– I was a little scared to be in charge of Generation Games at first, but it ended up being fun and a great way to get to know the Norwegian people and the city, Esmee says.
Esmee van Valkenburg from the Netherlands and Joel Maximilian Schenck from Germany are both exchange students for the autumn semester at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University) in Lillehammer.
– I also think an event like this is important here in Lillehammer because it’s kind of a sports city after the Olympic Games, Joel continues.
The Generation Games is a world-known initiative for local communities that brings people of all ages and abilities together through sports. In Lillehammer, the event is organised and hosted by students each year, and they are in charge of arranging different activities around the city. This year’s event took place last Saturday, on the 28th of September.
Event management in practice
– Being on the leading board of the Generation Games was an opportunity to gain experience in project management and a good way to combine theory and practice, Joel says.
Both Joel and Esmee have selected the course Event Management at Inland School of Business and Social Sciences. In Germany, Joel studies business management, and in the Netherlands, Esmee studies commercial economics.
Already in their first week as students in Norway, they decided to take responsibility for organising, coordinating and hosting the Generation Games through their event management class.
– A highlight for me was that everything went well and like planned, and that there were a lot of people who wanted to participate. We actually conducted a survey that showed that the age span of the participants was 1-44, which is a good range. But we also saw many grandparents who helped their grandchildren participate, Esmee explains.
The students could enjoy a crowded and sunny city centre in Lillehammer – filled with people of all ages who wanted to participate in the different activities.
– In addition to everything going according to plan, a personal highlight for me was an activity called box climbing. For this activity boxes must be stacked on the top of each other. At the same time, you sit or climb on this tower yourself, and you are secured by a rope, Joel says.
The students both agree that Generation Games also was a great way to socialise and meet new people, both other exchange students and Norwegians.
Warmly welcomed by Norwegians and INN
This is the first time Esmee and Joel are in Norway. About her first impression, Esmee says the following:
– When I first came to Lillehammer, my parents drove me by car from the Netherlands. I was stunned by the view and the mountains, because back home it’s flat like a pancake!
The students then continue talking about how nice and helpful Norwegians are, and how this surprised them based on what they had heard.
– We were told that Norwegians are careful and reserved, but my impression is that everyone here is very approachable and open to ask you questions, Esmee says.
The students describe a welcoming campus at Lillehammer, and how they were part of a social week, 'Buddy Week', that included a rebus in the city centre and mentors who took them to social events. All the international students also went on a mountain hike to Besseggen.
– We both live in SINN dorms with many other exchange students and hang out a lot with them, but through Generation Games, for example, we also got to know Norwegians, Joel explains.
They both agree that their goals for the semester is completing all their courses as well as gaining new friendships and developing English and social skills.
– The best thing here is being socially active, doing fun stuff, and getting to know new people and a new country. Just the whole exchange student experience in general, Joel concludes.
