Hello, My name is Adam and I will be returning from my exchange programme next week. I studied Law at the University of Bergen (UiB) from August 2023 to June 2024. Bergen is known for its nature, particularly the seven mountains, fjords and constant rain. Although it has a small population, the city is very lively and has numerous shopping malls with many activities to do.
When I first arrived in Bergen, I had a rocky start. I managed to lose my phone during a hike (luckily I found it after initiating a 2 hour search party), I lost my wallet, and was feeling homesick as it was my first time travelling solo. It was also daunting having to find the UK equivalents for shops I was used to back home. For example I found Xtra to be a replacement for Lidl, and Power to be similar to Currys. Despite this difficult beginning, things changed with the Welcome week programme hosted by Erasmus. There, I met a variety of international students that had similar experiences coming to Norway which made it easier to connect with them. But regardless, they were all very welcoming and friendly.
For my time in Bergen, I stayed in a studio flat provided by Sammen. If you are travelling to Bergen and unsure which accommodation would suit you, I would recommend Fantoft for the extroverted, social personalities or Frydenbø for those that prefer quieter areas. One thing to be wary of Fantoft however is the half an hour commute if you are planning to study at UiB. As such, Grønneviskoren or Alrek might be more appealing for those that want to live closer to city centre as they have bus routes that take you straight there in less than ten minutes. Hybel and Finn.no are also good alternatives if you wish for private housing.
In terms of the lectures themselves, they were not densely packed in content for law modules. The lecturers were very relaxed and put an emphasis on collaborative work due to the fact that most of my modules involved comparing different legal systems across Europe, whether it be in the realms of constitutional law or applying international conventions. As such, I had a lot of free time and decided to enrol in a beginnerâs Norwegian course for the first semester. The class was pretty much what you expected but the main benefit I would say is the people you meet there. I met and befriended a lot of amazing people from the course.
During the semester, my daily life consisted of lectures, sports and simply exploring the city. I played volleyball every Friday and Sunday, as well as basketball in the evenings. I hiked at least once a fortnight which was the most walking I had ever done during the course of my life. Cooking was the biggest challenge. A weeks worth of shopping can cost double than back in the UK, especially if you plan on buying fruit or salmon.
If you are travelling to bergen and unsure of what there is to do, you should definitely check out the ice-skating rink at Bergenshallen as entrance and renting the skates are free at certain times. Kayaking is another alternative which you can either do at Fløen during the summer, or through the green kayaking app. There is also nordnes where you can go swimming with a nice view of the sea or visit the aquarium. If you prefer shopping, Bergen has a lot of shopping centres to offer with the one at lagunen being the biggest. Vestkanten shopping centre however, is nicer in my opinion as it has bowling, minigolf and a water park in one area.
I also had the opportunity to travel to Oslo and Tromsø. Oslo felt more like your average city in England in terms of the industrial vibe but the Munch and National museum were fascinating. Tromsø was my favourite city to visit in Norway because it just felt much cosier and Iâm a huge fan of cold, snowy climates. Sadly I didnât get to see the northern lights but I went to the Christmas choir at the Arctic Cathedral which was pleasant.
All in all, I had an amazing experience and would highly recommend anyone to take the opportunity to study abroad. Being immersed in a culture foreign to you will greatly boost your confidence and interpersonal skills.