Norwegian Way of Life Past Review
By Rachael H (Middle Grades Education, University of Georgia) for
University of Stirling: Stirling - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I have had my eyes opened to how different the world is outside of the walls of the U.S. It has not only allowed me to see the Norwegian culture but I was able to experience culture from the people who were from the 91 other countries attending the program. My roommate was from Moscow and I was able to learn a lot from her. I have definitely decided to further my time abroad in the future.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Oslo |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Although the grading system is different in Norway, the overall classroom experience was much more enjoyable. They grade on the bell curve and use letters A, B, C, D, E and F. In most of the classes there were plenty of opportunities to experience the culture because of the field trips and events we attended. There were no quizzes or tests but rather one midterm and final exam. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program has over 400 students from 91 different countries. All of the classes were in English or Norwegian. I had the opportunity to use the health services over there which the school takes care of for students. This program definitely met my expectations and I hope to attend the program again in the future. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The Blindern dormitory was used for on-campus students. Many students were able to find off-campus housing. We had maids clean weekly and sheets were provided for us. All food was served in the dining hall so there was no cookware, although some of the dorms did have kitchens attached. The dorms are located next to the dining hall as well as a grocery store. Campus is within a 5 minute walk of the dorms and very convenient. |
| * Food: |
Students were told to specify their diet such as if they were vegetarian or did not eat specifically pork or fish. Meals had plenty of options and met the needs of all types of diets. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We visited the Opera house of Oslo which was absolutely gorgeous. It is a huge social area and open to having tourists walk all of the way to the top of it at any hour of the day. We also visited several Stave churches and saw the history of Norway. There was a Viking ship museum as well as the Vigesland park which is open 24 hours and free of charge. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Norway can be described as the safest city in the world. I had no incidents while there and felt safe no matter what time of day. I did have a chance to experience the free healthcare which was very helpful and very accessible. I did not have to have any vaccines for this program. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Try to visit as much of Norway as possible. The culture is amazing and so different from American culture. There are plenty of places to visit there that will give you the feeling of being an actual citizen rather than simply a tourist. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Norwegian Society |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Berit |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The class definitely required thought but it was more of an introduction to Norway and its culture. We went on many field trips, around 2-3 weekly. We had speakers come in and speak to us as well as show videos. We made visits to a mosque, a rehabilitation center, the new center and the radio/t.v station. The teacher was very knowledgeable in the material being taught. She has also traveled and was able to compare Norwegian Society to others. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | There were no issues in transferring my grades. Since the grading system is different over there your grade can actually improve upon transferring to your home university. |
