"Arriving at the airport, I thought to myself: what have I gotten myself into?"

- I have traveled with Kulturstudier twice. Both trips were experiences that have had a major impact on my life.

This text is translated using AI.

We have many students who come straight from high school. We also have many students who have worked, earned a master's degree, or have been traveling for a few years.

Many wonder what it's like to travel to another continent to study when they have never lived away from home before, and many are curious about what it's like to be a Kulturstudier student when you're a bit older than the majority.

Here you can get to know Lara, who has experience from both situations and two different continents!

a woman with her face covered in colored powder is smiling.

– The first time I traveled was to Pondicherry, India. There I studied religion and social anthropology.

Interested in religion? This is an important topic in Peace and Conflict Studies, which is offered in Nepal.

– I was 19 years old and had no idea what I wanted to do after high school, but I came across this program on the Kulturstudier website, and thought it might suit me.

I decided to travel quite spontaneously, booked tickets and managed to get going in under 14 days. When I arrived at Gardermoen, I thought, "what have I gotten myself into now?"

a cow is standing on the side of the road next to a motorcycle.

– The journey began abruptly with us having to stay a night in Qatar and take a flight the following day. It felt very safe to have the other Scandinavian students around me at that time!

In India, I stayed with a host family, along with 5 other girls. Mama Rani, the mother of the house, welcomed us warmly. We developed an incredibly strong bond with her during our stay with the family. She helped us buy saris and invited us to dinners and parties with other local families.

a group of people are standing around a pond in front of a temple.

– We got to live with locals, wander around the streets with street food, animals, and music in our free time, while also studying with other Norwegian students. Life was amazing!

The study was incredibly exciting. Lecturers from all over the world came to talk about everything from history to research to fieldwork. I took lots of notes in every single lecture and read books beyond the syllabus on the side to learn even more.

There was something about this existence that made me want to discover even more about the history and culture of everything we saw around us and what we experienced.

a crowded street with a lot of people walking down it.

– I made friends within the first day in India, and these girls are still my good friends today. The friendships we formed there were truly special. Meeting like-minded people from different places in Norway, who shared the same interests as me, was really amazing.

– We traveled around and experienced India together, which brought us even closer to each other. Traveling to Asia on my own to study was not something that was mainstream back home where I grew up.

I went to India with a lump in my stomach, but something told me it was a good choice. Little did I know that it would be one of the most important decisions I have ever made in my life. The semester in India gave me so many impressions and memories that I will never forget!

a large temple with a lot of statues on the side of it.

Although most students are between 19 and 23 years old, we also have many students who are older. You are most likely not "too old" to study with us if you still have a desire to travel and experience something new:

– Nine years later, I would travel with Kulturstudier again.

I was now 28 years old, had educated myself and worked for several years, and wanted a career change. I also needed Spanish language skills to move forward in the direction I desired.

So I ended up spending a semester in Costa Rica with Kulturstudier. Of course, the thought crossed my mind that I was now 10 years older than many of the others.

a group of people are sitting in chairs in a room.

– When I arrived in Costa Rica, I was greeted by many younger students, but I also quickly became acquainted with students my own age who were in the same life situation as me. I made lifelong friends in Costa Rica, whom I still keep in close contact with today.

In the Spanish lessons, we were placed at the level that suited us best, and the teachers were incredibly helpful. No question was too silly, and we received plenty of help after the lessons if needed.

a lush green forest with trees covered in moss and ferns.

– We got to use Spanish every day, as we lived close to the local people who didn't speak English very well. We were pushed to speak Spanish, which was a great advantage!

In Costa Rica, we experienced an amazing tropical climate, rainforest, mountains, and beach. We climbed Costa Rica's highest mountain, Chirripo. For 5 days, we walked with a sherpa and slept in small cabins along the trail they had built over several decades.

Would you like to read more about Spanish studies?

Read about Pernille's semester in Costa Rica

a woman wearing sunglasses and a hat is standing in front of a mountain.

Costa Rica
Spanish in Costa Rica
Introduction to Spanish in Costa Rica
Portraits

"16 weeks in Costa Rica is an investment - in your education, and in your understanding of the world"

Although we unfortunately no longer offer studies in India, you have great opportunities to explore the country after the teaching period if you study with us in Nepal!