Going Abroad is OSAKO’s own grant, which is granted for students going exchange or training abroad. As a return, the recipient of the grant produces us some exchange content. This Autumn, we get to hear experiences from Katri, who is currently on exchange in Norway.
On an Arctic Island – Concerts and Waffles
The semester in Tromsø is already past its halfway point. The warm autumn suddenly turned into early winter in mid-October. One day, about 20 centimeters of slushy snow fell — though here on the Arctic coast, it can snow up to half a meter in a single day! The mountains have kept their white caps even though the temperature has mostly stayed above zero. The roads are sometimes very slippery, so I’ve been cycling less and learning to use the buses instead. Having a car makes life easier, but driving here is expensive.
My family and I have now lived here for three months, and I’ve been studying music. My cello teacher has given me excellent guidance, and I’ve already partly achieved the goals we set during my first lesson of the semester. I can therefore be quite pleased.
After about two months, I realized that I had really settled in: everyday life runs smoothly, we can easily find what we need in the shops, and the tiredness of the first few weeks began to fade. Because of the poor housing situation, we couldn’t stay in the same apartment for the whole autumn. Luckily, we found our current spacious house a bit farther from the city center, as we enjoy being close to nature. The children now have their own rooms and space to play in the yard — hopefully that eases their homesickness a little!
We’re now in the middle of our third and final project week of the autumn: we play and perform chamber or orchestral music in various ensembles. Tromsø’s cultural life is vibrant, and we students have performed in concerts during Kulturnatt (the Night of Arts) and the Tromsø International Church Festival. I also play in the Tromsø Byorkester (the “Town Orchestra”), with which we have given two concerts this autumn. At the end of the semester, we’ll each have our own final recital, called the Semesterprøve.
The conservatory has a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, and if I want company, there’s always someone to talk to. During lunch breaks, students gather around the tables in the main hall to eat their packed lunches. You can also buy small snacks from the canteen, and often the secretary or one of the teachers makes waffles — a Norwegian favorite — to sell. The traditional toppings are brown cheese (brunost), sour cream (rømme), and jam. I have to admit, I often miss the warm student lunches back at OAMK!
I’ve learned a fair amount of Norwegian. The language course teacher and materials are so good that I could probably learn quickly if I had more time. However, I’ve chosen to prioritize my main music studies. At the conservatory, English works perfectly well and using it has become very natural for me. I’m so glad I decided to apply for the exchange — and even happier that I got in!
