Møt bloggerne

Student bloggers Spring 2020

Argentina

Hei! Mitt navn er Julie Cornelia, 20 år gammel fra Bergen. Befinner meg for øyeblikket i den fantastiske byen Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jeg tar spansk og filosofi studier her. 

Hvordan endte jeg opp her? Jeg tok et årsstudium i Interkulturell forståelse med fokus på den Dominikanske Republikk, og dro på studietur dit. Ble kjent med kulturen og menneskene og ble litt betatt av Latin Amerika, men en måned var ikke nok. Jeg satt i en liten landsby, med lite strøm og ingen Internett, og tenkte ´´her vil jeg bli´´. Dro til Costa Rica og ble enda mer betatt, og nå er jeg her, i byen som en aldri kan gå lei av. Jeg gleder meg til å dele hva jeg og mine medstudenter finner på og hva byen har å by på. 

Hvis du har noen spørsmål så er det bare til å fyre løs på Instagram: Jledahle 

Vietnam

Hei! Jeg heter Rim, er 19 år og kommer fra Oslo. For tiden befinner jeg meg i Hoi an, Vietnam og her skal jeg bo frem til april og studere utviklingsstudier 1.

Da jeg var ferdig på videregående jobbet jeg i et halvt år. Jeg fant derimot fort ut av at jeg ville reise, og da virket det perfekt å kombinere det med studier! Jeg ville også oppleve en kultur på nært hold over lengre tid, og i kombinasjon med utviklingsstudier er dette allerede utrolig lærerikt. Hoi An er et fantastisk fint sted å bo, og jeg skal ta dere med i vår hverdag her og forhåpentligvis gi et inntrykk av hvordan studiet er😊

Har du noen spørsmål, må du gjerne ta kontakt på: [email protected]

Vietnam

Hei, jeg heter Una og er 21 år gammel. Jeg kommer fra Oslo, men er nå i Hoi An i Vietnam og tar utviklingsstudier. Jeg ønsket meg et opplevelsesrikt friår før studiene begynner, og da landet valget på Kulturstudier. Før jeg kom hit har jeg vært på folkehøyskole i København, tatt enkeltemner på universitetet, og jobbet. Jeg er spent på å dele alle de flotte opplevelsene jeg har hatt i Vietnam hittil, og alt som kommer!

Costa Rica

Hello! My name is Rebekka and I am 20 years old. I am one of the bloggers in Costa Rica for the Spring semester 2020. Here, In San Isidro de el General, will I live until the end of April learning as much Spanish as possible and even more about the beautiful country and people.

Before I came here I took a semester in amazing Buenos Aires. I have also traveled and worked the year before that. I am so happy that I went to Latin-America to learn Spanish! It is the perfect combination of school and traveling. Costa Rica is so beautiful. The best part is probably that it is small, but so diverse. You can get to the other side of the country in no time. And the surf is amazing. And the food, and the wildlife, and the people. Hope you enjoy the blogposts as much as I enjoy the Pura Vida here in Costa Rica!

Costa Rica

Heisann!

Jeg heter Julia, og er 19 år. Etter videregående så jobbet jeg et halvt år, og hadde ingen planer for vårsemesteret. Etter en kjedelig hverdag i Norge, med lite å gjøre så bestemte jeg meg litt spontant for at å dra til Costa Rica var det riktige å gjøre. Spansk, sol, varme, musikk og kaotiske gater. Ingenting fristet mer enn det.
Jeg har tatt oppdraget som blogger her nå for dette halvåret, og skal skrive litt om hva vi gjør på skolen, livet i Latin Amerika og egne opplevelser. Jeg hadde spansk på ungdomsskolen og videregående, men lærte meg det egentlig ikke. Så nå er jeg her et halvt år for å prøve å lære meg det (hvertfall litt bedre).

Om du har noen spørsmål kan dere nå meg her: [email protected] 😀

Ghana

Hei.

Jeg heter Eira Cornelia, er 22 år gammel og påtatt meg oppdraget som blogger våren 2020. Til vanlig bor jeg som student i Trondheim, men kommer fra en koselig liten by i Vestfold. Jeg befinner meg derimot i skrivende stund i Ghana, nærmere bestemt Cape Coast. Her skal jeg bli ut semesteret, for å fordype meg ytterligere i utviklingstudier og det afrikanske kontinent.

Jeg har tidligere studert og gjennomført en bachelorgrad Politisk Økonomi på NTNU, som jeg elsket, og tatt et halvår med Kulturstudier i Vietnam. Jeg har lenge fordypet meg i bistandspolitikk og har et stort engasjement for politikk. Derfor har jeg valgt et år med enda større fokus på og læring om vekst, utvikling og nasjonale ulikheter. Så langt har det passet meg godt. Nå har jeg akkurat begitt meg ut på nye eventyr, langt hjemmefra, og skal ta dere med på min reise her nede. Jeg gleder meg til å se hva tiden vil bringe.

Student bloggers Autumn 2019

Nepal

Hi everyone!  My name is Julia and for this Fall semester I am going to study Peace and Conflict studies in Pokhara, Nepal. I am 19 years old and my hometown is Stockholm, Sweden. In Stockholm I graduated from high school in 2018 from a small school named Marina Läroverket. At Marina Läroverket I studied Leadership and Communication and during my high school years I studied one course of Sociology and got the opportunity to sail from England to Marocco for 5 weeks during that course. After my graduation I worked and saved up for a backpacking trip in South America. I travelled in South America for four months. When I got back from South America I wondered what I should do next! My sailing trip and my travel to South America was so much fun and I wanted to keep on traveling but at the same time I wanted to start study again. Sooo, I found this course in Nepal which suited me more than perfect! Therefore, I decided to do it! 😊

Costa Rica

¡Hola! My name is Marie and I am currently studying spanish with Kulturstudier in beautiful Costa Rica! I am 23 years old, and come from a small town in South East Norway called Akkerhaugen. This past Spring I finished up my bachelor at Mars Hill University in North Carolina, where I studied Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and played college golf. I had a great four years there and was eager for a new culture and new experiences. I have also always wanted to learn Spanish, which is why this opportunity seemed perfect for me. So far living “pura vida” in Costa Rica has been amazing, and I can’t wait to share my experiences through this blog!

If you have any question, I am here to answer them: [email protected] or @marieasyv

іHola! My name is Sara, I’m 20 years old and come from Bærum, Norway. This fall I have the honour of blogging about my semester in Costa Rica through Kulturstudier. I spent the last year in the military as a Norwegian bouarder guard in Finnmark. In the end of my time there, I was tired of being cold everyday. When I found Kulturstudier and their Spanish program in Costa Rica I knew this was exactly what I needed.

I’ve already been here for a month now, and I really love it here! People in Costa Rica are really friendly and easy to talk to, which is essential in language learning. I had never spoken any Spanish before coming here, and singed up for Spanish 0. After a few week of practicing, talking a lot to people and having great teachers, I felt confident enough to move up to the Spanish 1 class!

I love the nature, and for me living in Costa Rica feel like paradise. We only have classes from Monday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. Which means we can travel every weekend to a new and exotic place. I will blog about both my life as a student at UISIL, and our weekend travels across Costa Rica and other Latin American countries. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me: [email protected].

іPura Vida!

Argentina

Hi! My name is Elin, and together with Elisabeth I will be blogging from Buenos Aires during this semester. I am 22 years old, coming from Skövde, Sweden. During my time here, I will be studying CSR and Spanish. This is my second semester with Kulturstudier, as I spent the Spring semester in Ghana taking courses in development studies. As I truly enjoyed my time there, I decided to continue studying with Kulturstudier! Both semesters are part of my bachelor in Peace- and conflict studies at Lund University. Taking one or two exchange semesters as part of your studies is something that I can highly recommend, as you will get bigger and deeper understanding of the world and different cultures than you could ever get by staying or studying solely at home. Especially while learning a new language, living in a country where it is spoken is crucial for learning as much as possible.

I could also combine the semester here with a dream I have had for years – backpacking in South America. I left Sweden in early June, and since then I’ve experienced so many fantastic adventures in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile before arriving in Buenos Aires well in time for the start of the semester. If you are reading this and thinking of travel before or after the semester yourself – please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, and I will be happy to share some of my best tips for travelling in South America!

[email protected]

Hi, my name is Elisabeth and I’m from Oslo in Norway. I’m currently taking a gap year in Buenos Aires with Kulturstudier, and I’m studying Spanish as well as CSR. Before I decided to take a gap year I studied in the IB diploma program for high school students. After two years of many late nights with school work I wanted to leave Norway and try something new and completely different. My new life in Argentina consists of everything from challenges of being vegan in the meat capital of the world to exploring the different “barrios”, neighbourhoods, or dancing any day of the week. The Argentinian culture is super friendly and there’s always something to do if it’s Monday or Saturday. People always want to help you with everything and smiles acknowledging when you speak Spanish back.

I hope you will be inspired to travel with Kulturstudier to Buenos Aires and explore the porteña way of living.

Vietnam

Hello! My name is Julie. I am 21 years old, and for this fall, I am going to study Development Studies 1 in Hoi An, Vietnam. My hometown is Stavanger, but I have moved a bit around in Norway over the past few years. It started with high-school in Grimstad, then Folk high school in Telemark and last year I studied Journalism in Oslo. When I started studying last year, several of my friends were travelling abroad, and I felt longing to travel more myself. In the Folk high school we travelled a bit, but I didn’t feel saturated. I wanted to experience more of the world before “settling down” with studies in Norway. Therefore, I decided to take a gap-year, and study development through Kulturstudier. It seemed like a good opportunity to both travel and at the same time get to know another culture a bit more than just passing through. I wish to learn more about the world, myself and the people around me, and hope that this semester will help me with that. I am really looking forward to spending this fall in Vietnam, and to share my experiences in Hoi An with you this semester.

Hello everyone, my name is Eira and I am a 22 year old girl from Åsgårdstrand, Vestfold. This Autumn I am one of the bloggers for the semester in Vietnam, where we study development studies 1. So far I love it!

I just finished my bachelor degree in political economy at NTNU in Trondheim. It was an amazing time and I am not ready to finish studying! I wrote my bachelor thesis in foreign aid and its ability to create growth in democracies and dictatorship, I wanted to look deeper into development and get more knowledge. It’s an interesting field. I also love to travel as well, so this program seemed perfect for me. So now I live in Hoi An, Vietnam, eating my way through the vibrant streets and night markets. I’m ready to learn more about both economic growth, developmental politics and the country as a whole. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester will bring!

Student bloggers Spring 2019

Vietnam

Hello! My name is Karoline and I am a 22-year old girl from Stjørdal, Norway. And I am one of the bloggers for the Spring semester in Vietnam, 2019. Currently living in the most beautiful City, Hoi An, to study development studies. Before this semester I have studied one year of Spanish in Kristiansand, worked as a volunteer in Colombia twice, and I will go to Ghana next spring semester. My plan is also to continue studying development studies at OsloMet after Ghana, so I can get a bachelor`s degree in development studies.

My decision to move to Vietnam and start studying with Kulturstudier is absolutely the best decision I have made in my life. Every day in Vietnam is a new adventure and I love the people, the food, the culture and I absolutely love the weather! It is so nice to have the opportunity to go to the beach every day, not wear winter clothes and just bicycle around the city. I also love that we have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom. It is so nice to study development in a country as Vietnam, because you can see it everything up close, not just read about it. So if you thinking about doing a semester, or more, abroad I would absolutely recommend it. You don’t just learn so much more about development, but you will also meet so many beautiful people and learn so much more about yourself. A really fantastic opportunity <3

Vietnam

Hi! My name is Pernille. I`m 19 years old and currently studying Development Studies 1 in Hoi An, Vietnam. I originate from a very small town in south-east of Norway called Saltnes. Coming from a small town I have always wanted to experience what a larger part of the world has to offer. This journey started when I spent my second year in high school as an exchange student in England. I have been told that once you start travelling its hard to stop and I know this to be true because after that year I was sure I wanted to go abroad again.

After finishing college I was not sure what I was going to do, but I knew that I wanted to see more of the world. Kulturstudier was an amazing opportunity to both travel and study at the same time. By studying in the country you`re reading about you will get a wider understanding of why things are the way they are. The chance to not only see the beautiful Hoi An, but actually live and study here is amazing.

I`m really exited to share some off my favourite experiences about Hoi An!

Nepal

My name is Malene Solheim and I come from the small town of Sandane in Sogn og Fjordane located at the western coast of Norway. I currently live in the dynamic and lively town of Pokhara in Nepal while studying Peace and Conflict Studies as a first step into my upcoming university life. Me deciding to go to Nepal for this semester was mostly a result of studying in China for two years. From 2016 to 2018 I studied at United World College of Changshu where I finished off my two last years of high school. During my time there I got a broad international network with friends who told me about places, traditions and cultures I never even knew existed. UWC triggered a curiosity (I mean, how could it not) within me to travel, meet people completely different from me as well as it awoke an interest in understanding the world from a holistic and multi-perspectival way. When I first returned home to Norway, I spent 9 months working and planning my upcoming adventures. I wanted to find a programme where I could continue to expand my knowledge and interest within contemporary world issues as well as getting the chance to travel and explore. I quickly found out about Kulturstudier and shortly after I was sitting on a flight to Kathmandu!

Being in Nepal and studying Peace and Conflict Studies is in many ways my way of making up my mind on what bachelor’s degree I will do, of course through the studies themselves, but also through travelling in a new country and getting new understandings of the world. Peace and Conflict Studies is an increasingly relevant field of study and overlaps partly with for example international relations, anthropology and development studies and I therefore saw it as a perfect source of inspiration. Even Pokhara is a source of inspiration to me as it is a popular tourist destination both for Nepalese and foreigners which gives it a dynamic and lively feel over it.

I’m excited to share my upcoming adventures in Nepal with you!

Ghana

Howdy! My name is Herman G. Amundsgård and this semester I am blogging for Kulturstudier in Cape Coast, Ghana. I am from Molde, a small city in located on the Noth-West coast in Norway.

Since young age I have always been somewhat a restless soul. Taken the first opportunity I got to travel and discover on my own. At 16 I traveled for the first time alone to Belgium. The following year I did an exchange year in the United States and lived a year in South Carolina. After returning to Norway I used the first opportunity I got to travel. It was not always abroad the boarders, sometimes just hiking in the Romsdal Alps or trips to close by cities. For a person with restless soul syndrome Kulturstudier was the perfect choice for me. I get to travel and study something I feel passionate about at the same time. It really is something extraordinary to experience first-hand what you learn in the lectures or read on your own.

“Now, how the heck did you decide to study Development?” you might ask.

Well, let me tell you. After finishing high school, I was drafted into the Norwegian Army. However, my military career was short after doctors discovered my bad knees from years of playing handball. I was, as it written in the letter “honorary discharged”, but for me it did not feel honorary. My plan after high school was ruined and I went home haunted about what I was going to do with my vacant year. After a conversation with a close friend from high school she recommended me to apply to Kulturstudier. So, after turn-of-the-year 2018 I left home to start Peace and Conflict Studies in Nepal. A study that opened my mind to the world of Development Studies. After finishing my semester in Nepal I applied to continued study development studies through Kulturstudier in Vietnam and Ghana. After two semesters (Nepal and Vietnam) with Kulturstudier I really wished to document and communicate my experiences in my following semester in Ghana. This semester I have been so privileged to write for the Kulturstudier’s blog. I hope you as a reader will find it interesting and insightful, and I will do my best to make it just that.

If you have any question DM me on:

Instagram: @amundsgaard

Facebook: Herman G. Amundsgård

E-mail: [email protected]

Argentina

Hilda (29)

Hello, my name is Hilda Nyflot, I´m 29 years old from Nord-Odal in Norway. How to better explain the experience of living abroad then the fact that you will desire to do it again (and again and again and again). That is to say, in high school I spent a year as an exchange student in Sydney. Some years later I did a semester of exchange as a part of my journalism degree in St. Petersburg. Ultimately I decided to move to Buenos Aires and do two semesters of Kulturstudier studying CSR, Spanish and Spanish-American literature and history (which is perfect to combine with backpacking neighboring countries in-between). This time, after working several years as a journalist in Oslo, my main objective was to learn a new language to the point that I could use it to do interviews on my own. As anticipated, it is a delight to practise Castellano with the warm-hearted porteños, residents of Buenos Aires, who curiously love to chitchat to foreigners with a rusty vocabulary. The cosmopolitan and cultural capital of Argentina always offer things to do and neighborhoods – barrios – to explore and fall in love with. That said, a third of Argentina is poor, and to mention some, the country is struggeling with corruption, high inflation and femicides (domestic violence against women), provided that Argentina is part of the most unequal continent in the world. In spite of these difficulties, the Argentinian adaptiveness, perseverance, demand for change and, above all, culture of sharing, fill me with wonder. Living in Argentina is a journey in every sense of the word.

Student bloggers Autumn 2018

Nepal

Marit (20)

I am Marit – a 20 year old Norwegian girl. I come from a small town in the south-east of Norway called Spydeberg. As a small town girl, it was a huge experience when my parents took me to Australia for a year when I was 11, and after that the world became both approachable and irresistable. I joined all mini-exchange available, planned and went on a road trip in Europe, travelled a a bit by myself and a lot with friends and family. In high school I took the opportunity to go on exchange to Chile to learn spanish and feel the South-American beat. Now my world is redefined by friendly faces representing cultures, countries and a beautiful international network.

My trip to Nepal is a continuation of creating and joining this global community. To study peace and conflict and at the same time be in a foreign country, makes this program very holistic as it manages to join theoretical and practical peace. I will, for example, hopefully have a better understanding of happenings in South Asia and Nepal later in life because I have now gotten closer to this region by both learning and doing. And as I have now learnt: understanding is the first step towards peace.

Lastly, if you have any questions concerning the course or Nepal, feel absolutely free to ask!

Vietnam

Hi. I am Khanh. I graduated from Hue University in summer 2018 with a Bachelor in English. For the past three years, I have also studied in Portugal, Norway and Scotland.

A few friends of mine have studied with Kulturstudier before, and I am here in Development Studies 1 thanks to their recommendation, and, of course, the support that Kulturstudier so generously gives to local students. Studying development is fun, intriguing, enriching, and, at times, depressing. Moving from a background in humanities to social sciences has been a new experience for me as I am used to seeing the world through the lens of literature; Development studies, meanwhile, teaches me a more rational, analytical outlook. All along the way, however, I keep thinking about how to connect my previous studies with what I am doing here in Hoi An, looking back at the texts that I studied to find traces of development-related discussions. Overall, I cherish the opportunity to be in this course right after the summer of my graduation. I hope to come out of it more informed of the contemporary world and the system in which we all are embedded.

Writing for Kulturstudier is, for one, a great way to document my own experiences with the program. For another, it presents a good opportunity for reflection. Though I am studying in my own country, Hoi An is not my hometown, and definitely not a place which I am really familiar with. You will probably see this in my writings, with me constantly switching between the perspective of an insider and that of an outsider. In all, I hope my blog posts provide you with a truthful and informative picture of what it is like to study with Kulturstudier in Hoi An.

Vietnam 

Henriette (21)

My name is Henriette and I am going to be one of the bloggers in Vietnam this semester. I am a 21-year-old woman from Norway and are currently studying Development in the wonderful city of Hoi An, where I will live for 10 weeks. Prior to this semester, I have studied Psychology for 1 year, and studied Peace and Conflict through Kulturstudier this last Spring. After this semester, I will continue studying Development in Ghana, and are planning to do the rest of Bachelor through Kulturstudier.

Being in Hoi An, Vietnam is almost like living in a dream. It is such a beautiful, dynamic and vibrant city, and I feel extremely privileged to be able to pursue my passion for traveling and learning about other cultures by living here. Kulturstudier has really given me the opportunity to explore the world and study while doing it. Instead of learning about cultures and the world only through books in a classroom in Norway, though Kulturstudier I have the chance to live in the countries I read about in my textbooks, meet people and experience the inequalities they face, and really discover what development is – through my own eyes. I have always loved traveling, meeting new people and seeing the world with a more holistic perspective. Therefore, through this blog I hope to inspire others to study abroad, and that I will be able to reflect my experience of Vietnam through photography and writing. I hope you feel an urge to explore and discover, and that you take a leap of faith and follow your passions. This whole “studying abroad”-thing might seem scary, but I am a believer in following your dreams and not letting fear stopping you from pursuing them. Remember – the adventure is out there! I am really looking forward to share my experiences with you – happy reading!

“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” – John Hope Franklin

Student bloggers Spring 2018

Nicaragua

Hej!

Jag heter Kajsa Tauvon och kommer från Uppsala, en stad strax norr om Stockholm i Sverige. Jag är 20 år gammal, och efter att i våras tagit studenten var jag säker på en sak; jag ville ut och upptäcka världen. Nyfikenhet för andra länder och kulturer, samt en stor portion reslust gjorde att jag bestämde mig för att korsa Atlanten och studera här i Léon, Nicaragua. Här studerar jag spanska och Latinamerikastudier, för att få en förståelse för ett språk och en kontinent, som jag visste väldigt lite om innan. I Léon består min vardag för det mesta av att dansa salsa, bada i de enorma vågorna på stranden och öva på spanskan. En annorlunda vardag än tidigare, men som jag vet kommer leva med mig länge.

Nepal 

I am a Swedish girl soon turning 22 years, mostly called Malin (occasionally Mallan). I spent most of my childhood in Singapore, but have since 10 years back been living in my beloved Stockholm, with exception from my 2-year highschooling in my second home, Kenya. One week ago I arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, ready for a second semester with Kulturstudier. My first encounter with Kulturstudier occurred in a very day-to-day setting on the subway in Stockholm, when I saw a poster of a kid on a surfboard in Ghana (presumable at Brenu beach or in Busua). The post read ”Study abroad: Global Environmental Studies”, and in that moment the environment-freak and African-nostalgia within me was sold. This was what I wanted to do after 2 gap years of working and travelling.

Experiencing breath-taking and vibrant Ghana, fascinating and unique lectures, inspiring professors, seminars leaders, colleagues as well as locals, was truly enhancing. I naturally opened my eyes to Nepal and the interconnected course of Peace and Conflict Studies. Ghana and the bestowed course provided me with insight and inspiration in the classroom, but also outside among people, cultures and further took me to fantastic, unimaginable places and unforgettable moments. The contrast of Nepal, besides the mysteries and beauty of this country, seemed evident and in order to understand and take care of my surrounding environment preached in Ghana, I had to understand my own environment and inner peace. So I arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal.

One week later, Nepal has captured my mind and left me in absolute awe. Evidently, Nepal is ultimate for studying peace and conflict, as this geographical corner of the world has an ancient relation to the concept of peace. Nepal has on the other hand, recently suffered from a civil war, and in addition to this, experienced an earthquake in 2015 with devastating social and political outcomes. Moreover, this small yet forceful nation, is battling both inner and outer self-determination from neighbouring superpowers (India and China). These historical and present events make Nepal a dynamic and interesting place to learn about the notions of peace and conflict.

The past week in Nepal has been unbelievable; characterised by spiritual colours, eye-opening encounters, religious appearances; further energetic and harmonious cultures, peaceful atmospheres and enlightenment. Within these manifold senses, sights and feelings, I hope to visualise Nepal and its abundance of inspiration and knowledge to you here on Kulturstudiers platform. Encouraging you to step into a remarkable setting and life-changing cosmos.

Nepal

My name is Daniela, a 26-year-old woman from the south of Sweden. I’m currently in Nepal doing my third semester with Kulturstudier.It started back in 2015, by then I had been travelling around the world since I graduated high school and I was not ready to settle down and leave my backpacking days behind. I was searching the net for a solution when I came across Kulturstudier, too me, it was ideal! I decided to combine a semester in Buenos Aires (where I started with environmental philosophy and Spanish) with a long-term discovery of the American continent. I backpacked for 6 months before the semester and around 5 months after, some of the best times of my life! After that I spent a year on a sailboat cruising around the Mediterranean and the Caribbean saving up for my next year of studies. I enrolled for the “global environmental studies” program in Ghana and (the one I’m currently in) Peace and Conflict in Nepal. Africa was a dream come true to me! And Nepal was a sweet return since I spent 3 months here at a previous time volunteering and meditating.

Nepal is a very interesting place to be in right now, stuck between two super powers like China and India, and with such a young government, it is struggling to be more self-sufficient and independent. We are witnessing the environmental and political challenges it faces from ground level which gives us a very different truth from the one portrayed in mainstream media. Nepal is the ideal place to be in for peace and conflict studies, the culture itself creates a peaceful atmosphere and the fact that it had a civil war not so long ago, makes it a great source of knowledge in the field. With that said, I hope you will get inspired to explore Nepal by our stories and photos! If you have any questions at all, big or tiny, feel free to contact me and I’ll do my best to help you.

Vietnam

Hi, Im Sigurd.
I’m studying peace and conflict in Puducherry, India. I’m hobby photographer and Im looking forward to sharing my journey with others, both with pictures and with words. Now Im looking forward to learn about something I feel is very important and I am also lucky enough to be able to do it whilst traveling. I have traveled a bit in Africa and Europe and I have also been to Japan. I hope to give some good information to curious, future students and people who want to have a window in to a bussy study-day in a grate place far away from home.

Ghana

Hello, my name is Solvej and I come from Århus in Denmark. I am 23 years old and I am now doing the Development Studies 2 in Ghana as a part of my bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. I have always been an eager traveller using all my holidays and all my money on traveling. Previously in my bachelor I have done one of my subjects in Nepal and studying abroad was such a great cultural learning experience that I had to do it again. When I heard about Development Studies in Ghana I thought it would be a great opportunity to supplement my studies with the experience of a vibrant and interesting country. Studying development in Ghana is quite interesting, you can almost see the changes happening right before your eyes. Sometimes it is rough, but most of the time it is beautiful and incredible. I could write much more about this, but I will save it for my blog posts. I am so exited to share my experiences with you – I hope you will enjoy following my journey!

Argentina

Hello, my name is Hilda Nyflot, I´m 28 years old from Nord-Odal in Norway. How to better explain the experience of living abroad then the fact that you will desire to do it again (and again and again and again). That is to say, in high school I spent a year as an exchange student in Sydney. Some years later I did a semester of exchange as a part of my journalism degree in St. Petersburg. Ultimately I decided to move to Buenos Aires and do two semesters of Kulturstudier studying CSR, Spanish and Spanish-American literature and history (which is perfect to combine with backpacking neighboring countries in-between). This time, after working several years as a journalist in Oslo, my main objective was to learn a new language to the point that I could use it to do interviews on my own. As anticipated, it is a delight to practise Castellano with the warm-hearted porteños, residents of Buenos Aires, who curiously love to chitchat to foreigners with a rusty vocabulary. The cosmopolitan and cultural capital of Argentina always offer things to do and neighborhoods – barrios – to explore and fall in love with. That said, a third of Argentina is poor, and to mention some, the country is struggeling with corruption, high inflation and femicides (domestic violence against women), provided that Argentina is part of the most unequal continent in the world. In spite of these difficulties, the Argentinian adaptiveness, perseverance, demand for change and, above all, culture of sharing, fill me with wonder. Living in Argentina is a journey in every sense of the word.

Student bloggers Autumn 2017

Ghana

My name is Nora, a self-proclaimed adventurer from Trondheim, Norway. Around Christmas I was, as most people about to graduate high school, trying to figure out what I was going to do next fall. The application date for universities suddenly seemed so close and I was freaking out. I’ve been lucky enough to visit 30 countries already, but felt far from done. As such, I was considering a gap year – but at the same time, I was anxious to start my studies right away. In other words, I knew what I wanted to do – travel and study -, but could I combine the two? Fortunately, an add for Kulturstudier popped up in my Facebook-feed and it was exactly what I’d been looking for! Moreover, I had the opportunity to pursue my long-held passion for environmental protection by doing a semester in Ghana. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of learning more about the global challenges facing the world today and explore this amazing country. I feel more inspired than ever to fight to make the world a better and more sustainable place. I’m so excited to share my experiences with you – and inspire you to pack your bags and make your own unforgettable memories!

Ghana

Hi, my name is Desmond! I am 27 and come from Bolgatanga, the capital city of north-eastern Ghana. Unlike many people, I seem to have discovered my purpose of life at age 10 when I abandoned my work as a herd’s boy and run away to start school. That decision has shaped my life and now I hold a degree in environmental science from the University of Cape Coast.

My passion to make life better for younger generations has led me into doing many things including youth empowerment and climate activism. I founded the Pragmatic Youth Empowerment Movement (PYEM), a youth led organization focused on increasing literacy rate and self confidence in children in rural communities. Together with some friends in the university I co-founded the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) which has been in the forefront of climate activism in Ghana.

I read about Kulturstudier courses in Ghana when I was doing my undergraduate studies but I could not participate because my University doesn’t allow credit transfer. After my bachelors I worked one and half year with the ministry of local government of Ghana in the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly and when my service came to an end, I thought of something to gain new experience from and Kulturstudier was my destination.  Now I am here studying introduction to Global Environmental Studies which is giving me the exposé I never imagined.  The diversity of people, cultures and the joy surrounding  this place sometimes makes me feel like I’m in a whole new world. Whatever that drives you ‘crazy’, whether it is the pleasure of travelling around or it is the yearn for academic knowledge; it is all catered for by this programme.

Vietnam

Hi I am Margrethe! I am 19 years old and come from the city of Hamar, east in Norway! Like so many before me, I approached the end of high school with no plans whatsoever, but with a great urge to see the world from a different angle and to earn some long-awaited experience. I went away to York (UK) during my second year of high school, where I did a course in Animal Management. This must have sparked my interest for traveling and getting to know a different culture, although England isn’t all that different from Norway in most respects. Thankfully I came upon Kulturstudier, and immediately knew that I wanted to study one of their courses! So now I am studying Development Studies 1 in Vietnam, which is beyond anything I could have guessed a year ago! Studying here is quite interesting, as you get to see development in progress right before your eyes! It is absolutely so giving to learn about topics relevant to our time, and it is also a lot of fun to meet new people! I hope to spread some inspiration to all of you out there who are looking for somewhere to study and get a new outlook on life – hope you enjoy!

Nicaragua

Hello! My name is Martin, and I am an above-average curious 18-year-old boy from the west coast of Norway. My ambitions are to explore as much as possible, and sharing what I see with other people in the most enjoyable and entertaining way. I am born in Akershus, east in Norway, but I have been living on Sotra, an island west of Bergen, in west of Norway for as long as I can remember. The year I turned 18 and finished high school, I, like everybody else, stood upon a tremendous choice: What should I study? and where? So many of my friends had done exchange years abroad, but I had not. I had been going to the same school, sitting on the same bus, walking through the same hallways for 3 years. I, like any other 18-year-old student, did not know what I wanted to study. But I did know two things: The first thing I knew was that my opportunities stretched to the horizon and back. The other thing I knew was that I wanted to go beyond the horizon, go somewhere I had never been before, and learn a language I had never spoken fluently before. Kulturstudier offered exactly what I was looking for, with the combination of Nicaragua and Argentina. My first couple of weeks in Nicaragua has astonished me, by offering me so much in such a small span of time, and I believe that the feeling of astonishment is here to stay

India

Hello, my name is Rajat Arsh. I am a media professional. I graduated from St. Xavier’s College in Mass Communication and Video Production. After that I did my specialization in Visual communication and Photography from Jamia Millia Islamia University. With a friend of mine I directed a short fiction film ‘The Pink Skirt’ based on women issue. My curiosity to know, motivates me to read science, arts, and global as well as local politics. For my assignments I had chance to visit different places and meet diverse communities in the Jharkhand province. This helped me to understand the indigenous conflicts of India. In one of my assignments I had an opportunity to work with nationally awarded political film maker Shriprakash from whom I got chance to learn about Indian socio-politics. I have been involved in activism for environmental and social justice and volunteered in NGOs as science teacher. My study of evolution, astronomy, contemporary global politics, and history has kept me open and diverse. I want to be curious like a child. I looked forward for Peace and conflict studies at Pondicherry for experiencing a cultural interaction with diverse students from different parts of world and study conflict in academic fashion. I am liking, the arrangements and friendly environment. I am excited to see the library as there are lots of interesting books which gives me adrenaline rush. The living and touring with the group has formal as well as informal engagements which are fascinating. I am glad to be here.

Student bloggers Spring 2017

India

I am Namrata and I am from Calcutta in the eastern part of India. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. I did my Bachelor’s too in Comparative Literature. Peace and Conflict studies brought me to Pondicherry and I could not be happier about it. I love travelling and someday I would love to have a job that allows me to keep travelling, perhaps help in building peace while I travel. Peace and Conflict Studies will probably change you as a person if you do take it up. It will not only shape your academic choices but will become a way of life. Being an Indian student between Scandinavians has enriched my experience here even further. 10 weeks, I hope are going to be among the best weeks of my life and I hope to be able to bring change in the lives of others through this course.

Vietnam
I am Caroline, born in 1991 in Oslo, Norway. I love to travel and my philosophy is that you learn more about the world by travelling, than you do in school. The urge to travel has been a part of me since I was a little girl. The thought of someone living on the other side of the world that I didn’t know anything about was exciting. The real travel-enthusiast in me started when I first travelled by myself in South East Asia in 2014. I started my journey in Vietnam where I also worked at an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City through a Vietnamese organisation. Later on I’ve visited more countries in Asia and learnt more about the diversity in people and different cultures.

Now, three years later, I’m back in Hoi An for ‘developments studies (1)’ after some working, some more travelling and studying. I spent last semester in Pondicherry in India, studying ‘Peace and conflicts studies’, and that made me want to study more abroad. Taking classes, making friendship, and travelling around in a new country is something that I will not regret. To study abroad will provide you with opportunities to not just visit a country, but you will live in it, and can transform yourself. You will see the world through a different perspective and your level of cultural understanding will increase.

My goal is to work in the field to promote gender issues, and empower woman in rural areas, as well as learning more about different cultures and lifestyles. So hopefully I’m on the right path to reach my goal.

Student bloggers Autumn 2016

Vietnam
My name is Karoline, I’m 30 years old, and I come from Norway. I went to Pondicherry (India) with Kulturstudier in 2008, as a part of my bachelor degree in social anthropology. After that, I took a master’s degree in didactics, and finally I studied to become an adviser in communication. I’ve been working for some years, and now I feel the urge to be closer to the field again. I might be the oldest student this year, but bear over with me.

Based on my experience, I would recommend all students who has the possibility to study abroad as a part of their studies to do so, regardless of which country they choose.  Spending three months in a very different environment will only make you stronger, more flexible and enlightened!

India
Jeg heter Frøydis, jeg er 22 år og kommer fra Oslo. Nå er jeg i India med fred og konflikt studier, dette er mitt femte semester. I Oslo studerer jeg utviklingsstudier og får dette semesteret godkjent som en del av graden min. Jeg har reist en del før, blant annet feltarbeid i Nicaragua og backpacking i Vietnam (ikke så langt unna Leon og Hoi An som kulturstudier også har opplegg), jeg har også vært en del på backpacking i Latin Amerika og Asia. Forrige semester var jeg i England i en by som heter Norwich og studerte internasjonal development studies på UEA. Dette er første gangen jeg er i India, så det blir veldig spennende å se hvordan jeg liker det. Mine hjertesaker er kvinnespørsmål og global helse. Forhåpentligvis er dette noe jeg kan lære mer om her i Pondicherry. Følg med på bloggen min, om ikke er det bare å sende meg en Mail med spørsmål så svarer jeg gjerne.

Argentina
My name is Shamina and i’m currently studying my bachelors in Socialanthropology, at Stockholm University. I’m in my second year and third semester right now and the biggest difference between this semester and the previous ones is that im taking this one in Buenos Aires with Kulturstudier! This is my first study experience abroad and im taking courses in both sustainability (CSR) and spanish. I chose to study abroad, specifically in Buenos Aires because of the spectacular city itself. To be able to discover a whole new culture, language and get to know the Portenos (the citizens) besides doing my studies is what drove me here. Not to mention the fantastic opportunity to inspire others to study abroad and the benefits that follows!

Besides my genuine passion and engagement for human rights, social injustices and sustainable development, i love to spend time with my dear ones, cook, travel and exercise. Im also very interested in photography and one of my strenghts is writing. That’s the reason why I want to share this amazing experience with you all and hopefully you will sense the wonderful vibes this city will bring you through my sharings: enjoy!

Nicaragua
Jeg heter Tuva Emilie Haugdahl Røskar, er 25 år og kommer fra Oslo. De siste 5 årene har jeg studert psykologi på profesjonsprogrammet i Trondheim. Før jeg tar fatt på det siste året, og etterhvert går inn i det uunngåelige og noe skremmende voksenlivet, skal jeg nå tilbringe 18 uker i den sjarmerende byen Leon, i Nicaragua sammen med 60 andre eventyrlystne skandinavere. Vi studerer spansk og latinamerikansk kultur og historie. Mitt mål for oppholdet er å lære meg dette vakre språket, å bli kjent med lokalbefolkningen, å bevitne mektig nicareguansk natur, å surfe, og å få nye perspektiv på verden og ikke minst alle de forskjellige menneskene som lever i den. Jeg mener at kunnskap, læring og studier er den beste investeringen et samfunn kan gjøre. Samtidig er det begrenset hvor mye en kan lære gjennom å pløye seg gjennom pensumbøker på en lesesal i sin egen hjemby, i sitt eget hjemland. Jeg tror virkelig vi har godt av å komme oss ut i verden, og min sannhet er at reising gjør oss større. Gjennom Kulturstudier får man en helt unik mulighet til kombinere både reising og studier på en trygg, men ekte måte. Og jeg føler meg både heldig og takknemlig som får lov til å være med på dette eventyret. Jeg skal forsøke å dele biter av eventyret her på bloggen, og i løpet av høsten 2016 skal dere få bli bedre kjent med både meg, mine medstudenter, studielivet i Leon, samt med det spennende landet Nicaragua.

Vietnam  – efteråret 2016
My name is Dana, I’m 23 years old, from Denmark, and I’m on the last year of my bachelors degree in Food Science at Copenhagen University.

This is my first semester with Kulturstudier, and I choose Development studies in Vietnam because I plan to work with development countries in the future, and to do research in alternative protein sources, such as insects. Many countries in South East Asia already practise insect-eating, and living in the region would help me understand the food, cultures and what development and poverty are on a much deeper level, than if I just learnt about these concepts from home. I really enjoy having my perceptions and views of food, life, and what is considered “normal” and “right” where I come from, challenged, altered and changed for the better. I will stay in this region of the world for 6 months with my husband, travelling around and learning as much as I can from the people who live here.

The Vietnamese people are very kind, the country is incredibly beautiful, and I am excited to see where this journey will take me!

Argentina – våren 2016
Mitt navn er Valentine, og jeg er en 20 år gammel jente fra Norge. Jeg elsker reise, kultur, litteratur og deilig stemning. Ettersom disse er mine lidenskaper, har jeg alltid drømt om å få utforske disse på et dypere nivå. Heldigvis fant jeg Kulturstudier sitt studie i Buenos Aires, som tilbyr akkurat dette! Nå studerer jeg spansk, latin-amerikansk litteratur og argentinsk historie på Universidad Nacional de San Martin via Kulturstudier. Lærerne her er dyktige og veldig hjelpsomme! Heldigvis fikk jeg muligheten til å ta et spansk forkurs før studiestart for å friske opp spansk-kunnskapene mine. Dette er absolutt til å anbefale, i og med at det er en del forskjeller mellom spansken i Latin-Amerika og den spansken vi lærer på videregående skole i Norge. Jeg valgte Argentina fordi det er et land som oser av kultur, lidenskap og stemning. Innbyggerne her er usedvanlig vennlige! Gled deg! De sier man må leve hvert sekund som om det var det siste, og det bestemte jeg meg for å gjøre!

Nicaragua – spring 2016
I am Mahira, a 20 years old girl from Norway. After studying Development studies in Vietnam, the urge to travel and experience new cultures increased. Development studies let you see the world with different perspectives. The study gives you a best of both worlds and has a way of letting you experience the diversity of lifestyles in this world in a much realistic way. You get to experience history, new culture, poverty, growth, and development right before your eyes. You get a sense of importance of your life and what this world has to offer. I chose Development studies out of curiously, and it might have been the best choice I have made so far. After Vietnam, I decided to challenge myself and study Development studies in Nicaragua. This country has a history of conquest, barbarism and colonialism. A lot of blood has been shed and misery has been a daily struggle. Not only do you learn about development in Latin America, and particularly Nicaragua, but it also shows how Europe and the rest of the world has played and important role; the kick-off of globalization. To study abroad, to live in a country that is so different from what we are used to, it opens our eyes and our mind to a much broader and healthy thinking. It’s like magic!

India – spring 2016
My name is Kirsten, and I’m a 22 years old girl from Denmark. I’m currently studying Peace and Conflict Studies in Pondicherry, India, as part of my bachelor’s in anthropology. When you study anthropology, you learn about different cultures, and how they shape the ways in which people experience and act on the world. After reading about exotic cultures in old, dusty textbooks at Aarhus University for nearly two and a half years, I was eager to travel the world and experience this great cultural diversity myself. Going to India with Kulturstudier made it possible for me to realize this while studying a subject, which I find extremely interesting and important. India is indeed a place of great cultural variation and very different from my home country. It’s also a very relevant site for Peace and Culture Studies with its history of colonialization and many contemporary conflicts and issues, but also a very strong tradition of peace work and peaceful movements with Gandhi as the most central figure. So, as you can image, I’m very thrilled to be here and I hope this will be a very instructive, insightful, and of course fun semester!

Argentina
Mitt namn är Nadja, jag är 20 år och uppvuxen i en stockholmsförort. Efter att ha tagit studenten för snart två år sedan har jag testat allt möjligt: jobbat lite som lärarvikarie, reseledare, barista på ett café och några månader i bokhandel. När en vän till mig berättade att hon skulle plugga spanskamerikansk litteratur och spanska i Argentina via Kulturstudier dröjde det inte många timmar innan jag bokat in mig på samma kurs. Mitt intresse för litteratur och språk är enormt, och att kunna kombinera dessa två ämnen på plats i Buenos Aires lät lite för bra för att vara sant! På plats i Argentina njuter jag av värmen, det magiska folklivet och att dricka kaffe på stadens olika caféer. Mitt namn är Nadja, jag är 20 år och uppvuxen i en stockholmsförort. Efter att ha tagit studenten för snart två år sedan har jag testat allt möjligt: jobbat lite som lärarvikarie, reseledare, barista på ett café och några månader i bokhandel. När en vän till mig berättade att hon skulle plugga spanskamerikansk litteratur och spanska i Argentina via Kulturstudier dröjde det inte många timmar innan jag bokat in mig på samma kurs. Mitt intresse för litteratur och språk är enormt, och att kunna kombinera dessa två ämnen på plats i Buenos Aires lät lite för bra för att vara sant! På plats i Argentina njuter jag av värmen, det magiska folklivet och att dricka kaffe på stadens olika caféer.

Vietnam
Mitt navn er Janne Stensås, jeg er nitten år gammel, og jeg kommer fra et lite sted som heter Soknedal, som ligger et stykke sør for Trondheim. I utgangspunktet hadde jeg begynt på lærerutdanningen, men fant ganske fort ut av at det ikke var noe for meg. Dermed tok reiselysten overhånd, så jeg bestemte meg relativt kjapt for å ta et semester i utlandet. Etter litt research meldte jeg meg på kulturstudiers sitt program her i Vietnam. Jeg syntes også at det virket spennende å studere utviklingsstudier i et utviklingsland som Vietnam. Etter studiene skal jeg reise litt rundt også. Her skal jeg blogge om hverdagen her i Vietnam, og det vi opplever under oppholdet! Mitt navn er Janne Stensås, jeg er nitten år gammel, og jeg kommer fra et lite sted som heter Soknedal, som ligger et stykke sør for Trondheim. I utgangspunktet hadde jeg begynt på lærerutdanningen, men fant ganske fort ut av at det ikke var noe for meg. Dermed tok reiselysten overhånd, så jeg bestemte meg relativt kjapt for å ta et semester i utlandet. Etter litt research meldte jeg meg på kulturstudiers sitt program her i Vietnam. Jeg syntes også at det virket spennende å studere utviklingsstudier i et utviklingsland som Vietnam. Etter studiene skal jeg reise litt rundt også. Her skal jeg blogge om hverdagen her i Vietnam, og det vi opplever under oppholdet!

Nicaragua
Jeg er Andrea, en 19 år gammel jente fra Norge. Har tidligere studert utviklingsstudier 1 i Vietnam, noe som vekket nysgjerrigheten, reiselysten og utviklingsentusiasten i meg. Utviklingsstudier gir deg muligheten til å se verden rundt deg fra mange forskjellige vinkler, du vil raskt oppleve at den sosiale og politiske situasjonen er helt annerledes i det sekundet du setter foten ut av Skandinavia og inn i et utviklingsland. Nicaragua er et land med en blodig og tragisk historie, men samtidig også en varm, fargerik og sterk latinamerikansk kultur. Byen León representerer gammel kolonitid, kombinert med de nyeste utviklingstendensene i form av turisme, utdanningsmuligheter og en økende ung befolkning. Jeg valgte å reise til denne byen for å oppleve utvikling og Latin-Amerika på nært hold, i tillegg til at menneskene her tilbyr deg en gylden mulighet til å lære spansk på en morsom og hverdagslig måte.

India
Top left corner: Hauke Ziessler, with his 23 years is completing his Bachelors in Intercultural Relations and Behaviour at the Jacobs University Bremen, Germany, where he constantly battles his scatterbrained nature and his fascination for the squirrels outside the window
Top middle: Christine Plesner, 23, is completing her Bachelors in Education at University of Copenhagen, Denmark, has a secret dream that one day sarees won’t be too much for the Danish dresscode.
Right: Shakeel Sobhan, 30, is a journalist with Reuters, Bangalore. When not being newsy he writes about slaying dragons and other rather important topics.
Bottom right corner: Ragni Kvam Eide, 20, studied development studies in Vietnam last fall (2013), activist in Amnesty International, planning to be a backpacker grandma, Norway
Bottom middle: Julie Trulsvik Rasmussen, 22, studying peace and conflict, development studies in Vietnam for spring. Norway
Left: Sandra Victoria Strand Holst, 19, just finished high school, thought it was too scary to move to England and went to Asia instead.

Vietnam
Jeg heter Sine, og jeg har akkurat fullført videregående skole. Dette året har jeg bestemt meg for å studere utviklingsstudier, først i Vietnam og så muligens i Ghana. Jeg syntes at dette studiet hørtes veldig spennende ut, og nå som jeg er i Vietnam har jeg funnet ut at jeg hadde rett! I tillegg er det veldig interessant å bo i et utviklingsland og leve som de lokale, mens vi lærer om det på skolen. Jeg skal blogge om livet i Vietnam og alt det spennende vi opplever her! Jeg heter Sine, og jeg har akkurat fullført videregående skole. Dette året har jeg bestemt meg for å studere utviklingsstudier, først i Vietnam og så muligens i Ghana. Jeg syntes at dette studiet hørtes veldig spennende ut, og nå som jeg er i Vietnam har jeg funnet ut at jeg hadde rett! I tillegg er det veldig interessant å bo i et utviklingsland og leve som de lokale, mens vi lærer om det på skolen. Jeg skal blogge om livet i Vietnam og alt det spennende vi opplever her!

Ghana
Hi! My name is Elin Hagstein, I am 22 years young and come from a small town called Mariefred outside of Stockholm, Sweden. I studied nature science in high school and GEM in Ghana is my first experience with studies on university level. Hi! My name is Elin Hagstein, I am 22 years young and come from a small town called Mariefred outside of Stockholm, Sweden. I studied nature science in high school and GEM in Ghana is my first experience with studies on university level.
Since high school I’ve been on and off travelling and working. I spent a year teaching nature science in middle school, which helped me save up money for longer trips around Asia. I fell in love with being on the road and most of the time it’s the most fulfilling place you ever can be. It does however come with some heartache and some real awakenings when it comes to development and sustainability, which has left me eager to learn more about the subject. A friend told me about Kulturstudier and as soon as I read about GEM I knew that I was going. The fact that it was in Ghana, and that I’d never been to Africa before only made it more interesting and appealing. Since high school I’ve been on and off travelling and working. I spent a year teaching nature science in middle school, which helped me save up money for longer trips around Asia. I fell in love with being on the road and most of the time it’s the most fulfilling place you ever can be. It does however come with some heartache and some real awakenings when it comes to development and sustainability, which has left me eager to learn more about the subject. A friend told me about Kulturstudier and as soon as I read about GEM I knew that I was going. The fact that it was in Ghana, and that I’d never been to Africa before only made it more interesting and appealing.

Nicaragua
Mitt navn er Marianne Myrmel Bjelland, jeg er nitten år gammel, og kommer fra det lille stedet Ås et lite stykke utenfor Oslo. Jeg har akkurat fullført videregående og hadde i utgangspunktet planer om et tradisjonelt friår med jobbing og reise. Derimot tok rastløsheten og eventyrlysten overhånd og jeg meldte meg på Kulturstudiers program i Nicaragua, León. Nå ligger jeg i den varme sanden mellom palmer og lytter til bølgesuset fra Stillehavet mens jeg studerer Spansk 2 og Latinamerikanske studier på spansk. Mitt navn er Marianne Myrmel Bjelland, jeg er nitten år gammel, og kommer fra det lille stedet Ås et lite stykke utenfor Oslo. Jeg har akkurat fullført videregående og hadde i utgangspunktet planer om et tradisjonelt friår med jobbing og
reise. Derimot tok rastløsheten og eventyrlysten overhånd og jeg meldte meg på Kulturstudiers program i Nicaragua, León. Nå ligger jeg i den varme sanden mellom palmer og lytter til bølgesuset fra Stillehavet mens jeg studerer Spansk 2 og Latinamerikanske studier på spansk.
Jeg er sikker på at dette blir et tøft semester der en virkelig må gjøre en innsats for å oppnå de resultatene man ønsker. Jeg er også overbevist om at dette blir tre veldig spennende måneder med mange oppturer, mange spektakulære opplevelser og mange nye vennskap. Jeg er sikker på at dette blir et tøft semester der en virkelig må gjøre en innsats for å oppnå de resultatene man ønsker. Jeg er også overbevist om at dette blir tre veldig spennende måneder med mange oppturer, mange spektakulære opplevelser og mange nye vennskap.

Argentina
Jag heter Sanna Svanström, är 25 år gammal och läser retorik och litteratur vid Uppsala Universitet. När det började rycka i resnerven bestämde jag mig för att åka till Buenos Aires med Kulturstudier för att fördjupa mig i spanskamerikansk litteratur och äntligen få ordning på min rostiga spanska. I Buenos Aires får jag möjlighet att få den historiska och kulturella kontexten som är avgörande för litteraturens utveckling, och får möjlighet att praktisera språket och lära känna Sydamerika. Jag heter Sanna Svanström, är 25 år gammal och läser retorik och litteratur vid Uppsala Universitet. När det började rycka i resnerven bestämde jag mig för att åka till Buenos Aires med Kulturstudier för att fördjupa mig i spanskamerikansk litteratur och äntligen få ordning på min rostiga spanska. I Buenos Aires får jag möjlighet att få den historiska och kulturella kontexten som är avgörande för litteraturens utveckling, och får möjlighet att praktisera språket och lära känna Sydamerika.

Ghana
I am Evans Nyeeli Wovenu, 23yrs of age, Ghanaian and a graduate of University of Ghana. My thesis work was on “The impacts of Gold mining on the environment” . I chose to study Global Environmental Management with Kulturstudier because I believe this is one of the courses I need to study in order to realize my dream of becoming an expert and a consultant on environmental issues. I hope to read a masters in Environmental Sciences or Development Studies starting next year. I also believe the environment should be seen as a universal resource and should be treated as such. I must say that I have no regret and I am having one of the best moments so far.

Vietnam
Jeg er 23 år og læser geografi og geoinformatik på Københavns Universitet. Development Studies i Vietnam er første semester på 3. år af min bacheloruddannelse. Jeg valgte at tage et semester i Vietnam, fordi jeg før har haft fag der omhandlede udvikling og bekæmpelse af fattigdom, og derfor synes at det er interessant at komme til et udviklingsland, og blive i stand til at sammenkoble teori med praktisk erfaring. Derudover håber jeg at kunne finde inspiration til mit bachelorprojekt, som jeg skal skrive, når jeg kommer hjem fra Vietnam. Jeg synes også at det er spændende, at os der deltager i kurset, kommer fra forskellige lande og fra forskellige baggrunde, så man får nogle andre perspektiver, end hvis man “bare” havde studeret med andre geografistuderende. Isabella Kvist Hansen Isabella Kvist Hansen

India
Hello! My name is Chintan Girish Modi. I am from the city of Mumbai in India. My academic background includes an MA in English and an M.Phil. in English Language Education. I have also worked as a school teacher, researcher, writer, consultant with non-profit organizations, language editor and proofreader – and initiated the Facebook group International Peacebuilders Network. I am participating in Kulturstudier’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program in Pondicherry in order to develop a broad understanding of concepts and issues in this field. I hope to explore further the connections between education, the arts, and peacebuilding. I am also excited about the opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges and friendships with classmates from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Southasia. Hello! My name is Chintan Girish Modi. I am from the city of Mumbai in India. My academic background includes an MA in English and an M.Phil. in English Language Education. I have also worked as a school teacher, researcher, writer, consultant with non-profit organizations, language editor and proofreader – and initiated the Facebook group International Peacebuilders Network. I am participating in Kulturstudier’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program in Pondicherry in order to develop a broad understanding of concepts and issues in this field. I hope to explore further the connections between education, the arts, and peacebuilding. I am also excited about the opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges and friendships with classmates from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Southasia.

Nicaragua
Eg heiter Sigrid Skjerdal, og kjem frå Aurland i Sogn og fjordane. Eg studera til vanlig journalistikk på høgskulen i Volda, og har 1,5 år igjen der når eg kjem tilbake fra Sentralamerika. Som journalist er det sjølvsagt viktig med både språk og kjennskap til andre kulturar enn den norske, og det var på leiting etter det eg kom over kulturstudier i Nicaragua. Forhåpentligvis kan språket åpne nokre dører for seinare reising og jobbing. Etter to veker kan eg seie at Nicaragua er alt eg kunne drøyme om og meir til, for eit herleg land! Eg heiter Sigrid Skjerdal, og kjem frå Aurland i Sogn og fjordane. Eg studera til vanlig journalistikk på høgskulen i Volda, og har 1,5 år igjen der når eg kjem tilbake fra Sentralamerika. Som journalist er det sjølvsagt viktig med både språk og kjennskap til andre kulturar enn den norske, og det var på leiting etter det eg kom over kulturstudier i Nicaragua. Forhåpentligvis kan språket åpne nokre dører for seinare reising og jobbing. Etter to veker kan eg seie at Nicaragua er alt eg kunne drøyme om og meir til, for eit herleg land!

Nicaragua

Eg heiter Solveig Frøysa, er 22 år og kjem frå ei lita bygd på Sunnmøre som heiter Brandal. I Nicaragua tek eg 30 frie studiepoeng til ein bachelor i journalistikk, fordi eg alltid har hatt lyst å lære fleire språk og kulturar å kjenne. Det er veldig interessant, og eg trur det er sunt å kome vekk frå den norske bobla og sjå ting frå ein ny synsvinkel. Eg heiter Solveig Frøysa, er 22 år og kjem frå ei lita bygd på Sunnmøre som heiter Brandal. I Nicaragua tek eg 30 frie studiepoeng til ein bachelor i journalistikk, fordi eg alltid har hatt lyst å lære fleire språk og kulturar å kjenne. Det er veldig interessant, og eg trur det er sunt å kome vekk frå den norske bobla og sjå ting frå ein ny synsvinkel.

Argentina
Mitt namn är Kenneth, 28 år och kommer från Frändefors, Dalsland. Numera bor jag i Stockholm, där jag studerar Global Utveckling på Stockholms Universitet. Att lyssna är att lära och för mig är det viktigt att kunna se saker och sig själv ur andra perspektiv vilket gör globaliseringen och dess utmaningar till ett spännande ämne. Jag är intresserad av geografi, kultur, språk samt konsumtion- och utvecklingsfrågor. I våras skrev jag mitt projektarbete kring ämnet CSR och blev nyfiken på mer, så jag valde denna utbildning eftersom jag kunde tillgodoräkna mig kursen i min kursplan och för att jag ville studera ett ämne utanför Europa. Slutligen hoppas jag också att tiden i Buenos Aires kommer göra gott för mina spanskakunskaper.

Nicaragua
– Eg utdannar meg til allmennlærar ved Høgskulen i Volda, og som siste elevgruppe i den gamle modellen (no heiter det grunnskulelærar) har vi stor fridom til å velje skulerelevante fag det fjerde og siste studieåret. Difor nyttar eg høvet til å reise rundt i verda, sidan eg rett og slett elskar og reise! Eg likar å oppleve nye kulturar og tykkjer at studier i utlandet opnar dørene for ei meir ekte kulturoppleving enn kva ein gjerne får som vanleg turist. Tidlegare har eg studert spansk på vidaregåande og vore på språkreise i Spania, så å ta meir spansk som ein del av utdanninga mi har alltid ligget i bakhovudet. Valet vart difor enkelt når eg oppdaga dette studietilbodet. Eg har fått spanskstudiet med Kulturstudier i Nicaragua godkjend som ein del av lærarutdanninga, og blir dermed ferdig utdanna adjunkt når eg har fullført dette semesteret. Carina Rebane Grodås

Argentina
Hallå där! Jag heter Johanna och har lämnat ett kallt vinter-Sverige för att spendera vårterminen i soliga Buenos Aires. Här ska jag läsa Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) via Kulturstudier och Vestfold University, en kurs som jag kombinerar med ekonomistudier i Sverige. Min spanska är lite knacklig så jag tar varje chans jag kan för att förbättra mitt spanska ordförråd. Att se och uppleva nya platser, människor, mat, liv och stoj tycker jag är det bästa som finns. Därför är det med glädje och entusiasm jag delar med mig av mina bilder och tankar från Buenos Aires, både om staden och utbildningen. Enjoy! Johanna Åström

Vietnam
Mit navn er Monique Verdier Rasmussen og jeg er 21 år. Jeg studerer til dagligt på Roskilde Universitet i Danmark, hvor jeg på nuværende tidspunkt er på 4. semester. Jeg valgte at tage til Vietnam i gennem kulturstudier da vi havde mulighed for at søge udveksling samt fordi jeg fandt kurset i udviklingsstudier interessant. Indtil videre har min uddannelse været en basisudannelse i samfundsvidenskab hvor målet er at specialisere sig når kurset i Vietnam er slut. Udviklingsstudier giver mig derfor en mulighed for at specialisere mig i Globale studier som jeg skal tage min bachelor i. Dertil giver kurset mig en indsigt i problemstillinger, hvad angår udvikling og fattigdom samt tilføre et mere lokal perspektiv på international problemstillinger.

Agnes Grönvall
Jag är 22 år och kommer från Uppsala, Sverige. Förra terminen läste jag “Sustainable development” vid Uppsala universitet, och terminen innan det läste jag engelska också vid Uppsala universitet. Jag planerar att sätta ihop mitt eget program och kombinerar “Global environmental managment” och “Sustainable development” med antingen ekonomi eller stadsvetenskap. Och på det viset ta ut en Kandidat examen i antingen Ekonomi eller stadsvetenskap. När kursen är klar ska jag resa en månad innan jag ska tillbaka till Sverige, vilket ska bli jätte spännande!

India
Mitt navn er Hanne og jeg er 19 år gammel. Jeg studerte utviklingsstudier i Vietnam med Kulturstudier høsten 2012 og studerer nå freds- og konfliktstudier i India. Jeg elsker å reise og å lære, og hørte om disse studiene fra venner som har vært her tidligere. I tillegg til å få muligheten til å ta veldig spennende semesterstudier tilbyr Kulturstudier studiene på veldig spennende og relevante steder, som Pondicherry (helt nydelig!) her i India. Videre planlegger jeg å studere sykepleie, med en drøm om å kunne arbeide ute i felt, hvor jeg tror at mine kunnskaper om de akademiske aspektene ved fred, konflikt og utvikling vil komme meg til gode.