After my beautiful chapter in Iceland – a place full of stories and breathtaking locations I still can't wait to share with you – it’s time to move into the present. I don’t want only to tell stories of the past, but also bring you along for what’s happening right now.
Even while I was still in Iceland, I had been wondering where to spend the winter season. Lately, I’ve been trying to work during the summer and winter seasons, and dedicate the rest of the year to my projects. I was drawn to Switzerland and the Nordic countries. I applied for a ski instructor position in the Swiss resort of Verbier because I hadn’t had the chance to enjoy my favorite winter activity for quite a few years.
I was close to heading off to Switzerland... but then, out of nowhere, I received an offer to work as a guide in Northern Norway, near Tromsø, in a resort. And honestly, with my deep desire to return to the far north – and the fact that we’re currently in a strong solar activity cycle – the decision became crystal clear.
Why did I want to return to Northern Norway?
I wanted to experience the polar night, to come back to the endless untouched mountains, and to truly feel the raw, rugged northern wilderness.
Four years ago, I spent half a year living in Finland – a country I completely fell in love with. I always knew I wanted to return, but unfortunately, the financial conditions for working in tourism there aren’t the best… so, naturally, the path led me to Norway.
Norwegian fjords truly are magical. There’s always this deep fjord, surrounded by such wild and untouched mountains. Every time I’m there, I feel a deep sense of respect – it’s humbling. You realize that we, as humans, can try to destroy this beautiful planet… but in the end, nature will always find a way to heal itself.
I arrived in Norway on November 10th, and from that very first moment, I didn’t see the sun until January 26th. For almost three months, I couldn’t turn my face toward that blazing ball of light - THE SUN.
Now, it’s important to say – it’s not complete darkness. For about 2 to 4 hours each day, there’s a kind of soft twilight, like the blue hour just after sunset. During those hours, the sky offers this delicate mix of pink and orange tones you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
When the weather was good and this magical light filled the landscape, everything felt breathtaking. But there were also many weeks of nothing but grey skies.
It’s easy to slip into a bit of a low mood or anxiety here, especially on your days off, when you find yourself alone. Your coworkers are working, the nearest town is an hour away, and suddenly you’re just talking to yourself in a quiet apartment. You need to be mentally ready for that.
It’s not always easy to be with yourself… but it’s an incredible mental training ground.
What really helped me was setting a routine – waking up and going to bed at the same time each day. Something you should do no matter where in the world you are, but here, it becomes essential. And of course, going outside during those “blue-light” hours, to give your circadian rhythm something to hold onto.
Unfortunately, working as a guide means your schedule is all over the place. The late-night Northern Lights tours, in particular, were tough on me.
Luckily, I had an amazing boss who only assigned me those night shifts once a week, so I could stick to some kind of rhythm.
Right now, I'm preparing to return home to the Czech Republic – though just for a month – before setting off on another adventure.
I’m leaving Norway with so much to carry forward, and I’ll share more of those stories in upcoming posts. This has been my longest stay abroad so far, and honestly, the time flew by. But I truly feel I’m walking away with so much more than I came with.
From boosted confidence and improved English, to stronger photography skills, and most importantly, another piece of the world I got to live in, explore, and discover hidden gems within.
Through this travel blog, I hope to inspire you to venture out into the world too. Not everyone is born with unshakable confidence – for many of us, it’s something we build, one journey at a time.
Helping with translations: Deepl
Helping with translations: ChatGPT
Helping with grammar: Grammarly