Aug 25 2008
Who’s ever heard of a four hole punch?
I apologize for my unusually lengthy silence. There’s lots to tell. My constant outings to Anne’s parent’s home for dinner have kept me from posting though. Not that I’m complaining, on the contrary, I don’t know how to properly show my gratitude. I’ve been fed dinners at their home just about daily and I’m beginning to feel as though I should somehow say thank you with more than just words.
The problem with paper
Anyway, a few days ago I was in the university bookstore picking up a copy of “A New Introduction to Old Norse.” If you can’t guess that’s the textbook we’re using in my Old Norse class. Walking the aisles it occurred to me that I didn’t have a single piece of paper to write on. I hadn’t taken any with me from Canada. I had no paper and no binders. For a student these are rather important. I set about the store looking for some. And you wouldn’t believe it but every single binder I found had some bizarre two-ringed configuration. There were only two rings, 1/4th and 3/4ths of the way down the spine. I couldn’t figure it out. I assumed these binders were for some archival purposes. For the kind of papers one files knowing they’re not going be looked at again until some microhistorian comes along and digs them up. I decided I would wait on the binder and talk to Anne in the hopes she’d tell me where I could buy real binders, of the three-ringed variety.
I moved onto searching for paper. I could use paper without a binder after all. No dice! They don’t seem to sell paper alone, it looks as though it always comes in some form of spiraled booklet, I hate spiral bound books, they always hurt my wrist. Not only that, once again I came upon the hole problem, they didn’t seem to sell regular three-holed paper either, every page in every spiral book I picked up had four holes
in it. I discovered that Norway operates on a four-holed system. The paper here is also a different size, it’s not 8.5″ x 11″ as is common in North America, I’m told it’s the A4 paper size, it’s taller but narrower, and apparently more international. The issue ended when I spoke with Anne Marit asking her where the normal three-holed binders were and she replied: “How would you ever use a four-holed punch with a three-holed binder?”
Now I’ve got paper and a four-ringed binder in which to put it (I did manage to find a four-ringed binder, those two-ringed ones just seem ridiculous to me).
Government offices- every foreigner’s plight
Saturday (23rd) morning I had to attend the police station in downtown Oslo to submit my application for a student residence permit. They are clever enough in Norway to set aside one day at the start of the semester to help foreign students get residence permits, so the various government agencies (immigration, folkregistry etc.) and help services are all in one location at the police station. I left the house to be at the station about ten minutes early. As I rounded the corner I was feeling good, thinking the entire affair wouldn’t last longer than half an hour, I was only dropping off an application you see. However, upon rounding that corner I found myself looking at a hoard of people spilling out onto the street and rounding the corner of the block. With nothing for it, I got to the back of the line. Almost all services in Norway operate on the “take a number” system. It took me ten minutes just to get a number and then two more hours to talk to someone just so I could drop off the application. I was still fortunate though, I had number 219, I saw people with 450. The immigration officer was kind enough to tell me that the application looked fine. I should know in about three weeks time whether I’m getting deported back to Canada or not.
I’ve got lots more to tell you. Also for next time, photos from Hovedøya.
In Japan, I’ve only seen two holed paper, binders and hole punches. Not only that, but the two holes are spaced ridiculously close together, I am talking centimeters apart here. At first I couldn’t figure it out, but when I was trying to find a place for my shiny new two hole puncher it dawned on me how tiny and easily stored it was.
I had the exact same experience in Japan! I was wondering where all the three ringed binders and three hole punches were in Japan and was surprised to find that they only had two hole punches! It’s funny how things like this don’t seem like a big deal, but they really throw you for a loop when you encounter them! I also wasn’t used to the whole A4, B5, etc. paper system until I arrived in Japan. Now it makes more sense I think.
Hey Tom,
sounds like a great time i’m so jealous i want to go to Scandinavia so badly! It seems like a really cool place to visit! To cheer you up your gym membership is a steal…its about 220 canadian under a “student plan” to get a 3 month membership at goodlife
Keep writing cant wait to see more weird pics!
Alesh: I agree with the neat idea of making things smaller and less space consuming. I’m completely against the idea of having only two holes in centre of the long side of a page because the corners could curl easily. Two holes on the outside, at the corners, would be fine, but on the inside… I’m leaning towards no.
Adam: Throwing me for a loop was exactly what the paper did. I spent like 15 minutes looking for three-holed stuff. It took me time, first to recognize, then accept the foreign paradigm. I saw four-holed paper and binders everywhere but I wouldn’t accept the absence of three-holed so I kept looking and looking.
Gen: It’d be great to have visitors. I’m trying my best to convince everyone to come and visit me and see this place. As for the gym membership, all I can say is: yeah I know. I remember the prices in Canada because I always wanted to go. When I heard the price here my jaw dropped and I bought it as soon as I could (I had to wait for a semester card to get the student rate). With the huge variety of things to do at the gym it’s a lot of fun and I’m really enjoying it.
Tomciu, keep writing. I was disappoitment this mornnig. I am enjoying reading your blog with my morning coffee, and today was none. You have good eye for details and exellent observant skills. It is interesting to see Norway by your perception. Yup, Monika is right, you can be best national writer .I am glad you enjoy being there and I also know you miss Canada and your family and friends but having Anne over there make life lot of esier for you.
We defenetly miss you here,
lot of hugs
Eva
Hey Tom, glad to hear from you again. I’ve enjoyed reading your postings. Clearly you are in an inferior country with paper of only the 2 and 4 holed varieties! You should probably just come home now… But if you’re not going to then at least have fun. And don’t worry if your application gets rejected, worst case scenario they issue an immigration warrant for your arrest…as long as you don’t have any contact with the police you’ll be fine! People do it here all the time. Then you’ll just get a free ride back here
Hi all,
I’m glad you enjoy reading.
I will do my best to update more often and regularly. I’m actually in the process of making a photo gallery but the computer isn’t cooperating.
As for police in this country. I don’t have any first hand experience at all thus far (that’s a good thing in my book) but I do notice that many people here strictly adhere to the laws of the road. Anne is keen to point out the wrongs of a driver ten metres ahead of her who changes lanes without signaling, my reaction is: “What did he do wrong?” Driving styles are much different. As are other things regarding the legal atmosphere. But that’s for a future blog post.