I have not found this to be true. I was primed with my collection of top-shelf herbs and spices, but my own cooking has been supplemented by the cooking skills of Wisco, Luther, and my dorm mates. I definitely eat better here than I did back home, because I don't live in a damp cave where whatever I set over the heat would linger in scent on my bed linens. And there is sunlight in my kitchen, provided it isn't raining.
...Norwegians are shy or naturally reserved people.
I am shy, but bored sitting in my dorm room with the door closed and curtain drawn. So I go down to campus to read sometimes. I go to concerts. I just go outside. And the Norwegians come to me. I went to Karpe Diem on my own, and some classmates (who I didn't recognize at all I'm sorry to say) came over to talk to me. Or they come over and talk to me while I am reading. Or like Ms Polish, they visit the church while I'm looking around, and we talk for a while.
...if they know you speak English they won't talk to you in Norwegian.
Last night I went to Vin Kveld at Den Gode Nabo with the Americans. They like to go around 9. I'm starting to think that 10 would be better. A little before 10. And when we share a bottle of wine around 9, and we see each other in classes everyday anyway, there isn't that much to say that's new. So we are done a little after 10, and ready to go home. Sleep. Finish homework. Chat online to our friends who are now done with work or school. Those of us who live in Breisås met Luther's second floor neighbors heading out. I decided to be easily persuaded, and encouraged Luther to come back out too. Tragically, she is under 20, and a lot of the bars here have a 20 and over age limit, not because they can't drink earlier (18 is legal, and that is considered strict by Scandinavian standards), but because they have something against students in their last year of videregåendeskole (high school). So Luther got stopped at the door, but was able to call one of her dorm mates to come pick her up. All of this is beside the point that I am trying to make right now. We agreed to go with the neighbors if they promised to speak English to us, because while I'm quite good at explaining how bad I am at Norwegian, I'm not good at small talk in the language. Most of our fellow students want us to speak Norwegian, either because they are shy about their English, or because they think it's cool that we can.
...the countryside is beautiful.
And this is completely true.
1 comment:
Sounds like you overcame the ennui.
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