By Linda Stromei, Ph.D., 2007-08 Fulbright Grantee to Norway

Sometime between reading about the Vikings and Leif Erikson in my Weekly Reader in grade school and dreaming of faraway places, and now, this became my mantra. As a young girl growing up in rural Mississippi, there was plenty of time for dreaming. But the experiences of this past year as a Fulbrighter to Norway have exceeded anything I could have ever dreamed.

 On a crisp fall morning in August, with as many warm memories of family and glorious New Mexico sunrises and sunsets as I could stuff into my mind, and as much clothing and candy corn (no, they do not sell it in Norway) as I could stuff into six suitcases, my husband Frank and I departed for what promised to be perhaps the most interesting year of our 35-year marriage. It was fortuitous that our arrival in August 2007 and departure in June 2008 occurred in months of welcoming sunshine, because the cold, dark, rainy months in between might have sent even the most optimistic of souls packing. But it is during these times that you must look elsewhere for your sunshine, and I did not have to look far. It was in the friendly faces of my colleagues at the School of Business and Economics, it was in the ‘god morgen’ I heard each day, and although Norwegians are known to be slow to warm up to foreigners, I found them only too eager to engage in dialogue with me (in English) on a variety of subjects, from the upcoming election in the United States to the egalitarian nature of Norwegian society as compared to society in the US. Being a Fulbrighter to Norway is easy because everyone in Norway speaks English so well.

Being at the University of Stavanger reminded me of stepping into a candy store (yes, I am fond of candy!) – there are so many choices that your eyes are bigger than your stomach. I wanted to experience it all. I signed up for a Norwegian language class that met for 3 hours a day, 4 days a week, I was teaching a class one day a week, I was mentoring Ph.D. students, I was doing research and making conference presentations, and oh, yes, I was working with the human resource department to design, implement and evaluate a new faculty mentoring program. Somehow, I struggled through and managed to complete all of my projects, do some sightseeing, and have some fun along the way.

My husband Frank and I have used this opportunity given to us by Fulbright to expand our horizons. We bought a car in Sweden which gave us the mobility to explore Norway fully, and Stavanger, unlike some of Norway’s larger cities, is difficult to navigate without a car. We also made full use of other means of transportation taking planes, buses, trains, ferries and fast boats to experience the beauty and diversity of Norway.

In addition to exploring Norway, we were able to visit with other European Fulbrighters at the Berlin conference and experience a city we had first visited with our young son in 1983, and had not been back since. It was wonderful to see the progress the city has made since reunification. It was also nice to share the pictures with our now grown-up son and reminisce about our trip twenty-five years ago. Frank was also able to use this time in Europe to explore on his own, visiting his father’s homeland of Italy often. Frank was also a frequent visitor to school, and could often be found touring the school’s new vineyard and proposed restaurant and winery or collaborating with one of the professors on some new entrepreneurial venture.

I was also able to attend the Women as Global Leaders conference in Dubai where I presented a paper about my research with the faculty mentoring program here at UiS. This conference was attended by women from over 85 different countries, and included keynote speeches from women in leadership roles all over the world. At this conference, I made several new acquaintances from various countries, who are conducting similar research to mine, or are interested in starting mentor programs at their universities. Attending this conference and making these contacts will expand my research agenda, as well as expand my thinking.

As I prepare to bring my Fulbright year to a close, I find it is bittersweet. I am leaving with the same level of excitement with which I arrived, yet, my focus is different. I am pleased to be leaving with such a sense of fulfillment that my projects were completed as planned with positive feedback. I am sad that this magical time has come to an end. My time here has allowed me to conduct new research as well as reflect and write on research previously conducted. I have found that the collaboration and dialogue with my new colleagues here has given me a new and different perspective that I feel has changed my research for the better.

Finally, while I have enjoyed very much my year in Norway, I am looking forward to returning to the US. Like many Americans, I enjoy the conveniences, food and culture of the US, and I do miss running out to Wal Mart to pick up something, even on a Sunday! I am also looking forward to cheaper prices at the pump and the grocery store, something many Americans take for granted.

I have traveled all my life. It started when I traveled only in my dreams, and expanded when I met and married someone who shared my passion for learning, and we began our journey together. As a teacher, I am committed to the concept of lifelong learning. I am also a committed practitioner.

Thank you, Fulbright Board for giving me this opportunity to achieve my dream.