Norwegian Saga

The days have been getting longer and with the increase in light is the feeling that you really want to be active. It’s almost like waking up after a long sleep. You cannot wait to get going. The clouds are gone and it’s light earlier and dark later. The great outdoors look very inviting.

I’ve completed that last essay (got a B) and am now free to work on my thesis. It’s a great feeling to be able to work on one’s own project. Couple that with the more light and things are just great . I have been to see my thesis adviser on Monday and I pitched a new idea I had. I was nervous because I thought he would be opposed to them. Academics and opposing ideas you know, but he was very supportive and gave me a pep talk trying to tell me I’m the expert in this specific area of the study of the Contemporary Sagas. That made me feel better. We agreed that I would write between two and three pages per day to have about 15 pages a week to discuss and talk about. The time has come for me to actually produce text that can be discussed and compiled into a thesis. I’m very confident that this will not be a tremendous hurdle. I feel I have many ideas and have done enough research to at least fill most of the 100 pages I’m to write.

I spent some time at Anne Marit’s place. To get a break from Oslo. You see they’re renovating the ground floor flats and the noise is unbearable (but that’s another story). So while in the south of Norway we babysat a five-toed cat. His name is Skomber and he has five toes on every paw. It’s weird but he’s adorable.

We also went for a short walk along the coast. The ice in the water made the entire scene surreal. The sea swelled up and down as if alive but you couldn’t see any single wave because of all the ice. It was fantastic.

Since returning home, I’ve had to say goodbye to the last roommate. I am now the only person here who was here in August 2008. The other three have all left. It’s a sad feeling because it reminds me of all the changes that take place in life. Every time I said goodbye to a roommate (one in May ’09, another in Dec ’09, and this last one a few days ago) I can’t help but think of my arrival in Norway. All of the expectations I had and how new everything felt. I’m very happy here but with everyone out of Oslo for the most part (friends that were here for a semester included) I feel a little out of place. Every time I get settled in some way people shift around. It reinforced my already strong belief that the most important things in my life are not things but people. Thankfully I’ve managed to maintain contact with just about all of these people and that’s nice. Even better is the fact that I now know people in many parts of the world, often from the bigger cities which means if I travel to those countries I will likely travel through the big cities and meet them. It’s a nice feeling and the experience of it all is priceless.

I’m planning a hike with a friend to Scandinavia’s highest peak, Galdhøpiggen (2469m). We’re going to make it a four or five day hike. It depends on many things of course and it won’t be until May/June but I’m excited nonetheless. He’s going to come visit from Canada and we’ll first spend a few days in Amsterdam where I will meet him and look around there then both fly back to Oslo and spend some time here. This will be after my thesis is finished of course.

So, there are a few photos of the sea ice. Enjoy.