Today was our last official day in Oslo, Norway. It was a bittersweet ending to a great and unforgettable experience. We started off the day by gathering as a group in a coffee shop near the hotel called Joe and the Juice for one last morning cup of coffee. While we ate, we took the time to reflect on how much we have learned during our trip abroad. We also talked about how thankful we are for the relationships we have built with the Norwegian students. We are already planning a time to see them again soon! These past two weeks flew by so quickly and we are not ready to leave yet. After we had some caffeine in our system, we traveled to Lovisenberg for one last assignment.
Today we presented our community health projects. Each group chose a healthcare topic of concern within a community and compared how the issues are addressed in the U.S. and Norway. Some of the healthcare topics discussed during the presentation surrounded mental health of veterans, homelessness, food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, sexual education in schools, and addiction. Groups were very creative with their presentation style as many created short videos or podcasts to present their healthcare topic. Everyone did a fantastic job, and they were all very entertaining to watch! I feel that I gained a better understanding of healthcare issues in various communities between the U.S and Norway. This correlated with sustainable development goal #4 involving quality education. This project presentation provided quality education by promoting lifelong learning opportunities. After the presentations, we all joined the Norwegian students for dinner and karaoke. It was a great way to end the trip with our new friends from Norway. The night was full of emotions, some happy and some sad, but we are all grateful for this experience.
We will all cherish the memories that we have created during this trip abroad as well as the relationships we have built. It was interesting to learn about the healthcare system of Norway and how it differs from aspects of U.S healthcare. As future nurse practitioners, we plan to integrate the knowledge gained from this experience into our everyday practice.
