Get packing!!

Well, it's official---I bought a ticket back to the good 'ol US of A. I will be leaving Norway the 18th of June and enjoying the Pacific Northwest until November 2nd. In that time I am expecting a lot of reunions, family dinners, weddings, laughs, dancing, and kayaking and outdoorsy time--not to mention, hopefully a lot of working--I really need to make some money STAT!

Money actually determined when I was buying my ticket back, to be honest. Last summer I worked for this org. called Washington Business Week and I am on board again for the camp on PLU's campus June 21st-27th. It is the only job I know that I have for sure for the months I am back, and it will be great to have some quick money in my sad, hungry bank account. Plus, this is what we did last year at WBW camp:

It was fairly awesome, and a fun way to make some money. The worst part of the job was chaperoning a high school dance and controlling teenage hormones. But really, I think I am up for that again!

Leaving June 18th, coming back November 2nd. For now, the plan is to tie up some loose ends around here, savor my time with Lars, and enjoy what I can of the Norwegian summer and friends here before I have to get packing!

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Teacher, don't worry, this is the love

I have to say that I am really fortunate to have stumbled across this BuddySchool site where students have been contacting me to take English lessons. It has been a fun and slightly lucrative process. I have been regularly giving lessons to Filip a Polish boy who wants to live in the U.S. two hours a week. Gilymung (or Gil for short) and I have been meeting for four hours of idiomatic English on weekend mornings for me, and evenings for him in Korea. I talked a couple of times with Raimundo from Brazil who is an author, a pilot and working on 'green energy'--a huge blimp that floats and uses high winds to create power. Lately I spent a few hours with Marco, who is from Cadiz, Spain but is now living and working in London as a handyman.

I have been contacted by a couple new students as well: Yasuko from Japan, who is a divorced woman living in Italy and working as a translator there, Natalie a Palestinian, and Sergei a Russian both of whom I expect to be scheduling lessons soon.

Overall, this has been a great experience for me. I have the opportunity to make a little money, talk with people from all over the world and be exposed to all different types of personalities, learning styles and world perspectives. Yes, I am in love with this site and what it has presented to me.

It seems that there have been a couple different kinds of love floating around the site however. If you remember I described an interesting message sent to me from "Antigone", from the island of Cyprus. I have received a new one that even tops this man's advances, this time from an 18 year-old Saudi Arabian. He wrote me weeks ago asking for a lesson, but then it seemed he wanted to be friends more than anything else. I thought I made it clear that I am using this site for business, not social networking of any kind. But suddenly with his last message it became even more clear about what kind of "making" he was hoping for:

baby .. Your are free nice girl . If I saw you picture..? ? become crazy .. you lips and eyas and hair .. Ohhh my gud ..My hope make with you making love ..Teacher don't worry this is the love. I am waiting you reply "

I am choosing to reply with no reply on this one. Obviously he didn't get it when I lied to him and told him earlier that I was MARRIED when I got a drift of the crush. Some people just don't give up!

But that's the risk putting yourself out there on a site like this. Luckily there is no specific or personal information listed (don't worry all you parental types out there) so I don't have to worry about the few too ripe apples in the bunch.

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My team?

Here is a team picture...of the team I am more or less not a part of. So so sad. What a bummer. I am officially not allowed to play without a work permit.

No fun, no fun at all.

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A day for savoring

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning, torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. That makes it hard to plan the day. E.B. White

The second day of Kelly's visit was easily chosen as a day for savoring. The plan was to share as much of Hamar as I know it as possible. After packing a backpack full of treasures our first stop was to Poesi for some coffee. Kelly enjoyed meeting Jon Ole, just as everyone else has that has ever met him has, I would guess. Then we headed up to Maxi, the biggest shopping center in Hamar, so that Kelly could purchase some more Norwegian souvenirs.

We also hopped down to the grocery store and picked up some goodies to complete our picnic: bananas, iced coffee, ketchup, a one-use grill (the coolest invention ever) and some sweet treats for Kell to take back to Deutchland.

Then...it was lake time!

Our stomachs were begging for some nutrition, so we got to grilling up some pølser and gobbled down some bananers. The weather was insane--really sunny, but we also happened to be sitting under one small, stubborn rain cloud. It was a strange experience, but the cloud gave up before it could extinguish our engangsgrill or our spirits.

And then it was time for more exploring. We walked out to the Domkirkekodden, where I have been many times (although it never seems to lose its charm). That day was extra special as the sun really broke through the clouds and let the structure really show off. Plus I was sharing it with Kelly for her first time! Her enthusiasm is contagious!

Kelly loves the water as much as I do, so then it was back to the lake--to shores unexplored! We found these crazy rocks that look like they were from another planet. Standing and climbing on them really gave us the feeling that the world had been turned upside down or sideways (or something strange that we weren't used to). Kristi, my rock-loving friend--any explanations?

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Oslo, with a Norwegian and two Americans

The economic decision to quit class couldn't have come at a better time--this weekend a long lost high school bud

...Kelly Joines...

came to visit me for a few days!

Kelly has been living in Garmisch, Germany since December working at the American Edelweiss Lodge and Resort so it was easy for her to extend a long weekend up into Scandinavia. She arrived on Sunday evening and left early Wednesday morning. Oh the joys of living in Europe!

When she arrived, Lars and I were busy with other guests--Stine came with Uncle Jarle and Uncle Laffen... and Uncle Bonden was not far behind. We had a full apartment and a freshly baked chocolate cake to go along with it. Stine stayed long after the Uncle Party was over as she was planning on visiting a school in Oslo the next day. Kelly and I hopped on the train with her Monday morning and were set to visit the capital with a real live Norwegian as a tour guide.

While Stine went to meet with an employee of the school, Kelly and I visited Oslo's new and modern Opera House. The building has been said to raise the bar for Norwegian architecture, and while I didn't necessarily see much need for bar raising, I can't help but agree. This building is unlike anything I have ever seen! You can essentially walk on the side of the building and (it's like a big ramp) and onto the roof for a great view of the fjord, which we did happily. Watch this time-elapsed video to see Operahuset built in just three minutes and get a feel of what it is like on the tip of a Norwegian fjord. Both times I have been here I have been overwhelmed with this funny magical feeling: the light, the clouds, the breeze...it is a special place with a unique atmosphere.

We moseyed on, leaving the Opera House behind, grabbing some coffee, sandwiches and scones at a bakery and making our way towards the King's castle. Stine met with us just in time to help us help some fellow Americans from North Carolina with their city map and to witness Kelly getting tricked by some camera men with a 200 kroner bill and some fake poo underneath. We definitely all had a good laugh on that one--it was absolutely hilarious. Who knows--maybe I will be on Norwegian national television after all?

After the castle, it was time to make it to Oslo's biggest tourist attraction which I missed out on my first time in the city--Frogelandpark or Vigeland Park. The park is HUGE--it contains 80 acres, 212 granite and bronze sculptures, a fountain, some sweet gates, not to mention lots of cozy grass and arching trees. If you are interested in history (ehem Ethan, Tim) read some more on Gustav Vigeland, the man resposible for every single one of the 212 naked sculptures in the place! Genius!

As creatively inspiring and as historically impressive as the park was, we couldn't help but get a little silly\inappropriate...I mean, come on. You do know me after all, don't you?!

We reluctantly left the park and stretched the 3km walk back a bit, hopping into different stores and ziz-zagging our way back to the pier. We did some ferry and people watching, braved one last tram ride and just made it onto our train and back to home sweet Hamar.

Even though I have spent two full days wandering around this city and I have become fairly acquainted with some of the major attractions, I still feel like there is so much more to see! Cities (especially big ones) are so overwhelming. How does one really get to know such a big place?!

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