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Meeting challenges with curiosity

“To my mind, being curious changes the way you meet challenges profoundly as

there is always an interest in learning new things and having new experiences.
Combined with the robustness you develop being abroad alone, it is almost a
competence of its own.”

Elin Bakkelorentzen (41) works as a
senior adviser with the Norwegian
Directorate for Education and Training in
Hamar, Norway. She has an MA degree
in sociology from the University of
Bergen, and she studied in England for a
semester during her Master studies. After
university, she has had several jobs in her
professional career. Based in Norway, she
has been involved in several international
projects through her work.

“Having international experience is a valuable asset in
both my private and professional life”, says Elin positive outcomes of
Bakkelorentzen from the Norwegian Directorate for
Education and Training. international experiences
“apart from the obvious competences that are
built and strengthened through international
During the last few years, elin bakkelorentzen experiences, i find that knowing people in other
has been pivotal in the Directorate for edu- countries personally makes a lot of difference
cation and training’s initiative on learning to how i relate to the news and people from
environment at school, being in dynamic that specific country. Generally, it makes me
interaction with a variety of stakeholders in more interested in and curious about social and
the norwegian educational sector. she knows economic developments, people’s working and
what she is talking about: not a day of work everyday life as well as more open towards new
without something new to learn or reflect experiences in general,” she maintains.
upon, something challenging one’s views.
“to my mind, being curious changes the way
“having international experience is a valuable you meet challenges profoundly as there
asset in both my private and professional life. i is always an interest in learning new things
studied one semester at the university of and having new experiences. this ability to
essex, england, in an international environ- be curious grew stronger during my stay in
ment with students from the Middle east, england, and it has helped me substantially in
china, Mexico, european countries, and more. my professional life making my attention and
it was like a dive into a mini version of the initiative more focused when meeting new
world where you had a bit of everything: tasks. but i would also like to highlight another
culture, society, interpersonal relations, politics, effect i believe was developed abroad, which is
religion, you name it.” often ignored when discussing these transver-
sal skills, and that is being more robust. i don’t

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