It's a raining today.  I had a very interesting day 1 of the seminar 'The Economics and Politics of Agriculture and International Trade'.  10 Masters students decided to take the seminar which is an intensive just this week.  I'll let you know how it wraps up next Monday but so far so good.  Supply and demand curves galore.

I'd like to get outside for a run- side note, I'm quite proud of the mud my running shoes are accumulating.... a little weather don't scare this SoCal girl- and it looks like I might just have my break in rain right about now.  But, I've been playing some guitar for the past hour and really enjoying challenging myself on some new songs and more intricate left hand finger progressions... not just chords!  Wahooo!  It's some Ray Charles inspiration.....

Thinking of all my dear family and friends in SD and around the world, including the new ones in Bergen.  I'm very fortunate.

While this picture looks dramatic in B&W, it was another nice day in Bergen.... until about 2pm when we got some rain.  I must admit, even this SoCal girl is getting used to rain.  I don't flinch at the first feel of falling water anymore.  It's now what I expect!  As the scouts say 'be prepared'.

It's hard to stay inside when the sun is out so I headed up Stolzen again today.  But, not the stairs like last time, today I did some trail walking.  My kitchen mate Marta and I walked up together and we parted when I sat by the lake to do some reading... until it started raining :)  When reading about Economics of Agriculture and International Trade, why not read by a lake?  Also, lots of people are out and about walking/hiking together on Sundays.  It's a great pleasure to observe.

The sun is setting about 9pm these days and it's cooling off.  People walking about all bundled up is a novelty for me.

There are auditions for the co-ed and all women's acappella group tomorrow.  Should I audition?  Normally I'd say, sure thing!  But, the groups sing in Norwegian.  Shouldn't be a problem, right?  Just learn the words.  To audition or not to audition.....  Why can't I Matrix style download the Norwegian language?

TGIF!  I wrapped up classes at 12 noon today and headed to the bookstore to get some class books for the weekend.  At that time it was raining.  When I left school the clouds had parted and it turned out to be a lovely afternoon.  Every clear looking day I now take the opportunity to do something outside  You never know when you are going to get clear skies again!



We have great paths and roads for running from the dorm and my favorite new challenge is 'Stoltzekleiven' or 800 stairs leading up one of the 'Seven Mountains surrounding Bergen'.  There's always a friendly community of people hiking the stairs... people running up, people walking alone or together, people with with kids, people with their dogs, running clubs, etc.  It's a good walk/hike with friends which I've done a few times but today music was my company, a nice respite for the end of the week.

This set of stairs is actually a race every year and the record times are something like 8 minutes for men and 10 minutes for women.  Wow!  I have some training to do :)  It's a 313 meter climb or 1,000 foot rise.  These pictures are from the internet since I have not taken a camera with me yet- soon!  But, at least they give you an idea.  It's so peaceful and refreshing.  I love trail running!  There's nothing like some good fresh air in the lungs.

I apologize for my delay, the time is flying by with welcome week activities last week (ie. the largest social events of the year.... I felt like I was back at 'SC!  The events were a great way to meet a lot of people and get to know new classmates as well as infuse the Norwegian economy by purchasing large amounts of beer- side note: not cheap) and the first week of classes this week.  I'm attending more classes than I intend on taking this semester just to make sure I get myself a good line up.  I've attended Econometrics, Petroleum Economics, The Economics of Climate Change, Resource Economics, Energy-Natural Resources and the Environmental Sector, Economic Decision Models and Norwegian 1.  Whew!  Today was 8 hours of class... ouch!  But gratifying. 

Also, it seems Bergen weather has now settled in.  The first few weeks of my stay in Bergen were fantastic weather.  Now I'm starting to see the rain.  It's really not so bad since I live close to campus and am mentally prepared for it.  Thank you Erin, Mandy, Nedra and Sara for my super purple/magenta umbrellaI I use it daily!  I know, it seems the weather doesn't phase me now, talk to me in a few months.  As such, I purchased some rain boots!  When in Norway and of Norwegian decent, purchase 'Viking' rain boots :)  The weather is funny, you really never know what will come from hour to hour.  Rain one hour and sun the next. This can also make for some fabulous sunsets (pic from my dorm room).

After a big 'Welcome Week', a very rainy Sunday was a relaxing pleasure.  I baked a cake for my kitchen mates (8 of us total I believe) and Paul and Johnny played some chess.  I even pulled out the guitar and played a few songs for my new friends including Marta from Norway and Francesca from Italy.  Paul and Johnny are also from Norway.  We have a great kitchen community!

 Kitchen Songstress

Watch out, Johnny's on the move!

Johnny and Paul

Time to head to bed...... God Natt!

So much to write, so little time...... Welcome Week started Sunday evening with a BBQ get-to-know- each other time for the International Masters Students.  It's a great group and I'm looking forward to working with them for the next 2 years.  We've also been nicely integrated into the school by being put into 'mentor' groups with other Masters students and are doing activities together this week.  Last night was the traditional 'Baptism Ceremony' in the Fuken.  Story goes the Baptism Ceremony is the oldest and most traditional ritual in the student union and has existed since NHH's beginnings in 1936.  Sounds very 'Skull and Daggers'... ahhhh to be back at University.

Receiving my entrance diplome

More about Welcome Week fun soon but I wanted to post a few pictures from our Matriculation Ceremony today.  It was a very nice welcome to the school in an old dinning room donated to the school.  Edward Grieg dinned there amongst others.  The cavings, art and decor made me feel very in touch with my Viking heritage.

with the Rector and Pro Rector

New International Masters Student Friends

Hello rainy Bergen!  Today I believe I am seeing the ‘real’ Bergen... it’s been raining all day!  (except this evening as I've ventured out for internet... it's glorious.  I'm beginning to see a trend- you never know what the weather will be).   Fortunately I needed to do some laundry and get a few things at the store so I’m staying local and enjoying a little rainy grey fjord view out my window.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day and I ended up hiking all day.  Students are returning to NHH so there are a few new friends on my hall.  I was in the shared kitchen for breakfast yesterday morning along with Paul and Johnny, two guys from Norway.  We were talking about what I might do for the day and I planned on checking out the ‘Floibanen’, Bergen’s popular funicular climbing 1,000 feet to stunning views of Bergen.  Johnny had to go to work but Paul didn’t have plans for the day so he joined in the excursion.  We ended up walking from NHH to Bergen city center on lovely hiking trails.  Paul showed me a few great finds like the public library where you can get 3 Kroner coffee ($0.50) and they have printed publications from around the world to read.

Then we headed toward ‘Floibanen’.  In addition to the funicular, there are hiking trials up to the top of the Floibanen.  So we hiked!  Norwegians are very outdoorsy people.  As Paul mentioned, when the sun is out, so is everyone in Bergen.  Also, interestingly enough, being physically fit usually goes hand in hand with career successes (but is not exclusive to career successes).  He explained people in high positions within companies do a lot of ‘training’.  My first thought was additional career training.  Nope, he means physical activity training.  Fascinating!  There is a big cross-country skiing competition amongst top business leaders in Norwegian companies and better times garner bragging rights.  Ahhh good friendly competition.

1,000 feet above Bergen!

The photos doesn’t do it justice, Norway has majestic countryside and Bergen is a beautiful and historic city.  While I know I will miss things about home, I’m excited to live here for a few years.  Learning about other cultures and being in good discussion is a welcomed activity.  

A few recent accomplishments-  

I learned how to recycle plastic bottles!  Here they have a little recycle machine in every grocery store and your get 1 Kroner back on small bottles and 2 Kroner on large ones.  Then you can use those as credits at check out to reduce your bill.  As a result, Norwegians call it ‘getting their money back’.  Potato, patato, recycle, money back.... I’ll take the Kroners.

I purchased a ‘Grandiosa’ frozen pizza which is apparently the official pizza of Norway.  Every good student eats them.  I’ll give it a go.

I find it entertaining on the nutrition label of food they call ‘calories’ ‘energy’.  I like he idea of ‘energy’ better

Composed last night......

I was hoping to enjoy my first ‘Hansa’ beer tonight but one can’t purchase alcohol after 8pm.  Note to self.  Instead I sit at my desk warmed by the view of the sea at dusk (at 10:19pm) and a cup of Roibus tea, also a purchase from today and my favorite tea varietal.  Students pass under my 4th floor dorm window and the tambour of Norwegian flows.

I headed back into ‘city center’ today to take care of my residency permit at the Alien Office.  Yes, I’m an alien.  Quiet in the peanut gallery.  My trip was a success and I wound back through the lovely cobblestone streets of Bergen to the ‘Torget’, or market square and fish market... oh yes, after a stop at McDonalds for free internet.  I purchase as little as possible to not feel guilty using their WiFi.

But, when one must eat, eat fresh fish!  Today’s pick was a salmon open-face sandwich.  Nothing fancy but oh-so-yummy.  Just some bread and freshly cut and seasoned salmon.  Perfect.  

Winding back over to the ‘Bryggen’ (BREW-gun), the old Hanseatic trading center and the colorful A-frame buildings you see in my picture post from two days ago, I happened up the corridors between each building discovering the inner-workings of the buildings.  Eire and fascinating!  Thank goodness for Mr. Steves and the kind guide book gift from Erik and Stefi.  I was able to read about these colorful buildings and all of the history.  The wood planks holding up these buildings have seen a lot.  

A little history if I may.... Bergen was the Hanseatic League trading capital for Norway in the 12th and 13th centuries.  While the city dates from 1070, little survives before the last major fire in 1702.  As such, Bergen’s Fortress is the city’s main reminder of it’s medieval importance.  I will tour it soon! 

Back to 1702- the German Hanseatic league mariners inhabiting the tenements (the colorful buildings!) finally figured it out- fires and candles in wood buildings= disaster.  To prevent future fires, they built communal houses behind each building tenement which were the only buildings one could use any fire.  These communal buildings were where people cooked, studied and partied. 

All of this is to explain my imagination today of men and women working, laughing, crying, huddling for warmth or running from fires through these corridors.  Who knows?  I’m sure the good, the bad, and the ugly.  These were hard working and hard drinking men we are talking about here.

Pleasantly the current day corridors reveal artisan shops built into the tenements.  Local craftsmen and women display their work and tourists happily play tourist prices.  Handmade Norwegian sweaters, jewelry, fine art, and eating establishments.  The shop below was lovely handmade lace and linens, it reminds me of my great aunt Guida’s beautiful creations back in Minnesota.  He father, also my paternal grandfather’s father, came over on the boat from Norway!

Just like Guida's lace

I continue to meet nice people and feel ever resourceful.  Today was misty but cleared for a wonderful sunset....  

View from my dorm room at 9:30pm

Well, all I have to say is thank goodness for McDonalds offering free internet since school is not open on the weekend and I wont' have internet in my dorm room until the 16th.  Internet and Mcflurries- I might need my daily McDonalds fix for the next few weeks..... and so the journey beings.....

I made it!  After a few good nights of sleep, I finally feel human again.  I traveled on Thursday, August 5th with one 50 LB suitcase, a guitar and a backpack.  Fortunately the kind people of air travel handled the suitcase.  Most of my flying time was during west coast day time hours so my body just wouldn’t let me sleep.  My sweet Italian wing-mate put it best.  After a trip like that, I was ‘destroyed’.  Not only was I tired but after arriving in Bergen, I was off and running (with bags in tow) following Anna, NHH School representative, to the SiB to choose my dorm room, back to the bus station to get a monthly bus pass and finally to my dorm room.  Of course all of this is either by bus or by walking.  I couldn’t thank Anna enough for all of her guidance.  The thought of trying to do all of that on my own was painful.  I was a zombie.  My brain was not functioning.  My only thought was to keep checking my wallet and passport to make sure I wasn’t forgetting the two most important things.

After 20 hours of travel and running around Bergen with Anna

I had the best of intentions of being productive upon arrival... head off to IKEA to get some dorm room things, head to a grocery store to get food, etc.  Ha!  All I could muster was some coherent words to meet a few of my wing-mates in the shared kitchen before heading back to my room to finally lie down.  There are two nice young women from Italy close to Milan and a Norwegian girl.  I’m sooooo Southern Californian it’s awesome.  See, ‘awesome’ ‘cool’ ‘sweet’ ‘super’.... come out of my mouth and all of a sudden I’m very aware of where I’m from, like never before.  I don’t mind it.  Funny self observations.  That’s why I’m here, to learn from others and be a representative. 

I was able to nap for 3 hours stirring at about 6:30pm at which point I thought ‘I would really love to have a pillow for sleeping tonight.... a sheet or two wouldn’t hurt either’.  So, I stumbled out of bed and headed to the bus stop.  Mind you, it’s still nice and light at this time.  Oh!  And I feel very fortunate it didn’t rain the day I arrived!  Good fortune indeed!  Hopped on the number 90 bus scouring the upcoming skyline for the IKEA... desperate not to miss my stop!  Confirmed with the driver the appropriate stop and started on the 1/2 mile walk to the IKEA. 

Then, low and behold, anywhere you go in the world, IKEA is the same.  Praises be!  I couldn’t be more relieved.  I walked myself straight up to the restaurant and got me the Swedish Meatball dinner plate.  Ahhhhh.

Doing my best to mentally convert Norwegian Kroner prices to US Dollar (you know me, always doing my best to get the best price) I got together the basics remembering the 1/2 mile walk back to the bus. 

This leads me to one of my immediate observations- people do a lot more physical activity as a part of daily life here.  It’s pretty neat to see.  People of all ages walking all over the place.  People do have cars but no SUVs.  Sedans and some vans.  Also, bags aren’t free.  I was talking to my Italian wing mates and it’s the same in Italy.  Bag’s aren’t free so people bring their own or know they will be paying, fascinating.  Sure made me bring my IKEA bag back yesterday whey I went back for more room items.  

Ok, enough about my bus rides and IKEA trips (though I am proud of my speedy accomplishments... IKEA and I found the H&M) , down to the details- Bergen is BEAUTIFUL!  Landing was spectacular.  You come in over the coastline of a fjord.  It’s so green and there are sweet houses nestled all about with docks and boats.  The city is all very green and city center is wonderful with cobblestone streets and old buildings.  I did get a dorm room right across the street from campus.  It’s small (100 sq. ft) but everything I need and I DO have my own bathroom.  I have a ‘sea view’ as they call it or a view of the fjord as you can see by this picture from outside my window.  All dorms share a kitchen with about 5 other people and it seems very adequate.  The city is very safe.  Everyone speaks to me in Norwegian right off the bat even when I say ‘thanks’... and it is true that most people speak English which has been very helpful.

My 'sea view' and a sunny day

Hansiatic League Buildings

I’ve finally made it into city center today and it’s lovely.  While it is Sunday and everything in normal residential areas is closed, the touristy city center is open and thriving.  I even had a ‘fish burger’ for lunch at one of fish stands.

Right now the sun sets at about 10pm and dawn is about 5am.

Today is Sunday and I heard Church bells this morning.

A BIG thank you to everyone’s nice words and well wishes for this adventure.  I feel blessed to have wonderful family and friends in my life. 

All in all, things are great and I’m really looking forward to learning and living here.  

Fish Burger!

Crabs and the Wharf