A Queen's Student Guide to Exchange in Bergen, Norway

The other day I had the opportunity to get in contact with Melaina, who is a 3rd year Queen's student who is currently spending her fall semester in Bergen, Norway. Melaina has offered me with a lot of insightful advice about the in and outs of her exchange experience. All these pictures were also taken by Melaina, so we could truly envision her exchange so far!

1. Why did you choose Bergen as your exchange destination?

I chose Bergen as my exchange destination as I knew I

wanted to be somewhere in Scandinavia and

Norway really stood out to me, but coming from

Toronto, I also didn’t want to be in another big city. Bergen is big enough that it has so much to do and a great student life but also small enough that you can really get to know it and still feel the culture without just feeling like a tourist. Bergen also has quite a few universities which makes it a great environment for students - some of my best friends on exchange weren’t even just from my school as it really is a great city to meet people in!

2. What was your favourite outdoor experience in Scandinavia?

My favourite outdoor experience in Scandinavia was exploring Lofoten, an island chain in the north of Norway. I was able to do some incredible hikes with the most breathtaking views such as Kvalvika beach, went swimming in the Arctic Ocean - freezing but amazing, and to top it all off, we got the best northern lights I’ve seen so far on our last night! Lofoten is definitely a must-see if you’re in Norway, everything from its mountains to its beaches to its cute little towns throughout are simply unmatched.

3. Would you recommend this destination for exchange and why?

I would absolutely recommend Norway as a whole and definitely Bergen as an exchange destination for so many reasons. Bergen is right on the ocean and surrounded by mountains which already makes it a beautiful destination, but it is also known as the “gateway to the fjords” which makes it a great starting point for a lot of travel. I was able to go glacier hiking just 2 hours away and have done multiple fjord cruises that have started or ended in Bergen. As well, I think Norway itself is an amazing country for exchange; the culture is so kind and welcoming, it’s incredibly safe and beautiful, and a helpful bonus is that everyone speaks perfect English wherever you are. I think friendly people and incredible nature have made it a pretty amazing country for exchange!

4. What are three tips you would give someone traveling to Norway for exchange in the Fall?

Three tips I’d give someone going on exchange to Norway in the fall (or any season), are bring the right clothes, join an organization for something you like, and travel travel travel!

1. There is a saying in Norwegian “det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær" which means “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” and they take that to heart! The weather can change very quickly; I’ve seen clear blue skies, rain, and snow and back to sun within the same afternoon, but as long as you have the right clothes you barely even notice! 2. Not only a great way to meet people, but a great way to explore something new! In Bergen, there is a student run hiking group that organizes weekly hikes around the city as Bergen is surrounded by 7 mountains. For a lot of outdoor activities it’s worth it to join a group so that you can do them with other people and not have to worry about getting lost by yourself! 3. Lasty, Norway is such a naturally incredible country that my biggest tip of all is to see as much of it as possible. It has such varying landscapes depending on where you go with every single one being breathtaking, and so many adorable towns and cities to visit as well! The train from Bergen to Oslo or back is something I would highly recommend as you get to go across the entire country and see so much of its natural beauty!