Unikum 3 – 2002 (september)
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Valentina Colò (22) from Italy, Abbas Momin (23) from the USA, Ingrid Cavé (22), Jof Loff (26) and Chloe Moei (20) from France.<br />
Norway is a special place<br />
Agder College is technologically<br />
savvy and<br />
Norwegians are attractive.<br />
But they don’t pick<br />
up their trash. The international<br />
students at HIA<br />
like the new campus at<br />
Gimlemoen and are excited<br />
to start their semester<br />
abroad.<br />
Abbas Momin (23) from Kennesaw,<br />
Georgia, USA, Valentina Coló (22)<br />
from Bologna, Italy and Ingrid Cavé<br />
(22) from Saumur, France are three<br />
out of a total of 110 students from 21<br />
countries around the world that attend<br />
classes at Agder College this semester.<br />
<strong>–</strong> Why did you apply for Agder<br />
College?<br />
Valentina: It was a great opportunity.<br />
I couldn’t miss it. Norway is a different<br />
country. In Italy we don’t have a<br />
campus, it’s spread out around the<br />
whole city.<br />
Ingrid: I was planning to go to<br />
Canada, but they didn’t have the classes<br />
I needed. Norway is a special place,<br />
so I chose Norway.<br />
Abbas: Everybody goes to Spain,<br />
France or Germany. I wanted something<br />
different. Everything fell into place<br />
and I think it was destiny that I<br />
came to Norway.<br />
<strong>–</strong> What’s your first impression of<br />
the college?<br />
Ingrid: It’s very beautiful, very good.<br />
Abbas: It’s very technologically savvy.<br />
They have computers with Internet<br />
all over.<br />
Valentina: There are a lot of PC´s<br />
all over campus. We don’t have so<br />
many in Italy. In Italy there is also a<br />
distance between the teacher and the<br />
student. I haven’t been here long<br />
enough yet, but I think it’s more personal<br />
here.<br />
<strong>–</strong> What’s different here compared<br />
to your college back home?<br />
Valentina: The organization here, it<br />
is all very well organized. I can’t say<br />
more, because my classes haven’t<br />
started yet. Everybody speak English<br />
here.<br />
Abbas: It’s smaller than my university<br />
(University of Georgia), but that’s<br />
not entirely a bad thing. It gets<br />
more personal here. In a big university<br />
it is more difficult to meet people.<br />
<strong>–</strong> How do you finance your stay<br />
here and your studies?<br />
Ingrid: The region my university is<br />
in support me, and also my family.<br />
Valentina: The EU and my university<br />
give me 200 Euros a month, but<br />
that’s not even enough to cover my living<br />
expenses.<br />
Abbas: I’ve got a few scholarships.<br />
I also worked really hard this summer<br />
to get some spending money.<br />
<strong>–</strong> Have you made any friends here<br />
yet?<br />
Valentina: Mainly other international<br />
students.(And the other two<br />
agree.)<br />
Ingrid: We did the race last<br />
Saturday, and there we got to meet<br />
some Norwegian students that invited<br />
us to a barbeque.<br />
<strong>–</strong> What are your plans for the future?<br />
Valentina: You’ve got me there!<br />
(Laughs.) I want to travel the world, I<br />
want to work for a Non-governmental<br />
organization, but I want to see as<br />
much of the world as possible. I am<br />
confused still, but I have time.<br />
Abbas: I want to work as a CEO in<br />
a multimillion-dollar corporation!<br />
Ingrid: I want to travel as much as<br />
possible. I would like to work in a communication<br />
agency. I’m not sure, that’s<br />
my problem.<br />
<strong>–</strong> What do you like and dislike<br />
about Norwegians?<br />
Ingrid: I was surprised. I thought<br />
Norwegians were more respectful, but<br />
they leave all their trash around on<br />
the grass after lunch.<br />
Abbas: I think Norwegians are very<br />
attractive. Most all of them are physically<br />
fit and nicely dressed. They’re<br />
fashionable. Some of them, and especially<br />
the older crowd, seem to be fearful<br />
of strangers. Another thing I’ve<br />
noticed is that there are bikes everywhere.<br />
I have never seen so many bikes!!!<br />
Tekst og foto: Ingunn H. Olsson<br />
September <strong>2002</strong><br />
<strong>Unikum</strong><br />
11