LETIZIA JACCHERI: Publish papers and do a good job

I read in Adressa about the explosion of International PhDs at NTNU. I have observed this for the last 22 years with both joy and concern. I came here as an exchange student in 1989. At the time there were few German and some NORAD foreign students. We did not have skype, web, nor parmesan cheese. Norwegian and Ryanair did not exist either and a flight to Italy was as expensive as my Italian PhD salary for one month. Norway was very far away and exotic.

NTNU has given me plenty of possibilities and I do not regret my choice to join NTNU.

However it has not been easy and it is not easy. Here the most important lessons learnt.

- Publish papers and do a good job.

- Try to learn Norwegian and do not be afraid to speak by making mistakes. If they do not understand you as you say Dykkehjem istead of Dukkehjem, keep on talking about Ibsen and go to the theater and see the piece. If somebody says “I do not understand anything of what you say”, it is his problem. Repeat in Norwegian or in English if it worth to make the person to understand.

- Walk, cycle, use your skies, try to be outside. You are stronger than the Norwegian winter. If you lived in Milan or Munchen you would probably not afford a weekend on the Alps. Dream you are in the Alps and enjoy the snow.

- Try to eat lunch with Norwegian people. They are strange, but nice

and you need to socialize if you want to understand how the system works. I called it “Power in the slices of bread” (Makt i matboksen).

- Try to have Norwegian friends as well as foreigner ones. Some of the foreigners will probably leave the country and it is very sad when your friends leave.

- Norwegian students are more rude than most of other students in other countries. But they are smart too. Believe in yourself and be kind to them and to yourself even when they are rude. Rudeness is their problem.

- Again, publish papers and do a good job. This is the most important result but cannot be the only mean as well. Have fun.

These recommendations are not based on a scientific study. They are based on my own experience and mistakes. I do not know what it would have happened to me and to all those who are here if they had not come here. I wish all foreigners at NTNU a happy life and successful career.

Please add suggestions if you have!