Visiting Bergen, Norway on Erasmus+ was an amazing way to finish my year at Tramore Road Campus. I went with four other students attending Cork ETB colleges and we had a brilliant cultural exchange with younger students from Norway, Portugal, Turkey and France. The Irish students facilitated the workshops in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We organized four presentations altogether over the course of the week to raise awareness of the various topics to hopefully be completed before 2030. 

The Norwegian students and teachers planned a jam-packed schedule for us from the second we got off the plane. From visiting the fish farms on speed boats, to hiking the second largest mountain in Bergen, we were never idle! It was fascinating to see how eco-friendly and eco-conscious everyone is. Their public transport system was seamless, electric and one transaction covered all modes of transport. What was most noticeable was the lack of traffic pollution and noise, the air was fresh which was amazing for the second largest city in Norway. They have such pride in their city and public spaces, all public spaces were there to be enjoyed and respected.  

The highlights of Bergen were having Seisiún Ceol at our hostel, teaching the students Irish Dancing, visiting art and science museums and spending time getting to know the students from different countries. En route we were blessed to have a stopover in Amsterdam which was a great taster to see two cities on one trip.

Thia Potter Finn

I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend the Together for Sustainable Development Goals Erasmus programme this May in Bergen, Norway. The project itself was very engaging; we were working with young people aged 13-16 at the Rothaugen School and it was really refreshing to see their commitment and interest in sustainability and the environment. I benefitted hugely from this alone as it helped me to broaden my mind and approach this topic with many new perspectives. 

It was also an incredible opportunity to appreciate the culture in Norway, and the teachers and students treated us so well as guests, and they were eager to show us their city and tell us about their lives. I, personally, benefitted from this as it allowed me to push my own boundaries and engage in completely new experiences, which I will take with me for a long while. Finally, it was also a great opportunity to meet like-minded people from Cork and make new connections!

Rowan Elliot