Nora Stadler, student at Windesheim, is currently living in Norway to study Education for diversity and sustainable living.
I’ve been here in Hamar for more than a month and until now I have been enjoying this time a lot. Hamar is a small city when you compare it to cities in the Netherlands. However, with (only) 30.000 inhabitants, in Norway it’s considered one of the bigger cities.
Yes, that number shook be off a bit in the beginning as well. But honestly, you have everything here! From cute cafés, a super big gym, a big mall, to libraries and a super nice karaoke bar.
They even have a shop where you can rent stuff like bikes, skies or tents for free. At least that is free, because the prices in the supermarket are honestly just insane! On the other hand: my rent is lower than in Zwolle. I share an apartment with one other person, we both have our own room.
Swimming in the lake
Hamar is located next to the biggest lake in Norway, the Mjøsa lake. Right in the beginning of my stay here, I made two friends and somehow, we group-pressured each other into swimming in that lake every day. It started when it was still super warm and sunny, but kept on going when it started to get colder and we even swam in the lake during rain. The ‘Mjøsa Dips’, as we called them, became a little tradition of ours.
Geiranger Fjord
Then we went on a trip to the Geiranger Fjord. It’s one of the most popular sites in Norway. We were sailing through the Fjord with a ferry, and it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by such incredible nature. It was an eight-hour drive, but the time flew by so quickly because we drove past so much amazing nature.
Over there, we stayed in little huts that were rented out by a hostel. We did some hikes where we saw amazing waterfalls and could look down into the town by the Fjord.
After the trip our Mjøsa-Dip-streak ended, but hey: we made it until day 26!
In general, I am very happy here. Also, the uni course-package is very nice. The lecturers took us on hikes and showed us Norwegian traditions and just in general the lecturers are very nice and open people.
