Today was a day full of reflection, connection, and inspiration as we worked on our final project alongside our mixed team of Norwegian and U.S. nursing students. One of the highlights for me was visiting a local café with the unique and powerful mission of offering employment to individuals who are actively using drugs or trying to stop. The idea is simple yet profound: give people dignity, structure, and purpose by letting them work, regardless of their addiction status. Hearing the story of one gentleman who had been given a second chance reminded me that healing doesn’t always follow a straight path, and that meaningful change often starts with trust, inclusion, and opportunity. As someone who works with the substance abuse population at home, his presentation impacted me in a way that brought tears to my eyes, knowing this is a human being with a story to tell, and a beautiful life. This café perfectly represented the sustainable development goal of Decent Work & Economic Growth, number 8. This is because what this specific café is doing here in Oslo is giving those who might be considered unqualified or on the margins of being able to get a job are given a fair shot to earn their own income.

Collaborating with both American and Norwegian students has been one of the most enriching parts of this course. We come from different healthcare systems and cultural backgrounds, but we’ve found so much common ground as well. Working together on this project has not only deepened my understanding of harm reduction strategies but also shown me the value of listening and learning from a different perspective. It’s been incredible to see how our ideas come together to create something that reflects compassion, innovation, and global thinking.

We ended the day with a final group dinner. It was filled with laughter, highs and lows from our trip, and the understanding that tomorrow would be our final day together in Norway. It’s hard to put into words how meaningful this experience has been. From the classroom to the streets of Oslo, I’ve learned lessons that will shape my nursing practice forever. I’m leaving Norway with new friendships, broader perspectives, and a deeper commitment to meeting people where they are with empathy and respect.

Today, day 10 of our time in Oslo Norway, me and one other student had the opportunity to visit Gatehospitalet, the Salvation Army’s Street hospital dedicated to caring for people experiencing homelessness and drug addiction. This visit was deeply moving and offered an eye-opening look at how Norway approaches health equity and care for some of its most vulnerable populations. The facility offers compassionate care, providing everything from wound care and infection management to a safe place for people to rest and recover, services that are often inaccessible to those living on the margins of society.

What struck me most was the genuine trust and mutual respect between the staff and patients. The healthcare professionals at Gatehospitalet meet people where they are, literally and figuratively, offering non-judgmental, trauma-informed care that recognizes the complex realities of addiction and homelessness. Many patients have nowhere else to go, and the staff not only provides physical treatment but also fosters connection, safety, and dignity. It’s a powerful example of community nursing that goes beyond the clinical to include social justice and advocacy. To see healthcare professionals including nurses and doctors, sitting down to lunch at the same table with the patients they serve, and having normal conversation with them, was such a beautiful picture of humanity simply being there for each other, no matter their title. This perfectly depicted to me the 10^th sustainable development goal of reduced inequalities, because a population that is so pushed to the outskirts of society being brought in, loved on, fed, and getting to be a part of a small family moves that goal in a positive direction.

As a nursing student from Ohio State, this experience helped me reimagine what community health can look like when compassion drives policy and care delivery. It challenged me to think about the structural barriers to health we see in the U.S. and how we might adapt community-focused interventions in our own systems. My visit to Gatehospitalet wasn’t just educational, it was inspiring, and it deepened my commitment to serving underserved populations with empathy, respect, and a holistic view of health.

Leah & Jeshua

“Break bread, laughter, community, and security”

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, & love. But the greatest of these is love” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

     Today was a whirlwind—a chilly, sniffly, utterly Norwegian kind of day during my study abroad journey in the breathtaking Oslo, Norway. What started as a hopeful and academically stimulating afternoon at Lovisenberg University quickly turned into a personal quest for cold relief, vitamin C, and rest. Shortly after arriving at the charming university nestled in the heart of the city, I started to feel that all-too-familiar scratchy sensation in my throat. My head felt heavy, my energy drained, and despite the crisp, invigorating Nordic air, I knew I was developing a cold. Determined to tackle it early, I left campus and set out on foot to the Arotek pharmacy. After navigating aisles of unfamiliar packaging, I asked for help before purchasing some cold medicine, cough drops, and vitamin C, all of which cost more than what I’m used to back in Ohio, from my personal experience.

     I retraced my steps back to school, medicine in hand, but it became clear that my condition was only worsening. My body was begging for rest, so I made the reluctant decision to head home to our hotel. The walk to the tram station was a brisk 10 minutes through Oslo’s cobblestone-lined streets, followed by a peaceful 10-minute tram ride. After another short two-minute walk from the tram stop, I arrived back at the hotel. I took another dose of medication, pulled the blackout curtains, and collapsed into bed, where I slept deeply for the next four hours. I felt as though my afternoon correlated directly with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, “Good Health and Well-Being”, in that it highlighted both personal health challenges and the importance of accessible, responsive healthcare while abroad. My experience with developing a cold in a foreign country underscores the need for timely access to healthcare services, affordable medications, and the role of public health infrastructure.

     By the time I woke up, the rest of our group had returned from the day’s lectures, full of stories and memories that I had missed. Although I still felt under the weather, I rallied, because this evening’s activity was one, I couldn’t miss. I quickly got dressed, bundled up against the chill, and joined the other nine students for a unique Nordic experience: a sauna on the fjord. Even in the midst of a cold, Norway is full of warmth.