Walkin in a Winter Wonderland :)

IT SNOWED! And is still snowing. I feel like it has been snowing almost nonstop since last Friday. As you can tell, I am pretty excited about it. Snow just makes everything look so bright and pretty, it is so quiet and refreshing, and it makes me want to break out the Christmas music---I may have already listened to a few Sinatra tunes.

So last Wednesday as I described in an earlier post, we had Belgium Night! It was delicious, Leonard prepared a broth the night before, and put in chicken, leeks, and carrots in, it was perfect for a cozy night. Also I travelled to ICA that night to discover a package from Tiffany and Jared! It was a wonderful surprise.

Thursday, October 18, I was lucky enough to be able to Skype Grandma and Grandpa Christianson! And not only lucky enough to see them, but Aunt Judy, cousin Jennifer, Hallie and Ethan. It was a pleasant surprise and we had lively conversation. After our skypecall, Brittney left their place to go pick up Grandma Doerr, brought her to her house, and I got to Skype her! It was so very nice being able to see family, lifted my spirits.

we were pretty excited.

 Friday night, my friend Bill invited Ashley and I over for tacos! We went over and met a couple more Americans, Cam and Jessica, a nice Russian girl, Natalie and Felix from Germany and the Canadians, Jana and Holly joined us as well! Bill had even invited one of his professors over! It was a very relaxing, fun night. While enjoying ourselves we looked out the window and realized it started snowing! It was such a nice sight to see, I got very excited :)

first snowfall, on friday :)

Saturday night, I joined my girls Karolina, Ashley, and Holly and we made espresso cookies :) They were so delicious. I also got to watch the Cobber Mens soccer game against St.Olaf that night.

Monday, the 22 of course involved the usual waffles at noon, groceries, and watching Once Upon A Time during the evening. Tuesday, I took a personal day and had waffles at noon, again. Wednesday, guess what I did at noon?! Waffles :) Sorry, but they are so good and I am going to enjoy them while I can. When I went in on Thursday, I made sure to pack a lunch, four days in a row would have been too much. Always wonderful catching up with Ashley, Rudi, and other friends. On Tuesday, Ashley's boyfriend David came to Tromsø! That was very exciting for her, we hope to go out sometime this weekend.

miss you.

On Wednesday, the 24 we remembered Grandpa Doerr who had passed away a year ago from then. It was bittersweet thinking of the memories, but reassuring knowing that we have the best guardian angel guiding us now. I wish I could have given my family hugs that day. Rest in peace Grandpa, I miss you.

The snow has kept on falling, and fall is officially over but I am not complaining :) I am anxious to take more pictures but I'll show you what I have for now. I hope that things are wonderful back home, and I miss you all very much. 48 days, uffda :)

Saturday Morning 20                                     Friday Morning 26

The First Frost! :)

Hello! Okay, well the first frost was not today, but was two days ago :) But it is still quite chilly, winter is quickly approaching in Tromsø, Norway. I can not wait until everything is lightly blanketed in snow!  There is definitely a lot of white on those mountaintops, each day the snow getting closer and closer to the bottom. On Monday, I ran by a few little lakes and they were already freezing over, it's so bizarre! But with snow comes Christmas :) I don't think I have had Christmas fever this early before but I am not complaining.

Pretty much all day last Saturday, the 6th, and Sunday I finished up writing my exam for History and thankfully handed it in Monday afternoon after running around campus like crazy trying to print it off with five other ISU students. They got new printers in the library and with our international students cards, the printers wouldn't work so we had to find our own that did. And of course, treated ourselves to waffles after the chaos.

Also, Rudi and I went out on Saturday and treated ourselves to
some ciders at driv and lots of girltalk :)

Tuesday, the 9th we have dried cod in class. Each culture session, our professor brings in some sort of "arctic snack." I have already experienced reindeer heart and seal meat. It smelt awful at first, but it tasted like fish flavored jerky--not bad really! Yesterday, Tuesday the 16 we had whale meat on flatbread flavored with either rose jelly or red wine jelly. I only preferred the flatbread, plain. I felt like I was eating soap while tasting the rose jelly.

The 9th was also the Halfway Point and knowing this made me overwhelmed with different, conflicting emotions. I was excited, happy, and still in utter disbelief that I was across the ocean and in Norway. I felt anxious  knowing all the things I wanted to do in the remainder 65 days, and sad being aware of the fact that in less than that I would have to say goodbye to these amazing people I have met, and say goodbye to Norway. I was very enthusiastic about being home, also while feeling dread that I was only halfway. I dealt with the mix of feelings as best as I could.

The next day, Wednesday the 10 Ashley and I went City Centre to shop! We stopped into any store that looked interesting or that would have potential souvenir gifts. We also went to the secondhand store titled Fretex. I love thrift store shopping :) I bought a pot so that I can have a homey plant in my room and a cozy scarf from H&M:)

The festive package I received from the Winkels--what a treat! :)
Thank you! and also walking back from ICA, I saw an adorable four
month old GREAT DANE PUPPY :) Saturday was a wonderful day.

Thursday, attended History lecture and Friday Holly, Ashley, and I travelled to Jekta, the mall area near the airport. We were just curious about what the mall had to offer and it was fun going into all of the stores. I left with masking tape to hang my pictures and some salmon in hopes of actually cooking it :)

Saturday, the 13 a few of my friends, Ashley, and I were invited to my friend Karolina's birthday party, with a halloween twist--you could either show up in a costume of a character from a musical or dress in "goth." Whatever that means to you, so Ashley and I dressed head to toe in black, and put on some eyeliner and called it good. Shortly before we were supposed to leave, we got a message that it had been postponed so we trekked up the the Coop Prix near our hostel and came back to make brownies and watch Invictus. It ended up being a great night, all while fixing my chocolate craving:)

This past week had been Homecoming at Concordia and the whole week I had been really missing my Cobbers :) Thought of you a lot. On Saturday both the football team (63-14) and men's soccer team (3-0) crushed Hamline leaving us with sweet victories :) GO COBBS! It being homecoming week made me think a lot about last years homecoming, and it is amazing all that can happen in that time. It was bittersweet being away during this time. My family, all five of them :) attended Kate Trewartha's wedding, the Trewartha's have always been great family friends. Congratulations Katie and Brent! It looked beautiful :)

my beautiful sisters at the Trewartha Wedding :) miss you! 

This past weekend was actually really hard to get through, but because of it I have been allowed to gain a new drive to do what I can while I am here. I have not held any regret and through the support of a family and friends, near and far, I only see now that things can only get better from now on.

Sunday night, I has a wonderful conversation with my dear friend Abbie Naze :) She will be attending school in Telemark, Norway Spring 2013 so we had a lively conversation about the culture, the difficulties, and realized that the two of us have lots more in common that we thought :) It was an uplifting conversation and I am so excited for her to be able to go through an experience such with mine, and I am just super excited to meet up with her in December because she is just a wonderful, beautiful human being :)

It is now Wednesday the 17th and the only thing on my agenda, besides running and studying of course, is to have Belgium Night with Leonard! Leonard offered to cook Ashley, Holly, and I a meal so of course we are going to take up the offer. I am looking forward to it :) My heart is at home, but I will be home in 57 days :) Tonight I will also be planning with my friend Holly to figure out how we want to travel once December hits, which I feel will be here before we all know it. I hope that everyone is enjoying the weather, may it be 70 degrees or starting to snow---as any Norwegian would say, "There is never bad weather, only bad clothing." Have a good day! :)

Fall in Tromsø :)

Good Morning World!

fall in Tromsø :)

Okay, so working backwards again just a little bit: Last Wednesday September 26th, I Skyped with Brittney's third grade class! During their social studies unit, they were emphasizing on Culture so Brittney --er Miss C thought that they should do a Norway Unit! It was so fun and the kids were so excited, I started off by letting them know what I was doing here and a little touch on what I have learned about the  Norwegian culture. Then a handful of students would come up to the screen and ask me questions like, "What's your favorite thing to do in Norway?" "What do Norwegians eat?" "What's the tallest mountain you've climbed?" It was cute. I also finished off by teaching them a few, short Norwegian phrases that Brittney says they still use :) It was a great skype sesh.   

Last Friday afternoon, I had tea with my flatmate Madelen; it is always lively conversation with her:) Also that day, the counseling center held a session about the fall and winters here in Tromsø, more importantly about staying warm (which being from North Dakota, I won't have a problem) and about the darkness that is quickly approaching; especially, appropriate study/sleep habits, making sure we are getting enough vitamins, and how to embrace this unique Arctic life. I won't lie, it was daunting at first but as they finished up the presentation, I felt more comfortable about the season that is before us. It was also very nice seeing friendly faces that I hadn't seemed to see in a long while.

the view from the UiT lib.

 Saturday, the 29 I woke up early so I could talk with my roomies back home! Allison, Kate, and Emily seriously made my day that day. It was a long overdue Skype session, but a wonderful one to say the least. It was really nice to catch up and see all three of them, hopefully we will be able to talk again soon :) I love and miss them all and can't wait to live with them in our cute apartment next January! Saturday night, I met my friend Rudi at her student hostel and met her flatmates while enjoying a few drinks and listening to good music. After we went to the city and went to a pub where the bartender gave free wine to the lovely ladies I was with :) It was a really fun night. 

 Sunday, I skyped  Matthew James for approx. 7 hours :) Not all at the same time of course, but it was quite the Sunday:) I am lucky lucky gal. I was also lucky enough to during one of those seven hours to Skype with Mary, Dave, and Justin, too! It was so unbelievably nice catching up with them:) I miss you all and look forward to catching up again :) 

 Monday, the 1st I received my first essay exam for my History class. We have a week to write about the societal and economical development in Arctic Norway between 800-1800, and I am still working on it. It will be a relief to hand it in on Monday. On Wednesday night, I had tacos with the ladies! It was a yummy meal with great company and lots of laughter.

So this past week I have been running, Skyping, and writing this essay---quite the life, huh?! Oh yeah, and lots of eating waffles from Cafe Bodega, you can never have too many waffles :)