New Students!

I forgot to mention that I have recently acquired two new students: Miyoun, a South Korean looking to improve her English for business and Lucia, a Spanish woman (from Murcia, close to Granada where I studied/lived) who is now living in Miami, Florida. From her mouth: "the U.S. is just not a place to come to practice your English; all of my friends here speak Spanish." Pretty insane that she is in the U.S. and has to pay a native speaker online to chat with. (!?) I want to go to Miami.

Anyway, I am really pleased with both of these students. Lucia's English is excellent. She is a Spanish teacher right now in Miami and is hoping to feel more confident explaining tough language concepts to her students in English. I am actually a great outlet for her; I know what it is like to be a Spanish student and, imagine that--I command the English language! We are a match made in heaven (it's so nice to feel useful!). She is also my first student that has turned on her web cam, which was super strange but simultaneously endearing. She is really likable and watching her body language gives me some serious throw backs to Spain.

Miyoun's English is not as good, but that just means we have more room to grow! She is really a sweet woman, and is about my same age. And she wants to just have half an hour classes, which is really a blessing in disguise. Sometimes forcing conversation for an hour (even though it is twice the money) is really exhausting, for both teacher and student.

I have also reunited with one of my favorite old students: Sergei. He is from a city outside of Moscow and is so easy to work with. He is always bringing his own material and is just a joy overall. It looks like we will keep meeting two mornings a week.

So it looks like I have a little bit of income, even though I am still unemployed! If all these students remain steady, maybe I will be able to make around $200/month. That might be enough to pay 1/3 of my bills? Maybe? Ugh, I need to get a "real" job.

Well, at least I have a kick ass view.
(Plus working in your underwear/pajamas ain't so bad).

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Close, but no cigar

I got a phone call yesterday from a lady that was responsible for the hiring process for Yara International. I had applied for a position there as an Executive Assistant maybe two weeks ago. Yara, and I quote from their website, is "the world’s leading chemical company that converts energy, natural minerals and nitrogen from the air into essential products for farmers and industrial customers." Sounds pretty legit, right?

Well, don't get too excited--I didn't get the job. However, I see this experience as a very positive one. First and foremost, I survived a professional phone call in Norwegian--a feat that I do not take too lightly. Also, it seemed like the woman was genuinely interested in me and my skills, as they came across on paper in Norwegian. This is a bit of a relief to me, as it has been very easy to suspect of late that I just am not going to get anywhere with this job search på norsk.

And I actually think she would have hired me (or that I would have had a good chance) IF I had had plans to move to Oslo. Her client (who happens to be an American who doesn't speak Norwegian!) sometimes needs someone on a short notice. She explained that if they were to call me in early that even if I left right away I still wouldn't make it to their office for realistically an hour and 45 minutes. Apparently they need someone that lives closer. I am not really sure why this position would need to be "on call" in that way, but I guess they know what they are doing. And I am not sure if she was just being nice, but she also said that they would be sure to contact me if there was a position available somewhere closer to me.

Exciting on some levels, devastating on others. I think that job could have very well been a ticket to a work permit...but I guess that is a bit unfair to say since no one really knows what UDI has up their sleeves.

I suppose the good news is that I have applied to many similar positions and if this company thought I was worth a phone call, then hopefully others will as well.

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Christmas Beer Tasting

I don't really like beer, but I do like a good excuse to get together with friends! On Friday night it was Martin's traditional Juleøl (Christmas Beer) tasting night. Some of the usual suspects were in attendance--André, a college friend of Lars and Martin, Magnus, who I met for the first time that night and of course Martin Lassen, Lars and I.

It seems like just another good excuse to kick back with some beers, but don't be fooled--this was a serious undertaking. Martin had prepared fancy spreadsheets with sufficient room to evaluate different aspects of the ten different holiday brews...aroma, taste, foam, packaging etc. etc. Finally each beer was awarded a point value on a 1 to 10 scale. Let me show you exactly how serious these boys took their task...

(Magnus analyzing his sheet while Martin looks off thoughtfully into the distance)

(André, pretzels in hand, concentrating on his task)

But you know that sometimes, no matter how serious a task can be, that things can get a little silly. Especially when it comes to the holidays. That just makes everyone so jolly.

(Magnus, who is one of my new favorites)

Just so you know, I tried almost each and every one of the beers (I know some of you are very very proud). I did not gag ever. So that's a sign...of something, I suppose.

P.S. I did not get the job at Energisenteret and I am not disappointed. I have still been applying for tons of jobs and will be sure to let you all know if something positive or otherwise extremely exciting happens.

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Weekend happenings

Another weekend, come and gone. And what do I have to say for myself?

As far as productivity goes, not a whole lot. I made an awesome loaf of banana bread Friday afternoon and for Sunday night dinner had the best taco salad I have ever imagined. Seriously, anytime I can add a crunch to a salad (sunflower seeds, tortilla chips, croûtons, pretzels, you name it) I am in heaven!

Weekend excitement not related to food you ask? Hmm....well it snowed maybe a total of 5 inches (maybe more) on Friday afternoon/evening. We went for a walk as it began Friday, and another when it was finished and had covered Hamar in white Saturday midday. It warmed up a lot throughout Saturday and all of that beautiful snow has since melted into mush and slush on the streets.

But really other than that, and a quick reunion with some soccer girls and some other friends at the re-opening of Siste Indre (one of our favorite bars) we didn't do much of anything. Which was awesome, by the way.

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SOLD

About an hour into my journey across the Atlantic I finished a book called Sold, by Patricia McCorkmick. The book was almost poetic in structure so that explains why I whizzed through it so fast (besides of course the well-known fact that I am both an insanely fast reader, and a genius).

I recommend the book. It was a moving tale that made me think, inspired creativity and stretched my mind. It was easy for me to connect to the main character, 13 year old Lakshmi, and I would think it would be easy for almost anyone to do the same (assuming you have a soul).

Here is a summary of the book that I borrowed from TA Book Log:

...Thirteen year old Lakshmi lives in the mountains of Nepal with mother, baby brother and step-father. Her family is so poor they cannot afford a tin roof like the other families in the village. Lakshmi wants to go to the city to work so that she can send money back to her family but her mother wants her to stay in school. After a horrible monsoon that washes away the crops and destroys the already tattered roof, Lakshmi's step-father says that she is to go to the city to work. Lakshmi is happy, proud that she will be able to help her family. She soon learns that her job in the city is not the maid job she thought it would be. Lakshmi's step-father has sold her into prostitution and now she is stuck in India forced to pay off the price that was paid for her. Lakshmi struggles to make it through the nightmare her life has become and dreams of the day she will be free again.

I of course, will not give away the ending. Let me know if you check it out.

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Interview @ Energisenteret

Did I mention I had a job interview on Tuesday?

I hopped the train to Lillehammer, and then hopped another train up to Hunderfossen Familiepark, which is basically your typical theme park. In the back of the park is this cool place called Energisenteret, or The Energy Center. I would compare it to the Science Center in Seattle (if you are familiar with that), or at least it is the same kind of idea: an interactive learning center. This one in Hunderfossen is smaller than the Science Center and is focused specifically on energy and electricity.

(Main entrance to the Energisenteret)

The job I applied for is as a veileder, is part time, and would be executed mostly in Norwegian. If they somehow want to hire me, then after extensive training and learning about sustainable energy and getting to know the exhibits and center, I would be leading groups of people through the center highlighting certain things, explaining others, answering questions and leading some small scale "presentations". I would expect there to be a bit of babysitting as well as most of the groups are high school kids or younger, haha.

The job is by no means ideal for me. Don't get me wrong--it sounds interesting and just briefly walking through the center definitely sparked my interest in all things electric, but I cannot honestly say that energy and turbines and wires have ever really been high on my list of life passions. Additionally the job is part time, about 12-16 hours a week and will absolutely not be magically granting me a work permit anymore than my barista job did last time around (work permit worthy jobs are full time, among other things).

I am thinking all these factors combined to give me a really relaxed, care-free attitude while på vei to Energisenteret. Honestly--no part of me will be disapointed if I don't get this job! I was going into it thinking of it as practice for other interviews and a chance to explore, and not much more. And I must say, that is easily the most empowering feeling when you are going to an interview, to be held in a foreign language (that you haven't spoken consistently for months), somewhere in the wilderness where you have never been before!

Typically, I should have and would have been nervous. I probably would have started sweating awkwardly and unknowingly made some sexual reference in Norwegian when trying to break the ice. At least it would have made for a good story. The real story is much less exciting actually; after getting off the train in the middle of adventure land, the sun busted out from behind a cloud and shone on the thin crunchy layer of snow. I had to walk through the abandoned theme park to get to where the Energy Center is (the absolute back of the park). I actually hopped a low gate to get in, and then wandered around a bit since I was early. The park seemed like it would be a lot of fun, when it's open that is. Otherwise it was a bit creepy to be the one and only visitor.

Which probably should have made me nervous, but since in such a positive way, I didn't really have much riding on the job itself, the situation just made me chuckle. I met the interviewers, became an interviewee, miraculously impressed them with my Norwegian and made them laugh and then headed home. I think I will hear tomorrow if I am in the running or not. Pretty exciting... of many other perks that I am sure come along with working in adventure land (did I mention the wage was $52.04 an hour?), I would get to walk by this princess castle everyday on my way to work!

I have also applied for numerous other jobs, most of them being receptionist or administrative assistants in Oslo. I have no idea what to expect, no idea if I will get interviews, get laughed at, get hired or what! Guess we will just wait and see! Gotta love the waiting game!

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Seriously?!?!

While I was wasting away in the Heathrow airport for hours on end, I gave Lars a phone call to let him know I was alive and so forth. The charges just showed up on my online banking site. Just take a wild guess what those few minutes of my life cost me... Just take a wild guess...and take a gander at the look on this lady's face. I am sure she was just as naive as I...smiling! Ha! Wait until you see your bill lady!

The call cost me $50.72! Are you kidding me?! That's absolutely ridiculous. Oh, don't forget the additional $0.95 fee for something I am unsure of.

It's so bad and so ridiculous to spend that chunk of money on a 8 minute phone call. It's so bad all you can do is laugh.

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I made it

After 25 hours of traveling, sleeping on benches in airports and in awkward positions on airplanes, I made it home safe to Parkgata 12 and back into Lars' arms. As I was flying into Oslo, snow was falling. On our hour drive home it was pretty sweet to see the ground getting covered with a thin blanket of snow.

Amazingly, the snow melted as of the next morning. It hasn't been cold enough to keep snow on the ground at all, and it has actually rained a bit since I have been here. Wait, which country am I in? Am I back in the Pacific Northwest? ;) Besides a bit of weather confusion, it has been pretty obvious that I am back in Scandinavia. I am back to slicing my own bread and walking everywhere. Back to everything being in Norwegian, including about half of the TV we watch. Back to having a roommate and back to making plans for two, instead of one.

I think today might be the first day where I am NOT feeling the effects of switching time zones. I am really hoping that I am done being jet-lagged.

So that's that. Will write more, soon I am sure...seeing as though I am unemployed and all.

Spaghetti for dinner. Mmm.

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Another reason why we love fall...

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