Sardaana Nogovitsyna

(Me visiting the city of Tromsø, about 6 hours drive from Kautokeino)

My name is Sardaana Nogovitsyna, and I graduated from the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts in 2022 with a degree in Ethnocultural Center Management. I studied the culture, traditions and customs of the peoples living in the Arctic and the Far East.

I learned about the Sámi University of Applied Sciences through the exchange program of the University of the Arctic, North2North, and I applied for scholarship and for the possibility to go on exchange autumn 2020. Due to the outbreak of the covid pandemic, I wasn't able to do my exchange as planned, but luckily I got the chance to move the exchange to the fall of 2021. I applied for part 1 and 2 of the Introductory Sámi language in practical situation studies, where we learned both the language and about the culture of the Sámi people.

(Me and my fellow students from Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts outside of Diehtosiida campus)

Thanks to the warm welcome, the adaptation went smoothly, every day was interesting, exciting and eventfull while learning the Sámi language. It was at the same time an unreal and special time. Learning something new while living side by side with representatives of the people itself was an invaluable experience.

Of course, I would recommend everyone to take this course. Especially if you are Sámi, I believe that each representative of his ethnic group should be able to speak their own language, as it is a part of the cultural richness of the whole people.

(Candy, me and Marfa in class, some of my fellow students)