Bergen Trip!

So looking over my blog, I seem to be more than a little remiss in keeping it updated while I was in Norway. I had such plans!
However, I still have pictures, so I thought that I'd share some with you today.

These come from a little side trip we took to Norway's west coast towards the end of July. We took a train from Oslo to Bergen and saw some of the most stunning scenery that you can imagine. Truly! The ride has been described as one of the most scenic in the world! See here if you want to learn more.

See?? Isn't it beautiful?! These are taken from the Hardangervidda, the highest mountain plateau in Europe. I thought it had a soulful, Wuthering Heights kind of feel to the landscape. But there were lots of waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, and forests.

Welcome to Bergen

This was the sight we saw when our train pulled into Bergen. The city is absolutely ADORABLE. It reminds me of a smaller, Norwegian San Francisco. It has the hills, the sea food and the colorful houses.

Scene from the top of a mountain, Bergen in the background

We dropped off our stuff at our hostel (more on that later) and took the funicular. The funicular is like a tram that you ride up the mountain. It was a pretty view. Our professor took us on a hike even further up the mountain. Again, it was a pretty view. I didn't really understand why we had to put that much work into seeing the same sight just at a higher altitude, but apparently, there is a hidden joy to hiking and nature that I have yet to find...

After our adventure on the mountain, we had dinner at Peppe's Pizza! Hurrah! And it was Dr. Kramer's birthday, double hurrah! He threatened to walk out and leave us with the check if we had the servers come to sing him happy birthday.

We disregarded his warning and had the servers sing happy birthday anyways. Secretly, I think he really enjoyed it...
The next day was our Norway in a Nutshell. We saw Norway via train, bus and boat. It was, stunning, as usual.

Experiencing the scenery really helped me to better understand where the mythology and folklore comes from. I mean, who wouldn't see trolls in the mountains when you are surrounded by them?
It also explains why Norwegian mythology ends so violently. Looking at the dramatic landscape, the world just has to end in fire and ice.

The next day, our last day in Bergen, was our visit out to Troldhaugen, or Edvard Grieg's museum/home.

This is the concert hall that they built just a little ways from his house.

We were fortunate enough to attend a concert of some of his piano pieces in that very, grass-covered, concert hall and it was AWESOME.

After the concert, we went back to Bergen to check out of our hostel and explore the city before our train ride back to Oslo that night.

This is Bryggen, the old wharf area of Bergen.

Yes, this is probably the most recognizable part of Bergen. It's on all the tourist things. These buildings are hundreds of years old from the old Hanseatic league traders that made Bergen an important part of Northern Europe economics. They are also a part of UNESCO's world heritage sites, so they are all sorts of famous. It's really neat to walk past them and peer down the alleyways between buildings and see how much they lean. When I say lean, I mean lean. It's practically a miracle that they are still standing! Bergen is cosy like that. They have lots of curvy cobble-stoned streets and alleys and old buildings. Lots of charm, lots of personality.

Besides Bryggen, I wandered all of the city with my professor. We looked at the theater building with all these crazy carvings; St. John's Church (very big and very red); the Bergen Cathedral; this old medieval fortress called Håkons hall and Rosenkrantz tower; AND the fish market.

Since Bergen is by the coast, they have a pretty vibrant fresh fish market. There are all these different languages being spoken because of so many tourists and there were crabs literally jumping out of their containers! Live produce, man! It was freakin me out. I wasn't into the whole seafood thing, so I opted for a kebab instead. (SO GOOD. So much meat for so little money.) The other girls got plateloads of seafood. I even tried a little whale from one of the girls' plates... It was interesting.  I just had to try it because where else in the world would I have the same opportunity, hmmm? Norway is one of the few countries that still participates in whaling, which is so odd considering how pro-environment they are...

After the fish market, we went to our hostel to collect our things and meet back at the train station. Unfortunately, when we got to the hostel, I discovered that someone made off with my backpack. Sad day, I know. I was most distressed about loosing my journal that I had just finished. Two years of my life, sporadically recorded, gone forever.

Bergen YMCA, beware of your luggage...

After a brief mourning period, I got over it. I am glad that it was my backpack instead of the others. Besides my journal, packed with sentimental value, all I had in there was some clothes and some chargers; so nothing that cannot be replaced. (All the good stuff was with me the whole time.) I will just be more careful about my items in the future.

When we met up with our professor again at the train station, that is when we heard about the bombing and the shootings. We were shocked and stunned. We quickly contacted our family and our host families. Everyone was ok and safe and we just read the news as it came online as we waited for our train. It was unbelievable that something like that could have happened to a country that we had come to love so dearly, but bad things do happen to good people, so we had to deal with the tragedy the best way that we knew how. And even though it was a truly sorrowful experience, I thought Norway's reaction was one of the most beautiful and heartfelt that I've ever seen. The rose memorial has been burned into my heart forever and I will always, always remember it.

Jeg elsker dette landet. <3

Berget means mountain or rock...isberget means iceberg

We took a little stroll around Oslo's Opera house. It's located right in the fjord and it's supposed to represent an iceberg. Or at least that is what my professor said. 
You can totally see it too what with all the snow white marble, icy clear glass and mountainous size.
One of the coolest things about it is the fact that you can literally waltz around on the roof! It is quite exciting. Just like a regular iceberg, there are hidden pitfalls. When we were coming down, one of the girls in our group took a little tumble. So, if you make it to Oslo and the Opera house, keep an out for the tricky steps.

Bygdøy: Picture Post (Words will have to come later...)

I missed the bus by ONE minute

So, I am still getting the hang of this whole public-transportation-thing here in Oslo. Surprised? I should think not.
Today was the first official day of classes. We started the day with three hours of Norwegian 101 and after a brief lunch period, we moseyed on over to the Oslo City Museum next to Vigeland Park.

This is the Oslo City Museum

Vigeland Park

We didn't get a chance to explore too much of Vigeland park today. We are planning on going back another time and really get to know the place. The Oslo City Museum was pretty neat. It was interesting to see the growth of Oslo from a little Middle Age city to the metropolitan capital it is today. Did you know that Oslo burnt down about the 17th century and was rebuilt by King Christian the IV of Denmark and then he renamed it Christiania? Later it was renamed Oslo again in 1925 after Norway finally claimed its independence again.
Interesting stuff, no?
Anyways, after walking around the museum, we went back to our classroom and had dinner with our professor and his family (who just arrived via boat from Denmark). The poor woman had to control five boys all under the age of 16. She should be sainted any minute now. ;) Actually, the boys are pretty good and it was fun to interact with them. After dinner, I decided it was time to make the trek home, and this is where the gist of this post comes from.
After I finally figured out the trikk system and got on the right one, I RAN (let me repeat, I ran) to the bus terminal, only to miss my bus by ONE FREAKING MINUTE. Seriously, my hand touched the side of the bus as it drove away. Ah the sweet sting of regret!
I was tempted to shed a tear or two, but I reminded myself that I'm a big girl now (very important) so I sat down on a bench and caught up in my journal. Wahla! No tears and I was productive in the hour-long wait between buses. And it was alright in the end, because I got home safe and sound and I was able to take a shower and watch Dr. Who (Yes, it's quickly becoming an addiction. I'm going to be very heartbroken when this Doctor regenerates into someone new. I've grown attached) and...I updated ye olde blog.
Very productive I say.
And now it's time for bed.
Goodnight.

Jeg er her!

My luggage. Yes, it's quite impressive, I know.

Elegant Lutheran Church we walked by

Norwegian Palace and statue

Norwegian Hotdog. First official meal in Norway. De-lish!

The girls by the Oslo fjord. WOOO! Left to Right: Steph, Me, Carolyn, Holly

So, I finally made it! I am in Norway and loving every minute of it. It certainly has taken some getting used to. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Probably the biggest adjustment for me is the time difference. It's like half a day's difference from here to back home. Which means, when I'm awake, my family and friends are asleep and when I am asleep, they are awake and doing things. So it just requires a little more thinking then I am used to. Also, it's really weird not having a phone. Like, really weird. I am so used to having a constant connection with the world, that it's perfectly strange to actually try to coordinate things  before I actually get there. Also! Public transportation. It's really a new world for me here. Back home, things are just a lot further apart that public transportation is really awful. But here, it's like, everyone does it. And I can't imagine driving on my own here. It looks like mayhem! There aren't many lane lines on the roads, so I guess technically there can be as many lanes as you want. No, no, I'm sure Norway has it's own rules. 

What has been really neat is seeing how much of it I actually understand. It's true that everyone here speaks English, which is kind of a bummer but also, super helpful. I can read signs and talk to people. It's really amazing.

So we flew into the Gardemoen airport around 10:30 Saturday morning after flying all day Friday. Seriously, I mean ALL day. We got to the SLC airport around 5:30 am. Then to Houston and then to Newark. Talk about turbulence! I was a quite queasy in Newark and was NOT looking forward to another, longer flight if it was going to be as bumpy as it was. Miracles of all miracles, it wasn't! The flight from Newark to Oslo was probably one of the best ever. Seriously. Even though I didn't get the best sleep of my life, it was pretty nice for what it was. Flying into Oslo was like a story out of LOTR or something. It was just so green and mystical with the lingering clouds. A perfect picture of beauty.

Once we got our luggage and stuff, we met up with our Professor, took a train from the airport into the city and met up with another girl from our group who got there a couple of days before us. We got our public transportation passes and went to her place and crashed. (Let me tell you, hauling luggage onto a crowded tram during rush hour is NOT fun.) She let us sleep for a couple of hours, but thankfully, got us up so when it was actually nighttime, we could sleep again.*

After Saturday was come and gone (seriously, that day lasted forever...) it was Sunday! Which meant we got to see the ward and meet our host families. It was fun to see some of the missionaries from the MTC. I doubt they recognized me much, but it was still fun. After church, our host families took us home with them and we got settled in. The two girls I came with left with one family and I was on my own with another. Carolyn was invited by my family to come to Sunday dinner so we hung out for a couple hours. My host family has two daughters my age living at home right now, and the parents were out of town over the weekend for a business meeting, so it was quite the girls night that first night. We watched a whole slew of movies, including The Legend of Johnny Lingo (church revamped classic), North and South (yes, all four hours) and then some episodes of Dr. Who (which, I've never seen before but I'm slowly becoming a believer).

Monday, I put on my big-girl pants and tried this whole public transportation business by myself. And I made it! We got together with our professor and walked around the city for hours! It was amazing. And then I came back to my house, safe and sound. Later that night, we went back into the city to meet with the young single adults of the ward for family home evening. It was strange, though because as we drove past a street downtown, we saw the Norwegian police all decked out in riot gear. Extremely unusual. Back home for more Dr. Who. Every episode ended with me on the edge of my seat! It was getting hard to handle. 

Tuesday was a little more relaxed. I have some papers that I need to get finished graded and turned in, but I decided to update my blog instead. 

I have my priorities. :)

Anyways, more to come, per usual.

*BTW when I saw "us" and "we" I am not referring to myself in the third person. There were literally three of us girls flying out together. Hence, the "we"

Happy 17th of May, Norway

To all my Norwegian friends and anyone interested in all things Scandinavian: Happy syttende Mai!
Today is a big day!

It's their Constitution day, so kind of like their Declaration of Independence/Fourth of July. It's the day they mark their uniqueness and independence from the other Scandinavian powers (i.e. Denmark and Sweden...) and it's a big deal. See here or here for more info.

I'm kind of bummed that I barely  miss the celebration by exactly a month. Still, Norway gets the spotlight today.
Go Norway!

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ladies and Gents,

It's getting closer! Today, I bought my ticket to Norway. So soon, I will be flying away from here to more exotic locales. Oh, I'm nervous! But so excited. [[[That is 17 hours of flying.]]] Luckily, I will have some finals to be grading, so it shouldn't be too boring waiting to go from one airport to another.

However, there is so many rules, regulations, exceptions and loopholes;  it's a miracle that people actually get anywhere. I will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean, which now that I think of it, will be a first. I have only ever seen the Pacific. Let's be honest though, this trip is going to be full of firsts.

Sometimes, I go to bed thinking of Norwegian phrases that I might have to use. Which, you know, is fun, but it sure makes my dreams very strange when I fall asleep with half-English, half-Norwegian sentences floating through my head. We had a lady from Norway come speak to our study abroad prep class last week. She let us know what to pack, what to expect, what food to look for.

Apparently, there is a LOT of cheese and other dairy products. And there isn't a whole lot by the way of spicy food. Norwegians are a very "salt and pepper" type of people. This works for me. Despite of my Latino heritage, I'm the one that can't handle anything hotter than extra mild salsa. But bread, cheese, milk and potatoes? Sure thing! Maybe next time I travel, I will try a location with a bit more extreme foodstuffs. Maybe.

Oh, speaking of food and travel: I am currently reading Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. [I haven't seen the movie yet.] There are three parts of the book, and I have only gotten through Part 1: Italy.

                Oh my goodness.

I have never been more hungry or jealous reading a book before in my entire life. The book is about Gilbert and the year she spent in Italy, India and Indonesia to find herself and to rebuild her soul. She spent four months in Italy, learning Italian and eating.

SO MUCH GOOD FOOD.

Every couple of pages, she tries to describe indescribable dishes. She finds these little hidden eateries that have no name but all the locals go there and every time its almost a spiritual experience with the food. Which, you know happens. Really good food and good company to share it with? It's one of the best feelings in the world; it's pure joy. I am constantly amazed at how many combinations of flavors, textures and ingredients that go into the recipes of the world. It's a cause for celebration, knowing that you could never eat the same thing twice, changing the recipe with a slight flick of the wrist.

Ok. So besides my impromptu ode to food, this post is dedicated to travel. Be assured, I will keep this blog up-to-date with all my adventures.

Where'er they be found.

Bollywood Night: Jodhaa Akbar

It takes a certain combination of factors to watch a Bollywood movie. First, you have to be in the mood for a really, really, really long movie. Second, you have to enjoy frequent singing and dancing that may or may not have anything to do with the actual plot. Third, you have to enjoy fantastic costume design with so many colors and jewelry, it will make your head spin. If you are feeling all of these things, then Bollywood is there for you. As it turns out, last night was a Bollywood night. The movie? Jodhaa Akbar
This wasn't necessarily out of the blue. I had heard really good things about it from an acquaintance or two. It's really interesting to note that when you have a interest in something that isn't really mainstream, like Bollywood, you tend to hear the same things brought up by different people. For instance, when you are talking to someone and you say, "Oh I happen to like Bollywood movies as well", then there are only so many that are here in the U.S. and there is a pretty big chance you've seen many of the same ones. OK, and just to set the record straight, to be a fan of Bollywood, Bride and Prejudice cannot be your only exposure. It's not even completely Bollywood. It's heavily influenced by Bollywood, but it has too many trappings of Hollywood to be "real" Bollywood. Although, if you like that movie, going Bollywood all the way won't be that much more difficult. Do it. You will like it.
Start with Jodhaa Akbar. (Warning: Since this is a Bollywood movie, be prepared for the three and a half hour watch time.)
But it is so worth it.
I mean, just look at them!

Can you think of a more beautiful couple? Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is quickly becoming one of my heros. She was crowed Miss World in 1994 and is frequently referred to as "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World". And from everything that I've read about her, she acts like it too. Even though she is beautiful, she doesn't act like a witch. She has her values and beliefs and I admire that.
The male lead, Hrithik Roshan, is absolutely wonderful too. All I've seen is this movie but what a character to play! He plays Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar who is trying to unite all of 16th century Hindustan (India). As the first Mughal emperor actually born in India, he cares more for the country and people than for his actual title. He tries to show his people to be accepting of others' differences, particularly differences in religion. Especially in a country like India which has a large Muslim minority and Hindu majority, tolerance is a lesson that is just as appropriate today as it was four hundred years ago. Even for places outside of India, tolerance is a valuable lesson to learn.
I have my own beliefs of what I think the world should be like and what religion to observe. But even if I don't agree with you, I hope I would be mature enough to value your opinion and listen to what you have to say. I think respect is something that too few people give to others and that causes problems. No one is perfect, so being high and mighty is hypocritical and unhelpful. If this world is ever going to get better, people are going to have to start thinking beyond their wants and needs and working together to find solutions to the very serious problems that we all face.
But I digress. Back to the movie. So to preserve peace in his country and to expand his borders, Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar makes a strategic marital alliance with a Hindu Rajput princess (Aishwarya Rai). The crux here is that Hindus and Muslims don't mix. So there is a lot of lessons that both sides must learn. Your heart aches when they misunderstand each other. Which is a sign of a good movie if you still identify with the characters, even though they are speaking a different language and all you have to go off of is subtitles. (Another warning: This movie is NOT in English, but is does have English subtitles. You get used to it.)
All in all, great movie. There is some graphic battle sequences at the beginning. War elephants squishing people and such, but no sex. It was based on actual characters and events---to an extent. Any movie director is going to color outside the lines for the sake of the movie. Regardless, fact or fiction, I learned a lot and it was a visual treat. Lots of color, beautiful settings, beautiful people, and a wonderful story.

Where in the world?

I saw this video in the first class of the new semester. I just had to share.
I love learning about the world and about the people and cultures that make our world so beautiful. I think it's soo important for students to understand that the world is a much bigger place than they thought it to be.

J'adore la culture de Tahiti

I have a delightful story for everyone.
...No, I did not suddenly learn French... (Thank Heaven for Google Translate.)
No, this story is about Tahiti.

They speak French there.
Yesterday, my History 202 professor invited us TA's over to her house because they were hosting a dozen Tahitians for the LDS General Conference. Apparently her son served his mission there awhile ago. Anyways, they made a ton of food, real Tahitian food, and were going to do a performance for everyone. Dr. Frederickson's philosophy is one of "the more, the merrier" so she invited us to go.
It was SO much fun!
We got there just as the girls were about to do their dance. There was this adorable little girl, around 11 or 12 and she was amazing. I definitely can't move like that. After the girls did a couple of dances, they pulled people from the audience and had a sort of "dance off", where they showed the audience members how to dance and everyone just danced together. One girl pulled me and my roommate up and we were laughing and dancing. Not everyone can shake their hips like that. Let me tell you, it was one heck of a workout. You are constantly moving your legs! And hips!
After the dancing, we had food. Real Tahitian food. There was sooooo much foooood. Seriously, so much. Mind you, I didn't eat everything. They like raw fish, so I avoided that. But everything else was really good. I had taro, and pork and curry and a soft, breadlike thing covered in coconut milk; and potatoes, and a noodle and shrimp salad. Not quite what I expected, but it was so good. It was real culture! And even though we couldn't communicate (again, that darn French language) it was such a neat experience to be there and be with them.
Bon Appetit!