Return to Norway!

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        Though college and homework and exams have been suuuuuper fun, I've been itching for the opportunity to travel back to Norway, visit my friends, and see our old Folkehøgskole. I've been in touch with Alina, who is currently a student in Germany, and we realized that we were both free the week of my Spring Break. We rather spontaneously booked tickets and planned our visit to Kristiansand, and a few weeks later I was on a plane to Norway! Alina met me at the airport, and we spent the first night at our friend Valeria's place. When we told her we were coming, she was so sweet and immediately asked if we needed a place to stay. She is currently working in Kristiansand, and lives in an apartment with a few other girls. 

        Eric is living in the area as well, so he came over after we got dinner, and we all hung out Friday night. It felt as though no time had passed at all! The next morning, Valeria surprised us with a french toast, bacon and fruit breakfast--it was amazing. Everyone pitched in to help cook, and it was no less chaotic than any of us should have expected! Shortly after breakfast, Alina and I were picked up by Anne Tone and the girls, off to spend the weekend at Aurebekk.         


        Once we'd settled in, we headed off to a local bowling alley, where we met some of the other family members. I blame the jetlag, but I think I had more gutterballs than actual hits. It was a really fun morning, and gave Alina and I the opportunity to hang out with the kids a bit, and practice talking to them. When I was on the airplane from Oslo I sat next to an unaccompanied minor--a ten year old Norwegian girl who was determined to talk to me. The pressure was on, but miraculously my year of speaking and understanding Norwegian came back to me, and we were able to have some interesting conversations. I'm pretty sure at one point she asked me if I'd ever swam with dolphins! Here's a photo montage of Arne Johannes' dramatic bowling skills:



        After bowling, we visited the new cabin that a few of Gunlaug's children are building. It's right next to the house that Anne Tone grew up in, that they now rent out to summer tourists. Alina and I played hide and seek with the kids, and took in the view. We went back to Anne Tone's house to chill for a bit, and that night Anne Tone took Alina and I to Mandal--the nearby city--where we had a nice dinner with some of my other relatives! The area was having a special "ede ude uge" (eating out week) where there were deals on dinner at many local restaurants. We had a great time, and were able to talk to everybody about our university lives, families, and how happy we were to be back in Norway!



Comments

  1. JoyceMarch 16, 2022 at 6:01 AM

    Thanks for another one of your wonderful blogs! It's great that you could get back and continue your adventure in Norway.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrea Hansen RitchieMarch 16, 2022 at 8:22 AM

    Så glad du dro tilbake til Norge!

    ReplyDelete

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