Parthiban Muthukrishnan, mechanical engineer, Tamil Nadu, India:
This was my first communication course and my first encounter with Acem. I have been working in Oslo, Norway, for the past three years, and I signed up for the training after having found it on the internet. The course has helped me understand how others perceive me. I see more clearly how small details in the way I communicate can have a huge impact on others. This will benefit both me and the people around me.
The way the course was designed came as a surprise. I had expected a number of lectures and presentations with slides, but this was totally different, with a focus on how we interact with each other in groups, and on how emotional stories from the past still have an impact in the present. It took me a couple of days to understand where this was going, but in retrospect I see that it had to be this way.
Which of the activities was most important? The totality! The communication groups were supplemented by unled groups with interviews and ratings of each other. Filling in questionnaires was strenuous but also useful. The group interaction during meals and practical tasks gave important input to the groups.
And then we went swimming together in the Randsfjorden lake and walked together to the Onsberget mountaintop – always as a team. The natural surroundings of Halvorsbøle are fantastic and very accessible, you just walk out the door and you’re in the mountains. It was definitely worth it, and I am looking forward to using what I have learnt in both my personal and professional life.
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The next Training in Interpersonal Communication starts on Saturday, 1. August 2026 at Halvorsbøle International Retreat Centre, Oslo – which is during the summer time / holiday season. So this is a special opportunity – the course usually takes place before the summer.