Week One Down.

I'm heading into week two right now of my Norwegian experience with a good attitude. So far my classes are pretty low-key and I'm not sure if they know the meaning of the word "intense." The classes don't seem like they will be too hard, but I guess I'll find out quickly.

On Saturday I took my first of many pilgrimages to the town of Hamar so I can go to church on Sunday. I've figured out that if I ride a bike to the train stop, it only takes about 8-9 minutes, and then an hour and fifteen minute train ride to the town. It takes a lot to go to church now! There's no train going on Sunday morning, so every week I have to sleep at someone's house. I am incredibly fortunate that the people of the church have taken me in and let me come to their houses. I've been realizing over the past week just how spoiled Americans are when it comes to church. I will never take that for granted again...

Anyways....on my train ride there was a man standing by me and he asked me if I spoke French, and it just so happens that I do....however remedial it is! So this man and I had a whole conversation in French and it was so great! I was able to communicate in the language I'd studied for years. I never thought I'd actually get to use that skill! I understood as I was trying to get the french to come back how it must be for people speaking to me in English here. Sometimes it's scary to just start speaking in a different language that you're a little unsure about.

I went to the store for the second time today and was a little more successful than the first time. I still have no clue what anyone's saying or what anything says...but I'm really good at blocking everything out and playing inside my own little world. I find it's pretty amusing sometimes to imagine what people are actually saying when you really don't know....I get quite a chuckle out of some thoughts. Also, sometimes when people are speaking english, they don't necessarily sound like the English I'm used to hearing. Another funny one I "heard"......I thought my professor said we needed an "electrode" on excel....well, I certainly didn't know why the heck you'd ever need an electrode for statistics. Then it dawned on me that he said "a lecture"....I need to pay attention better.

There are wild blueberries and raspberries growing all over and I can just pick and eat them...pretty tasty...and free.

Another thing I've discovered since being here is Norwegians are just as proud of being Norwegian as Americans are for being American....they love their country.

I'm going to get some pictures in this soon, I promise.

I'm proud to be an American in Norway and to come from the land of the free and the home of the brave! It's fun to be the odd one. :) Yesterday some guy I met said "oh, you're the American?" Made me proud. :)

And just to confirm some myths that float around about the people of Norway....they are beautiful...everyone is practically. It's uncanny how so many people can be good-looking, it's kinda like being at BYU again.....only WAY different. I never knew there were so many blonds in the world.