James from USA: “Whether your dream is to change the world or to meet people who already have, Stockholm is a good place to be”

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Meet James Finucane. He’s from a small town in Pennsylvania, USA. James studied his Masters in Economics at Stockholm School of Economics between 2015 and 2017. After graduating from SSE, James worked as a Consultant at Ernst & Young in New York. He started his current job in November 2018 as director of business development at Penn Wharton Budget Model – an economic policy think tank.

What influenced your decision in coming to Stockholm to study?

Many factors influenced my decision to study in Stockholm including its reputation as a progressive innovation hub, high-quality schools, lower tuition costs, and relatives in Sweden.

What do you think is significant about Stockholm?

Stockholm places a strong focus on sustainability. It is a word that people use frequently because it sounds nice and reassuring, however in Stockholm it is put into practice in areas including economic, social, and environmental policies.

What surprised you the most about the city?

The Vasa Museum. It is a museum built around a top-heavy ship that sank in Stockholm Harbor a couple of minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628. Picture a 17^th century Titanic where the people waving goodbye from the shore see it tip over and start to sink. It’s incredible.

What do you think was the best thing about the whole experience?

The best thing about Stockholm was the people I met and spent time with. I hope my friends read this. More generally, Stockholm-ers are kind, welcoming, and open-minded. Sweden as a whole places a strong emphasis on many important topics such as equality of opportunity, family, press freedom, and healthcare, which is ultimately a reflection of the values of individual Swedes.

What do you think was the best thing about your studies in Stockholm?

The Nobel Prize was always a bit of a mythical thing to me. In Stockholm you can go to lectures by Nobel Prize winners, visit the Nobel Prize museum, and even enter a lottery to attend the official Nobel Prize Award Ceremony party. Whether your dream is to change the world or to meet people who already have, Stockholm is a good place to be.

So what would you say was the biggest difference between Stockholm and your hometown in the US?

My hometown in the U.S. is in a rural “red state” area, so there are several differences between that and Stockholm. I’ll focus however on a weird fact and unexpected similarity. Stockholm has “raggare”: people who cruise around in vintage American muscle cars on summer evenings. This was all the rage in 1950’s America. Things got so out of hand that my hometown has a “no cruising” law where it is prohibited to drive past certain points three times within a two-hour period. You can re-live the glory days on Sveavägen in Stockholm.

A bride with a kid and the groom, getting out of an american muscle car

Raggare: the Swedish rock’n’roll cult comes of age
theguardian.com

Old article but still very true:)

In what ways has your time in Stockholm influenced you and your career?

My time in Stockholm broadened my perspective and helps me to be creative in identifying solutions to policy and operational questions that I encounter during my current job.

Lastly, what advice would you give to someone who is thinking about going to Stockholm to study?

I’m happy that I chose to study in Stockholm, but I won’t try to give advice about the decision without knowing your individual situation. The one piece of advice I will give however is if you do move to Stockholm to study, visit Cliff Barnes at 11pm on a Friday or Saturday:)

https://www.facebook.com/Restaurang-Cliff-Barnes-554630654622906/