“Next to nothing. Close to everything. This is Arctic living.”
This is the slogan that Alta has as a destination. Even though Alta is one of the most remote cities in the Arctic it definitely is one of the prettiest.
The pictures that the students have posted look like they were made in the middle of nowhere but actually, they are made in one of the most beautiful places on earth, in Alta, Norway. This can be seen very well in the picture posted by @clemalta_sm
A very small amount, barely more than nothing at all. This expression uses ‘next to’ in the sense of “almost,” a usage dating from the seventeenth century, as in “She ate next to nothing,” or “I earned next to nothing last year.” Except for the beautiful nature and the many many trees that can be seen, this is what next to nothing and close to everything means in the Arctic according to @claraaaa_inalta.
@evainalta ‘s and @clemalta_sm pictures (again) are ultimately characterized by the definition that was given to the term Arctic living, “adaptation to short growing seasons with long periods of sunlight, and to cold, dark, snow-covered winter conditions.”
If you want to get more insights into the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
In the Arctic, people study a wide variety of professions, but the most popular undergraduate programs for international students are somehow related to the tourism industry.
🌍💚🌿
An important topic to study is the ethical side of the tourism industry. Ethical tourism, ethical travel or ethical tourism behavior is about a sense of responsibility, about sustainability and about the impact on the environment, local communities and cultural heritage. This is about a conscious choice, thanks to which any negative consequences of tourism are minimized.
Ethical tourism includes various principles and practices, including:
Environmental responsibility
Respect for local cultures
Support for local communities
Preservation of cultural heritage
Responsible engagement with wildlife
Awareness and education
For example, @clemalta_sm says: “Everyone has a different opinion for ethical tourism. For me, it means that no animal should be abused, nature must be respected and not overexploited, the cultural norms should not be changed for the tourists.”
“An ethical tourist cares about the consequences of his actions on the environment, the local population and her economy : becoming an ethical tourist is a journey, not a destination” by opinion of @claraaaa_inalta
Other our student @evainalta think: “Ethical tourism is being respectful of the places we visit and their population, it’s also supporting small/local businesses and making sustainable choices in order to minimize our impact on the environment”
In general, ethical tourism involves respect, empathy and responsibility towards the environment, local communities and cultural heritage. If you want to learn more about ethical tourism – apply for tourism study programs at the UiT The Arctic University of Norway! And you will not only learn some fascinating statistics on the subject, but you will also be able to be part of the solution! 🌿
Sharing and giving advice to future tourists based on theirs own experiences for Outdoor Arctic activities
Dog sledding in Northern Norway is one of the main winter activities. It is a great opportunity to explore the winter wonderland with strong and loving dog companions by your side. It is an experience that is both visually and spiritually pleasing. It is also possible to spot some northern lights when riding during the dark. Best time for dog sledding is February March but I recommend March. If you visit Holmen husky during the time of finnmarksløpet you can also go on some part of the Finnmarksløpet trail as they use some parts of the same trail! If you’re lucky you can come across some racers! As an animal lover, my next recommendation is also about dogs! During the summer seasons it is possible on some dog kennels to work or volunteer as a summer job. This is an amazing opportunity to have an active holiday and spend it with fluffy friends! Last recommendation from me is… of course animal related again! Swimming with orcas that is! Valhalla Orca Expeditions allows you to swim with orcas! Who would have imagined! It is an amazingly magical experience that you can never forget
Figur 1 Dog sledding in Arctic narute (source: pinterest)
For those who enjoy the outdoors and want to experience the local culture fully, picking blueberries in Northern Norway during the summer is a delightful experience. The area is well-known for its virgin forests and stunning scenery, making it the ideal location for anyone looking for a tranquil escape. The best time to pick blueberries is during the season, which usually lasts from late July to early September. Visitors may either go on guided excursions or go picking on their own. Visitors may take in the clean air, breathtaking landscape, and the satisfaction of gathering their own food while picking. There are some helpful suggestions that you should keep in mind if you want to have a pleasant blueberry vacation. The best time to pick blueberries is in the morning or late afternoon when the sun is not at its strongest. And Bringing the right equipment is useful stuff as a container with a lid, such as a plastic bucket or a Tupperware container, is perfect for collecting blueberries. Importantly, respect the environment and Remember that you’re a guest in nature. Be mindful of your surroundings, avoid littering, and do not damage the plants or the environment.
Figur 2 Picking blueberry (Source: Pinterest)
Hiking and camping in Northern Norway can be an incredible experience for you! This area is full of stunning landscapes and natural beauties like fjords and towering mountains.
One of the most popular hiking destinations are Hesten and Skaland in Senja island. Hesten is considered as a quite challenging trail with a moderate climb but I hiked there without preparation in normal shape and I believe you can do so. The trail is a 5.3-km out-and-back. While hiking there you’ll encounter the best viewpoint on a small yet steep mountain Segla and two astonishing fjords: Mefjorden and Ørnfjorden. When to visit: May-September. If you’re planning on going there in May, bring waterproof boots cuz there’s still snow. I’m sure you’re gonna love this. Camping at Riddu Riddu festival (July 12-16, 2023), Olmmáivággi. The program is full of events, you can enjoy the spirit of nature and Indigenous culture on the campsite, it’s for free but bring your own tent. This is an amazing opportunity to get in touch with Sámi culture.
Since the campuses of our northern university are located in Alta, in the very north of our planet, the chance of seeing different kinds of spectacular lights is immensely bigger than it would be anywhere else.
Seeing the northern lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, is a lifelong cherished dream of travelers. Often, visitors from expedition cruises go visit the Arctic just for this explicit purpose. And this is no wonder if you would ask any one of us.
@evainalta
the northern lights are one of the most colorful light shows created by nature. Just imagine, luminous ribbons fluttering in the dark sky, shimmering with fantastic shades of green, blue, and purple. In some places, they flash yellow and red, illuminating the Arctic sky.
@anastasija_arcticstudent
However, no matter what color these lights may pose, there are hardly any words that can describe the beauty of this spectacle. This is definitely a must-see that cannot be missed when visiting the Arctic.
@annalie_tuinman
The frames of the northern lights show light waves that are shimmering with emerald hues against the background of the starry sky. Occasionally, the green color was complemented by some blue teints.
The interplay of billions and billions of touched molecules gives a spectacular and beautiful glow to the night sky. Most of the time, the aurora has the color green, but also blue, red, violet, purple, white and even yellow aurora occur.
@worldofivan
The Northern Lights are an amazing natural wonder. The aurora can mainly be seen as a light glow or moving arcs, beams of rays, or curtains of light. Many call it therefore the dance of light. Above the snow-covered surface, colors rise upwards which constantly change location, bend, and tend to disappear into infinity.
@sm.arctic
Sometimes there is an arc above the northern horizon from which light rays shoot up to the sky like searchlights. Very rarely does the aurora show a flame-like character, showing a curious and relatively rapid pulsating movement, which could be described as the dancing of candle flames.
@sba1262023
While witnessing the impressive aurora appearance, observers seem to hear a rustling or hissing sound. This sound can be compared to what one thinks to hear while seeing a swinging searchlight beam. Observers are certain that the hissing sounds of Aurora that they have heard, are similar to the sounds coming from the St. Elm’s fire phenomenon that is somewhat related to it.
@claraaaa_inalta
Today, visiting a place where the sky is filled with colorful colors has become a romantic dream of many tourists in love. The northern lights are mostly sought, however, twilight also definitely has some kinds of lights that you do not want to miss out on. So where would you want to go (next) to enjoy the beauty of heavenly light music to your heart’s content?
If you want to get more insights into the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
During the first Social Media & Communication class that the arctic students had, they were supposed to come up with at least 5 different hashtags related to Northern Norway. This, therefore, created a surprisingly diverse word web with the input of all students which can be seen below.
“One student forgot to change their keyboard layout from Cyrillic to Latin, and while trying to write an English word, she got the error you see in the center of the slide. The rest of the students decided to support this joke and introduced such a word into their forms. Thus, this non-existent word became then the main one on the screen in between all the other associations! This is how we usually joke at lectures at our arctic university!”
If you want to get more insights into the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
Lex Reilly mentions that the weather in Alta during February requires correct preparation and a sense of adventure even to go to the store. Going out for a hike or day trip is already next level!
Ivan Verian answer that 3 winter travel essentials here are:
1)Clothes 2)Clothes 3)Clothes
He says: ”You’ve read it right! More Clothes, More chances of enjoying your stay in Alta. PS. Based on my own experience”.
Most of the students mention proper clothes and shoes like travel essentials for people who want to go to Northern Norway. sm.arctic says that the crucial part is that you need to stay warm if you’re planning outdoor activities and for this reason you need layers, layers and one more time layers. Eva Marle Chantal Degieux describe the next parts of the cloth that you need to have to travel in the North:
wool underclothes like leggings and t-shirts to keep the body warm throughout the day. Going outside without this could cause discomfort, being really cold and returning home early.
gloves, beanie, scarf, socks (do not forget to wear several pairs) because nothing is worse than being cold on the body’s extremities. There is no way you can go out without them at the risk of losing fingers and toes, catching an illness.
snow boots because it is impossible to walk or hike with sneakers. If you don’t have those you can risk slipping on ice, and getting your feet cold.
For example, Clara Louise Rose Lemercier, describes her scarf as big as a blanket, that allows her to wrap herself up to keep warm. She is sure that if she doesn’t wear it, she will catch a cold.
Aaltje Koosje Tuinman pay attention that its necessary to have a hand crème and lip balm: “The number 1 essential must have item for me is by far hand crème. Because of the cold, my hands get very very dry, which causes them to break. My knuckles and the top of my hands start to look really red and it then hurts a lot. That is why I need to have hand crème with me everywhere I go and I rub them in at least every few hours.
Just as I really need hand crème, the same goes for moisturizing lip balm. However, my lips are definitely not as bad as my hands are, because I feel like the air is not very dry and there is not a lot of wind in the city center. When it does happen that they are getting really dry and red, I want to make sure that I can moisturize them at any moment and that it doesn’t look like they are breaking.”
Alona Kutsenko also mentioned that it’s possible to have chemical hand and foot warmers that will help you to survive.
anastasija_arcticstudent except woolen socks and underwear mentioned that its would be nice for traveler to have a beer in Northern Norway to keep themselves warm in any situation 😏 #arcticstudent
In Norway, they have a wonderful saying. “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær!” which means that there is no such thing as bad weather for the Norwegians, but that there are only bad clothes!
The arctic students have created posts in which they describe just this and in which they show what the weather looks like in Alta in February. They all have shown their own take on this, which gives this incredible differentiating result!
Let’s see how they view the winter in Alta!
If you want to get more insights into the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
Let’s take a look to what the students have to say about Alta and what they think that the best thing is about being an arctic student. They all have a different views, opinions and experiences. Are you just as curious as us?
If you want to get more insights of the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
Welcome to the Arctic Student blog – a blog about students of UiT university who live beyond the Arctic Circle, on the territory of permafrost, long polar nights, and who surprisingly much enjoy everything that it has to offer! Let’s take a look at what it is that they love about it exactly!
If you want to get more insights into the lives of students beyond the Arctic Circle or share your own experience, use the hashtag #arcticstudent
If you have any ideas or inspirations on what to post on our blog, please send a mail to either one of these mail addresses.
