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 have heard experiences from Katri, who was exchange in Norway. As the exchange period has now ended, this is Katri’s last post.
The final push of the semester
In Tromsø, the weather can change quickly, and we’ve seen all kinds of conditions. A month ago, there was a short thunderstorm with winds of 25 m/s! After that, winter really arrived: it snowed for a couple of weeks, altogether about a meter. I’ve been able to ski on amazing trails, and my daughter got to try backcountry skiing. You can see skiers on the mountains every day and evening. The polar night started a couple of weeks ago, so the daylight hours are now very short. The northern lights season has begun, and there are a lot of tourists in the city, especially from Asia.
The autumn semester—and with it, the latter half of my exchange period—went by very quickly.
During the final weeks, other teaching gradually came to an end, which left more time for my own practice. Music students here perform a semesterprøve, a performance exam, at the end of each semester, for which they receive oral feedback. Mine was last Friday, and I played about 30 minutes of repertoire. I received good and very encouraging feedback, which motivates me to continue practicing just as diligently in Finland. Here I’ve been able to focus more on playing, and I hope I’ll find time for it at home more easily than before.
During the semesterprøve weeks, the library offered glogg, gingerbread cookies, and chocolate every day. With the help of the secretary, students also decorated the lobby café in Christmas style. As the highlight of the autumn, I performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the orchestra!
I’ve gotten to know other exchange students from around the world and realized that people can be very similar regardless of their background or home country. Tromsø is a very international city, so people here are tolerant and friendly. I’ve felt that Finns in particular are appreciated. Many have visited Finland, and quite a few have a Finnish parent, grandparent, or neighbor. There’s almost always been another Finn in the spa sauna. Our family has also gotten to know two lovely Finnish families and spent time with them.
If you’re interested in Tromsø as an exchange destination, feel free to ask me for more information. A tip: you can also complete a master’s degree at the conservatory! Since the housing situation in Tromsø is challenging, my advice is to start planning your exchange early and submit your student housing application already at the beginning of the year. For us, housing caused a lot of stress, but in the end everything worked out well. During the autumn, we lived in three different houses. The grants covered the rent and travel expenses.
I will miss the scenery, the outdoor areas, the excellent teachers at the conservatory, and the friendliness of the people! Our friends invited us to come back, and who knows, maybe we will someday… I left Tromsø, but Tromsø won’t leave me. 🙂
