Waxhaw, N.C.----My name is James Holston and I am a rising senior wide receiver on the Wingate University football team. I am going to try to tell you about our recent W’International trip to Norway with Dr. Abbey Dondanville. We left Oslo, the capital city, and took a train to Bergen. The train took literally 7 1/2 to get from point A to point B. The journey was way too long and the bathroom overflowed out into the cab – the smell was disgusting!

The journey was one of the most incredible things that I have ever experienced, no picture or video could do it justice. It was like taking a train through the Pacific Northwest, then the flat fields of Iowa, followed by an area like the Rockies, but with waterfalls everywhere and even an area that was like the Arctic – there was snow and ice everywhere! I tried to sleep a little on the journey, but that didn’t happen. I did get to see the beautiful sights, rivers and lakes – which are called fjords in Norway.

We got to see the Flamsbana, a long railway between Myrdal and Flåm. The Flamsbana was pretty exciting as we were going to go back and ride the train, which goes through 20 tunnels and over a bridge. After we got to Bergen, we slept and recovered. The next morning, we took a walking tour of Bergen in the historic areas, guided by a nice lady who knew everything about Bergen. We visited some castles, churches and the harbor. Before I forget, we also visited an old German village built in the 1600s and used until approximately 1780 before it burned down. It was rebuilt, but the buildings were completely different to the Norwegian buildings in their style which was really unique and interesting.

After the tour, we also went to the fish market and I tried smoked whale! Believe it or not, smoked whale actually tastes like my Dad’s smoked pork – crazy! We also got to try the fresh shrimp which was good, too; we got free samples of different things which was pretty cool. The only problem is that it started to rain while we were at the fish market, so we decided to do something inside. We ended up deciding to go to an aquarium, but it was a little too expensive.

We made plans to visit the aquarium after we purchased a “Bergen” card. The card lets us get into places and travel around in a less expensive fashion. After the aquarium, we decided we would ride the cable car to the top of the mountains. The incredible ride and the amazing views are unforgettable! We’d have taken the ride after the fish market, but the weather wasn’t all that great. So we explored Bergen and I did some shopping in one of the clothing stores there.

The only thing with Norway is that it’s really expensive. Even though Bergen is half the size of Oslo, our tour guide told us that a smaller two-bedroom house would cost between $650,000 and $800,000. I like Bergen; it’s a smaller city and not as crazy as Oslo. On the food front, we’ve been introduced to the Norwegian Kabab which is fairly inexpensive. It’s a tortilla shell with lettuce, tomatoes, corn, onions, a spicy sauce and chicken or lamb. It is delicious when it’s hot – I also bought some Norwegian and Swiss chocolate which I was excited to try. I really love Norway; I could see myself living here; however, I think if I lived here it would only be for certain months of the year.

On Saturday, we woke up early and got on the Flamsbana to Myrdal! It was about a 2 1/2 hour journey, but we started at the top of the mountain and went straight down to the fjord at the bottom. The views were amazing; it was a mind-blowing experience. When we got to the fjord, we had about an hour for lunch because we had to wait for the ferry so we could get to the other side of the fjord. After we crossed the fjord, we took a bus back to Bergen; the ride took a few hours and I slept most of the way.

The best day in Norway was definitely one of the last days. We went on a glacier hike in a place called Nigardsbreen. It was an incredible day and honestly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life – I know everyone else thought so, too. It was simply amazing and I hope to go back to do it again, hopefully with my family.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY’S W’INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

Each year, eligible students in their junior year of study are offered an opportunity to spend 10 days abroad with a Wingate faculty member after a semester of study related to the relevant destination. The W’International program, created in 1978, makes a study-abroad experience available to students at little extra expense beyond the semester’s tuition charge.

Since the program’s inception, students have traveled to more than 30 countries in virtually every corner of the globe. Typically, eligible students may choose one of six different destinations. W’International trips either leave after Christmas each year, or after Commencement in May.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,300 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 32 undergraduate majors, 36 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.

Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past five years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 39 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 48 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.