Tromsø and the Northern Lights: A Study Abroad Adventure to Remember

My time in London was so memorable, and it was an experience that I will always cherish. Besides the great food, friends, and memories, London allowed me to broaden my knowledge of the world. As European countries are very close geographically, I was able to travel to other countries very easily. It was much more affordable and quicker to go to places than it would have been from the U.S. The most memorable place I traveled to was Tromsø, Norway.

During my fall break, a friend who was studying in Paris, France came to visit me in London for a few days. It was great to catch up with her because we had studied abroad and traveled together the semester prior. I showed her around the city, and we did all of the "touristy" things like seeing Buckingham Palace, eating all the food at Borough Market, and walking on Tower Bridge at night. After a few days of being London, we embarked upon our next adventure to Tromsø.

When the plane touched down in Tromsø, I was so excited to see so much snow. Tromsø was smaller than other touristy cities around Europe; it felt cozy and friendly. Even though neither my friend nor I spoke Norwegian, we felt welcomed wherever we went. When initially booking the trip, we knew we wanted to see the northern lights, so we chose one of the best places and times to do so. However, nobody is ever guaranteed to see them, so we booked a tour with experts. On the day of the tour, we bundled up and boarded a bus with about 30 other people and two tour guides. Then, we embarked upon our 6 - 10 hour journey to see the lights. About an hour into the bus ride, we stopped at the side of the road and saw a short green streak of light. We were so excited because we were not sure whether we would see anything at all. Then, we continued to our destination which was beside the border with Finland. We stayed there for about an hour before we saw anything. When we waited a bit longer, we began seeing some streaks of faint light. It looked like a thin green rainbow at first. After a while, more and more started to show in the sky. By around 1 a.m., we were lucky enough to watch green, red, and purple lights dance throughout the sky for over four hours. It was such a surreal experience and one that I will never forget.

That being said, I recommend that no matter where one goes to study abroad, they take advantage of close travel destinations. Traveling is beneficial for one's understanding of different cultures, peoples, and places. It encourages empathy and patience, while also pushing one to step out of their comfort zone. Traveling, especially when young, builds confidence and independence. Therefore, I advise everyone to travel as much as they can!