When Imports Attack/ How can a Bus Tour be Exhausting?!

So these past two days can be summed up thus: essential. Boring stuff. Yesterday and this morning were primarily unpacking/ registering/ going to the ground rules meetings. I did get my internet up and running (obviously), AND I got a second roommate: Katia (not sure of the spelling) from Georgia. So far I get along well with both of my roommates, though we're all taking different classes and so I'll probably not see much of them during the day.

However, a certain highlight did come yesterday with the miniature expedition to the grocery store. Stuff in Norway is generally expensive, and imports are no exception. So though I emerged relatively unscathed from the experience with a Kinder Egg (the hipper, European version of the Wonder Ball), Solo (think Fanta, but actually tasting of orange), and some "Jordbær og Pepper" flavored water (I had assumed the pepper would be a false cognate; that was a false notion), I could not pass up the opportunity to take pictures of the prices of some imports.



Gourmet Uncle Ben's rice for 30 Kroner, or about $6



The exotic Hubba Bubba, for about $2.70.

And then, just because it was so amusing, I took a picture of this Nesquik equivalent.



Today seemed both truncated and exhausting. I didn't get up until 10:15, fifteen minutes before a dorm meeting we had to attend, because the alarm for my computer I got from the app store last night decided to have the most confusing interface ever. Looks like my phone WILL have a use now!

Though aside from losing those two hours, my day has been otherwise quite eventful. I went on a four-hour bus tour of Oslo, where I went through Holmenkollen and saw the ski jump (where I bought a Coke for 30 Kroner... ouch) and the entire city from 600 meters up, over to the Viking Ship museum on the island of Bygdøy, down the mountain to Vigeland Sculpture Park, stopped at the Opera House (which had been constructed since I was there last), and finally through Johan Kristian's Gate/ the heart of the city on the way back to campus. I took way too many pictures, so you can all see them here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1932298188612.2101110.1276980227


Turns out I tend to like taking the same pictures twice. Here are a few shots that I duplicated, even after three years.

Angry Boy

2008



2011



Reaching Kids

2008




2011



Crazed Babies

2008



2011



Obelisk

2008



2011



... Random seagulls enjoying themselves in the fountain

2008


2011



I look forward to keeping you all updated!

-Cali

I'M ALIVE

Now THAT'S a plot twist! But not really. I am safe and sound in the great country of Norway after a "leisurely" (read: LONG) layover in Amsterdam. I got in yesterday right in time for lunch and was basically a loner until dinner.
In terms of travel, my day wasn't particularly interesting or eventful; the whole day from about 8 AM in Amsterdam til about 4 PM in Oslo is deprivation-incurred blur of hopping on and off trains and lugging suitcases. I do remember not liking the train system.

I have my own SECRET WEAPON though, which I have already used extensively, I think. It is my very own cousin Peder, who was on this exact same program as me last year at this time. So he's taken a lot of the guess work out of it for me already, though I still managed to get on the wrong T Bane (their subway system; super easy to use unless you're cracked out and me). I did, however, make my way back and got to the school easy enough. It has its own stop on the subway system, so that's nice.

I am living at the very beautiful, very buttery yellow, Blindern Campus at the University of Oslo. It's a very nice campus with a lot of trees and a lot of sunshine. I'm staying in the West Wing. Yay, west!

Here are some picures.


View from my window


View from my window to the East Wing


View of the West Wing from the Main Office



View of pretty trees from the entrance.

I'll post more pictures later today; yesterday was rainy and gross so I didn't spend that much time outside.

My roommate also came later last night; her name's Simina and she's from Romania. Very cool. She's taken Norwegian before so she's one of the smarter sessions. She seems very nice, so I think we'll get along quite well.

And finally, here's me after being up for about 24 hours straight. I made it to 30 hours straight and then DIED.

Departure

Hello, everyone! I made this blog about twenty seconds ago, and this is my first post! I'm very excited to return to the country; it seems like yesterday that I was over there for a measly three weeks.
I'm fairly certain of what I'm going to get out of the experience at ISS (varmepølse and twenty-two hours of sunlight aside), but I still can't wait to be back on a college campus and in the land of Solo! I'll keep you guys posted on the stuff I do (interesting and mundane; I'm an egalitarian. You're gonna get a lot of both) and of course, bombard you with visual stimulus in the form of pictures. Maybe I'll even post old pictures from my last trip to Norway just to compare (but probably not).

See you guys all on the other side (of the ocean)!

-Cali