Argiro's Norwegian adventure

My experience in Norway

Written by Argiro Roinioti, a Greek Student in Norway 

When I and my fellow students heard about the European Economic Area (EEA) Scholarship fund sponsored by the EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein) last year, we decided to make an application in order to do our master thesis in cooperation with a Norwegian University. We all are postgraduate students of the National Technical University of Athens which was the beneficiary of the programme at the time. Luckily, all of us who applied were accepted, in the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, which is one of the best Universities in Norway, and Europe in general. I, personally, chose Norway because I always found Scandinavian countries intriguing, although I had never been to one.

During my stay in Trondheim, I had the chance to work on my master thesis in collaboration with Sintef Energi AS, the largest energy research institution in Norway, with which NTNU closely cooperates. My supervisor, as well as everyone else I contacted in Sintef and NTNU, was very helpful and happy to provide me with all the guidance I needed. I also had the chance to attend a course in an international postgraduate programme, which was a valuable experience. NTNU can offer quality research – based education, as well as a wide range of programmes taught in English. The campus facilities in NTNU are great and everything is very organized. You can really build your daily life around campus – which is something you can’t do in a Greek University. The campus has just about everything  you could need, from dining rooms and cafeterias to training centers. The student body is also very organized, and welcomes international students with many social activities.

I even had the chance to take a trip with a student organization to the Lofoten islands in the Arctic Circle, which is the most ruggedly beautiful place I have ever visited.

When I think of Trondheim, I think of cobblestone streets and colorful wooden houses. While in Trondheim, you will have the opportunity to go hiking and stay overnight at cabins in Bymarka, the mountain area which surrounds the city of Trondheim, where all the local people go for cross-country skiing.  If you like nature, skiing, hiking and snow, than Trondheim is your city. It is a student city, since one person out of six is a student. One out of ten students is an international student, so you have the chance to meet people and make friends from different countries. Norwegians are extremely polite and helpful people and generally speak fluent English, which makes daily life much easier, considering that Norwegian is not a particularly easy language to learn. They are very progressive and practical people, and I really appreciated the informality in their way of life.

Trondheim may be in Central Norway, but you should bear in mind that it is located 400 km under the Arctic Circle, so you can expect it to be cold. The temperature can drop as low as -20 Celsius degrees, which might come as a shock to you, since it is something you would never experience in Mediterranean countries like Greece! I, personally, was sick more than once, but probably because the past winter was one of the coldest (November has seen record cold in Trondheim). Another thing that one should also be prepared for, is that Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. However, one can really see why Norway ranks first as far as the living standard is concerned. Another thing that makes Norway unique, is that there is no darkness during summer. On the other hand, winter days are very short, but if you are lucky enough, you might even get to see the northern lights in the sky.
 

All in all, studying in Trondheim – and Norway in general - is a one of a kind experience. As a student in Norway, you can travel around to discover the beauty of Norway, a country with endless fjords, mountains and lakes. NTNU is an excellent University which I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to study engineering, technology or natural sciences.

Yes, the cold will probably be a challenge, but the experience of living in a country so beautiful and different from your own will reward you.