Thirteen upper-school students from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy experienced Scandinavian culture, travelling to Norway recently.

Spanish teacher Deanna Mihaly, who travelled with the group as a chaperone, said that while the trip didn’t happen last year, “it’s been going on for many years.”

Mihaly cited Virginia Beach’s relationship with Norway as a reason for the recurring NSA expedition. The trans-Atlantic connection began in 1891, when a Norwegian vessel ran aground in a storm off present-day 37th Street.

“I think we are thinking of it (from) more of a Hampton Roads” perspective, Mihaly said.

The students were abroad from Feb. 26 to March 9. They spent two days in Lillehammer, skiing, hiking, shopping and visiting the Norwegian Olympic Museum, and the remaining time in the town on Moss, Mihaly said.

“Students lived with host families and spent two days at two different school districts,” she said, adding that students from the host families had previously visited Suffolk.

“In most cases, it was a reciprocal thing. They have been keeping the friendship going through social media.”

Madi Glynn, one of the students on the trip, said she thought of her host family as her second family. “They told me they wanted to adopt me,” she said.

She thinks of her Norwegian host student as a brother, Glynn said, adding, “His mom was the sweetest person. She had gifts for me and she was Facebooking with my mom the whole time we were travelling.”

Blair Ritter, another student, said Moss reminded her of Suffolk in terms of its size, “but it didn’t look like Suffolk.”

“Everything is really clean and everyone is really nice,” she added.

“They’re pretty environmentally friendly, and it’s pretty cool, because it’s pretty mountainous. Everywhere you drive, there is some type of view to see.”

Keshaun Moore, meanwhile, said he had become “very good friends” with his Norwegian student when he visited America.

“When I went over to Norway, his parents almost where identical to mine,” Moore said. “His dad liked music a lot, and they were pretty chill.”

NSA student Grace Haddad noticed some big differences in high school education between Norway and America.

“I think the main difference is that they have specialized classes,” she said, describing high school in Norway as a lot like college in America.

“Their internships and majors are already set, basically, by the time they graduate high school, which seems like a really big advantage.”

The Norwegian students were interested in hearing about sports in American high schools, Ritter said, because they don’t really have that.

They’re more likely to work out at the gym than play a team sport, she said.