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17 Mai: Celebrating Norwegian National Day
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway The 17th of May is the biggest and busiest day of the year in Norway! It is the Norwegian Constitution day and Norwegians go all out to celebrate it. Each city has its own plan for the day and Bergen’s was jam-packed. We wanted to celebrate like the Norwegians, even without the traditional clothing (‘Bunads’) that they wear. I had been looking forward to this day the whole year so it was very fun to take part in the celebrations.
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Academic Culture and Student Life in Bergen
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway Academic culture and student life can be very different in a country that is not your home country – there are many differences between Norway and the UK! As an exchange student, my days look very different to my daily life as a student in Manchester. I will talk about some key difference university life considering the differences in Norwegian and British academic culture. Overall I would say there is less work and more fun!
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A Guide to the Seven Mountains Surrounding Bergens
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway One of the first things you will learn about Bergen is that it is surrounded by mountains, earning the name of ‘the city of seven mountains’. The mountains provide many opportunities to explore the Norwegian landscape and wildlife from right outside your doorstep through several incredible hikes. Here I will provide a guide using my own experience of hiking the seven mountains throughout my time in Bergen. Each mountain is unique and offer different experiences and challenges.
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(Ice) Swimming in Bergen
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway Swimming in all conditions is normal in Norway! Whether on a warm summer day with blue skies or in the middle of winter, having to physically break the ice to get in. I take part in a weekly dip into the fjords across Bergen in different bathing points with a student organisation, ‘SVI Baddegruppen’. With the organisation, we would have sweet treats and every Sunday we would go into the water. Originally I thought we wouldn’t continue through all conditions but we did, even in the snow and ice!
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Trips from Bergen – Exploring Norway and Further Afield
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway A year abroad, in my opinion, is the perfect opportunity to travel. There are so many opportunities provided, whether through organised trips by different organisations like ESN (Erasmus Student Network) or simply by meeting many likeminded people. I have found that my new friends are like me because they really love to travel. It also helps that I seem to have much less work to do here than in Manchester meaning I have more free time to travel!
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A Trip to the Arctic
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway A few weeks before Christmas, I took a trip to Tromso – one of the northernmost cities in the world. Situated in the farthest reaches of Norway into the Arctic Circle, it reached -12 degree Celsius. I travelled with the new friends I made during my first semester of my exchange in Norway. It was a once in a lifetime trip – I had never seen anywhere like it before and was the perfect place to visit to get in a Christmassy mood!
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Top Tips for Arrival in Bergen
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway Travelling to a new city, in a new country will always be hectic, moving there even more so – meeting new people, experiencing the different culture, learning the language and more! It is fun and exciting, but can also be tiring and there may be things you wish you knew before arriving. Here I will talk about my top tips to make moving and settling into Bergen and Norway easier.
A study abroad journal by students, for students.
