My first week in Bergen

27 Apr

3 mins read

Hi, my name is Norah. I am a 20-year old student from Belgium currently finishing the last year of my Event and Project Management program. I’m in the process of figuring everything out and trying to find my way in the world. To me, an internship abroad seemed like an excellent way of getting some more experience, both in work and life. That is why I am here in the city of Bergen, Norway.

Bergen is a beautiful city, not just because of the stunning scenery and charming people, there is so much more than meets the eye.

I’ve been here for a week now, and I can already tell I will never regret deciding to come to Norway. Likewise doing an internship at Ethical Travel Portal. A week might not seem like a long time, not long enough to feel at home at least, yet I walk around in this city feeling like I’ve lived here for years.

When doing research beforehand about Norway and its people, I read in almost every blog and article that Norwegians aren’t sociable or outgoing and can often come across as unfriendly. I’ve experienced the exact opposite. All the people I have met here have been kind, friendly and extremely polite as in the polite. Which I’ve never seen before.

Every single car stops to let me cross the street when I’m waiting at a crossing. Everyone is calm when they’re eating out or going for a drink. Don’t get me wrong, Belgium’s streets aren’t full of drunks and troublemakers if that’s what you’re thinking, but it’s just not as calm. It’s easy to feel at home here, to feel comfortable. Even after just a couple of days, I feel right at home in this town.

One thing I must say is that it rains. A lot. I knew that before coming here, of course, and to be honest, it isn’t that bad. Yes, sunshine and warm days are fun but so is the rain and cold. I like the way it smells when I step outside or open my window. It doesn’t smell like fuels, smoke or trash like some of the other places I’ve visited before – quite the opposite – it smells fresh. That combined with the colder temperature makes for a nice feeling when you step out in the morning. It makes you feel more awake and fresh. If you come to Bergen and stay in the city, take time to appreciate that wonderful feeling, as it is something you’re not likely to experience anywhere else anytime soon.

As I’ve mentioned before, I am here to do an internship as part of my studies. I’ve been working at Ethical Travel Portal for a week now, where they gave me an opportunity to complete my internship with them. Even though I’m not studying tourism. They’ve given me a warm welcome and taken the time to teach me what I need to know and much more than that. So far, I enjoy my internship. It isn’t something I have to do, but something that I want to do. Therefore, what else can you ask for?I’m excited to see what else I will learn at ETP, what fascinating places I’ll discover and what this experience will do to me.