I have officially completed my first semester abroad here in Bergen. My finals are finished and I am now able to enjoy the holiday season. The ending of this semester is also a bit of a sad one, not only because my time here is half over, but because a lot of the international friends that I have made who were here on exchange have left. It is a strange thing for me to have to say goodbye to the friends that I have made in the past four months. I have had so many wonderful experiences with these people, and to think about the fact that all the experiences I will have in Norway moving forward will be without them is a bit weird. While this is not the end of my friendship with them, it is still saddening to have to say goodbye without knowing when I will see them again.

On a happier note, I am fortunate enough to have my family come over to Norway to visit me and celebrate the holidays here! We will be staying in Bergen through Christmas and then going to Oslo for New Year’s Day. This will be a new experience for all of us, given we always spend the holidays at my grandparents’ house, but I am incredibly excited to see my family. Looking back on the fall semester, I feel incredibly lucky to have had the experiences I have had so far. I have seen some absolutely stunning country in both Norway and Sweden, been surfing, camping and hiking, and I have met some incredible people. I look forward to what this next semester will bring.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: University of Bergen