Tag: study abroad

One Door Closes, Another Opens

I’m back in the States!

Actually, I’ve been back for quite some time, but between graduation, taking summer classes, working at Plainwell Ice Cream, job hunting, car hunting, catching up with friends, working on a certification, gardening, and just living life, this final post has been pushed off just a bit.

In fact, I’ve pushed it off long enough that the week has approached where the next Lemus leaves on her own trip across the pond! This Friday we will be dropping Alejandra off at the airport where she will fly to Aberdeen in Scotland (in the UK? it’s confusing to me too).

This said, I write this final post not just as a reflection on my time abroad, but as advice to her as she gets ready for her journey.

First, enjoy my favorite pictures from Croatia. Blog post about Croatia can be found here.

My first piece of advice : Don’t study.

Ok, maybe study a bit. But when it’s your last week of classes and you have the choice between spending 3 hours in the library, or 3 hours at dinner with your friends, take dinner. Time is funny. It goes slowest when you want it to go fast, and fastest when you want it to stop. A stay that seems daunting at the start (and might have you questioning what on Earth you think you’re doing, and who on Earth you think you are committing yourself to a completely new environment and continent for the next few months, and who will take care of your cat?) flies by before you know it. That time is meant to be cherished. 

Relish each moment, but believe in the next too. Today you might be waking up to the best sunrise. Tomorrow you might be farther from your friends. Today’s flight may be full of turbulence, but tomorrow’s will be a little smoother. Enjoy the good, and know the bad will pass. Both will make great blog posts.

My second piece of advice : Study.

Study how the roof of an old church meets the sky. Study which bars seem bright and inviting and full of local accents. Keep an eye out for bizarre meals and brush up on your sense of curiosity, try the new plate. Make sure to review your history. Learn the meanings behind funny street names and statues. Watch the native birds in the park and the people who feed them. Take cues from your environment, it’s often the best way to learn.

Aside from your environment, study yourself. Take note of what you enjoy, and what you don’t. Which customs are easy to embody, and which are best left observed? Do you feel like running your social battery tonight, or taking a moment to rest? Which new acquaintances feel like old friends? When you are all alone, with the people you might frequently depend on thousands of miles away, you will learn how to depend on yourself. You will become more versed in your own thoughts and emotions than ever before, and even more confident in your decisions and actions.

A final thought:

A few summers ago, I sat on the grass in a park in my hometown and felt suffocated. Amid the pandemic, barely able to leave my house, I was clouded with the thought that I had biked every street, walked every sidewalk, and squeezed every experience out of my hometown of the past 20 years that I ever possibly could. 

When I arrived home earlier this summer, my eyes felt cleared. The veil was lifted from what I remembered as a dreary, monotonous place. Why hadn’t I noticed the flowers growing alongside the road before? Had there always been a yoga practice so close by? Sure, some aspects of our small town still aren’t for me, but I can see them now with the same eye I saw my new town in France, with a quiet appraisal and a curious anticipation of unexpected joys. 

To answer any last questions:

Yes, I became fairly fluent in French. I spent my entire last day walking around with my host sister (who obviously speaks French) without reverting to English (maybe just once). I also learned some lovely filler words including bahhhh, franchement, and du coup, so I’d say that counts for something. No, I do not think the “chocolate croissants” from Starbucks taste like my dear pan au chocolat. Yes, I would go back to France in a heartbeat and live there, or Croatia, or Barcelona. Yes, I do still keep in contact with my friends and host family from the trip, I miss them all the time.

Yes, I do want to travel more. After such an exciting first few months of the year, I feel I’ve only scratched the surface of all the cultures, languages, relationships, and experiences the world has to offer. 

If I’m lucky in life, maybe I’ll have more opportunities to find them. 

To Jandra :

I hereby leave this blog to you. Go be your best self in Scotland, and then find an even better self that none of us knew was even possible. Being on your own only means there is absolutely nothing to hold you back. I can’t wait to visit you and learn all about your new favorite places and people, and chug a Guinness with you. As they say in France, bon voyage, bon courage, et bonne aventure!

“L’aventure c’est le trésor que l’on découvre à chaque matin.”

Adventure is the treasure we discover every morning.

Jacques Brel (French singer and songwriter)

Your sister,

Isabella

Crumbs

A reflection on happiness

I admit, at the moment I am not being a good student. Instead of devoting my attention to my Translation class, where I am currently sitting, I am writing this blog post. In fact, I can’t exactly say I was a good student before I started writing this either, since I missed the first half of class to get a spur-of-the-moment tattoo. Don’t worry Mom and Papi, it’s small!

Instead, it was this tattoo and a phone call with my sister that inspired me to put some thoughts to my keyboard. These, and our latest topic in my French class, le bonheur.

We started our class last week with a collection of quotes. What exactly is le bonheur, or happiness? It is a grand question, but one of my favorite answers was the following:

<<Le bonheur est un festin des miettes>>

Jacques Faizant

Translation: Happiness is a feast of crumbs. I’ll let you interpret this as you will. The meaning of happiness is different for everyone, and whether or not this definition resonates with you is entirely up to you. Either way, I love to hear any new philosophies on well-being and happiness, feel free to leave comments!

Personally, this quote encourages me to be perceptive. Notice the little things and let them add up to a feast. Since I read it, I’ve been reminded to start appreciating the crumbs in my life. 

The appetizer last night was the conversation I had with my host sister about her future travels to the US. Her optimism and eager spirit were contagious.

To drink, the moonlight glowing through the roof of the dining room as I finished a paper late at night while the cat purred on the chair nearby.

Today, a main course. The steady poking of a needle on my skin while the sun illuminated the milky walls. A side of melody as my favorite song came on the radio while my head rested in my arms.

For dessert, a walk across the university campus, the balmy scent of sun and breeze walking with me. 

When compiled, these crumbs truly make a feast, yet realistically they are often hard to notice. Before talking with my sister, I felt guilty about sleeping in as late as I did. This morning, I felt stressed running late to class. I became nervous heading to my tattoo appointment, not knowing if my French could get me through this new situation. Sitting here, I worry about wasting daylight while sitting inside, and the four page paper due Wednesday that I may or may not have started yet…

Still, the crumbs are there, and the best thing about them is that they are messy. Crumbs show up where we don’t expect them or want them. There are even times when you have to make crumbs yourself. Miss part of class to get a spontaneous tattoo. Let life get a little messy. Then, in that mess, find le bonheur.

On Wednesdays, We Go to the Market

Another early release of a post that will soon be up on Hope’s Off-Campus Study Blog!

This week: My first French farmers market

This month my friend and I made a pact: each day we would visit a new place in Nantes. Whether that be a store or café, a study spot or garden, we wanted to push ourselves to keep exploring our city during the second half of our time here.

On Wednesday, the new place we visited was a farmers market. The market is held every weekday morning in an indoor/outdoor vending area near Viarme (for those familiar with Nantes). It is larger on weekends and certain weekdays, when there are more vendors who come to sell their goods. 

A spread of spreads
Fresh Ravioli
Sea urchin

Personally, I’ve never been a farmers market fanatic. Though I always love the concept of them, and enjoy them once I’m there, something about going still feels as mundane to me as grocery shopping. However, the small group of friends I planned on meeting there gave me all the motivation I needed to put aside my preconceptions. 

Upon stepping through the doors into the cool, airy interior of the building, I was immediately greeted with the highest tower of sea urchin and crab I have ever seen. I quickly took a picture to send to my mom, who always asks for uni when we go out to Mizu in Holland. This was just the start of the numerous treasures to be found in the market. Tables were piled high with bright fruits, vegetables, seafood, cheeses, and meats, all waiting for my attention.

Candied fruits, including clementines which I bought

As we continued walking, I began to embrace my curiosity for the gems we would find in each new stall. To our left a stack of slick anchovies. To our right freshly cut ravioli, small and pink as flower petals. Just ahead dried fruits, sugared to their core. These things weren’t complex culinary masterpieces, but they were the pure, simple details, and I wanted to taste them all. 

Finishing off our excursion on the banks of the Erdre

What I did end up tasting first were the fruits. A stall we found in the middle of the market had dried mangoes, prunes, dates, sugared pineapples and ginger, even candied clementines, kumquats and flower blossoms. I picked out two clementines to try. To my surprise, the first bite was all skin! The clementines had been sugared whole, so instead of bitter and tough, the skin was sweet and slightly chewy. The inside was completely soft, and even more sweet than the outside. Though they were tasty, I definitely could not handle more than a few bites at a time due to all the sugar.

My friends and I ended up buying a variety of nordic tartine, artichoke dip, goat cheeses, garlic shrimp, sweet dates, cinnamon apples, and, of course, a baguette to share for lunch. We lounged in the sun on the banks of the river, tearing bits of bread off with our hands and savoring our discoveries. I don’t know who was more grateful that I decided to step out of my habits that day, my mind or my stomach.

Draw, Like One Of Your French Girls

An early release of an article to be posted on the blog I write for Hope’s Off Campus Study website! Link to the site and other articles here

My first day at l’Ecole de Beaux-Arts de Nantes, I got lost. After three levels of gray cement floors, catwalks, and metal railings, the only things that reassured me I was still in the right place were the eccentrically-dressed students and a mass at the entrance that slightly resembled a globe made out of tissue paper and a yoga ball. I was definitely in a Fine Arts building.

Unfinished projects in the hallways of the Beaux-Arts school

Finally, I pushed through a heavy white door into a gray room as balmy as a summer day. At the center sat an elderly man in nothing but a robe. Around him roughly ten men and women, the youngest at least 40 years my senior, unfolded easels and wagged around sheets of paper the size of cookie sheets. 

As the student next to me began arranging his sticks of chalk onto a tray beside us, meticulous as a surgeon preparing for operation, I suddenly felt as naked as the man in the robe. My humble sketchbook and mechanical pencil, the only tools that I had thought to bring, sat meekly before me. I was entirely unprepared. In a stroke of inspiration (desperation) I snatched a discarded scrap of charcoal off the coal-powdered floor. Thankfully the professor took notice of my lack of preparation and out of kindness (pity) donated a few sheets of paper to my easel. Thus began my first live-model sketching class at the Beaux-Arts school of Nantes.

Finally getting the hang of drawing legs!
…feet still pose a challenge

When I tell people about my drawing class, one of the first questions they ask is, “Is it awkward?” The answer? At first. After all, it’s not everyday that I spend 30 minutes painstakingly analyzing a naked stranger. Only Tuesdays. 

That first day, I saw a human. I saw wrinkles and lumps and caves. Most of my worry the first day didn’t even concern my sketching abilities, but rather if I would offend him by drawing an insecurity. Would I expose a wrinkle? Bring attention to his nose, his stomach? Soon, however, the person faded. What started as a human body, something judged and critiqued and compared, became shapes and light. A line, curved at the start. A square. An edge. A half moon. His body was the art, and became neutral and abstract as such. There was no good or bad, too big or too small. Just shapes and light.

By the time the professor stopped us all to turn our easels and view the works of our classmates, I felt calm. I did what I could with what I had. There is no right or wrong in art, I assured myself. And it was true. Walking among the other students, I was in awe. Each board presented the softness of a gray arm, streaks of muscle through leg, shadows cut into a stomach. I felt like yelling. Why aren’t these in a museum! But I don’t think they would have understood me.

Backs are the most interesting to shade, many muscles create lots of shadowing and lines

I ended that first day exhausted. I trudged out of the studio into the night, fingertips dusted black with charcoal. But this exhaustion wasn’t the ‘go cry in the nearest bathroom’ type. I searched myself. My shoulders ached as I tramped across the bridge. My stomach was empty with reverence and hunger. It wasn’t until I took note of the strain in my eyes, still searching for residual shapes and shadows to scratch on a page, that I identified it. I felt eager. I felt enthusiastic. I felt proud. 

Mostly, though, I noticed what I did not feel. Not once throughout the entire night did I feel self-consciousness. Maybe the time limits kept me present, or maybe there was just no room for such judgements in a space of creativity. Only shapes and lines, shadows and art. I couldn’t wait to go back again.

Weekend Excursions: Rennes and Normandy

Half-Timbered Architecture

Knowing my study abroad is taking place in the COVID era, I had the expectation for myself that I would limit my traveling outside of the country in order to minimize risk of COVID, as well as risk of getting stranded in another country if situations were to change and borders to close. Even so, I know that one thing a lot of people regret after studying abroad is not exploring their home countries enough, which is exactly why I want to take the opportunity to do so. 

The first trip I took was a day-long outing in Rennes with some friends from IES. The capital of France’s Brittany region, it was only about one hour from Nantes by train. The city is well known for its half-timbered houses dating nearly 2,000 years, and it was fun to spot the ancient architecture hiding in between later-constructed buildings.

My favorite part of the trip had to be an art installation we came upon. The piece, entitled S E C R E T S de Rennes was constructed by Dan Acher. Made up of giant wooden letters spelling out the word ‘secret’, the general public was invited to write their own untold sentiments and stories on a piece of paper, which they could either hang immediately on the wooden blocks or put in a box to be hung later. At the end of the installation, which was the day after we left, the blocks and papers attached to them would be burned. 

The ‘S E C R E T S de Rennes’ exhibit

It was especially interesting to walk around the blocks and read all of the anonymous notes. Some were love letters, some concerned politics or identity, some revealed regrets, and others were just unpopular opinions. It compelled me to reflect on the reasons we chose to hide the parts of ourselves that we do, and consider what would happen if we decided to expose those things. Though pictures of the secrets themselves were prohibited, we were able to take photos from afar.

The next weekend trip that I went on was a trip to the northern region of Normandy. This was a trip with IES, so it included some more cultural experiences provided through the program. First we spent our Saturday in Caen, a village known for its buildings dating back to the reign of William the Conqueror, the first Norman monarch of England from 1066 to 1087. We learned more about his history through our visit to the Tapestry of Bayeux, an embroidered fabric from 1066 reaching 70 meters in length that depicts the events of William’s conquests. I loved seeing the old architecture in the bayeux region and the history they held. It was a charming place, and as I said to my friend there, they just don’t build houses like that anymore.

Our last day was spent visiting the Memorial Museum of Caen, as well as the American Cemetery of Normandy, Omaha Beach, and Pointe du Hoc. The day was heavy with emotion, as we reread and saw in greater detail the absolute atrocity and human carnage that took place during WWII. Lunch was a relief to spend with my friend that day, talking over our thoughts during the visit and how our opinions on war were brought to light.

Later it was a rainy, aggressively windy walk through the cemetery, where I ended up finding the headstone of a soldier from Michigan. I wondered about his thoughts when he stood in the same place, and if he also told his friends that the ocean there looked exactly like Lake Michigan. Our final stop at Pointe du Hoc was the shortest, but it was again sobering to see the ground still so torn by bombs that we seemed to be surrounded by giant molehills and tiny valleys. 

The last thing I took away from both of these trips were my feelings upon returning to Nantes. It’s been surprising each time to notice my renewed sense of comfort when my train pulls into the station or our bus to the entrance of IES. More and more Nantes has felt like my landing place, and I am grateful to have a home to return to after my adventures.

Also, if anyone has a new word for ‘adventure’, please let me know. 

Write again soon,

Isabella

En Français, S’il Vous Plaît

Hello family, friends, and random readers!

It’s officially been a little over a week since I’ve arrived in France, which is a little later than I anticipated writing my first blog post. Adjusting to typing on a French keyboard definitely does not help my timeliness! Of course, the keyboards have not been the only big adjustment here, and part of my hesitation to write has come from my indecision on what exactly I should write about first, so I think I will start with the most obvious; the language. 

Since arriving, my brain has been split. For most of the day, I spend my day at the IES Center with other students, where we are required to speak French. In fact, the first thing you see when you enter the center is the doormat which reads ‘En Français, s’il vous plaît!’, a very common phrase here if you’re caught speaking English. I also speak French with my host family, who I typically see each night when we have dinner all together. My only English breaks come at home at the end of the day, where I might go on social media or talk to family and friends, or outside the center if I go for a coffee, shopping, or out with the other students. 

When I say my brain has been split, I really mean it. Every time I switch from French to English throughout my day, I feel the connections rewiring. Sometimes my friends and I forget words in English, in French, or in both languages at once so we’re left to struggle through giving a description of the thing like a spontaneous game of catch phrase. 

However, one of my favorite things about this experience has been this forced weakness. All of us students started with the same anxieties, and for the most part the same range of vocabulary. Our conversations are slow, but that means I am really, actively listening to the words being spoken, as well as telling my stories and sharing my thoughts carefully. 

With my family, I feel very encouraged. I am given the time and patience to speak, and every successful story is an encouragement to keep going. Going to stores and ordering food was another obstacle. But again, with each purchase I feel more and more confident in my abilities to navigate the new world I’m in.

Today, I was finally placed in one of the four French classes IES offers to its students for the semester. I cannot wait to continue building and practicing my language skills. My friend put it precisely in a way that stuck with me. Up until now, we’ve been using our French grammar and language skills we learned weeks, months; and years ago. We’ve been receiving so much input here though, and now these classes will give us the grammar structures to be able to form the sentences we need.

Until next time, which will hopefully be much sooner!

Isabella

Reasons to Study Abroad in Oslo

Upon returning home from a semester in Norway, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my overall experience abroad. I was fortunate to have a generally positive experience and already miss my friends and the lifestyle I lived while in Oslo. Here are a few of the things I have found I miss the most and what I believe was unique in choosing to spend a semester in Oslo, Norway!

Nature

There is no place quite like Norway. The chance to study in a place with mountains, rivers, oceans, or islands can be special but put them all together and you have the magical Norwegian homeland. From after-class hikes to weekend getaways, nature has heavily influenced how I spent my time abroad. It also inspired me to become more active and explore the unmarked beauty around me. Hundreds of thousands of tourists travel to Norway each year so why not take the opportunity to live in a place where most others only brush on the surface?

Quirky Hang Outs

Norwegian summers are warm and endless. Norwegian winters are cold and dark. This means that bars, restaurants, and clubs need to be able to accommodate for all types of environments. The result? Unique spots which entertain year-round. Some of my favorite spots have included Mabou, Kulturhuset, and Oslo Street Food. Thanks to life in Oslo, places with chill coffee shop vibes in the morning and dance music and games in the evening now hold an even nearer place in my heart.

The Basement of “Oslo Bowling” is filled with students and parents alike, all out for an evening of fun!

Ocean Views

Coming from West Michigan, I have been fortunate to visit Lake Michigan on a regular basis each year but there is nothing quite like living on the ocean. From summer beach days to FREEZING winter fjord jumps (quickly followed by a sauna session) the Oslofjord holds many dear memories.

Advice: take advantage of unique opportunities to take a swim in the fjord, freezing or not it is great for your health!

Islands

Students in Oslo only have to pay $50 for unlimited public transport each month…including ferries to nearby islands. Studying on the beach of Lindøya after class and exploring the old ruins of Hovedøya are just a couple of fond memories. Regardless of your adventure, it is quite the treat to have unique spaces just a boat ride away!

The view of the Oslofjord from Lindøya

Unique Friends

I know what you’re thinking, meeting cool people from different countries and cultures is what EVERYONE does while abroad. However, Oslo is not the first city that comes to mind for most students deciding where to study abroad. This means that when a student does choose this unique location, they are likely to have a unique personality to match. Norway is not always sunshine and northern lights, it can be a cold, dark, and rainy place. With crappy weather set as a standard, students must push themselves to go out and adventure rather than wait for the rain to pass…the reality is it might not. Making friends in a place with unpredictable weather is a great way to ensure memorable adventures in memorable circumstances!

Small Town Vibes

While Oslo is the largest and capital city of Norway, it has total small town vibes. The city is surrounded by both fjord and forests and only houses ~675,000 people. I believe the Norwegian (and generally Nordic) culture in the city also contributes to such a small town feel. Despite the general shyness of Norwegians, they are still incredibly willing to help out when asked and tend to warm up in bars and clubs, which Oslo has plenty of. For the student who is nervous about leaving home for the first time, you might be surprised at how quickly this “small” big city can feel like home.

Even at 3:30pm in the city center, Oslo can be a quiet and relaxing place

Global City

Aside from oil, skiing, and beautiful landscapes, Norway isn’t exactly known for much. One thing I learned in my Norwegian History course was that Norwegians have always been GREAT at assimilation. The country is made of sailors and traders who had to interact with people from across the world, and did so as early as in the 700’s. What does that mean for the capital city of Oslo? It is a place filled with an appreciation for world culture!

While there might be a stereotype of what a Norwegian person looks like (blond hair and blue eyes) I quickly learned that the city has become almost as much of a melting pot as back home.

Norwegians are also excellent at English. As a foreigner, this meant communication was a breeze! This also meant that when attending conferences and business lectures, I could meet people from across the globe. Many travel to Oslo because it represents a progressive and sustainable country and they want to learn more.

Advice: Take advantage of the global city and attend events where you can hear ideas and meet people from unique backgrounds.

A selfie at the “Oslo Innovation Week” Opening Ceremony!

Candles and Fur

I have already mentioned that Norway can be cold and however this slight setback, in many ways opened up a wide array of beautiful coping mechanisms. One of my favorite ways the cold is combated comes in the form of cozy candles and warm furs provided at restaurants and cafes. Outdoor seating is provided year-round along with heat lamps to keep guest comfortable year-round. Despite the cool summers and snowy winters, it was always possible to feel warm and fuzzy in the city.

Check out the softest furs, all natural from Norwegian farms of course!

Peace

Oslo is home to the Nobel Peace Prize. Even back in the 1800’s when Sweden and Norway were still in a union, Alfred Nobel knew that Oslo held a special place in the world. Therefore he specified that while all other Nobel prizes would be awarded in Stockholm, the Peace Prize should always be Norwegian.

The presence of the Peace Prize resonates throughout the city through it’s policies, customs, and way of life. The Nobel Peace Center was the only location where I got a membership over the semester and was by far the place I returned to most frequently. Being surrounded by the stories and messages of Nobel Peace Laureates energized me. If looking for a place to reflect on the beauties of life and become inspired to make a positive impact, Oslo might just be the city for you!

I sincerely hope that you will consider visiting Oslo and the country of Norway at some point in life. This is a lovely place that upholds ideals which many other countries are just beginning to pursue. To those looking to find their home away from home for a semester, check out Oslo, while it isn’t the “obvious” choice you might be surprised at what a hidden gem you find!

Celebrating Thanksgiving Abroad

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love the holidays! Ever since mid-October I have been playing holiday music while studying, cooking, and just walking through Oslo’s city center. The chilly air was really helping me to get excited about the upcoming holiday season, especially after visiting snowing Tromsø and returning to a while Oslo as well.

The one thing that has made me a bit nervous about this time of year is knowing it is my first holiday away from home. Even while at WMU, home is only 20 minutes away which means I have shared every holiday of my life with my mom, sisters, grandparents, aunt and newly added uncle. To me, what makes the holidays special is spending time with close friends and family as well as baking on the daily (I’m obsessed)! The way that I decided to cope with missing out on an American Thanksgiving this year was to plan one in Oslo.

I quickly learned that few of my exchange friends, most of whom are European, have never before celebrated the holiday of Thanksgiving. It makes sense really, why would Europeans celebrate a holiday commemorating the mass immigration of many of their ancestors to a new land? Regardless, I wanted to take advantage of the chance to host my very own Thanksgiving feast and show all of my friends what makes the event so fun!

One month prior to the holiday, I created a Facebook group and added around 15 of our closest friends here in Oslo. Since Thanksgiving is a holiday all about food, I posted a list of dishes that each guest could bring and I committed to cooking a turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie (thanks Mom for sending canned pumpkin <3). The menu was to include mashed potatoes, green beans, cheese and crackers, lingonberry jam (the Norwegian version of cranberry sauce), salad, and lots of sweets!

The plan behind the celebration

As the date got closer I began to face an unexpected challenge…the turkey. Honestly, I had just assumed I could find a turkey at a local grocery store as we do at home, not considering the fact that Norwegians don’t prepare turkeys around the holidays. Here a traditional holiday dish would consist more of pork rib, fish, or lamb. Since meat can get pretty pricey around here I began to sift through the local butchers shops and found a GREAT deal on chickens amounting to around $12 for three chickens. This might not seem like that great of a deal but in Norway, a pound of chicken breast can easily cost $6 so this price was a steal. A bit impulsively, I decided to order nine whole chickens and planned to pick them up Thanksgiving morning to have room to keep my normal groceries in my fridge in the meantime.

Thanksgiving morning finally came and one more challenge came with it…cooking pans. For both the nine chickens and my pumpkin pie, I was going to need baking tins. This resulted in a final grocery run to a neighborhood called Grønland which is known to have low prices on vegetables and kitchen items. Grønland is actually home to many Pakistani immigrants who are trying to built lives in Norway and this allows for them to sell items at much lower prices than other large chains in the city. Lucky for me, this is where I was able to find disposable baking tins and a cheap clay pie round which were exactly what I needed to make Thanksgiving a success.

Pumpkin pie

Before any of the guests arrived, I spent my afternoon elbow deep in chickens and herbed butter (rosemary, thyme, and garlic make a FANTASTIC herb combo) and I assembled what looked to be enough food for a small soup kitchen. It is worth adding that I decided to rein myself in and only cook six of the original nine chickens ordered which now means I can eat chicken meat until I go home. The great thing about living in an apartment complex near many of my friends was that I was able to borrow a few friend’s ovens which made cooking all of the birds much less of a challenge. Every 30 minutes or so I would walk up and down my hall, knocking on doors and turning the chickens before returning to my home base apartment.

Two of six Thanksgiving chickens

The final step was the table. Our BSN apartments here are Oslo are cute. Don’t get me wrong, on a normal evening they are perfect for my roomie Paula and I to cook dinner and chill while having enough space to veg out and unwind when needed. However, these apartments are not the best for hosting company. With the exception of a small table and three wooden chairs, we aren’t provided with much in the way of common space which meant we had to improvise to ensure all 15 of our guests could enjoy this dinner comfortably. Again, the luck of having so many of said guests living on the same floor as me meant that we could borrow their tiny tables and wooden chairs to make one giant table in my bedroom. Paula’s room became the coat room/storage room for my bed and viola, we had a dining room! I am honestly a bit disappointed that we never thought of this arrangement before because it turned out to be far more comfortable than expected!

Two American cooks (Lauren and I) prepping for dinner

Around 7pm, our friends began to arrive and filled our apartment with lots of delicious scents and chatter. We were able to quickly set the table and began our Thanksgiving feast!

The thing that was must amusing to me was learning that very few of our guests had a clue what Thanksgiving was or why we celebrated it. This was even true for our Canadian friends who celebrate Thanksgiving themselves though a month earlier than the US. Myself and Lauren, a fellow WMU student, shared a brief version of the “pilgrim and indian story” with our guests and then required everyone to share one thing they were thankful for before digging in. The general themes were being thankful for the success of our study abroad (Erasmus) experience, new friendships formed, and fun! Personally, I felt most thankful to have a family of exchange students to celebrate my first holiday away from home alongside.

Our makeshift dining room aka my bedroom

Our plates were full and for a rare moment with our friends, the room was very quiet as we enjoyed the dishes shared by the group. We ended up eating four and a half chickens and one of our friends was even able to take a whole chicken home as a “party favor” which was a pretty hilarious sight. By the time dessert came around, we were all stuffed but took small slices of pumpkin pie and Norwegian pepperkake (gingerbread cookies) along with small glasses of Italian limoncello, for digestive purposes only…

Dinner 😋

Celebrating an evening of friendship as our semester abroad in Norway comes to a close made for a perfect holiday! As we wrapped up our festivities (and rebuilt my bedroom) I couldn’t help but think that I didn’t want the night to end. I am so glad that my first holiday away from home was still spend surrounded by beautiful people who have began to feel like a family abroad!

Our beautiful exchange family ❤️

Savoring my Final Weeks in Scandanavia

The Oslo subway looking like a winter dream

Wow how time flies! It feels like just the other week that I was nervously boarding a flight to Oslo, truly terrified of what the upcoming months would hold. Now looking back of course it seems so silly as I had nothing but new friends and adventures to look forward to.

The face of a girl who was not quite ready to leave home for a semester…

Today is Sunday, December 1st and my final month abroad has just began! I am quite lucky because I will actually head to Sweden to hang out with Hilda and her family for a week before flying home to Michigan just in time for Christmas. The weeks prior to leaving are filled with mixed emotions and schedules since finals week is among us students! My last lectures were two weeks ago and now I have four exams to pass before I can finally rest easy.

In some ways, having finals week correlate with my final weeks in Oslo is quite nice. The weather here has been a bit dreary (chilly rain with little sun) especially as the sun sets around 3:30pm and that has helped improve my study habits dramatically. My love of exploring new coffee shops has also yet to end which makes studying a bit more adventurous as it can be an excuse to try out a new brew and get into the city! I am feeling especially grateful that I have finally learned to love black coffee because it’s easier on my bank account and my brain (less sugar=less mental crashing).

My savior these past few weeks, black coffee paired with a variety of sweet rolls

Knowing that I only have a few weeks left in the city has certainly made me more nostalgic than ever before. At the same time, I feel surprisingly content with how much of the city I have experienced over the past four months. I have adjusted so well to life in Norway. In many ways I feel it will be harder to adjust to life back in Michigan than it was to adjust to life in Oslo. Some of the things that had made me most nervous about coming to this city have become some of my favorite features today. For example, public transportation, meeting new friends, and traveling solo are now things that I hope to incorporate into my life back home. I think I might even miss black liquorice and the many different variations that I can try here…and that’s crazy because I always HATED black liquorice!

My wonderful roommate (right) and fellow Michigander (middle)

So the question remains, “How do I want to spend my final weeks in Oslo”? The answer has become more simple than I expected. I want to enjoy my time with the people who have made this trip so wonderful. Of course I hope to visit a few more museums and restaurants, maybe return to a favorite park or theater, but in the end I just want to celebrate the relationships that have been formed in this city. I know I can always come back and visit Oslo. What will truly never be the same is having such an eclectic group of friends in the same place. The fact is, we all are coming from countries across the GLOBE and that will be hard to replicate in the future.

A snowy adventure in Lillehammer with my friend Max

I enjoyed spending the past Thursday celebrating an American Thanksgiving with my friends and hopefully will enjoy a few more evenings in the city together before we depart. I know these next few weeks will fly by but looking back, this time spent in Norway will forever be a turning point in my life. A time when I pushed myself to truly leave home for the first time and branch out. This city is definitely feeling like home but a large reason for that is the family that I have been given through my fellow exchange family!

An international Thanksgiving, the first for the majority sitting at this table

A Weekend in the Arctic Circle

The view of the ARCTIC from the top of Fjellheisen

Ever dreamed of being surrounded by ice and snow in a place with only 5 hours of daylight? I certainly didn’t. Being a warm-loving person, the idea of the freezing cold tundra was the furthest thing from vacation I could imagine but spending a weekend in Tromsø, Norway helped to change my mentality around wintery vacations!

When first arriving in Norway, we exchange students were bombarded with tips about Norwegian food, culture, and travel. Nearly EVERYONE told me to spend a few days up in Tromsø to see the northern lights and Lyngen Alps. While the idea of light flowing through a dark sky seemed intreguing, shortened days and even colder nights was making me a bit nervous. Luckily, my roommate Paula convinced me to join a trip she was planning for our close friends which we completed just last week.

The weekend I spent in Tromsø was one of the most life changing experiences I’ve ever had! Being surrounded by snowcapped mountains which the sun barely rose above gave me a great appreciation for the world and it’s beauty! Commercials and Animal Planet specials can’t compare in the slightest to the feeling of standing on a mountain top overlooking the Arctic.

The middle of the day in Tromsø, notice how the sun has barely shown itself?

While the majority of my trip was spent with friends, I chose to arrive in Tromsø a day earlier than my friends as I was also leaving a day earlier for a school charity ball, but that’s another story.

On the first night, my Airbnb was a quaint home only five minutes walk from the city center and owned by a Cantonese couple. The beauty of this place was that two other guests were also staying in rooms along with me and we were able to socialize quite a bit through the evening and following morning for breakfast. Also, our host Ming is a Cantonese chef and prepared delicious noodles as our included breakfast, the best! While my room was small, there was something so cozy about reading on the couch as tv was playing and the others were cooking, reading, and planning out their future travels. As the youngest renter that evening, I felt very inspired by the people I was meeting and loved hearing their stories of past travels.

My Cantonese breakfast at the Tromsø Airbnb…could barely finish it!

One woman who was particularly friendly and interesting was named Ella. She and I had actually met on the plane as I had accidentally sat in her seat and had to move upon her boarding. It was that brief interaction that made us both laugh when she knocked on the door of my Airbnb stating she too was a tenant for the evening. Despite our difference in age and native countries, we got along quite well and agreed to explore Tromsø’s small city center together and even enjoy each other’s company for dinner. Meeting new people and sharing a memories and life stories had been one thing I’ve valued most while traveling!

The second day in Tromsø, eight of my exchange friends flew up and joined me in the city. It was such fun greeting this quirky and unique group of people in the streets of a brand new city! We also were pretty spoiled as we were staying in a large apartment for the weekend complete with four bedrooms, a jacuzzi, and SAUNA! To say we were impressed was an understatement especially since this place was only a 3 minute walk from the harbor and city center.

My lovely exchange friends who are certainly optimists in the face of ice and snow

The first evening we spent together as a group was probably the most memorable for me. We booked a Aurora Chasing tour which featured five tour guides, thermal snowsuits, bonfire, reindeer sausage, and breathtaking photos! This is an activity that most Tromsø travelers make time for during their vacation and lights or no lights I think it was totally worthwhile!

Captured by our Aurora tour guide: us friends taking in the view of the Aurora!

Over the course of seven hours, our group was driven to a handful of cities west of Tromsø located on barely habited islands. One of our resting spots was a beach on the coast of the Nordic Sea surrounded by snowy mountains while another was an arctic desert with thick shadows cast from the moon floating low in the sky. Not only was it cool to see the faintest of streaks of the northern lights stretch across the sky, I also loved spending quality time with friends cuddling up around a campfire while drinking hot chocolate and soaking up the views. We were lucky to have guides who were open who also helped us pass the time by sharing some of their WORST northern lights tours which have included flat tires, speeding tickets (worth $200 in Norway), and of course days on end with no lights in sight.

Dinner time!
Cooking reindeer sausages around the fire

One of my favorite memories from this evening was after we moved from our cozy campfire out to a deserted mountain range near a city called Rekvik. We moved with the hopes of seeing stronger aurora activity and when it wasn’t looking too good, we chose to wait around for about an hour before leaving again incase anything changed. The moment that followed is one of the reasons why I know I have found some awesome exchange friends in Oslo.

All nine of us students along with four of our five tour guides got into a giant snow fight! In the next hour, we totally exhausted ourselves by throwing snowballs, tackling one another to the ground, and running through knee deep snow to “safety” (aka out of throwing distance). We had so much fun and it really gave me a sense of awe looking around watching a bunch of 20 year olds playing in the snow beneath the milky way, mountains, and light white stripe of aurora! This was an experience I truly never knew I would have wanted to have in life but I am so glad that I did!

The Arctic desert and location of our snow fight

After packing up and driving home at 1am, we all slept VERY soundly that night!

The next day together was started with a relaxing morning of eating breakfast together before bundling up and heading into town. Tromsø as a city is actually quite small and doesn’t have so many activities but with the sun setting at 2pm, there isn’t so much “day” time to utilize anyway so it works out. We decided to ride the Fjellheisen, a cable car which takes riders to the top of the Storsteinen mountain. Being at the top of this mountain range and looking out to the rest of the area, it really hit me that we were in the ARCTIC! It may sound silly but this fact was something I couldn’t totally digest and am still not sure I fully was able to understand. It may sound funny but growing up, the Arctic has always seemed so foreign and unreachable to me. On top of that, I am very much a warm-loving person so the fact that I could possibly visit the Arctic Circle for less than a $100 plane ticket seemed far too casual and easy to me.

It’s a looooooong way from home up in Tromsø
Such a colorful landscape

Anyway, back to the adventure!

The views on the mountaintop were totally fantastic and became even more beautiful between the hours of 11am and 1:30pm when we got to see the sun barely rise above the mountain ridge and promptly set a couple hours later. The sunset was one of the most colorful I have ever seen and while photos don’t do anything like that justice, I am glad to have a decent camera to try to capture the feeling we had up there. As it was super chilly up there and we didn’t bring proper snow boots or pants, our group took a couple of breaks inside the cafe. Even inside we were able to see the majority of the views while sipping hot cocoa and eating Norwegian waffles and blueberry pie. It sorta felt like a ski lodge but with a more diverse crowd since honestly many of the tourists were far less equipped for the weather than we were.

The best way to warm up in the cold

Once the sun disappeared at 2pm, we all descended down the mountain, took a quick look at the exterior of the Arctic Cathedral, and then began cooking a late lunch/dinner for all. It was very odd trying to convince ourselves it was still so early when we were still tired out from the cold. The evening was spent relaxing in the comfort of our apartment while playing games, cooking, and eventually all cramming into the sauna and jacuzzi. The best of times!

It was bittersweet to leave a day before my friends but the memories we made in even a few short days are enough to last a lifetime! Pushing ourselves to explore one of the most unique natural landscapes and getting a taste of the Nordic lifestyle made me appreciate my time in Norway more than ever before! It would have been so easy to pick a warm, open country to spend my semester abroad but I am so glad to have chosen a place which is pushing me to find joy and adventure in less common circumstances! While a weekend vacation to the Arctic was never something I expected to experience in my lifetime, I am so glad to have done it early in life so that someday I can bring others to see how special it can be!

Such a memorable experience!