Choatic Travels

Before the study abroad experience can begin, one usually has to arrive at the place of study. On Sunday, August 5 that was our intention: to board the airplane and leave Fargo at 6 am. God had different plans. The airline company informed both Callie, the other Concordia student also studying abroad at the University of Tromsø, and I that we could not board the airplane without the physical document of our visa. Unfortunately, we had not received the document or even approval yet due to the strikes that were occurring in Norway, so moms and others present started calling whomever we could to find out what to do. This had never occurred with study abroad students at Concordia before.

The beginning of my trip had now included a denial in leaving the United States which to me was surprising. While traveling, I usually have a more difficult time returning to the U.S., not leaving. In addition, my trip now included my lovely mother calling the house of the Provost and Dean of the college at 4:30 am. I will admit it was a little embarrassing having an upset mother calling people of high importance at the college, but all in all, I was proud that she was able to remain in control given the circumstances.

To summarize the morning, a lot of phone calls were made and the global education office was finally contacted. Our coordinator immediately started working on obtaining our visas which included contacting the U.S. Embassy in Minneapolis and the Norwegian Consulate General in Norway. By the next morning we had our visas and a completely new flight itinerary.

On Monday, August 6 we arrived at the airport, said our goodbyes, and boarded our airplane after making it through security- always a nerve racking event for me; seems like I get inspected by security way too frequently. We flew from Fargo to Chicago to Newark, NJ where we had a six hour layover. While waiting at the Newark, NJ airport, we learned that a woman had broken through security the day before. Hundreds of flights had been cancelled and many others were rerouted. The Sunday chaos was overwhelming, but there was a reason why our travel plans had been pushed back by a day.

During the remainder of the layover, Callie and I had a smoothie and our last meal in the U.S. which was Chinese food. We then boarded our airplane knowing that upon arrival we would be in Norway! Our flight from Newark, NJ arrived in Oslo late; therefore, we missed our airplane to Tromsø. After speaking to multiple airport desks, we were rerouted through Trondheim to Tromsø.



View from the airplane as we were approaching Tromsø



 

On the airplane, I could see magnificent views of the mountains and islands. The scenery was going to be a nice switch-up from the flat prairies of North Dakota. Crazy to think this is where I will be living for the next five months.

Upon landing, two students from the University greeted us and gave us a packet of important information. At this point it was 11 pm and we had been traveling for around 30 hours. With two large suitcases, a backpack, a purse, and a gorgeous blanket David’s mother crocheted for me, I awkwardly boarded the bus with many eyes watching me. Callie and I were then dropped off at our hostel, Stakkevollan. We were in the same housing complex, but not the same building.

At the bus stop, a student named Bill- a third year student at the university from Egypt- relieved me of my luggage struggles and directed me to my building. Tricia- also a new international student- helped Callie. Before settling down for the night, Bill graciously let us use his computer to inform loved ones back home that we had safely arrived since we did not have internet. From there, I changed clothes, placed sheets on my bed, and drifted off to sleep.