Chapter 6

6.   Doctoral education starts

 

My doctoral studies began in the spring semester of 1980. I remember that we were 6-7 students who started at the same time, almost all from abroad. According to the protocols, we first had to take eight doctoral courses, then write a master's thesis, if we wanted to get a master's diploma, and then we had to start working on the doctoral thesis. Theoretically, if you didn't go through the master's, it would take four years, an achievement that no one has succeeded. Usually, it took at least five years and even longer.

Of course, we would also participate in all the higher seminars where the department's own researchers or other visiting researchers presented their research. At that time, six of the courses were taught by our own professors and associate professors, and the other two were studied wherever you wanted. I myself took these two courses at the Stockholm School of Economics.

It was a very tough time. You had to study at least 50 hours a week for the first two years to get by. It was the first time in my life I studied so intensively for such a long time. I hardly had any free time. At the same time, it somehow felt pretty good. The environment in Uppsala was favorable for my studies. At HMC, for example, there were no striking students, no banners with provocative texts, no frescoes and a library where absolute silence reigned. Even at home it was quite calm. Sitting and reading during the dark and cold days in my warm dorm room was of course very pleasant. The atmosphere was even better when the absolute silence that prevailed at night was sometimes broken by the snowflakes falling on the windows, and by Mozart or by melancholic folk music. I had not imagined such a student environment when I was in Greece.

I had made a detailed timetable that I followed strictly. On the days we had courses, I was at HMC, often from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening. The night shift was supposed to start at 10.30 to about 1 in the morning. On the days we didn't have courses, I would take the opportunity to buy food, cook lunch and dinner and wash the clothes. Obviously, I used to sit in the laundry room and study during my laundry time. The hard work I had put in was starting to pay off. I passed three courses in the first semester.

On Saturdays I treated myself to a little luxury, with lunch in town, and a little relaxation with watching football on TV in the afternoons. Sometimes we had joint corridor parties. Even on Sundays I had a little more relaxation and I used to ski nearby. During the January sale, I actually bought my first pair of cross-country skis and I learned to ski myself. In the early 80s, winters in Uppsala were very snowy and cold.

Barbara was one of the other doctoral students who attended the same class. She also lived in Flogsta, in another house. She had come to Sweden from the United States to study Cooperative Economics and soon we became good friends.

One day, when she came to my place to solve some tasks, she was really surprised when she saw my posters decorating my dorm room. On the wall hung a portrait of the king and queen, surrounded by the world-champion in slalom Ingemar Stenmark and Björn Borg after his victory in Wimbledon. When she saw the royal couple, she shouted "Jesus, are you a royalist?". I tried to defend myself and diplomatically said that their elegant portraits were perfect amid the royal family. Then I tried to explain that I was actually looking for a large picture of the football team Åtvidabergs FF, which I couldn’t find in the store where I bought the posters.

Barbara actually told everyone at the department that I had the King and Queen's portrait in my room and many people laughed. But I thought my portraits were better than her Joan Baez and "No to Nuclear Power" posters she had in her own dorm room. I kept my posters in my room throughout my student life in Uppsala.

On March 23, 1980, the referendum on nuclear power was to be held in Sweden. All left-liberals, of which Barbara belonged, were against nuclear power. We had some heated discussions because I was a strong supporter of nuclear power. Actually, our positions were uninteresting because neither Barbara nor I had the right to vote during the referendum. I remember that even at the department we had a lively debate where some researchers argued in favor while others were against. It felt good to me that my future supervisor Ragnar Bentzel was also positive about nuclear power!

Renewal of the residence permit

During the same month, I was called by the Police in Uppsala to renew my residence permit. A year had passed since I got it for the first time when I was in Greece. I wasn't worried about the minimum number of student points required, I had actually scored significantly more. On the other hand, I was a little worried about the income from support, which might not be sufficient. Some Greek students had told me that the police are very picky!

My father had only sent money for four months, December-March, because in the beginning I lived with Nikos and Barbro, then I was in Oslo and my earned income there lasted until November.

At that time, many students had a post-bank account where all deposits and withdrawals were verified. The cash register at the post office stamped all transactions in the small bank book we had. The police demanded that all nine-month deposit transactions with the correct amount be visible there. In my bank book, there were only four deposits from Greece. I took a copy of all my course grades, as well as the work certificate and income information from Norway and went there. It turned out better than I thought and a few weeks later I got my new residence permit.

As I mentioned earlier, many Greek students had problems with the number of credits and/or money and I had heard some stories about renewing residence permits. A wealthy student, Peter, who used to sit in the HMC cafeteria for hours, solved the problem of the scores by taking only the easy basic courses in different subjects each semester. There was no requirement that each year's minimum passing score should be in the same subject. At the same time, his wealthy parents sent him $350 every month.

Other poorer students had found other methods. They worked undeclared and asked the employer to transfer the money to their account, instead of paying with banknotes as undeclared work was paid for at the time. Others were part of a pool and moved money to each other, i.e. those who had received a residence permit earlier could transfer money to others who would apply for a new residence permit later. Finally, some people had found a Swedish girl who confirmed that they were cohabiting. In return, the girls would of course get a free, happy holiday in Greece in the summer.

I understand why people would do anything to stay in Sweden. I would probably do something similar if my father hadn't helped me or didn't want to help me with financing if I didn't pass my courses. These unethical thoughts strengthened my willingness to study hard in order to shelter myself as soon as possible. 

Work as a security guard

As soon as I got my residence permit renewed, I started thinking about how I would manage financially until next spring when I would apply for renewal again. A fellow student from Nigeria had worked on the subway in Stockholm for the past two summers and he recommended it. I therefore applied for the position as a security guard and after a couple of days of short training, I was to start during the summer.

Barbara had just gotten a summer job at the central office of Cooperative Organization, KF, in Stockholm and was planning to live with some friends who owned a large condominium collectively, right nearby. Marie-Louise, one of the girls who lived there, had actually met Barbara in Washington, where she worked, before she moved to Sweden. It was no problem for Marie-Louise if I also lived there. The apartment used to be empty in the summer, as all owners lived in the country during holidays. Marie-Louise liked the Greeks, by the way. A few years ago, she had helped another Greek who was studying in Stockholm and used to go on free holidays in Greece during the summers.

Just before we moved to Stockholm, Nikos told us good news, namely that Barbro had a son. I hadn't been to Stockholm since Christmas and I promised that we would see each other and visit little Andreas often during the summer.

The work as a security guard was pretty good. Of course, we worked in irregular hours and at several different stations. Sometimes I would open the T-station early in the morning and other times I would close it in the middle of the night. As a security guard, you took a night bus when you opened or closed the T-station. But I didn't care, it was an easy job. Even though I often had to get up very early and would be tired all day, it felt wonderful when I looked at the beautiful and quiet Stockholm at dawn. The times I was supposed to work in the Old Town, I walked there because we lived so close. Experiencing Stockholm's gleaming Lake Mälaren and Saltwater when you walk towards the Old Town on a very early summer morning, is among the most beautiful images one can views!

As a security guard, you had to sell and stamp tickets, check that the tickets and monthly passes were valid, but also orient some tourists. We were supposed to keep track of everything. There were stations where lots of people streamed past all the time and then you have to be alert. There were also stations where there were too few underground users. When I worked at such stations, I had to admit that I was less loyal to Stockholm Metro (SL). Instead of keeping track of passengers, I studied! Sometimes I was so concentrated on my books and didn't notice when passengers wanted to show me their ticket. I used to wave my arm that they could pass.

I was going to work for just over two months and the income was not high. One way to manage for a few more months with my own income, was to work overtime, weekends and late evenings. I figured that my income would last for about two months and my father again had to transfer a lot of money to show it to the Police next year. I lived quite frugally, compared to Barbara who earned significantly more and could afford to have fun with her girlfriends out in bars. Unfortunately, I broke the promise I made to Nikos that I would see them often when I was in Stockholm. If I remember correctly, I was with them twice. One time was a very short visit in connection with my lunch break at Svedmyra station, which was close to their apartment. 

In July, my childhood friend Panayiotis came for a short visit. He studied at the University of Piraeus and travelled around Europe with Interrail. I picked him up from the Central station on a Friday afternoon and we went home. He had taken the night train from Zurich, was tired, unshaven and sweaty, but wanted to go out in the evening. He took a quick shower and a couple of hours later we walked via the Old Town towards Kungsträdgården (Kings Garden). He stopped all the time because he admired the beautiful Stockholm and photographed everywhere.

When we passed the glamorous Café Opera, there was as usual a long queue waiting to get in. He suggested that we should also stand in line, even though I advised him against it, partly because it would take a long time, but above all because they would not let us in. He refused to shave when we were at home, had long hair like Jimmy Hendrix and worn jeans. But even I wore normal casual clothes. He insisted and we had been standing in line for at least half an hour when we finally arrived at the entrance, opposite the guards.

Behind us were two beautiful elegant young girls who were let in, before us. Panayiotis became irritated and when he tried to force his way in, he was stopped by the guard. Then he asked in French: "Parlez-vous Français?" The guard was surprised and thought he was French, and replied "Oui". Panayiotis, who actually knew a few sentences in French, tried to protest. The guard who spoke good French explained to him that it was full, we had not reserved tables and weren’t members. Panayiotis just stared at him and asked me what the guard said, since I could speak French. I interpreted for Panayiotis but he did not accept my explanation. Then I explained to the guard that he was a student from Greece and just wanted to be let into a Swedish bar and we left.

Panayiotis was still angry and wanted to go to some newspaper and report that as discrimination. It was impossible for him how such things could happen in Sweden, but neither in Paris nor in Zurich where he was before. He told about this story to all mutual acquaintances in Greece and they confronted me that there is discrimination in Sweden, when I met them a few years later.

A couple of years later, I tried to get into Café Opera again, together with David, a classmate from Côte d'Ivoire. David came from a very wealthy family, had studied in France before coming to Sweden and he was always dressed elegantly. His native language was French and tried to speak French with the guards there in the hope that we would be let in, but without success. At that time, it felt like racism, something that David took hard and after his doctorate he left Sweden for good.

Late in August I found a two-week cheap trip to Greece. I wanted to see my family and swim in the sea. Of course, I took a course book with me that I read while I was lying by the beach. My mother noticed it and did not think it was appropriate to read during my vacation. “I needed to relax a bit”, she said. I remember one day she hid the book and went to town to shop. I was on my way to the beach with my brother Giorgos, but couldn't find the book! We searched the whole house without success. Giorgos got tired after a while, grabbed the beach-rackets and walked by himself, while I waited until my mother would return and tell me where she hid the book. We argued a bit when she came, but since it was already too late, I stayed at home that day and after lunch I studied there instead.

1980-81

The vacation in Greece ended quickly and in the beginning of September I was back in Uppsala, where a new semester began. Life went on as before. Study, study, study! Professor Bentzel was teaching a doctoral course in Growth Theory at the time, which I took. He was good, kind, polite, friendly and had a certain temper for humor.

He once told a nice story when he was a visiting professor at a Chinese university. There he talked about the Swedish welfare system and mentioned, among other things, that the workers in Sweden had five weeks of vacation. He thought that the Chinese students would be very jealous when they heard that. But there was no reaction. The students were to ask questions at the end. When he finished his lecture, a student pointed out that it was not so remarkable to have five weeks of vacation in Sweden. In China, they had a holiday for 52 Sundays, and for three days during the Chinese New Year! Professor Bentzel didn't want to hurt the poor student and said he didn't count Sundays in Sweden. It would be much more embarrassing, he thought, if he also mentioned the 52 Saturdays and all the other public holidays we have in Sweden.

On his course, I put all my energy into getting as good grades as possible and I succeeded. Getting an excellent grade on his course would probably increase my chances of getting my own financing and keeping the promise I made to my father.

During this semester I also passed two other courses, International Economics with Professor Göran Ohlin and General Equilibrium Analysis with Associate Professor Villy Bergström.

Göran Ohlin was an intellectually brilliant person, he had a doctorate in economics from Harvard with great pathos for international justice, cooperation and aid to developing countries. His track record was actually very long. He worked at the OECD in Paris, was Secretary-General of the Brandt Commission in Geneva, and when he left our department, he became Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

He knew many languages fluently. His lectures were in English, where Barbara was also impressed by his perfect British pronunciation and his extraordinary sentence structures with incredible and precise adjectives. He liked the two African students the most, Charles from Tanzania and David from Ivory Coast. If David asked a question, he would change the language to French automatically, without thinking, so that David could understand it better. Then he continued the lecture in French, forgetting that the course was supposed to be in English. I remember Barbara used to remind him of it.

As for Villy Bergström, a dedicated Social Democrat, there is so much to talk about and I will return in later chapters. During a break he asked me how I got to Sweden and when I told him because of the movie "Ådalen 31", he was really touched! I also passed his course gallantly. However, I have a feeling that he was a little more generous to me.

During the spring semester of 1981 I first took a course in Uppsala and afterwards I started writing my master's thesis, at the same time as I took the last course in Stockholm. To pass both courses and the essay took more than a year and I finished my master's in the beginning of autumn 1982.

When I applied for a residence permit again, I was more worried than last time. Again, some money was missing. I wasn't worried about my points. Considering that the essay was worth 20 credits (equivalent to 30 credits with the new system), i.e. one semester of full-time work and all the credits you would get after you had been approved at the end of the semester, it went well. A letter from the Dean Olle Mellander clarified this. 

As for the livelihood, 200 dollars was missing for the previous semester, i.e. May 1980 when I got a residence permit. I told my father not to send more than 150 dollars, because soon I would receive my first salary from Stockholm Metro (SL). The income I had earned during the summer was barely enough until November and my father had sent money for four more months. As soon as I got a summons from the Police, I went there. When I told the police that in a month or so I would be working again as a security guard, my application was approved and I was again granted a residence permit. 

During the first of May I went to town to watch the Labors Day demonstration. There I saw, among others, Villy Bergström and his wife Eva, in the first rows. Villy saw me and shouted my name to get on the train. It felt a bit embarrassing and people looked at me standing on the sidewalk. I just smiled and replied that I wanted to photograph instead, to have it as a memory.

In the summer, during my employment at SL, I stayed at Frescati with my cousin's room. We had some sporadic contacts during the winter and he rented his student apartment for me. I worked quite hard and lived spartanly again because I noticed that my father had difficulty supporting both me and the family. At the same time, I was desperately looking for different scholarships. Before the semester ended, I got some advice from Villy that I should apply for a scholarship at the Swedish Institute, which I did.

This summer I had a visit from my good childhood friend Dimitris, who worked as a photographer in Athens. Dimitris, who by the way is a master photographer, was constantly nagging about Hasselblad camera system, which for me was not so well known at the time. I who knew everything about Sweden, I was told by Dimitris that the Americans went to the moon with a Hasselblad camera and some are still there!

He wanted to come to Sweden to maybe find a cheaper, second-hand model, or maybe some good camera lenses. He probably took hundreds of pictures of Stockholm and Uppsala and me, with his own old Hasselblad. There are still a couple of pictures left on my shelf that he took then. We went around to different photo shops in Stockholm and when I found out that some lenses cost as much as I needed to live for a whole semester, I was shocked. Dimitris, on the other hand, thought that the prices were actually cheaper than in Greece and bought a 45mm lens. 

Scholarship from the Swedish Institute

In August, the good news arrived! I got a scholarship from the Swedish Institute over 9 months and my dad was finally going to stop with dollar transfers. I was so happy and immediately said no to all the overtime I had booked with SL. Not only that, I could afford to go on vacation to Greece. I went there with Barbara and it was the first time I felt so relaxed.

When we got back, I presented my master's thesis. It was written in English, which thanks to Barbara's generosity, turned out really well, not least linguistically.

Then it was finally time to choose the topic for the doctoral thesis. Villy had some issues close to his heart that he recommended. For example, it could be about the Swedish model, about the distribution of income, about labor productivity or about the importance of trade unions on the country's economy. He took it for granted that I, who had moved to Sweden because of "Ådalen 31", should have been a true social democrat. I have to admit that I came to Sweden as quite conservative but during my two years here, I had adopted many Social Democratic values, such as "do your duty", "have a high work ethic", "do not exploit the system", and "speak well of and defend Sweden". I replied to Villy that I would talk to Bentzel first and get back to him.

I had received an excellent grade on Bentzel's Growth Theory course and he asked me if there was any interesting section there to work on. I told him something about Swedish inventions. As soon as he heard that, his face lit up and said "wonderful, I was actually going to recommend it to you". I said that I must first inform Villy that I chose it.

Villy and Bentzel were good friends and actually lived in the same semi-detached house. When I told Villy that I was going to write about inventions and what they had meant for Sweden's economic growth, he was both happy and sad. Villy was of course aware that the innovations had meant a great deal, but he believed that social democracy and the trade unions were still more important. He reminded me again of "Ådalen 31" and that it was Per-Albin Hansson (the first Social democrat prime minister) who built the welfare state and then Ingvar Kamprad (the founder of IKEA) came and furnished it. This actually led to an interesting hypothesis that I tested later in my thesis. Were the innovations endogenously determined by the country's development or did the country develop thanks to the innovations? 

We had an interesting discussion with Villy. Of course, "Ådalen 31", Per-Albin Hansson, non-participation in the Second World War, the rich natural resources and innovations had meant enormously to Sweden. But, since a dissertation cannot take all these factors into account, one would limit oneself to and analyze only one important factor.

I remember answering Villy that long before I saw "Ådalen 31" I was playing with my scooter that rolled in SKF's bearings and I was fascinated by this ingenious invention. Then I mentioned a few others that I knew at the time, such as Alfred Nobel, Ericsson, Tetra Pak and Hasselblad. And Villy filled in with significantly more names and companies that I should check and he was finally happy with my choice.

My determination for the importance of inventions was further strengthened when I managed to get an invitation to attend the Nobel award ceremony at the Concert Hall. The Swedish Institute received some tickets from the Nobel Foundation that were randomly assigned to this year's scholarship recipients, and I was one of five who I was lucky!

It was a fantastic experience! Glamour, elegance and the world's sharpest minds in the same chamber with me, who sat at the back of the upper floor. When the ceremony ended, everyone crowded towards the exit and suddenly I was a few meters away from the queen who was smiling at all the guests and photographers. It felt almost unreal to experience it for real, compared to what happened five years earlier in the green bus in Athens, when I looked at the weekly magazine's pictures from the royal wedding…