The arrival to Oslo, Norway posed some new character builders for myself and a fellow student. Between multiple flight delays, missed flights, and misplaced luggage, this trip already thus far has taught us a valuable lesson that also goes along with a value of nursing: remain flexible. However, this did not dull the shine of the initial arrival into Oslo. Upon arrival and exiting the train station, we were taken aback by the beautiful sites that were before us. Beautiful sunny weather, fresh air that smelled of flowers, and bright greenery left us in awe. Below is a park we walked by when we left the train station and the street our hotel is on.
Next, we met the rest of the group at Oslo Street Food and had dinner. This restaurant had an open food court style of dining that had many food options from cultures around the world. I noticed the population of people were predominantly younger 20-30’s and it was quite crowded as it was a Saturday evening. While eating at this establishment, i noticed that due to the densely crowded area and multiple number of restaurants, i thought about the waste and trash that would be created. This goes along with sustainable development goal #12 which is responsible for consumption and production. With each meal, paper bowls and wooden silverware was provided. Additionally, all drinks were served in glasses that were to be washed and reused. Finally, there was a compost bin and recycling present at the restaurant. This made me reflect on the waste and plastic use in the United States and how paper, wooden utensils, and compost/recycling is not often seen. My “aha” was that waste could be cut down dramatically if we made some of these small changes in the United States.