Norway is a country of breathtaking glaciers and fjords and avid winter sport enthusiasts. Check out a traditional folk festival or one of Norway’s famous stave churches, which are among the oldest wooden buildings on earth. You might even get to see the spectacular aurora borealis, the northern lights.There is a strong sense of history and civic engagement and on special occasion some Norwegians wear traditional clothing, bunad. During the warm months Norwegians of all ages love to be outside, hiking, fishing and barbecuing are popular.

Young people in Norway are often involved in after-school activities such as sports, music, arts and crafts. Community organized activities, scouting, politics clubs and the Red Cross are also quite popular. And like most teens everywhere, weekends are for movies, parties or hanging out at cafes.

People & Community

Your host parents will probably expect you to be quite independent, and your host siblings might have part-time jobs. Weekends are often family focused. The people of Norway are some of Europe’s most progressive and peaceful. Most Norwegians live in small communities of less than 20,000 inhabitants. While Norwegians cherish their history as a nation of fishermen and farmers, they live life very much like any other industrialised Western nation. Norway is sometimes considered Europe’s biggest folk museum, but simultaneously it is a laboratory for the future.

School

You will probably attend the Norwegian upper secondary school in the general studies track. Even though Norwegian schools don’t usually offer extra-curricular activities, many of your Norwegian friends will take part in drama, choir or sports outside of school. Norwegian teachers value initiative so you should be quite independent and don’t expect constant reminders to do your assignments. You can expect to have a relatively informal relationship with your teachers, and address them by their first name.

Language

Norwegian is the language of Norway. It is a Germanic language related to Danish, Swedish and Icelandic and has two official forms of writing—bokmål (Standard Norwegian) and nynorsk (New Norwegian). Some schools might include you in the Norwegian classes for immigrants and AFS will share links and materials with you to help you learn the language.

Food

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One of the most popular foods in Norway is fish, but people also eat lots of meat, potatoes, vegetables, milk and cheese, and there are various sweets. Open-faced sandwiches are also popular and are often eaten for breakfast. Dinner is the main meal of the day and a favorite dish is meatballs and potatoes with gravy. Even though Norwegians still appreciate traditional Norwegian dishes, the international cuisine has had a lot of influence the recent decades. Try out the pizza, pasta and Norwegian “tacos.”

Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure

With over 75 years of experience in student exchanges, we know what we’re doing when it comes to support and education! AFS provides comprehensive orientation for all students and families before, during and after your exchange – AFS volunteers and staff will be there to support and guide you the whole way through. In-person orientation camps in New Zealand and your host country are supplemented by our world-leading online Student Learning Journey, an interactive course that brings AFSers from around the world together to develop essential global skills, learn intercultural communication techniques, and practice social impact. This journey will help you maximise your experience, cope with the challenges of navigating a new culture and community, and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding throughout your time abroad and as you return to your home country. Find out more about our educational expertise here!

Explore the Programmes Available in Norway

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Norway

  • DestinationNorway
  • DurationsYear
  • Program Dates
    • Aug 15, 2025 - Jun 22, 2026