I started discovering Norwegian language in small things such as music, a film or browsing through a phrasebook. What happens if one makes Norwegian the central part of life abroad? It ends with singing in Norwegian, arranging movie screenings and writing one’s own learning material. It may seem like a long and challenging journey, but it is actually joyful and rewarding.
I started studying Norwegian at the University of Belgrade in 2007, and already toward the end of my second year, I received offers to teach beginners. I had the practical knowledge of language, but I also had doubts – could I teach? This possibility raised many questions, like “How should I start? What will my first class look like?”
I remember my first class teaching in Norwegian. I was 21 years old. A student came for a private class to my home without any previous knowledge of Norwegian. I had no whiteboard, just the learning material and a piece of paper. I was scared to death, but equally inspired. It is highly possible that both of us were trembling. But after a couple of lessons, I realized I love explaining and seeing people’s language progress to a level where they can communicate freely, even if it is, at first, just about what we eat for breakfast and what our flats look like.
When I moved to Lithuania, I did not imagine Norwegian would stay a central part of my life. I started pursuing an academic career and a PhD, but the offers to do something with Norwegian just kept coming. I started doing language exchange and teaching Norwegian freelance. Vilnius is hungry for Norwegian language, as many industry branches work with Scandinavia – the movie industry, commercials, banks, NGOs, schools, medical institutions, and so on. I was offered to translate and interpret, but I mostly enjoyed connecting with people who share a deep interest in Norway and Norwegian culture. I spent time at the Vilnius University’s library for Scandinavian languages and made friends with local students. One of the things I missed most about teaching Norwegian was working with people and seeing people’s language abilities grow. Working with students is deeply rewarding, especially when they defend their bachelor and master theses in the language of study, and when they return from exchange programmes with completely new worldviews. One relives the same dream over and over again through students.
Later on, I kept travelling to Norway on many occasions: visiting friends, summer holidays, summer schools, semester-long stays, and yet I never settled there. Instead I kept moving around Europe. This did not mean I was going to remove Norway and the Norwegian language from my daily life – no way! Wherever I lived, I taught Norwegian. The demand is high, and the learners are motivated.
Today, I can say I had incredible amounts of fun working with Norwegian! I have worked with around 70 students who have made Norwegian their main language at the Centre for Scandinavian studies at Vilnius University, but also with doctors, lawyers, nurses and accountants. And it is, I believe, the most enjoyable profession one can have!
By Vuk Vukoti?, Assistant professor at the Centre of Scandinavian Studies at the Institute for the Languages and Cultures of the Baltic, Vilnius University. His academic research revolves around language policy and ideologies of language in Baltic, Scandinavian and ex-Yugoslav regions.