The world has entered the Faculty of Law
- Norway is quite exotic to us Southern Europeans, says Pedro Leal (25), one of the newly arrived exchange students at the faculty.
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62 new international law students is expected to come this semester, from as many as 14 different countries. Most of them are already in Bergen, joining information meetings, the mentor week, the buddy Bergen programme, and trying their best to find their way around.
Exploring the unknown
Lisa Gibellino (22) from Italy, Alexandra Guidicelli (19) from France and Pedro Leal (25) from Spain find Norway very different from their home countries.
- Norway is a country quite unknown to us, they explain, when they are asked why they chose to study at the University of Bergen.
- You never even think of going on holiday to Norway, says Lisa, and you don’t hear much about it in the news either.
Adventures in the mountains
They all spent their first days in Bergen as tourists.
- Bergen is such a beautiful city, they all agree, happy with their choice of study destination, so far.
- But, oh, how expensive!
- We also came here because of the climate, the girls claim. Yeah, really! Just look at us, we both have fair skin, they laugh.
Alexandra has already walked “Vidden”, a mountain plateau from Ulriken to Fløyen, one of the most popular hiking trails in Bergen. To walk the trail at least once should be essential to all students in Bergen, but unfortunately, too many only talk about doing it.
- We spent seven hours walking, because we got lost up there in the mountains. We ran out of food and water and even got a bad sunburn, Alexandra reveals. Even though the trip was a bit too adventurous, she is quite overwhelmed by the beautiful nature.
Great expectations to the Law studies
They all hope to make Norwegian friends. They have heard it can be difficult, but they plan to spend much time on campus and maybe join a student organization. Pedro, who arrived a week before the girls, can assure them that he has already met some cool Norwegian guys.
The exchange students are all very impressed by the welcome they have received at the University, all the information they have got and the assistance they have been offered.
- The University of Bergen seems very organized and effective, and the people are so nice and helpful. It seems that you can get help with almost everything, exclaims Lisa. - In Italy everything is just a mess, she says, laughing.
They are of course looking forward to the studies. They like the fact that there are few students in each class and that the seminar rooms are small enough to invite to dialogue and discussions.
- But hey, let’s talk again in four months, and we will tell you how we have been doing, Alexandra suggests, running to the first lecture.