Study Abroad: From Minnesota to Norway

While most 16-year olds were shopping for school supplies, Shelby Balmer was packing her bags and boarding a flight to Oslo, Norway. Prior to stepping on the plane, Shelby had never been away from home for more than a couple weeks. But that didn’t stop her from embarking on a ten-month adventure as a foreign exchange student!

What motivated her to take such a brave and monumental step?

Shelby had already experienced the other side of youth exchange as a host sister. Five years ago, her family hosted Carmen, a 16-year old girl from Spain. Carmen’s family came to visit the Balmers in Minnesota, and later reciprocated by welcoming the Balmers to their home in Spain.

Two years after Carmen’s exchange year, her younger sister, Isa, became an exchange student and lived with the Balmers too.

Shelby with her Spanish sisters, Isa and Carmen

“I was older when Isa came,” says Shelby. “We really bonded and we are still really good friends.”

The firsthand experience of hosting and bonding closely with exchange students gave Shelby the courage she needed to study abroad. “I don’t think I would have been brave enough to do it if I hadn’t hosted, but having them to talk to was good.”

Why Norway? “There’s a lot of Norwegian heritage in Minnesota,” Shelby explains. “The landscape is also similar, and I’d heard it’s very beautiful.”

Shelby's host family's home in Oslo

Norway is living up to her expectations. Her host family lives in the capital city, Oslo, where Shelby gets a good taste of city life. She also loves visiting her host family’s cabin on a ski mountain a couple hours away.

Shelby is integrating well into her host family, who she says is awesome. They share similar interests, and having teenage host sisters has made adapting to a new culture easier.

Having fun with her host brother

School is fun and fascinating—and very different from Shelby’s school in Minnesota. “I go to an art school here," says Shelby. “I love it! The kids are all so creative and so talented.”

The art school offers classes such as music, dance, hair cutting, and woodwork, which Shelby finds very cool. Shelby insists she is not artistic at all, but attends the school because that’s where her host sister goes.

The school is structured so that students are with the same classmates all day, which has helped Shelby make friends quickly. She explains, “You get a lot closer to the people in your class. We do activities, have a Snapchat group. . . It’s a really good friend group.”

Shelby and some of her Norwegian friends

Even getting to school is a fun cultural experience for Shelby. A short walk, combined with a 15-minute subway ride, is a daily adventure that reminds Shelby she’s not in Minnesota anymore.

Norwegian schools do not offer extra-curricular activities, but there are plenty of local clubs instead. Shelby has joined a snowboard group, which meets at a trampoline park to learn tricks in preparation for the coming snow.

At the trampoline park preparing for snowboard season

Shelby is adapting to a different pace of life in Norway. “Days are more laid back,” she explains. “It’s kind of a slower pace than in America. Days are still busy, but it’s one longer event instead of a lot of different things.”

This slower pace includes meals. Shelby has noticed that Norwegians eat slower and meals take much longer than what she’s used to.

And the food?  Shelby says she’s had a lot of really good foods. She loves that much of the food is very fresh, due to the country’s regulations regarding what can be sold.  Mentionable favorites include Norwegian waffles and soft serve ice cream.

Norwegian waffles

“And they drink a lot more coffee, which I love,” Shelby says with a smile.

Shelby’s goals as an exchange student are to meet a lot of people and develop connections to carry through her life. She cherishes the strong relationship she has with the students her family has hosted, and hopes to build the same strong bonds with her Norwegian host family and friends.

To process and document her exchange, Shelby keeps a journal. Although she’s only been in Norway a month, she’s already seeing many benefits.

“Exchange has helped me to understand who I am. You learn so many things being alone—you understand and grow so much. I’ve only been here a month and have already learned so much.”

Of course, there are challenges, but Shelby is navigating them well. She expected to miss people from home, but the actual feeling of homesickness took her by surprise. However, with time, her Norwegian home feels more and more like home.

Shelby and her Norwegian host family

For teens thinking about becoming an exchange student, Shelby says, “You should definitely do it. It takes a lot of bravery, but you figure it out and you are able to do it. You have to trust yourself.”