Babeş-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca

Romania

ENGLISH VERSION

Year/semester and subject at Hedmark University College (HUC):
Spring 2010, 4th semester, course at HUC: Norsk Språk og Kultur for Internasjonale Studenter (trinn 3); Norsk 2 (modul B).
 

Subjects/study before the stay in Hamar:
Bachelor level, Scandinavian studies + English Grammar and Literature.
 

How does the course/s in Hamar fit into your study plan?
Norwegian is my main language choice at my current faculty and the courses I attended in Hamar boasted my knowledge about Norwegian culture and language. The two courses I decided to take had different difficulty levels. The course for international students consisted in information I had already studied and it was quite easy for me. But I still managed to enrich my vocabulary and understand better some grammatical rules. As for the other course, the level of difficulty was very high for me, since I only had one year of Norwegian studies behind. At the beginning I found it very difficult to keep up with the daily routine, but after I while I started to get used to the language and furthermore, intense study helped me make some progress, step by step.  At the end of these courses I felt like I progressed much better than I would have done back home, especially since I don’t have the opportunity to practice speaking Norwegian so much.
 

What made you choose to come and study in Hamar?
I managed to come to Norway thanks to the Erasmus scholarships, among which there were many places available, such as Oslo, Trondheim, Tromsø and so on. Most of them were taken by the time I decided I do want to take advantage of this offer. All the others cities were famous in Norway, but this town particularly attracted my attention, since I have never heard about it, and I decided to go for it. The advantage was also that I was close to Oslo, where another Romanian colleague of mine had already taken a scholarship and it was easier to see each other more often.
 

How did you like Hamar?
The time I spent in Hamar is memorable. Even if its size is rather small, it has a particular beauty that really made me get attached to it. I have to admit that the first month I arrived there was a shock for me (January), as it was extremely cold and of course in Romania I have never experienced such temperatures. But I got used to that and started to enjoy life there. The main attraction I think is Mjøsa, the most beautiful and relaxing part of Hamar.

As for the student life, leaving in Monsens was great, because I managed to keep in touch with the others international students and friends. The facilities were satisfactory enough. There have been several events organized for international students, apart from the small gatherings organized in the residence. A surprise for me though were the prices, since they are extremely bigger than in Romania, but the scholarship was just enough to cover all the expenses and allow me not to worry financially. On the whole, I had a lot of great time, I met a lot of nice people that I will never forget and I will always remember Hamar as one of the most beautiful parts of my life.
 

How did you like your study in Hamar?
For me, as a foreign student, it was quite demanding, but this was a positive thing, because I was motivated to study and learn more. The teachers are great, very well-prepared and skilled, that’s what I liked most. Also, facilities are undoubtedly up to date and the staff is always ready to deal with your problems. A thing that I regret was the inability of being more active during classes, since I was quite unfamiliar with the subjects, but I still managed to attend the courses and study hard.

Another thing I also liked was the contact group who took care of the international students. It was a big help, because I was always guided and given information, no matter what my issue was. In Romania we don’t have this separate office, which is a pity.
 

Do you have tips for other students who want to study in Hamar?
I can only recommend them to enjoy everything Hamar can offer. Take advantage of being there and try visiting as many places as possible. And do not give up if some Norwegian people don’t show themselves very friendly :-) it’s a common fact that they are a bit colder than other European nations, but as soon as you get to know them, you will be able to set deep connections with them. I do not have to give more tips, I am sure, because anybody who will come to Hamar will understand easily how things work there. There is nothing to be afraid of!
 

Other things you would like to tell from your stay in Hamar?
5 months spent there is a long time and I can’t lay everything down on this paper. I can definitely say that Hamar may be a small town, but it’s leaving a deep mark on anybody living there for a while (in a positive way :-)). It was great being there and I hope I will come back one day.