I have gotten some recent news – I was offered a stipend in order to become a research fellow/PhD candidate at UiB. I am absolutely thrilled and I look forward to the project very much. Sadly, it also means I must say “ha det, blog” (thanks to my friend Lynn for that perfect title!) or “goodbye, blog”, which I am decidedly less thrilled about. For my last post, I will try to compile for you the ultimate international blog list – an index covering the breadth of subjects I’ve tackled with links to the posts. I am hoping this will allow you to search for nearly anything your heart might desire – related to student life in Bergen. I even updated some links for you within the posts, but I couldn’t get to all of them so consider dead links an opportunity for a google adventure
Considering studying in Bergen?
- Admissions, programmes & financing at UiB
- Cost of living in Bergen
- Money matters in Norway
- My experiences and reasons for applying to UiB
Get an idea of what some of the faculties are like at UiB:
- Humanities part 1 and Humanities part 2
- Law
- Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- Medical
- Psychology
- Marine Microbiology Research Group Lab
- Grieg Academy
Meet some students
I know when I was thinking about coming to UiB I really wanted to talk to someone who was already attending. Well, here’s the next best thing:
- Meet an international student: Maurice
- Meet an International Student: Raíssa
- Meet a Norwegian student: Carl
Preparing to come to study in Bergen
- Got accepted to UiB? Some things to get you started before you come.
- Packing for Bergen
- Thinking about whether to buy your textbooks ahead of time and pack them too? Try this post on books books books.
Arriving and getting settled
- Arriving in Bergen: transportation into the city from the airport and picking up keys for student accommodations.
- Orient yourself in town with this post.
- Finding a place/deciding on accommodations
- Making your place cosy
- Settling into Bergen
- Explore ideas for how to get involved in the community, culturally, or outdoors.
- Introductory (welcome) programme
- Mentor (fadder) week
- What’s fun
- Cultural/academic events
- Joining student organizations
- Folk music on a student budget
Student & Community Organizations
- LGBT+
- Erasmus Student Network
- Student Radio and student radio with Sam
- Kvarteret
- Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
- International student inclusion prize for student organizations
In Bergen
Places
- KODE
- Leprosy Museum
- Museet Lysøen
- Public library – which has all types of events and classes.
Festivals and Events
For a more expanded exploration of festivals and events in Bergen check out some of these posts:
- Student symphony night
- International afternoon
- Finding lectures and academic events
- Bergen Ølfestival (Bergen Beerfestival) a great opportunity to volunteer and taste amazing craftbeers- I have volunteered there since 2015!
- Bergen International Film Festival, a documentary heavy film festival you can enjoy as a study break or help run by volunteering.
- Raptus (Bergen International Comics Festival)
- Meteor
- Pepperkakebyen (Gingerbread City) an annual event – featuring one of the largest gingerbread towns in the world inspired two blogs: Pepperkakebyen 2016, Won’t you take me to… gingerbread town?
- Nattjazz!
- Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen – or FiB), a festival of arts.
- The 7fjell (seven mountain) challenge
Culture
- Russ
- The state of being koselig
- Volunteering
- Norwegian craft beer
- Norwegian vs American culture
- Bergensbølgen, a comedy short about Bergen
- Scary kid’s TV
- Norwegianisms 1 (idioms)
- Norwegianisms 2 (idioms)
- Norwegianisms 3 (idioms)
- Norwegianisms 4 (idioms)
Holidays
- Thanksgiving (American). Celebrating it in Norway. Its dark history.
- Christmas: Christmas from nisser to pinnekjøtt to how it compares with Christmas where I’m from, to the many days of Christmas… learn about Christmas and have a God Jul.
- New Year
- April Fools
- Easter
- May 17th (Norway’s Constitution Day) and its festivities.
Sports & outdoors
- Skiing
- Playing football
- Watching the local football team, Brann
- Hiking gear
- No such thing as bad weather
Practicalities
- Renew your residence (non-EU/EEA masters/phd/postdoc students gotta do it every year!)
- Searching for jobs
- Buying groceries
- Appropriate clothing for the weather
- Exam tips
- Flea markets
- Mobile phones in Norway
- Internet in Norway, and getting connected to it
- Buying alcohol at vinmonopolet
- Affordable haircuts
- The ombudsperson (student advocate)
- Going to the ER
- Parental visits
Travels
- Boat from Bergen to Hirtshals, Denmark and the brain behind the party boat trip
- Oslo
- Voss
- Flåm/Aurland
- Planning a trip to Lofoten and experiencing Lofoten
- Bucket list of travels for Norway
- Traveling via rail
Past events
- Dr. David Nutt presentation
- “Disappointing husband” presentation
- Don Giovanni
- BIT (dance) performance of Synopsis of a Battle
- SKOK’s Queer Art of (Political) Protest
- Relaxation class
- Speedfriending
- Tour of Bergen
Other
- Random stuff I found out about late
- Fermenting vegetables
- Pokémon GO
- Holberg Prize
- Tandem language
- SiB (now Sammen) offerings
- My attempts to get involved
- My first (UiB) blog
I am so grateful for the three+ years I have gotten to write this blog. This has been an amazing experience, and I will dearly miss it! I won’t be monitoring comments anymore, but I wish everyone the absolute best with their study abroad experience in Bergen!
Thanks for reading, and all the best,
Stand