Tromsø, Norway

For the last three years I have studied biology at Concordia College, however, this fall semester I have traveled 3,759 miles away from home to study at the University of Tromsø in Norway. For the next five months I will not only be studying abroad, but I will be discovering myself while stepping outside my comfort zone. I will be presented with many challenges. It is through these challeneges that I hope to grow and gain a new perspective.

This blog will include a description of what I have been up to this semester. It will also be a way for me to share my struggles, my joys, my thoughts, and my adventures.

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Before I begin, I will provide some background information. The city Tromsø is located within the Troms county of Norway. It is home to around 70,000 people, and the city is the seventh largest in Norway. The majority of the population lives on the small island of Tromsøya which is located above the Arctic Circle (66.5622°). The rest of the city is situated on parts of the larger island Kvaløya to the west and mainland Norway to the east. There are two bridges and an underwater tunnel that connect the island of Tromsøya to these two land masses.

As one can see from the map below, Tromsø is located in the High North. Why am I adventuring to a place so far north? Well, the answer is simple: to learn more about my heritage and experience a new culture. The better question is: Why not?

Location of Tromsø in Europe

Within Tromsø I am studying at the University of Tromsø which boasts itself as the most northern university of the world. The university has over 9,000 students studying on campus. Of those students, 10% are from abroad, 20% are from Southern Norway, and the remaining 70% are from Northern Norway. Classes are taught in both English and Norwegian; however, the majority of things around the campus are written in Norwegian.