The first semester of my year in Svalbard has finished, and I simply cannot believe how fast it has gone by. It feels like I blinked and suddenly the sun set and polar night started, the sky lighting up with the moon and northern lights rather than the sun. But time truly doesn't go by any faster than when you are having the time of your life. I am so excited that the semester ending doesn't mean the end of my time in Svalbard, because I am studying at UNIS until June. I feel incredibly relieved that I am not leaving quite yet, because I feel like I am just barely scratching the surface of what Svalbard has to offer. The spring, a.k.a. snowmobile season, hasn't even truly begun, and my skis have only been taken out under the starts and not the midnight sun yet. I feel so happy to already feel so connected to Svalbard, to have a place and people that I am not ready to say goodbye to!
I am not returning to the US for the holidays, but rather taking advantage of the skiing Europe has to offer! This will be the first holiday away from home for me, and I am both excited and nervous. I am headed to Austria in search of snow, and I am excited to explore more of Europe this year. I do find myself already missing the quiet, dark town of Longyearbyen and the shared kitchen with my friends.
My understanding of myself has shifted with this experience. Embracing uncomfortability, change, being a foreigner, and being from the US; all of these things are not easy for me. I like a routine; I like to have a plan; I like fitting in, but I am learning that the more I push myself outside of my comfort zones and routine, the more I learn and grow. Spontaneous is not how I would describe myself, but the best memories I have are from last-minute plans, adventures without plans, and decisions based on present feelings. I am beginning to truly do what I want to, because I want to. Being myself and embracing who I am and how I feel has allowed me to connect with people now from all over Europe and Norway as friends. I was worried that leaving the community and home I built in Oregon and the US would leave me without a home, that I would always feel like an outsider in another country. Being in Svalbard has shown me that I can create a home and community anywhere I go, as long as I am willing to try. It turns out, there are amazing people all over the world. Connecting with them and creating new friendships over skiing, chocolate, school, poster presentation anxiety, the first snow—the list could go on and on—is such a wonderful feeling.
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This term has let me bloom. I encourage all who are scared or worried or anxious to leave their comfort zones, their home, and their friends and family to just try it. I had never done anything like this before, leaving all of my family and friends and the country I grew up in for a complete unknown. Now I am excited to keep going, keep experiencing new things, and embrace the discomfort that comes with change. This experience in Norway, in the Arctic, has sparked wonder in me. The growth I've incurred during my time here shows me how much I still have to learn and how much of the world I still have yet to see. I am so grateful to GEO and UO for being the bridge to new beginnings for me.
Maddy Billups, Arctic Scientific Studies in Svalbard