Who is Martine?
Martine Wergeland Ulseth is a 22-year-old girl from Sandefjord in Norway, who is in the third year of her bachelor’s degree in media studies at NTNU. At the Institute, she is enrolled in the interdisciplinary courses ROMA2020 and ROMA2021, covering history, art, intellectual history, archaeology and architecture.
- My favorite things in Rome have been to experience a different culture, and a wide variety of food and bars, and that everyone is open-minded and talkative, she says.
Why the Norwegian Institute in Rome?
- I wanted to study abroad, and I wanted to go to Italy, so a Norwegian Institute in Roma was perfect for me, Martine explains. She adds that the application process is very convenient for Norwegians, much easier than it would have been to study through an Erasmus scholarship at an Italian university. It was also great that the courses are taught in Norwegian, and that you can write your exam in Norwegian.
- In this way, you can get a little piece of Norway in Rome while also experiencing Roman culture
From Trondheim to Rome
On 16th September 2024, Martine officially began her time at the recently renovated Institute with a reception at the top floor of the Institute, getting to know fellow students, teachers and staff at the Institute.
- Moving from Trondheim to Rome was quite easy, even though it is a bigger city than I am used to, and it was way hotter than at home, she comments.
Additionally, the environment at the Institute fosters close connections, and according to Martine it is easy to develop close relationships with fellow students because the classes are relatively small, and because the Institute provides plenty of meeting places, including the fabulous rooftop terrace.
ROMA2020 & ROMA2021
The lectures were a mix of classroom lectures and on-site excursions, and Martine was impressed by Rome's marvellous monuments, and enjoyed spending time with fellow students at after hours aperitivi.
- We’ve been to churches and monuments, walking inside the Foro Romano, and the teachers are very knowledgeable. You can just point at anything and ask what it is, and most of the time, you get an answer! It was great to have lectures outside next to the monuments instead of just looking pictures in a textbook.
Living in the capital of the world
Rome is known for being messy, dirty, and chaotic, but Martine loves the city.
- I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been living with an old Italian woman that has sort of become my Italian mother here, she smiles. However, not everything is perfect, the public transport is for instance awful!
She adds that Rome fortunately is a pleasure to walk through, with something interesting around every corner.
The return of the student
After a semester in Rome, Martine decided she hadn’t had enough and enrolled in the history course for the next semester.
- It’s hard to leave the eternal city”, Martine says with a smile. Fortunately, the spring semester courses fit perfectly into my bachelor’s degree, so I will be back soon.
This sentiment is shared by many students, which is why so many return as interns, researchers, or for further study. Martine considers it an advantage that the tuition fee is just like it would be in Norway as well.
Advice and experiences
With more than two months of experience in Rome, Martine is happy to share some of the wisdom she has gained while living in the city. Martine advises students coming to Rome to learn a bit of Italian, or at least some basic words. She knew Italian before arriving in Italy, but she says it also would be easy to pick up the language when in Rome. Martine reminds students to enjoy life, the good food and great aperitivi that Rome offers.
- I would advise anyone who has the chance to come here to do so because it’s such a great and safe experience. You get to go to a different country but still feel connected to your own country while being abroad, Martine continues.
Favourite things
Of all the great experiences in Rome, Martine has also appreciated the social aspects of the Italian society. As an example she mentioned an experience from this morning - I met a woman at the bus stop, and she asked me about my scarf. She was so interested in everything I did – it was very cute. We ended up taking the bus together. Her name was Alicia, and she asked for my name. I liked it a lot.
Another fondness she has developed for Italy is its lifestyle, and she has a fondness for the Italian expressions dolce far niente or la dolce vita, which mean ‘the sweetness of doing nothing’ or ‘the sweet life.’
The adventure continues
In the twilight of a luminous semester abroad in the Eternal City, Martine looks back on an autumn filled with wonderful experiences: meeting new people, seeing incredible monuments, and enjoying life to the fullest. For the Christmas months, she will return home to Trondheim to celebrate the holidays with her family before coming back for the start of the spring semester in February 2025.