My NORPART Journey

Hei!

My name is Kingsley Agyapong from Ghana. I am currently in Norway for the NORPART Exchange Program. My NORPART journey to Norway started in Ghana when our Head of Department (History) at the University of Cape Coast(UCC) announced to us that UCC has a partnership program with Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) under NORPART and as a result we are going  for exchange program in Norway to study. I was very much excited when I heard the news. We held several meetings with our Head of Department regarding  application processes.

Through the support of the Department of Historical Studies at NTNU I had a  very smooth application process through Soknadsweb Portal. Also through the support of NTNU International Office, my  Visa application process was very easy. The International Office sent me a link for my Visa application after I had receive my invitation letter and the  scholarship as well as  directing me the kind of documents I should submit to the Norwegian Royal Embassy in Accra. In less than two weeks after my Visa application submission, my plane ticket was sent to me. In the following week I had a call from the Norwegian Royal Embassy that my decision was in. Fortunately for me, I was granted a resident permit to study in Norway. In a whole, the applications were easier and faster.

Knowing that I was going to live in a  new environment, the first point of my preparation was reading more about Norwegian life and culture such as food and clothing as well as environmental conditions such as the weather.  After familiarizing myself with Norway through my readings, I prepared very well before my departure from Ghana to Norway. There is a saying that “there’s nothing like a bad weather but bad cloth,” and  having this in mind, I brought  some warm jackets to face the weather in Norway. Knowing that feeding was going to be difficult since Norwegian foods were new to me, I brought local food stuffs such as gari, shito, banku, milo, nido, and sugar etc to start with before I switch to Norwegian foods.  I wish I had brought a shaving machine to cut my hair since finding expert barbers with  regards to African hair cut in Trondheim became very difficult. I had to wait for a month and some days before I had my first cut.

My first impression I had when I landed in Norway was the cold weather. In fact, walking alone proved to be difficult the very first day I landed in Trondheim Airport.  The whole land was covered by ice and the weather too was very cold. Another great impression I had  was that Norwegians are tolerant. At the Trondheim Airport, I did not spend more than ten minutes to board a bus to to my destination in Trondheim.

Regarding my student accommodation at SiT, I was extremely happy when I entered my room. SiT rooms are well furnished with modern facilities such as table and chair, Ethernet connection pots for internet connectivity, good cooking facilities, good shower and wash room facilities to mention but few.

Currently, I am taken four courses namely; Comparative Colonialism: Dominance, Resistance and Globalization c. 1850 – 1960 (HIST3375), Genocide, Human Rights and History (HIST3205), Political Economy of Natural Resources, 1870-2000 (HIST3400), and Research Project.

I am extremely enjoying my stay and study in Norway. Thanks to the Department of Historical Studies for their extreme warmth welcoming  and guidance as well as the Orientation team from the International Office for their great contribution regarding all the needed  information on how to live in Trondheim as well as NTNU.