Exchange semester in Norway

A semester abroad had actually been on my wish list since the beginning of my degree programme. I really wanted to take advantage of this unique opportunity to live and study abroad for a semester, get to know a new culture, make international friends and gain unforgettable experiences. So much for my idea of a semester abroad. And what can I say, I was not disappointed! It was an incredibly great time, I experienced so much and, looking back, I definitely made a good decision.

Being outdoors in nature is very important in Norway, as I realised quite soon after arriving in Trondheim. Most kindergartens, for example, have at least one hiking day a week, regardless of the weather, and most locals regularly go hiking at the weekend. However, given the breathtakingly beautiful nature in Norway, I can certainly understand this and I went on some wonderful hikes myself during my six months there. Some of the most interesting experiences were definitely two-day hikes with an overnight stay in a wooden hut in the middle of nature – without running water or electricity! In return, I was rewarded in the morning with a beautiful sunrise over a wintery, icy lake.

Trondheim is the third largest city in Norway, but still not huge with around 200,000 inhabitants. In addition, almost a fifth of the population are students, so Trondheim is very student-centred, which I really liked. Trondheim is also located directly on the fjord and there are lots of beautiful bays with crystal-clear water where you can go swimming (I tried it out several times). There are also several lakes and nature reserves right on the outskirts of Trondheim, where I regularly went hiking or walking at the weekends. But of course not all of my free time was spent outside, I went to the occasional bar as well as to parties and games nights. Of course, I also had to go to university, as it was a semester abroad. Fortunately, I was relatively free in my choice of courses as I had already attended most of my lectures in Darmstadt. I was therefore able to organise my timetable a little more relaxed and attend lectures purely out of interest, for example ‘Introduction to Norway’. This was a slightly different lecture that focussed on the history, culture, politics and society of Norway.

During my semester abroad, I definitely wanted to see something of Norway and travel around the country – there's almost no better place to start. My first major trip was to Lofoten, a beautiful group of islands. Nine of us rented an Airbnb and drove north in two rented cars. The main thing you can do on the Lofoten Islands is hike, but that's all you need. One of my highlights was the Reinebringen, after 2000 steps you are rewarded with a breathtaking view. Definitely one of the best things about the semester abroad. I also went to Tromsø with some new friends in December. It was already polar night there, which was definitely an experience. What was really worthwhile was the dog sledding tour we did in Tromsø.

I love winter and especially snow, so I was hoping for a really beautiful snowy winter in Norway. And I was definitely not disappointed! In Trondheim itself, the first snow fell on 1 November, and in December and especially January, the entire city was transformed into a winter wonderland. The surrounding forests were covered in deep snow and most of the lakes were frozen over. A skating rink was even prepared on one of them! However, my personal highlight was the Northern Lights. I was really lucky and saw them several times, some of them even really bright. And almost right on my doorstep :D.

For me, the semester abroad was an incredibly great experience that I definitely wouldn't want to miss. Trondheim is a great city to study in and to get to know Norway, and I was absolutely mesmerised by the Norwegian nature and way of life. I have taken away so many unforgettable memories, made many new friends and think back fondly on my time in Norway.