Skribling på veggen

Wallpapers is the new thing, man! Photoshop FTW (especially when you've got a sick day)!

And now for the final post in this "York diary - a girl's fantasy dream come true"....or not... At least not as dramatic as that. Of course, this has been like a dream and it has certainly been true, but I wouldn't take it as far as say it was my life's dream come true. A good part of it, but not the whole shebang. I've got a few other dreams that fall into that other 'dramatic' category.

Anyway, this final installment in York diaries is written on my mum's computer at home. The shiny Windows Vista is glistening in my face and I'm suddenly remembering why I don't like it. Don't trust everything that shines, the saying goes. Or something like that. But I digress. Yes, this is written at home, in Bardu, some eight hours after I landed on Tromsø Airport. I'm finally home.

It's both sad and not to actually be home again. It struck me how odd it were when people around me were speaking Norwegian instead of English! I certainly missed that, and I'm sure the odd English words and phrasings will come into my everyday language for the first few days. I certainly want to say things in English rather than in Norwegian, but to accommodate other people, I try to refrain. So far so good, at least.

I should probably do some summary on the past week, seeing as I haven't written anything since last Sunday. Forgive me if it seems short or less detailed, but there's just been a lot of impressions and I'm still jet-lagged, so I will probably not go on for long.

The week has once more been dominated by school, apart from that one day I had to stay home because I was ill. Yes, of course I was ill. I always get sick towards the end of my journey (mysteriously enough). Coincidentally, a few of the others in my group also got sick, so it might have been a bug going around. I refuse to believe in food poisoning or anything like that (although my mind certainly supplies a lot of hypochondric worst case scenarios). So the past few days haven't been the best of the trip, even though I was touched how people looked after me and were concerned for my health! It was really great to know people were around even though I was far from home.

We also had to do a project to be presented on Friday. My group got York Minster, the second largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. It was HUGE! I got a few photos, but none of them can do justice to the immensely beautiful architechture and sheer size of the cathedral. I'll have to look it up somewhere else if anyone want to see it. As a part of the project, I also attended an Evensong (smaller than the Holy Communion) to see how it differed from Norwegian services. Since this was an Anglican service, the choir (that day it was the boys' choir) dominated the service. It was truly wonderful singing! So pure, so beautiful. I only missed not being able to join in.

Apart from school, the last week was mostly spent watching football, discussing football, finding a few football pubs, and generally being sociable and out nearly every night. It was great! I really got to know people from my class (and from Oslo) better, and we had a wonderful time. Oh, and I got my 'historical photograph' taken with a few others. If I ever get to scan it, I will put it up, but for now I can reveal it had to do with Medieval costumes and background...

Right, I said this wouldn't be a long thing, so I'm ending it here. My feet are in a desperate need for a special bath! They've been following the lyrics of "These boots were made for walking" for two weeks, so it's long overdue!

Thanks to Bob and Claire of Adams House, York (if anyone's in the vicinity and needs a B&B - that's the place to go). Thanks to the great and wonderful teachers at the NSC for interesting and engaging lectures and seminars. And most of all, thanks to everyone from Tromsø and Oslo who made this trip a memory for life! Cheers, mates! It's been a wonderful trip!

And here's for the next installment of the infamous York diary! (Insert dramatic, cheesy Star Wars music. Or simply some James Brown.)

Well, things are going quite well here in York. Going on day nine (or something), the last couple of days cannot be said to be anything other than calm and relaxing. Or at least as calm as they could be, especially considering Saturday shopping where traffic's a real pleasure... I waited for the city bus for nearly an hour (!), watching as one-two-three-four buses passed right by me because they were packed with people! Talk about rude English drivers! Yeah, that's something I'm infinitely happy we don't have much of in Norway. Here in England, they don't actually stop politely for you to cross the road. They just drive. Fast. I count two-three times where someone (and myself) have nearly been run over by a mad Yorker.

Apart from the crazy road rules here over the pond (left-hand driving, no lights on at daytime, general rudeness), I'm enjoying the English life very much. English breakfast with tea, eggs, toast and bacon every day. English teachers that are simply over the top in their ability to teach - I've really learned a lot interesting stuff here in just a week compared to six-eight weeks at home. English landlords (they're really nice - Bob and Claire that is). English pubs (the atmosphere is much more cosier and warming). English football....no, scratch that.

Football has been another subject you can generally bring up in any conversation and keep the boys going for days. I almost fell asleep last night after some had been at Blackburn and Liverpool matches and were relating the wonderful experience they had... Not that I really dislike them for it. They're just cute little bunnies when they get all excited like that. I just wish I could find some ounce of excitement as well. Perhaps the trip to a local pub this afternoon to watch football might change it. Or I'll just have to prop myself full of sugar and go wild (Cherry Coke seems to have the same effect as alcohol, only without the headache and drowsiness). Yeah, I'll probably do that.

Anyway, being here in England (and York in particular) makes me wish I'm not going back next Friday. It's just too much fun to be here! Great people to hang out with (with a few exceptions of course), great food, great accomodations, great school... Everything's simply great and I love every minute I'm staying here! I really have to consider spending a semester abroad. In York, of course. The oldest and finest university in England - not even Oxford or Cambridge can compare, I've heard. There's just something about being abroad that's exciting and wonderous at the same time.

Of course, I think the main reason I'm enjoying this stay so much is the people I'm here with. I've really got to know more people in my class (and some from UiO), and I think this has been a social trip as well as educational. At least I don't feel as awkward around people anymore! Kjell-Willi and Kristian have really made me at ease here, and I made some new friends from Oslo (Natalie, Tahira, Valeria, Thomas). This is the best trip I have had since Budapest last April!

This seemed to be a nice place to end (on a positive note), and to my mum, who is probably worrying about me:

"Jeg har det toppers og du har ingenting å bekymre deg for! Jeg lover norske oversettelser når jeg kommer tilbake (om jeg ikke bestemmer meg for å bli her for evig og alltid). Glad i deg!"

P.S. James Brown er den ultimate uteplass-/dansegulvmusikken! Hva skal man med trance og dance når man har Mr B?

Jeg savner dere!!

And now I've finally got internet access AND power to the computer, meaning this blogging business might actually get somewhere during the next two weeks! Anyway, though I'm able to write in Norwegian since this is my own computer, I've decided to do it partially (or wholly) in English since we're encouraged to use English in writing and orally during our stay. No need to point out that we're not too good at it -- there's still a lot of Norwegian-speak since not everyone is at the same level, and communication can be difficult. But we get by!

So, about the past few days...

Saturday was the day I left for Oslo. There was a bit of panic (when isn't there?) just before takeoff as I kept wondering what I could possibly have left behind. Of course, I had remembered everything, even more clothes than I might actually use. But anyway, the trip to Oslo went quite alright, and though I stumbled along the airport looking for the correct spot where the hotel bus would pick me up, I ended up at Gardemoen Gjestegård in the end. I got a nice single room with adjoining bathroom and telly, got some decent dinner, and spent some hours working on my computer (a Trojan horse had run a little havock after the anti-virus software broke down - you know what they say: when the cat's away...)

Sunday morning I got up early, got to the airport and checked in my bag (only 19,6 kg!). The security check point took awhile as there was only one station in working order, but I got through allright without too much fuss. I did manage to make a fool out of myself even so... I went to the bookshop with the intention of buying a power adapter. I found the adapter and I went through the abroad check-point.....without having paid for the adapter... So, needless to say, I ran back to pay for it once I discovered the item was still in my hand, but the security wouldn't let me go back! "Once you pass this point...etc...etc" I had to plead, I was upset and just pictured my face on every CCTV footage: off to the great abroad with booty in my hand. One of the men took pity on me, though, and followed me to the bookshop so I could pay for the item. He understood, he said, that people got stressed out at the airport. Some had even forgotten their children......

I met up with my travelling companion, Kjell-Willi, at the gate and the rest of the trip seemed like a walk in the park. I got some sleep, ate, read, and generally enjoyed myself. Until the landing in Manchester... There was wind. Lots of it. And the plane was shaking back and forth. I got scared - it must have been the first time, as far as I can remember...

This was just the beginning of the tense trip... In Manchester we couldn't figure out where to pick up our pre-paid train tickets, and promptly lost our bus to the railway station. Taking a cab, we reached the station in time....only to find out the people at National Express had sent us to the wrong station. Luckily, our tickets were flexible and we jumped on a train to Leeds. From there we went to York.

Once we got through the door at Adams B&B, we were immensely pleased! I got a big doubleroom all by myself (own bathroom, tv and kettle - there'll be photos later), we ordered take-out, and got to know a few students from Oslo who had unfortunately been sent here two-three weeks earlier than their bookings. They were sorted out, though, so all is right in the world, I suppose.

Monday through Wednesday has been filled with school (Practical Approaches to Literature, Special Relationship between UK and US, Brummy - Britain's Worst Accent?) and guided walks and shopping in York. Though, so far we have only been familiarising ourselves with the area, the food, the weather, and the bus lines. It's been shifting weather, a bit cold, but I fortunately packed warm clothes and is a happy bunny right now.

However, I'm not about to stay cooped up in my room writing on my blog, so I'm off to spend some relaxation time with my fellow students. I'll be Bach.