...was great! We had perfect weather the entire (!) time and it was just a wonderful little trip. So glad I went.
It's late, I didn't sleep much on the bus last night and I brought home a little cold, so I'll have to update you with more details later. For now, just pictures
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Halbzeit
Half of the summer school is practically over and therefore we are given 2 days of "vacation" for a long weekend. I will use my long weekend to go see Stockholm - a city about which I have heard many good things. I am quite excited to see Stockholm as it has been on my list of places to go for a while. I am taking the night bus in about one hour. It leaves at 11 pm and should get to Stockholm at 6 am...so it'll be a long night, but hopefully it'll be worth it. Wish me luck for the trip (I've got chocolate, so at least I won't go hungry :))...
School itself has been fine. It still is a lot of work, but, as always, you learn to manage and to take it step by step. Other than that, there really isn't anything new at the moment. I will report again from Stockholm if I can find a computer (I am not taking my laptop for a change...).
School itself has been fine. It still is a lot of work, but, as always, you learn to manage and to take it step by step. Other than that, there really isn't anything new at the moment. I will report again from Stockholm if I can find a computer (I am not taking my laptop for a change...).
Saturday, July 04, 2009
More pictures
So, Maria (my Russian friend) and I went out again to explore another part of Oslo. I can only repeat myself and say that I REALLY like Oslo - what a cool place! In many parts it even reminds me of Berlin - actually like a mix of Berlin and Wellington in New Zealand (Scandinavia and New Zealand don't seem all too different to me, when I think about it... the same kind of beauty, feeling of safety, friendliness of the people, etc.).
Before I go on and on though, I'll just share some more pictures with you (below)!
Oh, and to the Americans among you: Happy 4th of July!
Before I go on and on though, I'll just share some more pictures with you (below)!
Oh, and to the Americans among you: Happy 4th of July!
Norwegian landscape
more Norwegian landscape
The Peace Research group 2009, on the deck of our cabin
The lake we swam in
...and again
downtown Oslo
Maria and I
Karl Johans Gate - the main downtown boulevard
the National Theater
downtown Oslo
Oslo's oldest building
A typical Oslo scene, it seems to me: Locals enjoying the long summer nights out in one of Oslo's many parks
One of my new favorite areas of Oslo, only a 10 min walk from campus. Reminds me of Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin...no?
Downtown Oslo, right by the harbor, where you can buy fresh shrimp from a boat or just hang out and enjoy the sun with a coffee or an ice cream
The Grand Cafe - one of Ibsen's "hangouts"
Enjoying a cup of tea in a cafe
Back from the cabin, back to work
I've been back from the cabin for about 24 hours now. The trip was fine - we hiked and stayed at a cabin in the woods north of Oslo (Oslo is surrounded by so many lakes and woods that long hikes into the wilderness are a mere subway trip away). As part of this peacebuilding workshop we played a lot of games and discussed a lot of scenarios for which there are no right or wrong answers - so, the whole thing was clearly geared towards all of us getting to know each other (better). The less formal atmosphere of a cabin made that easier than in the classroom, no doubt, though 2 days still didn't seem quite long enough for a group of 26 people... When we were not discussing, we had some time to hang out or go swimming in one of many lakes that you just sumble upon when walking through the woods. Given that Oslo is currently (for the past two weeks or so) going through an unusual heat wave (we're actually talking 90 °F or 30°C here!... Fingers crossed it stays that way, rumor has it that the temperature may drop to the 60s/ 15°C in the next few days...yikes!!!), jumping into a mountain lake was actually quite nice. And, given that it's Norway and not South Africa or Australia or something, the most dangerous thing here were probably sharp rocks (on which I cut my heel a bit because I slipped when getting in the water).
After taking a long, long shower (we had one (!) outhouse and one (!) shower for all 28 people present at the cabin for three days), my friend Maria and I walked into Oslo again yesterday and it was SOOO nice. You can tell that the Norwegians (much like the Germans) just soak up every bit of sun when it's out. Everyone is out and about, walking around barely dressed, sitting outside enjoying a juice or tea, reading or playing in the parks and fountains, or just taking a stroll. The city was so lively again, it was just a joy to walk around and be part of that. Maria and I did a bit of (window) shopping (H&M to Norway is like Starbuck's to the US...you can't walk 100 yards without running into another one), had an ice cream and some cherries and actually walked all the way into the city center (new territory for me). It was really such a pleasant end to the first week here and got our minds off the massive workload we both struggle with (she is taking Norwegian classes here).
Soeaking of which - ever since classes started the active going-out-and-exploring hustle-and-bustle has somewhat stopped and whenever you ask someone what they are doing or if they would like to go out to x, you get the oh-so-familiar "I wish I could, but I have so much work to do" response (sound familiar, fellow grad students?). Bummer! As determined as I am not to turn into a workaholic here, because I came here to do and see things I can't do and see at home, it is a challenge to find a balance between work and fun. (Though there is room for that, too...we had our first party last night with discounted half-liter-beers... no further comments...) This Monday we have an outline for a group research paper due, plus 60 pages of reading every day. It's hard not to feel catapulted back into semester-stress-mode. The nice thing, of course is, that I can remind myself that I have the freedom to get out of this what I put in and that I really won't be held accountable for this by anyone at home, other than myself. Also, it is doubtlessly nice to not have any other obligations (besides having fun and seeing Oslo a bit) like teaching or even cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc..
In two weeks we have a long weekend (midterm break or something) and I am really contemplating going to Stockholm. I've been to Sweden, but never Stockholm and I hear it is absolutely gorgeous. If it'snot too too expensive, maybe a few of us will go (if we can find the time to arrange for it ;-)). We shall see...
That much for now. I didn't get much sleep last night (thanks to the party, people coming home at 5 am, and the sun shining brightly by the same time), so I might just allow myself to fall asleep over my readings.
I will upload more pictures soon. Promise.
After taking a long, long shower (we had one (!) outhouse and one (!) shower for all 28 people present at the cabin for three days), my friend Maria and I walked into Oslo again yesterday and it was SOOO nice. You can tell that the Norwegians (much like the Germans) just soak up every bit of sun when it's out. Everyone is out and about, walking around barely dressed, sitting outside enjoying a juice or tea, reading or playing in the parks and fountains, or just taking a stroll. The city was so lively again, it was just a joy to walk around and be part of that. Maria and I did a bit of (window) shopping (H&M to Norway is like Starbuck's to the US...you can't walk 100 yards without running into another one), had an ice cream and some cherries and actually walked all the way into the city center (new territory for me). It was really such a pleasant end to the first week here and got our minds off the massive workload we both struggle with (she is taking Norwegian classes here).
Soeaking of which - ever since classes started the active going-out-and-exploring hustle-and-bustle has somewhat stopped and whenever you ask someone what they are doing or if they would like to go out to x, you get the oh-so-familiar "I wish I could, but I have so much work to do" response (sound familiar, fellow grad students?). Bummer! As determined as I am not to turn into a workaholic here, because I came here to do and see things I can't do and see at home, it is a challenge to find a balance between work and fun. (Though there is room for that, too...we had our first party last night with discounted half-liter-beers... no further comments...) This Monday we have an outline for a group research paper due, plus 60 pages of reading every day. It's hard not to feel catapulted back into semester-stress-mode. The nice thing, of course is, that I can remind myself that I have the freedom to get out of this what I put in and that I really won't be held accountable for this by anyone at home, other than myself. Also, it is doubtlessly nice to not have any other obligations (besides having fun and seeing Oslo a bit) like teaching or even cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc..
In two weeks we have a long weekend (midterm break or something) and I am really contemplating going to Stockholm. I've been to Sweden, but never Stockholm and I hear it is absolutely gorgeous. If it'snot too too expensive, maybe a few of us will go (if we can find the time to arrange for it ;-)). We shall see...
That much for now. I didn't get much sleep last night (thanks to the party, people coming home at 5 am, and the sun shining brightly by the same time), so I might just allow myself to fall asleep over my readings.
I will upload more pictures soon. Promise.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
First days of class
So, the fist two days of classes are over and though I had a feeling, I now know that these next 6 weeks won't just be fun. The syllabus is intense, the reading list is INSANE (for today we had 180 pages of reading...try again!). There is a stupid group research paper, a role play, a class discussion to prepare, and a 4-hour final exam. No walk in the park, it seems. But we've already divided the readings for tomorrow among each other, so that we can form study groups and not everyone has to read everything. Smart, right? Luckily, I don't need this class for credit, so (even though I will) I technically don't have to sweat the grades.
The class itself (on Peace Research, by the way, taught in conjunction with the Peace Research Institute of Oslo) is very diverse. Students are all at least in their late 20s, all the way to their 50s and they come from all over the place (Russia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan, USA, Germany, Kenya, etc., etc.). I hardly know them yet (we've only met twice), but they all seem nice enough. Strangely (or not) I've mostly been hanging out with a group outside of my class - a older girl from Russia and some younger guys from Belorus and the US. Keeps it interesting, I guess. That may or may not change after a cabin trip our class is going on for two nights tomorrow. That'll definitely bring the group closer together and promote some cohesion...at least that's everybody's hope, I'm sure.
Alright, time to read. I'll be back on Friday, after the cabin retreat. I'm sure there'll be lots to report.
Until then...
The class itself (on Peace Research, by the way, taught in conjunction with the Peace Research Institute of Oslo) is very diverse. Students are all at least in their late 20s, all the way to their 50s and they come from all over the place (Russia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan, USA, Germany, Kenya, etc., etc.). I hardly know them yet (we've only met twice), but they all seem nice enough. Strangely (or not) I've mostly been hanging out with a group outside of my class - a older girl from Russia and some younger guys from Belorus and the US. Keeps it interesting, I guess. That may or may not change after a cabin trip our class is going on for two nights tomorrow. That'll definitely bring the group closer together and promote some cohesion...at least that's everybody's hope, I'm sure.
Alright, time to read. I'll be back on Friday, after the cabin retreat. I'm sure there'll be lots to report.
Until then...
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Pictures
Since I still can't bring myself to get a Flickr Pro account, I have run into my uploading limit for the month. Therefore, a few first Oslo pics below...
The new opera building... Oslo is really proud of this and sometimes the natives sound like this opera building will and ought to be as famous as Sydney's :)
The Viking museum...turns out, Vikings didn't actually wear those funny hats. Painters apparently made those up before the first excavations started. To this day, no such hats have been found.
Our dorm. I live in the West Wing...to the left of the main building depicted above.
THE most expensive beer I've had in my life ($8). If you wonder whether it was to-die-for, I'm afraid I'll have to actually say no. I guess even small pleasures come at a high price here.
Vigelandspark. Vigeland was Norwegian's Rodin maybe and this (for whatever reason) has become the most famous statue in a park full of his statues.
Another statue at Vigelandspark. Any interpretation attempts?
And another one...
The Royal Palace
View from my dorm room
...and, last but not least, a picture of my home for the next 6 weeks.
The new opera building... Oslo is really proud of this and sometimes the natives sound like this opera building will and ought to be as famous as Sydney's :)
The Viking museum...turns out, Vikings didn't actually wear those funny hats. Painters apparently made those up before the first excavations started. To this day, no such hats have been found.
Our dorm. I live in the West Wing...to the left of the main building depicted above.
THE most expensive beer I've had in my life ($8). If you wonder whether it was to-die-for, I'm afraid I'll have to actually say no. I guess even small pleasures come at a high price here.
Vigelandspark. Vigeland was Norwegian's Rodin maybe and this (for whatever reason) has become the most famous statue in a park full of his statues.
Another statue at Vigelandspark. Any interpretation attempts?
And another one...
The Royal Palace
View from my dorm room
...and, last but not least, a picture of my home for the next 6 weeks.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Oslo: First impressions
Alright, everyone, here's the promised post about my first two days in Oslo.
Soooo, yesterday I arrived here shortly past noon after a very short, smooth flight from Berlin. My very first impression of Norway was "It looks like Norway" (by which I mean colorful houses, many trees, everything is extremely nice and clean, people are blonde and friendly and speak good English). I got a ticket for the fast train to downtown (a 20 min ride for the discounted student price of 85 Kroner..."only" $14) and then made my way to the subway, where I found the first other ISS (= International Summer School) students (two from the US, one from India). The four of us took the metro (one ride for 25 Kroner, or $4) for four stops and then we were met by staff who drove our luggage to the dorms. The campus here is located in a very green and residential area. The dorm itself is old (from 1920) and very basic (4-6 people sharing a shower and toilets in the hallway), but decent. The rooms are tiny, but fine. I have an Ethiopian roommate, though I have not yet actually met her. So far most people I've met turn out to be from the US, actually, which came as a surprise, but which also makes connecting and communicating easier for me as I am now somewhat embedded in the American culture.
After getting moved in and eating lunch (the food is very fish-rich and very good, by the way), I walked around with a few folks exploring the surroundings. At dinner I met Maria, a 34 year old girl from Russia who is currently a PhD student at the University of Tromso. She is really nice and we've spent quite some time together since we met.
Today we were joined by a rising senior from Brown and the three of us went out to explore some more of the actual city. After those few hours of walking, I can definitely say this:
1. When someone tells you they heard Oslo was "so so", ignore that. I was somewhat worried that Oslo would be as small, quiet, and industrial as Reykjavik, but so far I can say that Oslo is a great, very vibrant and lively city with lots of great parks (in which people are sunbathing, having BBQs, or just hang out and dance and have a good time), great neighborhoods, museums, and stunning landscape.
AND
2. When someone tells you Oslo is supersupersuper expensive, don't ignore that. It is. Holy cow! Examples include a glass of apple juice for NOK 30 ($ 5), a bottle of sunscreen for NOK 110 ($20), a postcard for NOK 12 ($2), and, to top it off, a bottle of beer (250 ml) for NOK 46 ($ 8). Ouch!
(I will post my pictures to my Flickr account when I get a chance, the internet connection here in the dorm is on and off and very slow, so I'd rather not tempt my luck here, where it takes longer.)
Tomorrow we have another exciting organizational dorm meeting and then a 3-hour sightseeing tour (which I am actually looking forward to). On Monday, classes start and we will see how that goes. So far, I have been unable to meet anyone in my class...out of 550 students here, 350 are here to learn Norwegian. Interesting, right?
On a last note let me mention that Oslo apparently is far north enough for it to never get completely dark here in the summer. Never. That's right. It is now 11 pm and I am sitting with my window open in "daylight" that is dusky and will remain so until 4 or 5 in the morning when the actual sun comes up and shines its bright light into the window. Luckily, the curtains are pretty thick and my mom gave me an airplane mask for my eyes, so I was able to sleep fine last night. We'll see how this one goes...
Okay, friends, this much for now. I will make sure to keep you updated with stories and pictures.
Until then: Ha det.
Soooo, yesterday I arrived here shortly past noon after a very short, smooth flight from Berlin. My very first impression of Norway was "It looks like Norway" (by which I mean colorful houses, many trees, everything is extremely nice and clean, people are blonde and friendly and speak good English). I got a ticket for the fast train to downtown (a 20 min ride for the discounted student price of 85 Kroner..."only" $14) and then made my way to the subway, where I found the first other ISS (= International Summer School) students (two from the US, one from India). The four of us took the metro (one ride for 25 Kroner, or $4) for four stops and then we were met by staff who drove our luggage to the dorms. The campus here is located in a very green and residential area. The dorm itself is old (from 1920) and very basic (4-6 people sharing a shower and toilets in the hallway), but decent. The rooms are tiny, but fine. I have an Ethiopian roommate, though I have not yet actually met her. So far most people I've met turn out to be from the US, actually, which came as a surprise, but which also makes connecting and communicating easier for me as I am now somewhat embedded in the American culture.
After getting moved in and eating lunch (the food is very fish-rich and very good, by the way), I walked around with a few folks exploring the surroundings. At dinner I met Maria, a 34 year old girl from Russia who is currently a PhD student at the University of Tromso. She is really nice and we've spent quite some time together since we met.
Today we were joined by a rising senior from Brown and the three of us went out to explore some more of the actual city. After those few hours of walking, I can definitely say this:
1. When someone tells you they heard Oslo was "so so", ignore that. I was somewhat worried that Oslo would be as small, quiet, and industrial as Reykjavik, but so far I can say that Oslo is a great, very vibrant and lively city with lots of great parks (in which people are sunbathing, having BBQs, or just hang out and dance and have a good time), great neighborhoods, museums, and stunning landscape.
AND
2. When someone tells you Oslo is supersupersuper expensive, don't ignore that. It is. Holy cow! Examples include a glass of apple juice for NOK 30 ($ 5), a bottle of sunscreen for NOK 110 ($20), a postcard for NOK 12 ($2), and, to top it off, a bottle of beer (250 ml) for NOK 46 ($ 8). Ouch!
(I will post my pictures to my Flickr account when I get a chance, the internet connection here in the dorm is on and off and very slow, so I'd rather not tempt my luck here, where it takes longer.)
Tomorrow we have another exciting organizational dorm meeting and then a 3-hour sightseeing tour (which I am actually looking forward to). On Monday, classes start and we will see how that goes. So far, I have been unable to meet anyone in my class...out of 550 students here, 350 are here to learn Norwegian. Interesting, right?
On a last note let me mention that Oslo apparently is far north enough for it to never get completely dark here in the summer. Never. That's right. It is now 11 pm and I am sitting with my window open in "daylight" that is dusky and will remain so until 4 or 5 in the morning when the actual sun comes up and shines its bright light into the window. Luckily, the curtains are pretty thick and my mom gave me an airplane mask for my eyes, so I was able to sleep fine last night. We'll see how this one goes...
Okay, friends, this much for now. I will make sure to keep you updated with stories and pictures.
Until then: Ha det.
The blogging continues
Hello all,
For those who don't know ... I am in Norway for a summer school until August. A good enough reason, I figure, to take up blogging again. The lack of blog posts is directly correlated with the amount of work at school, so hopefully this summer school won't keep me too occupied to update you.
I will write my first actual post wiht my first impressions of Oslo and Norway later on today, but for now I've got to go outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather (which I didn't have in the rest of Europe).
Back soon. Stay tuned...
For those who don't know ... I am in Norway for a summer school until August. A good enough reason, I figure, to take up blogging again. The lack of blog posts is directly correlated with the amount of work at school, so hopefully this summer school won't keep me too occupied to update you.
I will write my first actual post wiht my first impressions of Oslo and Norway later on today, but for now I've got to go outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather (which I didn't have in the rest of Europe).
Back soon. Stay tuned...
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