"Hyggelig"

I am absolutely infatuated with the literature of the early 20th Century. Reading the great works of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Stein, Pound, and others, I fell in love with the robust lifestyle and metropolis bustle of Europe. Walking along the cobblestone, book in hand, searching for a café while people watching was my idyllic pastime. It is not quite like that here. It is hard to immerse oneself into Norwegian culture and customs in the same way as the Americans of the past because the Americans attending only have an interest in American customs. You speak English and learn Norwegian in a joking bypass. Those Americans really wanting to learn about Norway will have to push hard for it to a point that it is more of a struggle than anything else. If you have no interest in learning about another country and want America outside America then this is the place. Language is no issue as people will understand you, there are other Americans and those that want to be exposed to American culture, and the food is nothing crazy, you can make burgers and hot dogs all the time. If you are looking for cultural diversity and immersion then it may be a bit disappointing, but they are trying their best to make it so. Each year may vary, and it of course depends on the student.