine. The tables were covered in foods we had never seen before and after such an excellent feast we all broke into songs from our various backgrounds and had a most jolly evening. We could hardly wait for what Barentsburg still had to offer us the next day.


Dariusz Hareza is a junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with Honors Concentration, minoring in Chemistry, and is Pre-Med. He is from Oak Lawn, IL.

Lauren Ceckowski is a senior studying Earth, Society, and Environment with a concentration on Society and the Environment.  She is from Gurnee, IL.

Barentsburg, Svalbard

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The Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet

by Dariusz Hareza and Lauren Ceckowski

This week we took our learning outside the classroom with a visit to the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, also known as the Natural History Museum.  Professors Dag Avango and Mark Safstrom took our class to explore exhibits such as "The Diversity of Life", "Polar Regions" and "Mission: Climate Earth" all of which related to topics we had covered in class. Some of us found a connection to home by relating the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet to the Field Museum back in Chicago.

"The Diversity of Life" was a display of plant and animal specimens compiled from collections that were started as early as the 1730s.  Some of the specimens on display were gathered during Arctic and Antarctic expeditions of the 19th century.  Many of the collections belonged to the aristocracy, as displays of the odd and exotic were a sign of wealth and status. Many historical figures were represented in this exhibit including Carl Linnaeus.  Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, known as the "Father of Taxonomy", who is a very popular figure in Swedish history.  The museum even had a wax sculpture of Linnaeus on "display" along with his collections.

"Polar Regions" depicted the flora and fauna characteristic of the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the globe. Massive whale skeletons hanging from the ceiling greeted us into the exhibit and left a feeling of awe. The polar bear, elephant seals, and musk ox gave us a view into the ecology of the arctic regions we will soon be visiting.

"Mission: Climate Earth" was a fascinating exhibit conveying the growing concern of climate change.  It discussed the potential effects on the environment and the world population and how the individual can do their part to decrease their impact.  We all found it amazing that even though we all are studying different disciplines, we were able to collectively relate to the issues presented in this exhibit.

As we have spent more time in Sweden we realize just how extensively English is used in society. We became so used to being able to use English and be easily understood that we were shocked to find out that the museum exhibits were mainly only in Swedish. This both added and took away from the experience at the museum. It was frustrating to not be able to understand what some of the exhibits were trying to portray, but we were extremely lucky to have our Swedish classmates there ready to help translate anything we were confused about.  This was the first time we had a good chance to interact with them and we took full advantage of this opportunity.

Overall, we were very excited to learn more about natural history, especially that of Sweden, throughout the visit to Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet. Making a connection between the exhibits and our studies was a rewarding experience.  With a little taste of the Arctic, we are itching to get some hands-on knowledge in Svalbard!


Dariusz Hareza is a junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with Honors Concentration, minoring in Chemistry, and is Pre-Med. He is from Oak Lawn, IL.

Lauren Ceckowski is a senior studying Earth, Society, and Environment with a concentration on Society and the Environment.  She is from Gurnee, IL.

The Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet

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Parading through Helsinki

by Dariusz Hareza and Lauren Ceckowski

As much as we enjoy learning about the history and culture of Scandinavia in the classroom, we knew that experiencing it first-hand would be far more enriching. So part of the group from U of I studying at KTH this summer decided to immerse its weekend in Finnish culture by traveling to Helsinki on a cruise ship. The moment we stepped off the ship the contrasts of the city caught our eyes. Old red-brick industrial buildings housed the latest exhibits on innovative designs. Trams rumbled through streets lined with sleek new department stores. We were immediately taken in by the open air markets housing stalls filled with various trinkets dear to the Finnish identity. With a little bargaining, one could buy a well-groomed mink hat to face the terrors of a Scandinavian winter. After a long night of sailing through the Baltic, we were absolutely ravenous. Luckily, with great Finnish hospitality a buffet was able to accommodate us. We were thrilled with the choices that included salmon, trout, and assortments of breads, salads, cheeses, and jams. Needless to say, we took full advantage of the opportunity to satisfy our hungry appetites. Now we could slowly take in the sights and sounds around us.

In front of the great Helsinki Cathedral, we noticed that there was a lot of commotion stirring. Apparently, we struck gold with our timing of the trip as various dance groups from the city were preparing to put on a parade. The colors of the costumes were absolutely stunning, as were the themed floats. Peacock feathers, sparkling wings, and theatrical masks are just a few words to describe the breadth of different styles we saw. As preparations for the parade were made, we decided to visit the inside of Helsinki Cathedral. The cathedral’s simplicity on the outside directly matched it on the inside. It was very much less ornate than the Uspenski Cathedral we had visited earlier in the day. Yet Helsinki Cathedral’s simplicity does not take away from its majesty. Clean curves and high ceilings give it a very light feel and exemplify the boldness of the architecture. Later we learned that the seats in the pews were all made using horse hairs. Not having noticed that the first time we entered, we returned to the Cathedral to marvel at the lustrous black seats that filled the Cathedral’s hall.

After taking in the architecture, we decided to do a bit of shopping in the fashion district where the city truly burst with life. Street vendors and musicians added to the unique atmosphere we had not yet experienced anywhere else. Once we had taken a few turns we quite accidently ran into the parade we had seen being prepared. We looked at each other in awe at how loud and flamboyant the whole spectacle was. As we returned to the ship, we were truly disappointed that we could only spend a day in Helsinki; the city still had so much to offer us.


Dariusz Hareza is a junior studying Molecular with a Cellular Biology Honors Concentration, minoring in Chemistry, and is Pre-Med. He is from Oak Lawn, IL.

Lauren Ceckowski is a senior studying Earth, Society, and Environment with a concentration on Society and the Environment.  She is from Gurnee, IL.

Parading through Helsinki

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