Sechs Schüler:innen der SPA 24.2 in zwei Kindergärten in Trondheim
People there
The people of Trondheim are known for being warm, friendly, and down-to-earth. Many of them have a strong connection to nature and enjoy spending time outdoors, regardless of the season. Thanks to the high level of education in Norway, most locals speak excellent English, which makes it easy to communicate. Trondheim is also one of Norway’s biggest university cities, home to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). This means there’s a large population of students from all over Norway and the world, giving the city a youthful and international charm. Whether you’re in a café, hiking trail, or music venue, you’ll likely meet open-minded and welcoming people who are proud of their city’s history and innovation.
Fun Facts
- Former Capital – Trondheim used to be the capital of Norway during the Viking Age and Middle Ages.
- Viking Roots – The city was originally called Nidaros and was a central location for the Viking kings.
- Nidaros Cathedral – The largest medieval building in Scandinavia is located in Trondheim, and it’s where many Norwegian kings were crowned.
- Smart City – With NTNU and many tech companies, Trondheim is one of the most innovative cities in the country.
- Bike Lift – Trondheim has the world’s first bike lift, Trampe, which helps cyclists up a steep hill in the city center
Kindergarten Aastahagen
The Aastahagen kindergarten in Trondheim is super friendly, we had a nice welcome with lots of information. To make it easier for us with the language, two of us were assigned to a group, and the kindergarten wasn’t far from the apartment, which was three bus stops away. The daily routine in Norwegian kindergartens is different than in Germany, they rarely have a morning circle and the kindergarten is an outdoor kindergarten, which means they are outside with the children in any weather, the children’s food is usually packed by the parents in a bread box except on Wednesday when they always eat warm fish and on Wednesday a few of the group visit the people in the old people’s home. There are 40 children aged 3-6 in a group and they have 7 educators in one group. The children are very intelligent and independent, many of them speak Norwegian and English. A group consists of several rooms, which means that each group has its own laboratory or restaurant and they never have to go into an extra room.
Money & Shopping
For bigger shopping, we went to a cheaper store called “Rema” in the city.
Norway is more expensive than Germany, especially food. So we had to plan well and only buy what we really needed.
Accommodation
Trondheim is a nice city in the north of Norway. During our time there, five girls lived together in one apartment. One boy lived in a second apartment nearby.
The girls’ apartment had two rooms with double beds and one room with a single bed. We shared one bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. We cooked, ate, and played games together.
The apartment was in a good location. The train station was very close, and the bus stop was only 5–10 minutes away. A small supermarket called “Kiwi” was just 5 minutes away by foot.
Our time in Trondheim was a great experience. Living together and being in a new country was interesting and fun. We learned a lot and enjoyed our time there.
City & Landscape
Trondheim is a really nice city in Norway. It is located right at the water and is the third biggest city in Norway.The city was founded in the year 997 and was once the capital of Norway and an important pilgrimage site, which is especially reflected in the Nidaros Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in Scandinavia.
The landscape surrounding Trondheim is characterized by natural diversity. Gentle hills, dense forests, and numerous lakes surround the city and offer year-round opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking. The view from Kristiansten Fortress is particularly beautiful. The fjord itself also invites visitors to take walks and watch the sunset.
Unsere Zeit im internationalen Kindergarten
Wir waren im Birralee International Kindergarten. Es gab drei Elementargruppen (Butterfly, Ladybug und Bumblebee). Neben dem Kindergarten befindet sich die Birralee International School, in der Kinder von der ersten bis zur zehnten Klasse unterrichtet werden. In den Pausen sieht man die älteren Schüler oft mit den jüngeren Kindern spielen, da sich Kindergarten und Schule den Pausenhof teilen. Wir fanden, dass alles sehr harmonisch verlief und die Kinder alle sehr gut erzogen wirkten. Wir waren ebenfalls davon beeindruckt, wie sie bereits im Alter von vier Jahren anfangen, das Alphabet zu lernen, und teilweise schon Wörter lesen können. Zudem gab es mehrere Kinder, die bis zu vier Sprachen sprechen konnten. Im Morgenkreis zählten die Kinder nicht nur in ihrer Muttersprache, sondern auch in einer Fremdsprache bis zehn.
Da es ein bilingualer Kindergarten ist, wird hauptsächlich Englisch mit den Kindern gesprochen. Eine Sache, die uns aufgefallen ist und die in Norwegen anders gemacht wird als in Deutschland, ist das Mittagessen. In Norwegen gibt es nämlich keine warme Mahlzeit zum Mittagessen, sondern die Kinder bringen eine Brotdose mit. Daher haben die meisten Kinder nicht nur eine Brotdose dabei, sondern zwei. Außerdem haben wir bemerkt, dass die Eltern ihre Kinder viel später in die Kita bringen als in Deutschland. In diesem Kindergarten wurden die meisten Kinder erst um 9 Uhr gebracht, sodass alle drei Gruppen vorher in einer Gruppe zusammengelegt wurden, da bis 9 Uhr maximal 10 Kinder anwesend waren.
Die Zeit im Kindergarten war für uns sehr spannend und hat uns viele neue Eindrücke vermittelt. Wir haben gesehen, wie ein Kindergarten in einem anderen Land funktionieren kann und wie viel wir davon lernen können. Es war schön, mit den Kindern zu arbeiten und Teil eines so internationalen Teams zu sein. Diese Erfahrung werden wir bestimmt nicht vergessen.
