To uker.

Today marks my two week anniversary in Norway. In these two weeks I feel like I have done quite a bit...I have got settled in the apartment, found a month long intensive Norwegian class (which will start the 14th of this month), gotten a bit familiar with the Norwegian kroner (Nkr), explored Hamar and my surroundings, and met quite a few people close to Lars including the parents, grandparents, cat, dog, and about twenty of his co-workers. I acted as a sort of unofficial photographer for Sparebanken (Lars' employer) as I took some great, if I do say so myself, photos of him and one of his colleagues for his seminar in Trondheim today. I've traveled to Lillehammer, home of the 1994 Winter Olympics and seen some of the first Norwegian snows. I'm struggling coming to the conclusion that conversations with natives, NAV employees (Norwegian Employment Agency) and other job engines are leaning me towards--that I need to learn at least basic Norwegian before I am going to get a job.

All in all, I am loving it here in Norway...even despite the fact I am so far away from most of my loved ones, and that a lot of the time I am competely lost in conversations. Sometimes I surprise myself and I know what people are talking about, but that is pretty rare. :) All meaningful interactions I have had thus far have been in English. It has been really lucky for me that Norwegians start learning English in FIRST GRADE! I just hope that soon I will be able to communicate in Norwegian...I hate relying on English for everything.