“But Why Norway?” - Fulbright.no

Abbey Schneider, 2007-08 Fulbright Roving Scholar for the Lower Secondary Schools 

Abbey Schneider

When I arrive at a new school each morning and report to the lærerom for morning coffee with teachers I am usually asked, “Are you a student? Or are you a teacher?”  I tell them I hope to always be both and then I introduce them to the Fulbright Roving Scholars Program.  

“But why Norway?” I am asked this question at every school I visit.  And each time I answer this question carefully, attempting to impress upon the questioner the uniqueness and intrinsic value of the Roving Scholars program.  I explain that I came to Norway specifically for this program.  I say incredulously and wholeheartedly that of the more than 140 countries in which the Fulbright program has sent students and scholars, Norway is the only country in the world with the creativity and foresight to have this program.  

 I am a teacher and from my point of view if you want to learn about a community’s heart and soul, look to the schools. You will learn what a community and society value when you examine the design, structure and culture of its schools. Over the course of the year I gave approximately 226 workshops to teachers and students in 57 schools.  Each time I visit a new class, I tell students that I feel so very lucky to be here in Norway and especially at their schools.  Because of the Roving Scholars Program I have access to places that most tourists do not get to visit.  When I ask students if they have ever seen a tour bus park outside of their school and a bunch of tourists climbing out with cameras poised to capture their learning, well, they laugh.  But when I ask them if they think the culture of their school represents the Norwegian culture in general, they say yes and understand my point.

Abbey Schneider with students.

The single most important thing I have learned by visiting ungdomsskolen this year is to better understand the unwritten and unspoken code of Norwegians.  Every culture has its own code and it can be a challenge for a foreigner to unlock the code.  For example, in Washington, DC where I come from, it is considered impolite, rude even, to pass a person on the sidewalk without acknowledging him or her, or to sit in an empty bus seat next to a stranger without having a short conversation about the weather or the traffic.  This is the code in Washington, DC.  

When I first arrived in Oslo and attempted to apply my code to my new home, Norwegians though I was crazy.  I have learned quickly how to be more Norwegian in my public life. My advantage is that I spend much of my time in schools where young Norwegians are also learning the code.

Better understanding what it means to be Norwegian has a great impact on the way I view my work this year, and creates a new lens through which I view my own country, especially American education.  Having this lens has been critical in being able to make meaningful comparisons for Norwegian students who are eager to know how their experience compares to that of students their age in the United States.  Having sufficient competence in both experiences to help students understand the similarities and differences changed the way I felt about my work in Norway. No longer simply a visiting teacher, I have grown into a bridge between my host country and home country—a Fulbrighter.