Atle Johansen has come from Norway to study at UND. Photo from Atle Johansen’s facebook page

Moving to a foreign country can be an exciting adventure. The environment is entirely perplexing. The layout of the land, the weather, your home location, the school you attend and the places you shop all play a role in a unique atmosphere. Not only do your surroundings differ, but the people you meet, the education you receive and the foods you taste contribute to this brand, new culture. Step out of your own shoes for a minute and imagine that you are a 22-year-old, Norwegian college student traveling to Grand Forks, North Dakota.

What would you think of the vast, flat land? What would be your first impression of the people and how would you view their various opinions and values? How would foods taste in comparison to your favorites back home? This is difficult to imagine, isn’t it? If you’re wondering what this experience is like, Atle Johansen (Nicknamed Alex) was willing to share his story in-the-making.

Alex landed in Minneapolis, Minnesota around Jul. 30. Here, he saw everything you would expect a Minneapolis tourist to witness: the Mall of America and the skyline. Alex decided to move here for an economics major, specifically, but he has always dreamed of living in the United States.

“I think the United States started growing on me when I was about 14-years-old. I would sit in my room all night looking at apartments in Manhattan. I would look at everything from the penthouses to the tiny, ten-square meters.” After he visited Pennsylvania in 2012, he was introduced to a Norwegian woman who helped him find the ideal school.

Interestingly enough, his overall first impression of the United States was the excessive consumerism and the fact that every product comes in bulk.

On the upside, Johansen truly enjoys meeting new people here despite their differences. Back in Norway, people joke about how “Americans are stupid” and have a “lack of social intelligence.” IGrand Forks students are generally kind and friendly. Johansen discovered that once he joined a fraternity.

There are obviously many differences between the United States and Norway. Beginning with foods and beverages, Johansen tried Caribou, KFC, and apple crisp for the first time since he moved here. He enjoyed each of them except for the greasy, fried chicken.

However, he has yet to try anything pumpkin-related, and the marketing technique of Twinkies is particularly intriguing. In terms of clothing, Johansen does not wear loose-fitted outfits he notices on campus. College-named clothing is not as common in Norway. As for traditions and celebrations, Johansen mentioned that he misses “Taco Friday” in Norway.

“Fridays are the days for salt and chips, and Saturdays are for sugary candy like chocolate and gummy bears,” Johansen said.

Other traditions in Norway include opening gifts on the 24th of December rather than Christmas day, and he also mentioned a fun game that he fondly remembers. Every Christmas Johansen’s family cooks up a big bowl of porridge. After everyone pours themselves a bowl, they search for a single, hidden almond. Whoever finds the almond in his or her porridge wins a prize.

“I like the games we play on Christmas, but I wish that we made a big deal out of every holiday like they do in the US. It’s fun to dress up on Halloween, and we don’t do that,” Johansen said.

However, one of the biggest celebrations in Norway is high school graduation.

On May first the graduates invest in a party van of some kind, ugly overalls and a hat and party hard for 17 days straight. According to Johansen, its customary to not remove one’s overalls for the entire trip and everyone attends a parade hungover on May 17.

Even though Johansen enjoys Grand Forks as a whole, if he could change a few things, he would first, take out Stop signs. They only have yield signs in Norway. He also would change the lack of public transportation and excessively long stoplights. Other than these, Johansen did not have much to complain about. Grand Forks has been a great experience for him so far, and he is excited to make more memories.

Kassidi Andres is a features writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]