What was your first impression of Norway?
Arriving in Norway felt very different from France due to the cold weather, especially during the exceptional cold wave in early January. Nevertheless, the snowy landscapes were beautiful and calming.
Matteo arrived from France during a spell of extremely cold weather that even the locals found challenging! Even though it was -20 Celsius outside, the scenery couldn't have been more beautiful. The ground was covered in pristine white snow and every branch on every tree was covered in frost.
Despite the cold temperatures, the staff and faculty members did their best to give a warm welcome.
What was your first impression of Østfold University College (HiØ)?
My initial impression of HiØ was that the people were incredibly welcoming, and the infrastructure was modern, offering a variety of interesting activities.
Matteo is taking subject in the Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics. His classes are all located on our Halden campus, which is a spacious and modern building with well-equipped classrooms. Student housing is right on campus making it easy to get from Matteo's room to his classes.
During the beginning of the semester, HiØ does it best to keep the new students active so that they can make important connections with other exchange student, their student buddies and other Norwegian students. The semester always starts off with an information meeting for new students and an introduction to student organizations responsible to all kinds of social activities throughout the year.
What is the biggest difference you noticed so far from being a student in France vs. being a student in Norway?
The biggest difference from being a student in France from being a student in Norway is that working here feels less stressful.
Most of our Erasmus exchange students are used to taking up to ten courses each semester but at HiØ they will probably only take three! This is due to the difference in how our courses are designed. Most courses at HiØ have 10 ECTS so, in order to get a full-time semester status, students will take three courses worth 10 ECTS each. This can take some getting used to for our exchange students!
The larger courses allow students to go deeper into each subject and is something that exchange students often appreciate at the end of the semester, especially considering that they will spend less time in lectures then they might at home. Exchange students are also often challenged to have to work more independently outside of the classroom which provides a good opportunity for academic growth and responsibility.
Courses avaliable for exchange students
Do you have any advice to future exchange students about how to plan their exchange semester at HiØ?
I would recommend future exchange students to be well-prepared for the cold weather, mindful of the relatively high cost of living in Norway, so they can plan a budget wisely. Finally, to explore as Norway landscapes are beautiful.
Some tips for planning your exchange in Norway: