New Field Notes: Residents Recommend – Siri Helle

A new contribution is now live in our Field Notes section: Residents Recommend – Siri Helle.

Residents Recommend is an occasional series where Artica residents share reflections, advice, or small gestures that helped them connect with life in Svalbard — and that might offer something valuable to future residents as well.

Siri Helle was in residence at Artica Svalbard from February to April 2025, nominated by NFFO (The Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association). A nonfiction author and journalist, her work often explores themes of environmental responsibility, rural life, and practical engagement with the world. During her time in Svalbard, she began research on a new project exploring “place attachment” — how people in transient communities form meaningful connections to their environment, and how those connections might shape our sense of stewardship and belonging.

In her Residents Recommend piece, Helle reflects on arriving in Longyearbyen as a Norwegian — and shares a quiet, grounded recommendation for others navigating this uniquely international community.

Read the full piece now in Field Notes.