ABOUT ME

Hi there, I am Hege, the founder of the travel blog The World By Hege!

I am also a Norwegian Army Officer / Social Scientist / Traveler and aspiring Dancer. Lover of the World in general, and Cuba and The Caribbean in particular (as well as Central and South America) (AND my native Norway).

Three years ago I visited Cuba for the first time on a long solo journey, stayed much longer than I had planned – and my heart kind of never left. Finally, in January 2021, I took the step and “moved” here!

Featured On foXnoMad Podcast:

So now I have been living complicatedly in a classic Cuban apartment in Old Havana for almost two years, running this travel blog on Cuba, the Caribbean, and little by little “Las Americas” Travel!

Falling in love with the Caribbean culture was beyond unexpected for a shieldmaiden like myself, and I did travel regularly to Cuba for a couple of years before I set up base and travel the Caribbean and the Americas from here.

And of course the Latin and Afro-Cuban dances I hope you will LOVE, too! You will also find articles about all the destinations in Cuba and other Caribbean islands, and great scuba diving sites in the whole region.

Exploring under the surface is one of my long-time passions, and I really want to share that with you.

Little by little, I am also exploring the Caribbean islands in this beautiful region of the world. At the same pace, you will find all about these adventures, and travel tips for you, in the blog articles and resource advice.

Becoming A Confident Solo Traveler

Holidays in Cuba
The brought waters on the southern coast of Costa Rica

I have traveled my whole life, a lot of the time solo. Sometimes because no one else could join me, and other times because I really enjoy the solo traveling experience.

As a result of these journeys, I realize I have developed a confidence and set of skills and knowledge that other aspiring solo travelers might benefit from!

Many people tell me they would love to embark on solo adventures, but for various practical (and not so practical) reasons, find it a bit daunting.

So my second mission turns out to be showing adventurous souls out there how to LOVE traveling solo, and what travel resources to use and communities to connect with to do it confidently as well!

The Journey To Becoming A Traveling Digital Nomad

After an unplanned amount of time hiking in the jungle in Costa Rica we found this secluded beach

After my long solo journey in 2019, and 20 years in the army, I decided I needed to change my path.

A “lifetime” of focus on war and conflict requires some level of countermeasures – and I discovered exactly those countermeasures in the Latin American culture, dancing, and nature experiences above and below water.

Until 2019, during a six months solo journey in Latin and South America, I had what I can only call a “magic moment”, as I rediscovered the absolute BLISS of dancing; the music and the rhythm, and the flow with a dance partner.

I am clearly not a professional dancer (and still not Cuban). As a matter of fact, I have been in the army most of my adult life, contemplating war, peace, and politics. There is nowhere in the world where dancing is as magic as on the weird island of Cuba!

Sleeping in my hammock in Norway
Relaxing in my hammock in Norway outside Oslo

Read what it takes to move to Cuba in this guest post article I wrote for Spend Life Traveling.

Why Travel Writer?

I started because I really want people to get to know Cuba! There is so much more to this Caribbean island than the stereotypical impression you might get from headlines about world politics or dry history lessons.

This is why I have made it my mission to elaborate! Here you can expect to find a lot of information about the intriguing history, the mesmerizing culture, and the numerous adventures Cuba can offer exploring visitors today.

A Shieldmaiden From “North Of The Wall” – Norway!

Born and raised in polar Norway, I grew up in the super peaceful Norwegian countryside.

After college, I went on to Officers School in the Norwegian Army, and later I also did my Master’s Degree in Social Science at Nord University in the polar city of Tromsø.

Choosing a military career has given me the opportunity to serve in the most difficult places in the world. Growing up in such a peaceful and privileged country, I know I would not have been able to learn as much about the world at large without the army.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have experienced both war and conflict as well as the bliss of peace.

But don`t take my word for all of the above, check out my stories – and then make the journey yourself!

Portrait uniform
  • Master of Social Science, Nord University
  • International Politics, Cultural Understanding, and Conflict Studies
  • Bachelor of Social Science Nord University
  • Norwegian Officers Academy
  • Norwegian Basic Officers School
  • Courses:
  • Thought Leader Accelerator
  • Scale Your Travel Blog
  • WordPress
  • Magazine Journalism – Vivian Songe
  • Photo for writers and journalists – Vibeke Montero
  • Morten Krogvold Photo Workshop 1&2

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This is more my natural habitat, the Norwegian mountains in winter!