Field report

Ieva B. A., Leisure and Tourism Management, 6th semester, Norway, University of Agder (UiA), Campus Kristiansand, summer semester 2023

After starting my studies at HOST one of the things I was most excited about was the upcoming exchange semester abroad. When starting my application process I was still contemplating other options - I tried to consider which country and university will be the best fit for me based on my language skills, cultural background, education quality, general environment, and more.
After I was selected to go to Kristiansand, I was a little worried and doubtful - I knew it was a small coastal city, in the south of Norway, where weather conditions are nothing compared to sunny cities in Spain, little did I know it will become the best memory.
A couple of weeks after I received an acceptance letter, I got an invite to join an open-day meeting online, where student representatives told us more about life at the UiA and answered our questions. I had all the necessary information and tips to start looking for accommodation (started in late November after receiving an additional email with explanations and information). We were divided into different "buddy groups" and added to group chats on WhatsApp, where ESN representatives (Erasmus Student Network) and so- called "buddies" (student volunteers) answered all of our questions and organized our pick- up on our arrival day.
I was able to get a room on campus via Sia Housing - I had my own room and a shower + bathroom but had to share a kitchen and living space with the other three students. The student housing has exceeded my expectations as the room was very modern a spacious. We were told to bring our own kitchen supplies, but luckily the students from the previous semester left us plenty.
During the first few weeks, we spent most of our time in our buddy groups - attended orientation day and different tours to get used to our new environment and get to know each other - we went grilling, bowling, organized game/ movie nights, and a lot of parties inside and outside of our campus. I was pleasantly surprised by how many people were involved in helping us to feel comfortable and welcome, as well as making sure we do not have any unanswered questions or other issues.
I heard many stories and stereotypes about Norwegians and Scandinavian culture - introverts, that avoid foreigners and like to stay within their own circle. I can only talk about my own experience, but I have never been surrounded by so many nice and kind people before. I have spent most of my time with other international students as we lived and had many activities together, but I always felt safe and welcome.
My schedule was quite intense – I had four courses which seems not a lot compared to the number of courses I normally had in Stralsund, however, every course had multiple compulsory assignments, without which students were not allowed to take final exams. I enjoyed most of my classes, especially International Business, Multimedia Marketing & Communications, and Marketing. I was not a huge fan of Business Analytics, since statistics is definitely not one of my strengths. We had a lot of group work that I really enjoyed - the tasks were interesting and gave us new practical skills and insights.

I really enjoyed spending time at our university as it had a lot of amenities to make students comfortable - a bookstore, café, kiosk, multiple coffee machines, studying and relaxation areas, and a cafeteria, that offers a great variety of high-quality foods.
In our free time, our friend group organized a trip to Tromso, where we got to see the northern lights and experience other arctic activities, such as husky sledding and ice domes. Our second self-organized trip was to Preikenstolen, Stavanger, where we hiked up the Pulpit Rock - a cliff that rises 604 meters above Lysefjorden.
I did not have the same routine, as I organized my free time around the classes I had - I finished some of my courses until the Easter Holiday and had more time in spring. Kristiansand is the largest city in southern Norway, with a population of 85,983, where you can find not only white traditional Norwegian houses, and stunning nature, but many tourist attractions as well. We went on a lot of hikes since you have a wide selection of hiking trails and lakes - we even went for a swim (do not forget your swimsuit!). In our free evenings, we had an opportunity to discover Scandinavian nightlife by visiting local bars - the selection might not compare to the one in big cities, however, we still had plenty to discover.
I always preferred bigger cities, but I fell in love with Kristiansand at first sight! Idyllic white houses, nice beaches, friendly people, nice restaurants and shops, camping areas, good transportation system. Moreover, it is important to mention that most people (even the older generation) are fluent in English! I did not expect to find such an international environment (not to mention a huge number of international students) in such a small city.
I would go back for another semester if I could! If you have an opportunity, I definitely recommend you Kristiansand and the University of Agder. Without any exaggeration - it was the best 5 months of my studying years, where I got to experience so many things and make