"It has been easy for me to settle in here. I received help at every step."

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Flóki Hansteen and I grew up in Northern Germany. I finished high school two years ago and spent my time until now with international volunteering and exchange programs at various NGOs. Now I am enrolled in my first semester of the Bachelor programme in Global Development Studies at UiA.

Why did you choose Southern Norway?

I was searching online for study programmes in different countries in that thematic field and finally got convinced by UiA the most. It was a combination of the modern internet presence, an interesting mixture of modules and the location of Southern Norway itself, that I wanted to live in. Part of my family is from Norway, so it really is a back-to-the-roots for me.

What were your first impressions upon arrival?

When I arrived in August, I was positively overwhelmed by how smooth the registration process both at the local authorities and the university went. It has been very easy for me to settle in here; I received help at every step. My impression of the University of Agder is that the buildings are modern and the staff helpful and friendly. 

– I was positively surprised by how many lecturers from different countries UiA has!

What is your opinion on your study programme?

I really like the programme of Global Development Studies, because of its variety of topics. In the past years, I discovered many fields of interest and was worried that studying one particular field will not connect enough to all of them. Finally, I am glad to have found this interdisciplinary study programme, in which I will have the opportunity to learn a mixture of different sciences and broaden my knowledge. 

What do you like most about Kristiansand and why?

The best thing for me about Kristiansand is the proximity to nature and all its possibilities of outdoor activities it features. I think that the city is pretty and clean, not too big, not too small. Just a good size to reach everything by bike. 

What did you discover about Norway that was unexpected?

All the different dialects! I have the feeling that almost every Norwegian has its own way of speaking. That does not really make it easier to understand the language, whether it is Nynorsk or Bokmål. But I am sure that I will understand more very soon. 

What would you like to share about UiA and this programme to others?

A big advantage of UiA and my programme, which is English-taught, are the many international students that are around me at every time. Quite often, we are learning about a current situation in a specific country and if I need clarification, I can actually approach one of them which is by chance from that country and that person might be able to tell me more about the situation on the spot! That helped me already a few times.