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! :)