The sun is coming back!
Walking to school last week looked like this:
It's getting lighter by about six minutes a day, so soon we'll be able to wake up in the light too. Can't wait! Then maybe I won't need three different alarms to get out of bed, even if that system still isn't very effective.
Yesterday I was supposed to give a presentation to my English class about Canada, right away in the first class, which starts at 8:05. I love waking up to an alarm and getting to go back to sleep, so I set one alarm for 4, one for 6:30 and one for 6:45. Yeah, I know the 4 o clock one is a bit strange. I vaguely remember turning one alarm off, but definitely not three. When I woke up it was light out, which is never a good sign on a school day! Apparently Jon had knocked on my door at 7:30 as well, but I was knocked out until 8. Not the best plan when you're supposed to give a presentation at 8:05. I was completely oblivious to three of the four attempts to wake me up.
Anyways, I did the presentation at the end of class, and I think it went alright. It was supposed to be on bilingualism in Canada, but it ended up being a bit broader. I think I learned more than my class from it, just from researching Canadian history and facts that I never knew about. Apparently instant mashed potatoes and zippers are Canadian inventions. It's also further across Canada than it is from the East coast of Canada to Norway.
On the topic of school, I'll give an introduction to the Norwegian school system:
Norwegian School system:
-School is divided into three levels, like at home. Barneskole, Ungdomsskole and Videregående. They start the year they turn six, so generally a year later than us.
-After Ungdomsskole, or middle school, they can specialize into different lines. A normal academic line is an option, but there's also health care lines, music, media, art and sports lines which combine these topics with academic subjects. There's also trades/work lines with apprenticeships and theory built in. This means that Norwegians have to choose a direction after middle school, although many seem to stay in the academic line to keep options open.
-I've noticed the classes to be less interactive than classes at home; lots of note taking and independant work. It depends a lot on the teacher though. I still find it strange that almost every class has a "smart board", but I've never seen them used. They just seem to be taking space away from the chalkboard teachers normally use.
-I'm in a line that combines general courses with design and art courses, which I really like. Today we finished illustrating some Norwegian texts, where we were given the writing and could interpret the pictures however. We then put the pictures and text together on the computer. I've learned a lot about photoshop since I've come here, which is a nice bonus. I can't get the entire project to upload, but here's the main character, Frøken Bisk Glefs, in action:
I guess those seem a little odd....but it makes a little more sense with text. Here's my favorite character, the poor little mouse:
After high school here, it seems pretty common to take a year off to travel and work. There's conscription into the military for men here, which some do after high school. Women can go in as well, but aren't required. I don't know exactly how it works but a certain percent of men have to serve. As a result you see the odd person in the mall or on the train dressed like this, and looking a bit out of place:
I'm happy with my written and comprehension skills in Norwegian at this point, but sometimes it feels like I'll never really speak it. Today I was looking for paper for the photocopier at school, and asked a teacher I'd never talked to before where to find it. Apparently I can't pronounce the difference between "kaffemaskin" and "kopimaskin", because he asked me why on earth I wanted sheets of paper for the coffee machine. He asked me what my native language was, and I misunderstood and said "art class". Or maybe I said that I come from the "country of art class." Regardless, it was an awkward exchange. Once he figured out I was from Canada I was treated to a long explanation in english of the relatives he has in Manitoba, by which time someone else had found paper for the machine.
I always took being able to pronounce words in English for granted, but I find it the hardest part of Norwegian. If all conversations were written, life would be much easier. There's so many subtle differences that are important, yet so hard to say if you're not a native speaker. Thank god I'm not learning chinese or thai or something. I definitely appreciate english more now, being able to say what I want in several different ways without thinking about it. It's really neat to look back on your own language from the perspective of another. Regardless of all the awkward exchanges and pronounciation difficulties, I think it's so much fun to use another language. I picked up a magazine while waiting for the train today, and flipped through several pages before I even noticed it was in Norwegian. Moments like that make it all worth it!
Last weekend I was in Geilo at my host families cabin again, and it was a gorgeous weekend full of chocolate, tacos, fuzzy socks, sun and skiing. I classicked both days, three hours on Saturday and about two hours on Sunday. I can really feel in my arms that I don't ski much anymore, but I still know how, and it was amazing! Some pictures:
Jon and Inger
Part of Geilo
This needs no caption
Thermometre with expressions for all the temperatures.
Someone is a little confused between helicopters and airplanes
Sunnnnnn <3
The nordic world ski championships are in Oslo in a couple weeks, and the presence of it is everywhere. From life size cutouts of cross country skiers in the shopping centre, to posters on the train, to sausage and brunost advertisments. That's one thing I would love to take home with me; the country's attitude towards cross country skiing, as well as hiking and being outdoors. It no longer surprises me to see a huge picture of Marit Bjørgen on a truck, or walk by a TV store and see xc skiing playing on the TV's inside.
The week after next is winter break, it's going to be a great week. We're going to Geilo on the Monday, then all the rotary students are meeting in Oslo for three days. So we'll get to be in Oslo for 3 days during the world championships. I'm not entirely sure what we're doing there, and which, if any, events we're going to, but seeing the exchange students after 5 months will be fun regardless!
Tommorow our art class is going into Bergen to visit an illustrator and an art school. Tommorow I'll have been going to Norwegian school for half a year, and while it's strange to go to high school when you're actually done with it, it's fun to have the totally different experience.
I'll leave you with another sunrise photo, and a view over Geilo.
If anyone has any questions or suggestions of topics for me to write about, just say it in the comments below!
God natt
=)
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