I would recognize Oslo a place for me to grow up. The summer in 2007, with only knowledge of Norwegian Wood, I packed myself and decided to come here. Why? I have met such question from many people in the lasting three years. Why? I would like to ask myself as well.

Apparently I didn’t know the answer. I was so lost in the first two years. I couldn’t understand why I decided to start the master study and why I chose a cold place without knowing anybody or anything interesting here. I just wanted to run out from home to feel something different, but, it was an adventure, without fun?

Drinking and party was the only thing I cared at that time. I performed poorly at school. I was so proud of my life style and those people studying hard were so stupid to me. I couldn’t see my future but I didn’t care either. Time was flying and I was a vacuum inside me.

I don’t know how it has changed but suddenly I just felt it would end up nowhere if I continued to live like that. I needed some change and at first it was so difficult. I forced me to sit back in the class, to have a regular time schedule, to quit alcohol, and it was so difficult. I changed my program, found some temporary jobs to give me more motivation. I struggled so much to fight against myself.

People need different ways to prove themselves. I am a foreigner in Norway, which means sometimes I could meet some situation to make me insulted. I am not sensitive but if I am presumed to come to Oslo just because I want to stay here, I feel insulted. I know a lot of people truly do this and I don’t feel anything bad about it, but I just hate the prejudice about me.

Nobody knows the future at the starting point. Life is a journey and I always thought I could go back if I wanted. Somehow I found myself wrong. I have been more and more involved in life and I want it continue like that. I have my plans and I want to achieve them. I even don’t care about how people think about me - I am going to find a job here, so what? As a young graduate, I need some finance to give me wider freedom in the future.

“I’m just a little worried about my future. I’m a little upset about my future.” From The Graduate 1967, is still the same nowadays. I am taking one extra year to finish my master degree and also improve my grades, and I am learning Norwegian to make me more competent. I am glad with my situation now and I look forward to my first job, which gives me the proof that I am able to be independent from my family, completely.

Let’s start from here.