Venturing to an unknown country for 6 months is nerve-wracking and scary. But oh the adventures you will have and the memories you will make. Leaving for Norway in January was frightening but underneath the fear I was excited. Excited to meet new people, create everlasting memories and explore a part of the world I have been dreaming of since I was a kid. After a long journey to Oslo Gardermoen International Airport, I was definitely missing home. The next day was my first orientation with the Mathematics and Natural Sciences department, and this is where the good part starts. At this orientation, I was in a buddy group of 10 people, and within the first few hours we were making plans of visiting the North of Norway and other places around Europe. In the next couple of weeks, we planned a trip to Bergen which was an amazing and a breathtaking experience. We bonded over tacos and The Hunger Games Series and hiked two mountains in one day.
Throughout the next couple of months my buddy group and I did everything together, from jumping into the Fjord in the freezing months of January and February, to having Taco Fridays (a Norwegian specialty), to seeing the Northern Lights, to singing Karaoke at the student bar on campus and being overly competitive in card games. They became my family for the best 6 months of my life. They supported me in every single thing, took care of me, cheered me up when I was down and most importantly made Norway feel like home.
I got to explore so many countries with my best friend Anna from my buddy group. We geeked out over Harry Potter in London, ate cannoli in Milan, visited the Colosseum in Rome, learned about history in Florence, saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle at nighttime, ate Polish hot dogs in Krakow, danced on the beach in Barcelona and so much more.
I gained so much knowledge from the faculty at UIO by being in smaller class sizes and having the opportunity to partake in academic discussions with my peers and professors. The knowledge I gained from one semester at UIO will be valuable to me as I pursue a Master’s in Microbiology.
The time at UIO in Norway went by fast, as precious time often does. I was saddened to leave Norway in June, but I left with so many memories, friends, and knowledge. Norway will be an important part of my life and for shaping my independent thinking and letting me pursue my biggest dreams.
