November...

Hei Everyone!
I really MUST apologize. I can't believe it's been over a week; this is really quite inexcusable, but I hope you can forgive me!

Bergen was a beautiful city! The drive there was very miserable, because I got sick on the bus about two hours in, leaving a good six hours of suffering. Once we arrived, and I crashed in the hostel, I was fine. No problems.





(Sorry the pictures are tiny, I got them from a friend...silly me forgot to pack the camera...)

Saturday was really the only day we got to walk around and such. We went to the aquarium and the Edvard Grieg Museum. (He was a famous Norwegian Composer from the late 19th century). The museum was located at his house, which was REALLY cool. When he built it, it was out in the countryside on a quiet fjord. Today there have been many many houses built up around that area. It was a mixture of very fancy furniture and natural looking walls and surroundings. I wanted it. The view and the water front were especially appealing.

The aquarium as pretty sad. I've DEFINITELY seen better (Seattle, Vancouver, etc.)
We watched the penguins fight over nests for a good three quarters of an hour. It was moderately entertaining.

After that, we went into the city and had a bite to eat, and walked around the down-town area. We went into a shopping center and some little gift stores, you know, the usual.

Then we all went and had dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and stopped and had coffee at a little shop after dinner.

To end the evening, we went back to the hostel, where a bunch of us played some word games and just hung out like the bunch of kids that we are.

The trip back the next day was INCREDIBLE. I bought some motion-sickness meds before we left, so I felt much better on the way back. I think the amazing scenery would have distracted me anyway. There were mountains and tunnels and cute little towns...well...just look at the pictures:








In the mean time, I've been work, work, working! I took care of registering for classes next semester: Human Rights, the Anthropology of Development, Global Perspectives, and Archeology. (I've decided to try and squeeze in the Anthropology major as my compliment to Global Studies)


I've been working on my case study on the Ondao Mobile Schools quit vehemently, in addition to keeping up with my class on Conflict and Dialogue and working at NAMAS. Today Joe and I filled, addressed, and stamped a HUGE pile of envelops.

The weather here in Norway is also starting to show symptoms of winter. In Eleverum as we were walking to the Namibiahuset, it started to snow. And surprisingly enough as we left there was a nice layer of white frosting the ground.

The last few evenings, around 3:00pm, I've caught glimpses of lovely winter sunsets out my window. Yesterday, I got fed up with just seeing them out my window and decided to take a break from homework and go down to the lake to see just how beautiful they are. Definitely did NOT regret that decision. I think I'll be taking breaks every afternoon for that from now on!






It's surprising and saddening to realize that we've only got one month left here in Hamar. Today I finally submitted myself to the fact that I will have to leave eventually, and purchased my ticket to Hamburg for December 12...which will be another grand adventure of it's own!

Until then, though, I am going to slow down and take time to drink in the afternoon sunsets, and the clear night skies, fellowship with my friends, and the Norwegian lifestyle altogether.