Chasing the Northern Lights: A Taiwanese Student’s Journey to Murmansk
.jpg "Chasing the Northern Lights: A Taiwanese Student’s Journey to Murmansk")
Hsu Wen-Hsuan, a master’s student from Taiwan, studies at HSE University in Moscow. When he first arrived in Russia, he carried with him a deep curiosity about the country that had once seemed so distant and mysterious. Having studied the Russian language in university back home, Hsu always dreamed of seeing the real Russia, not just from books or films, but with his own eyes. That dream came true when he received a scholarship to study at HSE, one of Russia’s most dynamic and internationally minded universities.
Taiwan, as Hsu describes it, is a small but beautiful island, green and warm even in winter. The first time he saw snow in Moscow, he stood silently for a moment just to feel it melting on his hands. For him, every snowfall carried a sense of magic. “In Taiwan, we never see snow,” he said. “So even now, when I see it falling, I feel like a child again.”
Since his arrival, Hsu has explored several cities across Russia, but one journey stands above all others: his trip to the far northern city of Murmansk. For him, it represented not only adventure but a kind of personal pilgrimage, to the edge of the world, where darkness and light dance together in the winter sky.
A Journey to the Arctic
Murmansk, the world’s largest city north of the Arctic Circle, is known for its long polar nights, its stark beauty, and its breathtaking aurora borealis. For Hsu, the trip was a lifelong dream made real. He traveled there with a group of friends during the New Year’s break, eager to witness the Northern Lights. The temperatures dropped far below freezing, but his excitement melted away any discomfort. The air, crisp and pure, seemed to sparkle with anticipation.
It was really cold there, but I had a very nice experience, he recalled with a smile. Because I am from a tropical island, I always wanted to experience some coldness and to see the northern lights.
Before the journey, Hsu and his friends found a local guide who would show them not only Murmansk but also a small village nearby called Teriberka, located on the shores of the Barents Sea. The name sounded strange and beautiful to him, like a word from a fairy tale.
I had never heard of Teriberka before, he admitted, but once we arrived, it felt like another world.
They explored the beach of round, smooth stones known as the “Dragon Eggs,” and visited the ghostly ship graveyard, where rusty vessels rested half-buried in snow.
We saw the abandoned ship and the frozen coast, and the sea wind was so strong that it almost pushed us back, he laughed. But it was worth it.
And then, one night, the miracle happened. The sky shimmered in green and violet waves. The Northern Lights had appeared. “It was so amazing,” Hsu said, his voice lighting up as he remembered. “Now I can still recall how excited I was. We all shouted, and for a moment, nobody spoke. We just stood and watched.”
The aurora moved gently across the dark sky like a living curtain. For Hsu, it felt like nature’s way of whispering, welcome to the North.
Life under the Polar Night
The days in Murmansk were short and dim, the sun appearing for only a few hours before slipping back behind the horizon. “It was strange for me at first,” Hsu said. “I looked at my phone one time, it said two in the afternoon, but the sky looked like midnight. I’ve never lived in darkness for so long before.”
For someone from a place filled with sunlight, the Arctic gloom was almost surreal. But the city had its own rhythm: glowing street lamps, cheerful music from cafés, and people walking briskly through the snow with red cheeks and warm smiles. “It was quiet, but in a peaceful way,” Hsu explained. “You feel that people here are used to the dark, they don’t complain. They just live.”
Despite the harsh weather, the people’s warmth stood out most. “When we asked for directions or talked to the tour guide, everyone was kind,” he said. One small moment stayed with him. “The guide told us that Murmansk has many beaches, and maybe we could come again in the summer. He probably forgot that we are from Taiwan, an island surrounded by beaches. It was funny to us, but also sweet. It showed how people here think differently about what’s special.”
Tastes of the North
For Hsu, exploring a new culture always includes tasting its food. “I tried a pancake with reindeer meat inside,” he recalled. “At first, I thought it might be weird, but actually it was good. It was my first time trying reindeer meat, and it was quite memorable.”
That small pancake, warm and savory against the freezing wind, became a symbol of discovery, the kind that stays with you long after the trip ends. “Travel is not only about seeing places,” he reflected. “It’s also about tasting, hearing, and feeling them.”
At the small Christmas market in Murmansk’s city center, Hsu and his friends sipped hot tea, admired ice sculptures glowing under colored lights, and listened to local music. “It was very cozy,” he said. “Even though it was dark most of the day, the lights made the city feel alive.”
Travel is not only about seeing places. It’s also about tasting, hearing, and feeling them.
Learning from the Journey
The trip changed how Hsu viewed Russia. “I know Russia is a big country,” he said, “but I still feel surprised every time I visit a new city. After talking to locals, I realize that life can be so different even within one country.”
For him, Murmansk represented more than an Arctic adventure. It became a lesson in diversity. “The people, their accent, their habits, everything was different from Moscow. But it’s all part of the same Russia. It makes me understand how culture and geography shape people’s lives.”
Standing on the frozen shore of the Barents Sea, he thought of home. “In Taiwan, the sea is warm, the air is humid, and palm trees grow by the coast. Here, everything is opposite, yet somehow, it still feels beautiful and calm.”
Connecting Experiences with HSE
When Hsu reflects on his studies at HSE, he sees clear connections between classroom lessons and real-world encounters. “Studying at HSE has given me the chance to travel around Russia and understand its diversity,” he said. “I met friends from different backgrounds who often share travel tips and join such trips together. Experiences like visiting Murmansk help me see the connection between what we learn in intercultural communication and real life, understanding people through language, food, and everyday stories.”
For him, education is not only about theories or lectures. “Every trip is a lesson,” he said. “At HSE, I learn how to analyze culture. But when I travel, I learn how to feel it.”
At HSE, I learn how to analyze culture. But when I travel, I learn how to feel it.
These experiences have strengthened his empathy and broadened his worldview. “Before coming here, I imagined Russia as one cold, distant place. Now I know it’s full of warmth, not only in the people but in how they welcome you, even if you’re a stranger.”
A Message to Fellow Students
When asked what advice he would give to other HSE students who plan to visit Murmansk, Hsu laughed. “Make sure to bring enough clothes so you won’t feel cold!” he said, smiling. But then he added something deeper. “Also, bring curiosity. Don’t just look, talk to people, try local food, listen to their stories. That’s how you really understand a place.”
For him, every journey is a chance to see humanity from a new angle. “It doesn’t matter where you come from. When you meet others with an open heart, you always find something in common.”
The Northern Lights that Hsu saw in Murmansk may have lasted only a few minutes, but the feeling they left behind will stay forever. “It was one of those moments that make you forget everything else,” he said softly. “You just stand there, amazed, and realize how big the world is, and how lucky you are to see it.”
It doesn’t matter where you come from. When you meet others with an open heart, you always find something in common.
As he continues his studies at HSE, Hsu carries with him not only knowledge from lectures but stories like this, real experiences that illuminate the meaning of intercultural understanding. His journey to Murmansk is not just a memory of light in the sky. It is a reflection of how learning, travel, and friendship intertwine to make us see the world with kinder eyes.
Photos by Hsu Wen-Hsuan, Master’s Degree Student in School of Foreign Languages, HSE
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