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Elena studied abroad in Norway

Hi, I’m Elena, 17 years old, and I spent my exchange year in southern Norway. I went during the 2024/25 school year.

I’ve always wanted to go on an exchange to get to know a new culture, see something different from the German school system, and have a fun year before starting the more demanding school years.

I chose Norway for my exchange because of its school system and the greater opportunities compared to Germany. I’m also a big fan of nature, and I wasn’t disappointed — Norway truly has some of the most beautiful natural landscapes. Another reason was that Norway isn’t too far from home, which makes it easier to return to visit my friends and family.

School in Norway

My school is better than the one in Germany. We have less subjects and more freedom to choose what we want to have. I feel like I am getting way better prepared for my future life and I would have loved to spend one more year here in Norway.

My host family

My host family was really sweet and very open. My sister was the same age as me, so we bonded very well. My host dad is from New Zealand, so we spoke English and Norwegian at home. That made communication very easy. We went on a lot of small trips in the neighborhood and a bit further away. They showed me all the places around Kristiansand. I would say I found a second family. A difference that I saw quite in the beginning is that working hours for adults are way shorter. My host parents were home latest at 4pm and then we usually had our warm dinner. In the beginning that was a weird time, but I’ve gotten used to it.

Friends

Norwegians are very quiet and introverted. So, finding friends wasn’t the easiest. Overcoming the language barrier was a big challenge for me. All the schoolbooks were in Norwegian, so it was hard in the beginning to understand what we did in class. I just tried my best to understand something, and Google Translate was a big helper. With my friends also exchange students and Norwegians, that I met in school. We’ve been going to a sewing course and made my own national dress. Here in Norway those activities are for free! I was with my friends a lot, and we made food from different countries to share more of our cultures.

Expectations

My exchange year was just as I expected it to be. It was maybe even better. I went in with very low expectations, that’s the best you can do, so that you won’t be disappointed. I have been able to experience the best things, and I am happy with my choice. Getting to know so many more people that will become lifelong friends. You learn so much more about yourself and begin to grow out of your comfort zone. You have a better understanding of other cultures and begin to respect them.

Why STS?

I chose STS mainly because it was the only organization that was ready to take me in when I applied. They gave me a safe feeling and explained the process quite well.

In between applying and my placement I had to wait for quite a long time. I didn’t get any information in between, that was quite stressful to experience. But STS had a fine welcome camp. Sadly, all the other trips were too expensive and not planned at times where they fitted with my schedule. That was very sad.

If I can give tips to future exchange students, I would say:

  • Saying yes and being open are the best ways to experience new and great things.
  • Don’t have super high expectations on everything, it could happen that you won’t experience what you would like to and then get disappointed.
  • Everything will be fine and it’s always ending well. Don’t worry too much.

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Nele was on an exchange year in Norway

Nele from Germany went on an exchange to Norway.

When were you on exchange and for how long?

I was on exchange in Norway from August 2023 to June 2024. I stayed for 10 months in Oslo.

How did you find the school?

Compared to school in Germany, school in Norway is easier and more relaxed. The tasks were pretty easy and we almost got no homework. I didn’t study too much and got mostly As and Bs. The teachers weren’t as strict, and the student/teacher relation was more familiar and not as formal as in Germany. We often talked about private things like hobbies and pets with the teachers. This seemed strange to me at first, but after I got used to it, I loved that. It made it easier to ask questions and say things in class.

How did you manage the language (Norwegian)?

Especially in the beginning, I felt uncomfortable speaking Norwegian. However, everybody was super supportive and patient with me. This helped me to get out of my comfort zone and really try to speak Norwegian in public. In the end, I managed to speak fluently.

What did you do in your spare time? Any new hobbies?

Before I went on exchange, I played handball and I wanted to continue with it during my exchange year. I made some really good friends in my handball team. In general, it was so nice to experience handball practice in a different country and to get some inspiration.

I had a lot of spare time as I didn’t have to work too hard for school. So, I started to swim, do yoga, knit, and I went on many walks with my host dog. It was wonderful not having to concentrate too much on school and trying out new things.

Some advice for future students?

Don’t stress too much about making friends!! Most people, including myself, worry about this before going on exchange. Personally, I struggled a lot, especially in the first weeks, since I did not understand a thing and my class wasn’t really including me.

Additionally, it stressed me to hear from other exchange students, that they made a lot of new friends during their exchange. I felt the pressure. But after overcoming the language barrier, I made some good friends in school and my handball team. It just took some time. So, don’t put too much pressure on you in the first few weeks. It takes some time to get to know people and to really connect.

I really recommend doing some sport during your exchange. It is easier to connect with others when you have something in common.

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