What a beautiful day! It was clear and bright, with a high of 68! The wind was blowing off the water and the day was crisp like early October afternoons in the Pacific Northwest.
I awoke at noon after closing down the student pub Hydranten last night. The group celebrated the second birthday in just the first week. And of course, being the party goer I am, had quite a lot to drink on both of those occasions. It was fantastic though. We danced, chatted with new Norwegian friends and continued to bond as a group. The one very unique part about this international study experience is that the group of Americans I came with and the Namibians and one Norwegian (go Henny!) we've met up with, will be together for our entire academic program. Therefore, we have lots of time with these people and some incredible opportunity to make great friends. As such, nights like last night are fantastic 'going out' 'European' times to bond.
On that note, this afternoon we all met up down by Mjøsa (the lake) on our bikes ready to ride and picnic. On Sundays in Norway everything is closed. You can't buy groceries, very few restaurants are open and almost no shops. As such, many can be found out walking, hiking, biking. We all embraced that relaxed Sunday mentality and biked along the lake to now protected ruins of Hamar's ancient Domekirken (Cathedral). Built in early 1100s, it is now completely encased in this incredible glass structure. The glass casing resembles the design of the entrance at the Louvre in Paris, so I have been told.
The sun and bright blue sky relfected off every panel and blinded me. But as I walked closer to park my bike, the glass panels revealed it contents. On the right side remained three distinct Roman-style stone column and arches. In the middle, contemporary chairs were set up around the decripit alter and to the left an archway leading to the back of the cathedral and what I later found out were the Bishops quarters. Our group went on a guided tour of the grounds and learned about history of the place. I took many breath-taking photos and basked in the cathedral that once was. Our guided tour ended with our tour guide signing a familiar (for Lutherans) liturgical hymn in Norwegian. Although I could understand a few of the Norwegian words, the familiar melody struck me in a way like it never had before.
I was used to singing the English words along with the melody and never paid too much attention. The hymn usually fell near the end of a church service and meant that I got to go home soon. Yet sitting in the acoustically perfect, glass edifice and seeing the ruins of a remarkable cathedral around me I wanted to stay forever. It was one of those moments that just moved you. Being amongst ruins, a physical reminder of human loss and hearing the simple and true, enduring melody of a song hundreds of years old was incredible. It was another important reminder of human connection. The power of music cannot be reduced to words.
The group meandered through the rest of the museum grounds and ate our matpakkene (packed lunches). We all then parted ways and biked back to our separate homes. It was a peaceful afternoon on a beautiful day and a wonderful experience to share with one another. Quite different from last night's but equally important as this group begins what I can see will be a life-shaping journey with each other.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The Power of Connection
Today begins my first weekend in Hamar. Although I have been here a week, I am just now settled into the apartment, have most of the place furnished, and have a sufficient amount of food. Our first week was quite relaxing and class minimal, yet I think my head was in a daze from traveling and trying to believe that I am living here, right here, in this dingy little apartment for the next four months.
Therefore, in order to motivate myself and inspire my world traveling and passion, I visited the Wang Center's World Conversations blog this morning. I read my last post from my January 2007 excursion to South Africa. My post was epic, to say the least. I found myself wondering if I was simply writing so profoundly because of the forum and the potentially large PLU audience? Optimistically, I also entertained the notion that SA is simply that moving a place, and anyone experiencing the places and people I saw would have written about it in such a way?
Nevertheless, I could not help but compare that writing style of a short six months ago to the one I have assumed on this blog. Many of my entries here thus far sound a little forced and not entirely thought out. As such, I want to make a concerted effort from here on out, to use this as a medium for not simply regurgitating the days events. Moreover, I don't want to try and force anything to be profound or life-altering. I wrote only six times in 25 days while in SA. I remember Internet access was sparse, but I also remember the times that I blogged I had an overwhelming urge to do so. I want that feeling to return here, so I can enjoy it...and you all can have more exciting reading.
That said, I am finding this experience here in Norway to be an incredible time for reflection. On one hand, I am actively pursuing friendships with my classmates and other Norwegians. Everyone knows there is plenty of energy that goes into being oneself and finding the connections in life experiences and aspirations that connect us to new people. And more often than not, that times does not permit much reflection. Yet, at the end of the day, I have found much of my reflection in journaling is about those 'at home' and the foundation of our relationships. That is to say, when thinking about Ingrid, I am not thinking about the last time I saw her, when we parted in Roslyn, or about my housemates and the activities we did this summer. But I have been thinking about the building blocks of my relationships with those people and how each piece individually highlights us and has subsequently shaped us over the years. In this way, it is an incredible way to think about those whom I miss because I can reconstruct the defining memories that my brain holds onto. I see them as a still shot. Just a Polaroid from that exact spot. I can see myself as if I watched the conversation happening.
And that's just it. In reflecting on many of my happiest memories at PLU these three years, I realized that they have taken place in a one-on-one conversation. Whether it was on the old futon in 367, in NPCC, my lofts, the 3E hallway, Cory and Cole's room, the Maroon 5, Red Square, the Base Camp hallway (upstairs), or Pflueger lobby; so many of my defining moments and friendships have been through the power of conversation. It is a connection that happens, if for just a moment, where context melts away and it is just the two of us. It is almost as if life makes complete sense. Truth, beauty and love are all simultaneously realized and you are free to just be. That is what grabbed me so much in SA and re-reading my final post this morning helped remind me of what I am so passionate about: Dialogue. In it's essence, dialogue is human connection. Sure it can be conflict resolution, community building, world shaping...but first it must bring two people together and be.
Many often quote the idiom "to err is human, to forgive divine," to remind us that compassion and forgiveness are humankind's greatest virtues. I would add that at the core of both of those notions are the skills of empathy and listening. They are skills that we can actively pursue and hone. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson (the great, great, great grandfather of Britt Inga Emerson, the American girl from D.C. in my programme here, and my friend): "To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded." This beautiful reminder of the fundamental impact we can have on another's life and thus our won; is for me, the reason to live.
I still holds true, that is never to late to forgive someone, nor to say you are sorry, nor to tell someone how much they mean to you. Embracing that connection with humanity is what life is all about. That is what I saw in SA. That is what drove me towards these further international adventures. Perhaps PLU had begun to cloud that for me? Maybe I grew too comfortable in one spot? Perhaps my laziness inhibited me seeing the big picture, the pursuit of something unattainable. Yet is that pursuit that drives me, it has driven people for millennia. Challenging and questioning life, pursuing that countless connections and friendships that take us to the ends of the earth, and reveling in humankind's spirit and capacity as we be and take in the beauty around us.
As this current adventure continues to evolve, I want to keep these important guiding lights as my side to remind me of how much I appreciate this opportunity and should never discount any experience. Each one as the potential to be breath-taking and life-shaping.
Therefore, in order to motivate myself and inspire my world traveling and passion, I visited the Wang Center's World Conversations blog this morning. I read my last post from my January 2007 excursion to South Africa. My post was epic, to say the least. I found myself wondering if I was simply writing so profoundly because of the forum and the potentially large PLU audience? Optimistically, I also entertained the notion that SA is simply that moving a place, and anyone experiencing the places and people I saw would have written about it in such a way?
Nevertheless, I could not help but compare that writing style of a short six months ago to the one I have assumed on this blog. Many of my entries here thus far sound a little forced and not entirely thought out. As such, I want to make a concerted effort from here on out, to use this as a medium for not simply regurgitating the days events. Moreover, I don't want to try and force anything to be profound or life-altering. I wrote only six times in 25 days while in SA. I remember Internet access was sparse, but I also remember the times that I blogged I had an overwhelming urge to do so. I want that feeling to return here, so I can enjoy it...and you all can have more exciting reading.
That said, I am finding this experience here in Norway to be an incredible time for reflection. On one hand, I am actively pursuing friendships with my classmates and other Norwegians. Everyone knows there is plenty of energy that goes into being oneself and finding the connections in life experiences and aspirations that connect us to new people. And more often than not, that times does not permit much reflection. Yet, at the end of the day, I have found much of my reflection in journaling is about those 'at home' and the foundation of our relationships. That is to say, when thinking about Ingrid, I am not thinking about the last time I saw her, when we parted in Roslyn, or about my housemates and the activities we did this summer. But I have been thinking about the building blocks of my relationships with those people and how each piece individually highlights us and has subsequently shaped us over the years. In this way, it is an incredible way to think about those whom I miss because I can reconstruct the defining memories that my brain holds onto. I see them as a still shot. Just a Polaroid from that exact spot. I can see myself as if I watched the conversation happening.
And that's just it. In reflecting on many of my happiest memories at PLU these three years, I realized that they have taken place in a one-on-one conversation. Whether it was on the old futon in 367, in NPCC, my lofts, the 3E hallway, Cory and Cole's room, the Maroon 5, Red Square, the Base Camp hallway (upstairs), or Pflueger lobby; so many of my defining moments and friendships have been through the power of conversation. It is a connection that happens, if for just a moment, where context melts away and it is just the two of us. It is almost as if life makes complete sense. Truth, beauty and love are all simultaneously realized and you are free to just be. That is what grabbed me so much in SA and re-reading my final post this morning helped remind me of what I am so passionate about: Dialogue. In it's essence, dialogue is human connection. Sure it can be conflict resolution, community building, world shaping...but first it must bring two people together and be.
Many often quote the idiom "to err is human, to forgive divine," to remind us that compassion and forgiveness are humankind's greatest virtues. I would add that at the core of both of those notions are the skills of empathy and listening. They are skills that we can actively pursue and hone. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson (the great, great, great grandfather of Britt Inga Emerson, the American girl from D.C. in my programme here, and my friend): "To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded." This beautiful reminder of the fundamental impact we can have on another's life and thus our won; is for me, the reason to live.
I still holds true, that is never to late to forgive someone, nor to say you are sorry, nor to tell someone how much they mean to you. Embracing that connection with humanity is what life is all about. That is what I saw in SA. That is what drove me towards these further international adventures. Perhaps PLU had begun to cloud that for me? Maybe I grew too comfortable in one spot? Perhaps my laziness inhibited me seeing the big picture, the pursuit of something unattainable. Yet is that pursuit that drives me, it has driven people for millennia. Challenging and questioning life, pursuing that countless connections and friendships that take us to the ends of the earth, and reveling in humankind's spirit and capacity as we be and take in the beauty around us.
As this current adventure continues to evolve, I want to keep these important guiding lights as my side to remind me of how much I appreciate this opportunity and should never discount any experience. Each one as the potential to be breath-taking and life-shaping.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Norwegian social life
After going out the last four nights now, I can say without a doubt that Americans have nothing on Europeans party 'legs,' if you will. I imagine, and Dan you can fill me in, but after so much practicing drinking so much, you begin to develop the proper stamina? I have already had the stereotype confirmed that the otherwise shy and reserved Norwegian opens right up when they get a drop of alcohol in them.
Yesterday August 22 was Chelsea's birthday, the youngest Lute in our program. She turned 19 and was ready to celebrate her second European birthday. She had her 16th birthday while living in Germany for a year. To celebrate we went to the barn party at Blæstad, the farm campus and facility associated with out university. We had one our now many, orientation week events. It began with a BBQ, like Monday which is always, BYOB/M. So we brought dogs and lompe. Lompe (pronounced like Umpa Lompe!) is a thin potato bread that is great for rolling up your dog. Quite tasty, I wish we had it in the states. After the dinner we had an activities course, which the Norwegians referred to as a scavenger hunt, although it was not in our traditional sense. It was more like a relay race with 9 different stations. My team was comprised of four Norwegian girls and six Americans. Our tasks included a tractor pull, milk barrel toss, stacking soda crates and taking apart and putting a chainsaw back together.
I represented my team in the final two events. In the first, I was on belay and stacked, rather quickly 16 soda crates as they were passed up to me. At the attempt of the 17th, the tower swayed and plummeted to the ground. It was fun, I hadn't been climbing in quite a while and it was reassuring to know that I could still climb efficiently. After that, we made our way to the chainsaw. I was asked to take off the guard, turn the sword, tighten the chain, put it back together and start it. I had the second fastest time of all ten teams participating and was pretty impressed considering I have never had any reason to take apart a chainsaw in the past.
We went to the bar, inside the barn, after that and enjoyed 30 kroner ($5 USD) imperial pints (20 oz. instead of 16) of Ringnes pilsner. Definitely the cheapest beer I will drink in Norway. Joe, Chelsea and Kristin and I were the last of the American when the bus picked us up at 1. I must say the bus full of drunk Norwegians singing back to the student apartments was one of the most experiences thus far.
Class has been interesting this week. We are only taking the crash course in Norwegian and I think some people in our group enjoy it and others seems to really dislike it. I am hoping come Monday, when our normal lecture/seminar begins that people will start to show a bit more interest.
Tonight we saw a great ska band at Hydranten that was most of the members of Hop Along Knut and another three man underground hip-hop group. It was a fun show with about 80 people there. I didn't drink tonight because I have been so exhausted, so I didn't quite have all the energy that most of the concert goers had. But the show was fantastic nonetheless.
I am planning on staying in this weekend and getting the apartment up to speed and functioning as my home for the next four months. Therefore, I intend on diving into a blog that explores some of the emotional/social questions I have been exploring this first week, rather than an entry that recounts that day.
Yesterday August 22 was Chelsea's birthday, the youngest Lute in our program. She turned 19 and was ready to celebrate her second European birthday. She had her 16th birthday while living in Germany for a year. To celebrate we went to the barn party at Blæstad, the farm campus and facility associated with out university. We had one our now many, orientation week events. It began with a BBQ, like Monday which is always, BYOB/M. So we brought dogs and lompe. Lompe (pronounced like Umpa Lompe!) is a thin potato bread that is great for rolling up your dog. Quite tasty, I wish we had it in the states. After the dinner we had an activities course, which the Norwegians referred to as a scavenger hunt, although it was not in our traditional sense. It was more like a relay race with 9 different stations. My team was comprised of four Norwegian girls and six Americans. Our tasks included a tractor pull, milk barrel toss, stacking soda crates and taking apart and putting a chainsaw back together.
I represented my team in the final two events. In the first, I was on belay and stacked, rather quickly 16 soda crates as they were passed up to me. At the attempt of the 17th, the tower swayed and plummeted to the ground. It was fun, I hadn't been climbing in quite a while and it was reassuring to know that I could still climb efficiently. After that, we made our way to the chainsaw. I was asked to take off the guard, turn the sword, tighten the chain, put it back together and start it. I had the second fastest time of all ten teams participating and was pretty impressed considering I have never had any reason to take apart a chainsaw in the past.
We went to the bar, inside the barn, after that and enjoyed 30 kroner ($5 USD) imperial pints (20 oz. instead of 16) of Ringnes pilsner. Definitely the cheapest beer I will drink in Norway. Joe, Chelsea and Kristin and I were the last of the American when the bus picked us up at 1. I must say the bus full of drunk Norwegians singing back to the student apartments was one of the most experiences thus far.
Class has been interesting this week. We are only taking the crash course in Norwegian and I think some people in our group enjoy it and others seems to really dislike it. I am hoping come Monday, when our normal lecture/seminar begins that people will start to show a bit more interest.
Tonight we saw a great ska band at Hydranten that was most of the members of Hop Along Knut and another three man underground hip-hop group. It was a fun show with about 80 people there. I didn't drink tonight because I have been so exhausted, so I didn't quite have all the energy that most of the concert goers had. But the show was fantastic nonetheless.
I am planning on staying in this weekend and getting the apartment up to speed and functioning as my home for the next four months. Therefore, I intend on diving into a blog that explores some of the emotional/social questions I have been exploring this first week, rather than an entry that recounts that day.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Første festen min!
My first party in Norway tonight was a bbq held at the university college campus. They are BYOM and B (meat and beer). Our entire group went and seemed to have a great time. I think the little bit of drinking everyone did wore everyone out so most people crapped out by 8 pm! But Hydranten (the hydrant) the campus student pub had its grand opening tonight that we missed...so we are going for Chelsea's birthday Wednesday night! She is the baby in the group. She will be 19. I feel like an old man. A few of the Namibian's are older, but I am the oldest American in our group.
Day 1 of orientation was today and I must say it was far less stressful than that of three years ago in the Lutedome. Which is saying a lot considering today's was all in Norwegian.
We begin our crash course lessons in Norwegian tomorrow. We have four days of three plus hours a day. Considering I am one of the few in the group with experience, it will be interesting to see what I learn and what is just review. I imagine the context will be even more practical day to day student language than I already know.
Good news, I am finally unpacked. As soon as I have figured out how I will post pictures. If I cant on this site I will simply direct you to facebook photo albums.
We filled out this culture sensitivity, global awareness survey for the Wang Center which I thought was a bit presumptuous and leading this morning. It was an attempt to gauge PLU student's pre-abroad cultural awareness and interest in global education and vocation. I can't imagine my answers will change any in these four months unless this experience will make me want to pursue a less internationally inclined vocational path.
There seems to be an initial rift between the Namibian and American students...no hard feelings but just sort of the comfort group thing. Are humans really that fickle? White people gravitate toward each other and black people gravitate toward each other? If anything our shared common bond of English language should be bringing us together. I want to work, but not force the group to work on working together better. I am hopeful that after an in-class, one group, dynamic is established tomorrow people on the whole will be more inclined to work together. I know it naive to expect everyone in a 15 person group will get along and be best buds. But I don't think that in just three days people can make accurate divisions between who will be friends and not...people must explore all there options soundly.
I am anxious for journaling tomorrow. Norsk leskon nummer en! My money is on the Namibians.
Day 1 of orientation was today and I must say it was far less stressful than that of three years ago in the Lutedome. Which is saying a lot considering today's was all in Norwegian.
We begin our crash course lessons in Norwegian tomorrow. We have four days of three plus hours a day. Considering I am one of the few in the group with experience, it will be interesting to see what I learn and what is just review. I imagine the context will be even more practical day to day student language than I already know.
Good news, I am finally unpacked. As soon as I have figured out how I will post pictures. If I cant on this site I will simply direct you to facebook photo albums.
We filled out this culture sensitivity, global awareness survey for the Wang Center which I thought was a bit presumptuous and leading this morning. It was an attempt to gauge PLU student's pre-abroad cultural awareness and interest in global education and vocation. I can't imagine my answers will change any in these four months unless this experience will make me want to pursue a less internationally inclined vocational path.
There seems to be an initial rift between the Namibian and American students...no hard feelings but just sort of the comfort group thing. Are humans really that fickle? White people gravitate toward each other and black people gravitate toward each other? If anything our shared common bond of English language should be bringing us together. I want to work, but not force the group to work on working together better. I am hopeful that after an in-class, one group, dynamic is established tomorrow people on the whole will be more inclined to work together. I know it naive to expect everyone in a 15 person group will get along and be best buds. But I don't think that in just three days people can make accurate divisions between who will be friends and not...people must explore all there options soundly.
I am anxious for journaling tomorrow. Norsk leskon nummer en! My money is on the Namibians.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Is 4 months all that long?
The question already came up tonight as the group discussed weekend travel and upcoming excursions. We had bids for Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, England, France. I suppose there are some of these girls who may travel every weekend. I would myself like to see more of Norway and get down to Copenhagen or Amsterdam. Accessiblity to 'all these cool European' countries is pretty unbelievable.
Our day today was simple. We slept in an joined the entire group for pizza at Mer enn Pizza (More than Pizza!). It was a great time. Following dinner the group of Americans went on a tour of the various living arrangements. First, we went by the flat that Kristin, Britt Inga, and Julie are living in. It is roughly 1/2km from the school and an attachment to this woman named Heidi's home that is completely mustard yellow. Following that we made the almost 1km walk over to our apartment complex which has been aptly named the 'communist housing.' Needless to say, the two monolithic structure that compose our student housing complex disrupt the otherwise quaint and colorful Norwegian neighborhoods. Lastly, we boarded the bus for 24 kroner a piece ($4USD) and road about 3.5km across town, across the bridge (and lake) to the blue house where Blair, Nacole and Taheela live. They have the downstairs of a house this cute, old Norwegian couple recently renovated. Following that the intowners walked back. Joe, Britt Inga and I got out in front and started talking high school sports. It was a good throw-back. It also provided me incentive to look into the swimming facility which I have heard it quite close to my lovely housing.
Tomorrow is our first day of orientation and maybe part of the Norwegian language crash course. I am still not unpacked. Although, Joe and I have decided to rearrange some of the furniture and situated the room so it has a bit more character and it subsequently more livable. I hope to have lots more to report tomorrow and hope this forum begins to take off as the big questions arise. Speaking of which, somebody through the politics card out to the group tonight...alright guilty as charged, but you know me I like to push a group. In time I'll get to more hot issues. As I suspected, many of the fellow Lutes come from staunch conservative backgrounds and at this point in their lives are gravitating towards a 180 turn of shared-parent political values. It will be interesting to see how the group does considering our Norwegian government class. Not only because of conservative backgrounds but because everyone in the program has some political science academic interest.
I have been thinking about all of you at home a lot. For many of you, I hope you are still enjoying summer. It is an interesting adjustment, it still has not set in that I am really living here. However, as orientation and courses start to begin, I have no doubt that the time will fly by. On the whole, two full days down...I am very glad I am here.
Our day today was simple. We slept in an joined the entire group for pizza at Mer enn Pizza (More than Pizza!). It was a great time. Following dinner the group of Americans went on a tour of the various living arrangements. First, we went by the flat that Kristin, Britt Inga, and Julie are living in. It is roughly 1/2km from the school and an attachment to this woman named Heidi's home that is completely mustard yellow. Following that we made the almost 1km walk over to our apartment complex which has been aptly named the 'communist housing.' Needless to say, the two monolithic structure that compose our student housing complex disrupt the otherwise quaint and colorful Norwegian neighborhoods. Lastly, we boarded the bus for 24 kroner a piece ($4USD) and road about 3.5km across town, across the bridge (and lake) to the blue house where Blair, Nacole and Taheela live. They have the downstairs of a house this cute, old Norwegian couple recently renovated. Following that the intowners walked back. Joe, Britt Inga and I got out in front and started talking high school sports. It was a good throw-back. It also provided me incentive to look into the swimming facility which I have heard it quite close to my lovely housing.
Tomorrow is our first day of orientation and maybe part of the Norwegian language crash course. I am still not unpacked. Although, Joe and I have decided to rearrange some of the furniture and situated the room so it has a bit more character and it subsequently more livable. I hope to have lots more to report tomorrow and hope this forum begins to take off as the big questions arise. Speaking of which, somebody through the politics card out to the group tonight...alright guilty as charged, but you know me I like to push a group. In time I'll get to more hot issues. As I suspected, many of the fellow Lutes come from staunch conservative backgrounds and at this point in their lives are gravitating towards a 180 turn of shared-parent political values. It will be interesting to see how the group does considering our Norwegian government class. Not only because of conservative backgrounds but because everyone in the program has some political science academic interest.
I have been thinking about all of you at home a lot. For many of you, I hope you are still enjoying summer. It is an interesting adjustment, it still has not set in that I am really living here. However, as orientation and courses start to begin, I have no doubt that the time will fly by. On the whole, two full days down...I am very glad I am here.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
settlin' in
Første Dagen min! (My first day!)
Well, here I am...rock you like a hurricane. Wise words spoken many a year ago by the Scorpions. That is about how I am feeling. This country has already charged me up and I am anxious for school to start. I think probably to provide some good structure to a lifestyle I can already see will be much more relaxed then the one I am used to. I had a long flight which awarded no sleep, just a rather smelly, cute Indian man sleeping half on me and half in the isle. I await the flight home, not for timing sake, but because it is daylight the whole trip the 9 hour flight-9 hour time change it stays the same hour and you don't have the mandatory 'everybody sleep now' bullshit. I wanted to read my book and the flight attendant came by and made me feel like an asshole because I was the only one in my seciton with a light on. Anyhow, that is four months from now. I was utterly exhausted when we finally got here, but had my first grillpølse or hotdog at the airport. Had some confusion with the group and I had to play dad a bit...but all got worked out and I got them on the train and to Hamar.
I woke up this morning after a blissful 11 hours of sleep and strolled to our first group meeting, late. Oh well, Norsk klokka allerede! (Nowegian time already!) Joe, my roommate, and I got to the school and met up with the five Namibian students who are our classmates in what is called the "society and culture" programme. The group which we heard yesterday would be 30 is acutally only 18 people. 10 Americans, 5 Namibians and 3 Norwegians.
After touring the school with Knut Haugen, our rather eccentric International student coordinator, we came back to our apartment at Fredik Monsens Gate. I read more of Deception Point and relaxed. I have of course still not unpacked, nor showered...both of which will shortly take place. And now we just got back from a dinner at Inger Haug's home. She is the program director, our main lecturer and a lovely person. She will no doubt me like a mother to our group. We enjoyed olive bread and a wonderful seafood chowder which included cod, salmon and shrimps (they use the 's' to denote the plural...sounds funny to those of us who just say shrimp). At dinner I also met our second teacher Alexandra Klein who was one of the coordinators I met this summer at Nansenskolen i Lillehammer. It was nice to see familiar faces again in Inger and Alexandra.
As dinner went on we had a nice time getting to know the people around us. I am finding I am learning as much about my fellow Americans as Namibians. None of the fellow Lutes I know better than the other, so I see this a good chance to make new friends evenly and not have the "stick to your buddy at summer camp syndrome." I had a great conversation at dinner with two of the Namibian students who posed the question to me: "with all of this traveling around, do you ever intend on graduating?" I thought of my dad when I was asked this. Also, I explained to them PLU's emphasis and accredidation for studying abroad. They were amazed. One Namibian girl who goes by Jo and whose real name is pronounced Too-will-icka (I will get back to you on the spelling...she is easily the most outspoken Namibian of the five and I will no doubt write about her again) told me that she is here for the semester and receiving only 2 credits from University of Namibian...bearing in mind they take a semester of 30. In that regard, I was proud of PLU for its emphasis in international study.
The dinner conversation, with she and Francois (pronounced but also not spelled) included a discussion about Starbucks, Namibian languages, English accents both regional in the US and in the world, and the influence of English on Namibian culture.
Regarding the English influence Jo said of the five languages she can speak, she can "express myself best in English." When I asked her why she said it was because of the shared context so many people have with English. She said phrases, slang and generally meaning is so readily shared through movies and music that people understand me best. She said she never listens to Afrikaans radio or tv and therefore has the greatest lexicon of emotional language in English. Pretty incredible. I have heard this now from students from more than 12 different countries all whom have learned English from has early as 3...in the Namibian's case to those who are 18 my friends from the Balkans. Definitely a PRO on the tally for English's pervasivness.
I have also been making more active attempts to speak Norwegian. The American student who is from Virginia, Britt Inga, has family just north of Bergen (west Norway - fjord country) and speaks Ny Norsk fluently. She has been playfully forcing me to "snakk norsk" with her. It is fun because the dialect I have learned is bokmål which is surprisingly different. Ny Norsk is a collection of dialects more rurally spoken and bokmål is basically Oslo-talk. An extreme example being: in the Norwegian, the pronoun for 'I' is jeg (Yigh) and for Britt Inga it is eg (Egg). Therefore, it really forces me to recognize the dissimiliarities and listen carefully to those words that we do share. Anyhow, I know she will be a strong teacher and friend for me to continue language skills. I am planning a review of my first year stuff tomorrow after unpacking.
I am having a great time and I think the casual orientation week starting on monday will be great. The group dynamic tonight was fantastic and similar to a cross section of PLU 6 men 12 women. So, what I am used to. I have already not had my camera out enough. I will be better about it tomorrow, I promise.
My thoughts as you can tell are a bit scattered, but I have started a hard copy journal and will distill stuff out of that for blog-worthy topics. For know, this was a rather verbose update. I will be in touch soon.
Oh yeah, for all of you Pro-jetlaggers...I still cry bullshit.
Well, here I am...rock you like a hurricane. Wise words spoken many a year ago by the Scorpions. That is about how I am feeling. This country has already charged me up and I am anxious for school to start. I think probably to provide some good structure to a lifestyle I can already see will be much more relaxed then the one I am used to. I had a long flight which awarded no sleep, just a rather smelly, cute Indian man sleeping half on me and half in the isle. I await the flight home, not for timing sake, but because it is daylight the whole trip the 9 hour flight-9 hour time change it stays the same hour and you don't have the mandatory 'everybody sleep now' bullshit. I wanted to read my book and the flight attendant came by and made me feel like an asshole because I was the only one in my seciton with a light on. Anyhow, that is four months from now. I was utterly exhausted when we finally got here, but had my first grillpølse or hotdog at the airport. Had some confusion with the group and I had to play dad a bit...but all got worked out and I got them on the train and to Hamar.
I woke up this morning after a blissful 11 hours of sleep and strolled to our first group meeting, late. Oh well, Norsk klokka allerede! (Nowegian time already!) Joe, my roommate, and I got to the school and met up with the five Namibian students who are our classmates in what is called the "society and culture" programme. The group which we heard yesterday would be 30 is acutally only 18 people. 10 Americans, 5 Namibians and 3 Norwegians.
After touring the school with Knut Haugen, our rather eccentric International student coordinator, we came back to our apartment at Fredik Monsens Gate. I read more of Deception Point and relaxed. I have of course still not unpacked, nor showered...both of which will shortly take place. And now we just got back from a dinner at Inger Haug's home. She is the program director, our main lecturer and a lovely person. She will no doubt me like a mother to our group. We enjoyed olive bread and a wonderful seafood chowder which included cod, salmon and shrimps (they use the 's' to denote the plural...sounds funny to those of us who just say shrimp). At dinner I also met our second teacher Alexandra Klein who was one of the coordinators I met this summer at Nansenskolen i Lillehammer. It was nice to see familiar faces again in Inger and Alexandra.
As dinner went on we had a nice time getting to know the people around us. I am finding I am learning as much about my fellow Americans as Namibians. None of the fellow Lutes I know better than the other, so I see this a good chance to make new friends evenly and not have the "stick to your buddy at summer camp syndrome." I had a great conversation at dinner with two of the Namibian students who posed the question to me: "with all of this traveling around, do you ever intend on graduating?" I thought of my dad when I was asked this. Also, I explained to them PLU's emphasis and accredidation for studying abroad. They were amazed. One Namibian girl who goes by Jo and whose real name is pronounced Too-will-icka (I will get back to you on the spelling...she is easily the most outspoken Namibian of the five and I will no doubt write about her again) told me that she is here for the semester and receiving only 2 credits from University of Namibian...bearing in mind they take a semester of 30. In that regard, I was proud of PLU for its emphasis in international study.
The dinner conversation, with she and Francois (pronounced but also not spelled) included a discussion about Starbucks, Namibian languages, English accents both regional in the US and in the world, and the influence of English on Namibian culture.
Regarding the English influence Jo said of the five languages she can speak, she can "express myself best in English." When I asked her why she said it was because of the shared context so many people have with English. She said phrases, slang and generally meaning is so readily shared through movies and music that people understand me best. She said she never listens to Afrikaans radio or tv and therefore has the greatest lexicon of emotional language in English. Pretty incredible. I have heard this now from students from more than 12 different countries all whom have learned English from has early as 3...in the Namibian's case to those who are 18 my friends from the Balkans. Definitely a PRO on the tally for English's pervasivness.
I have also been making more active attempts to speak Norwegian. The American student who is from Virginia, Britt Inga, has family just north of Bergen (west Norway - fjord country) and speaks Ny Norsk fluently. She has been playfully forcing me to "snakk norsk" with her. It is fun because the dialect I have learned is bokmål which is surprisingly different. Ny Norsk is a collection of dialects more rurally spoken and bokmål is basically Oslo-talk. An extreme example being: in the Norwegian, the pronoun for 'I' is jeg (Yigh) and for Britt Inga it is eg (Egg). Therefore, it really forces me to recognize the dissimiliarities and listen carefully to those words that we do share. Anyhow, I know she will be a strong teacher and friend for me to continue language skills. I am planning a review of my first year stuff tomorrow after unpacking.
I am having a great time and I think the casual orientation week starting on monday will be great. The group dynamic tonight was fantastic and similar to a cross section of PLU 6 men 12 women. So, what I am used to. I have already not had my camera out enough. I will be better about it tomorrow, I promise.
My thoughts as you can tell are a bit scattered, but I have started a hard copy journal and will distill stuff out of that for blog-worthy topics. For know, this was a rather verbose update. I will be in touch soon.
Oh yeah, for all of you Pro-jetlaggers...I still cry bullshit.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
I am ready
After walking a friend home last night I took my time meandering through campus. It finally hit me, I am not going to walk through this place for some time. PLU has been an incredible home these past three years, largely due to its inhabitants. Nonetheless, I got this strange feeling of longing as a passed by red square and saw that awful glow of the neon-blue 'Aquafina' machine from the second-floor Ramstad stairwell. I am really going to miss this place. The comforts it affords especially. I have grown fond of my corner room at Base Camp. Where the sun shines brightly in at 6:3o AM and I still manage to sleep in until 10. I will miss Ingram Hall and the trash cans throughout the building that collect the rain water cascading through the ceiling. The late night FOLFing, the gorgeous September afternoons when it seems like everyone you know is out on the grass, lounging around without a care in the world. I will miss my incredible friends, loved-ones, my Lute family.
This however, is a time for growth. And as I feel the pangs from the myriad of 'good-byes' it makes me want to stay for my friends' sakes. Yet, I know deep in me this is what I need to be doing. Upon PLU's doing J-Term of my first year, I have not forgotten the Explore definition of vocation: 'where your hearts desire meets the world's greatest need.' Something inexplicable, in the depths of me keeps urging me in this direction. Yes, Norway. A cold, small country (pop.) with a political interest in peaceful conflict resolution. At my core I have to understand how a society like this one works. It is inconceivable for we Super-Power natives, a country whose prerogative is helping everyone 'get their way' and not relying on the archaic, 'plop a flag down and its yours' mentality. I want to believe that the model that Norwegians pursue is one more compatible to the hundred's of suffering countries in the world that have found the 'solve it with democracy and capitalism' model inefficient. I want to pursue helping other people live their lives, the way they cultural, language, and surrounding allow - not how Angelina Jolie says they should.
So I am off. Out to live in and explore Scandinavia. See the beautiful fjords og fjellets! Jeg skal finne mange vakert tinger. It is unreal still as I sit here with all my shit strewn about my floor, but by this time tomorrow I might start to get it. I still have many outstanding(see unfinished) PLU projects that I will be working on remotely. I will undoubtedly be using this forum as a chance to synthesize questions and some greater meaning about those tasks and future goals.
My thoughts are rampant and rambling and there is much packing yet to be done. I did however, want to put down in writing, in hope to perhaps better believe myself, that I am ready.
This however, is a time for growth. And as I feel the pangs from the myriad of 'good-byes' it makes me want to stay for my friends' sakes. Yet, I know deep in me this is what I need to be doing. Upon PLU's doing J-Term of my first year, I have not forgotten the Explore definition of vocation: 'where your hearts desire meets the world's greatest need.' Something inexplicable, in the depths of me keeps urging me in this direction. Yes, Norway. A cold, small country (pop.) with a political interest in peaceful conflict resolution. At my core I have to understand how a society like this one works. It is inconceivable for we Super-Power natives, a country whose prerogative is helping everyone 'get their way' and not relying on the archaic, 'plop a flag down and its yours' mentality. I want to believe that the model that Norwegians pursue is one more compatible to the hundred's of suffering countries in the world that have found the 'solve it with democracy and capitalism' model inefficient. I want to pursue helping other people live their lives, the way they cultural, language, and surrounding allow - not how Angelina Jolie says they should.
So I am off. Out to live in and explore Scandinavia. See the beautiful fjords og fjellets! Jeg skal finne mange vakert tinger. It is unreal still as I sit here with all my shit strewn about my floor, but by this time tomorrow I might start to get it. I still have many outstanding(see unfinished) PLU projects that I will be working on remotely. I will undoubtedly be using this forum as a chance to synthesize questions and some greater meaning about those tasks and future goals.
My thoughts are rampant and rambling and there is much packing yet to be done. I did however, want to put down in writing, in hope to perhaps better believe myself, that I am ready.
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