Digital Postcard

For my online class I had to write a "digital postcard" of sorts...essentially I had to pick a picture and write about how it was a representation of my time abroad. And while one might think that choosing 1 out of over 1,200 pictures would be difficult...it wasnt really. So here is the picture and what I have to say about it and my time abroad...enjoy!

If a picture is really worth a thousand words, then my time in Oslo, Norway is worth well over 1,000,000 words. In the last three weeks I have taken more than 1,200 pictures of friends, sights, and the everyday happenings of an international student. As I have traveled and lived in Europe, it is one way that I can interpret and process my experiences. It is a form of expression that I use to document, remember, and share what I am seeing and doing. Every individual has their own form of expression and remembering: some use personal journals, many use online public blogs, others draw sketches, a few tell stories, most have internal reflection, etc., but no matter the form everyone in some way or another processes what they are experiencing. I personally use a few forms, but the most visible and rewarding are pictures taken by my Canon Digital Rebel. And while not every picture I take is an award winning photo, they all have some meaning, and help to tell the story of my life in Norway.

The picture I have attached to describing my time in Norway is a of me and two friends, Eamon and Tim, standing in an inflatable pool at a Pool Party that we threw in our student village. It was an Australian themed pool party (with an Australian flag and everything) that we threw outside our apartment as a way to meet new people from around the student village, grill food and have some fun in the sun. Now one might ask, why choose this photo, surely of the 1,200 pictures I have taken since arriving in Oslo there are others that better represent my study abroad experience thus far. But the answer is fairly simple, this photo shows me and some new friends. The only thing that is bad about it is that it only shows two of the many people I have met and spent time with. I came to Norway for the beautiful natural landscape and geologic features of the country. With its mountains, glaciers, fjords, forests, rivers, lakes, oceans, and beauty one is never without a spectacular view. And while so far the beauty is holding true (Norway is the most beautiful country I have ever been to), I have found and am finding that it is the people that are truly making this experience amazing. Since arriving in Oslo I have met so many wonderful people: there is Arvid, Millosz, Adam, Kent, Gaute, Kristina, Helena, Maral, Yosef, Ragnar, Kjersti, and Jan from Norway; Tim, Eamon, and Max from Australia; Kate from Canada, Steve from Ireland, Susanne from Germany, and the list goes on and on. The wide variety of the people I am meeting and spending time with is the kind of diversity that I think I have been craving for a long time. Its not to say that I don't value the amazing friendships that I have at home, because I do more than anything, but never before in my life have I been surrounded by so many people of such differing backgrounds and life experiences. And while I like to think that I am a fairly cultured and informed person when it comes to global affairs, the people I am meeting are helping me to learn and broaden the spectrum more than I ever thought possible. Our friendships are able to transcend potential differences in culture, politics, religion, upbringing, fashion or food tastes, and we are able to find some common ground and forge a bond that will last a lifetime. So while I am sure that there will be so many other things that will make my study abroad experience great, it is the people I meet and the friends I make that are and will make this time truly special.

Its been how long since I left home?

Before I write any further I just wanted to resolve the cliffhanger I left off with last post...in order to cover up the hair that failed to occupy a small area above my right ear, I wore a hat sort of low and tilted over to the side for the entire first day. Then proceeded to go and buy a hair clippers that would with out a doubt handle the 240V that Norwegian electric outlets emit...and on that Tuesday evening I was able to fully shave my head and avoid any further hair malfunctions/catastrophes.

Ok, now that that is out of the way...In an effort to avoid falling any further behind on writing about my Norwegian happenings, I have decided to simply fast forward the last two weeks to the present...but because so much has happened I will give a brief synopsis of some noteworthy items...

Over the last two weeks I have started classes at the University of Oslo (sort of). I am taking three classes, Geomorphology of Nordic Countries, Environmental Geology, and Introductory Norwegian Language...and until today (when I had a full 2 hour lecture in Geomorph) I had only had only met for 20 minutes in both Geology courses (Norwegian doesnt start until next week)...so the transition into Norwegian university life has been slow and easy.

Also over the last two weeks I have met boatloads of new people from both Norway and around the world (if you have looked at any pictures on my Flickr page, many of them appear there...). People from Australia, Canada, Northern Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Mozambique, Ethiopia, England...and the list goes on. It has been an incredibly refreshing and wonderful experience being able to talk, hang out with, and become friends with so many people from so many places, cultures and experiences. The diversity that I am surrounded by is something that I think I have been craving for a long time...and so now that it is here I am thoroughly enjoying it...

And as one might expect, new friends lead to new experiences...most notably the Australian Pool Party we had in Norway (again, if you have looked at Flickr, there are many, many pictures of this event). It was a spectacular gathering that we had in the middle of our student village...a multi-national barbeque of sorts that also happened to involve an inflatable pool, an Australian flag, disposable grills, and a various forms of grill-able meat...

So all in all the first two weeks of my life in Oslo has been full and wonderful...I have been so many places, seen so many things, met (and made friends with) so many people, and truly enjoyed life...

The Perfect Day

After a weekend of quiet reflection time also known as boredom...the week of orientation started on Monday. All that I had to do was pick up an information packet, and it would give me all the info I needed for the rest of orientation week, but more importantly it was giving me my University username and password, so I could set up my internet. Needless to say, this was shaping up to be a big day...

The info packet pick-up went fine, I got it and the coveted username and was ready to get online. After waiting in line at the reception desk of my student village, I finally was able to get my internet turned on...so I hurried back to the room so that I could set it up and be back blogging about the weekend/checking up on the Olympics/emailing/uploading pictures...but it wasnt to be my day. Apparently I had a dumbed down version of Linux (the operating free operating system on my computer, usually the computer geek alternative to Windows or Mac), which was prohibiting me from configuring my computer properly to set up my internet. Not knowing what to do, I found the IT help desk on campus (also known as HOUSTON...as in "Houston we have a problem"...oh the Norwegian sense of humor...) and decided to take up my problem with them. Surely a room full of computer wizards can fix my simple internet problem right? Wrong...it took three people all staring at my little 8.9 inch Eee PC before they could figure out what form of Linux I had...but after figuring that out, none of them could actually do anything to help my internet problem...so they suggested that I leave my computer with them over night and the "Linux guy" could fix it in the morning...perfect.

So without any computer, much less internet, I headed home for another quiet evening of reading and relaxing before my first orientation group meeting started the next morning. At about 10 PM I was getting ready to sleep (note, when you have nothing to do but read and sleep...your sleep starts much sooner), but decided with such a big day coming up I should just give my hair a trim. I had brought along my hair clippers (why pay for a haircut when I can just do it myself?) and a converter my father had given me (the electrical outlets here have an output of 240V, but US appliances take 120V, so you need a converter to pair down the voltage). So I plugged in the clippers with the converter, turned it on...nothing out of the ordinary, OK, time to cut hair. I usually start cutting my hair on the right side of my head, just above the sideburns...which is where I started this time too...for about the first three seconds (enough time to cut about 4 square inches of hair just above my right sideburn and ear) all was fine..at about the 3.5 second mark, the clippers went bezerk. Not just any bezerk, it sounded like I was trying to cut down a forest with a chainsaw...you might have thought that at the 3.5 second mark, my hair turned to metal. It was bad. The converter had gone out (thanks Dad), and so there was no way I could cut any hair with the clippers...which would have been fine, EXCEPT that I had already cut about 4 square inches off. Had the converter gone out right away, I would have been fine with just letting my hair be for the night, in fact I probably would have just let it grow out the entire semester...it wasnt that big of a deal. But becuase the converter waited 3.5 seconds before going ape, and subsequently I had cut some hair off...it became a big deal. And because it was already 10:30 at night there was nowhere for me to go and get a converter or a clippers...and with my Buddy Group meeting at 9:30 the next morning there was no time for me to fix it before that...perfect.

So as my first Monday in Oslo came to a close, with the rain pouring down outside (no, I did not make this part up for dramatic effect), I fell asleep with no computer, 4 square inches of hair missing, and no idea what the next day would bring...perfect.

The Calm Before the Storm

I think the easiest way to explain my absence from the blogosphere over the last two weeks is this...its been a whirlwind over here in Oslo. No, it has not been particularly windy, but there has been so much activity that I legitimately havent had time to write...so I will try and recap some of the memorable happenings...

My life in Oslo started two weeks ago tomorrow...after a wonderful time in Notodden, Amy and I made the bus trip back to the city. For that afternoon and evening we wandered the streets of Oslo taking in the cites and snapping pictures. We decided to not really plan where we were going...and I think that that made our discoveries that much more fun. I would say that it was a grand finish to what had been magnificent two weeks of travel...but as the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end"...so that Friday night I said goodbye to Amy and wandered off into the Oslo night, ready to start a new chapeter in life.

I will be honest though...it started kind of slow...ha hah! For that first weekend not a whole lot happened. None of my flatmates were around (it has been quite an interesting situation with them...but that is a story for another time), I had no internet, and I didnt know a soul. Part of it was liberating to be so alone and on my own...but mostly it just sucked. I was forced to frequent the local McDonalds and Burger Kings to access internet (I had made a vow that I would never go to a McDonalds or Burger King while in Europe...but desperate times call for desperate measures...), but you can only sit in Burger King for so long...so that was only a two hour highlight of a 24 hour day. I finished the book I was reading and started another. I folded up all my clothes so nice and had them all organized. I got ridiculous amounts of sleep, despite the 4:45 AM sunrise. And I went running...alot (I think one day I ended up running around 15k...I have never run that far in my life). All in all, I was well rested, read, and ran by the time orientation stuff started.

"The Teenage Life" is a synonym for "The Good Life"

The night after the BBQ and my conversation with Halvard, I must have been deemed OK and not dangerous, because I was very politely asked by Halvard, Hokan and their friend if I could drive them to the local movie store to rent some DVDs. I, of course accepted (in part because it gave me another chance to drive the Underdal's manual car), as it gave me a rare glimpse into what teenage Norwegian life might be like....and I can assure you that it is very similar to the same teenage life that I lived through, and that many other American's live through. That night they planned to rent some scary movies, buy loads of junk food, and stay up until 4 AM...dont you just miss those teenage glory years? All in all, they were kind enough to rent a movie that we all (Amy and I and the boys) would watch (it happened to be Beowulf, which by the way turned out to be a terribly dissapointing movie) in addition to their genre of choice. So on a rainy Thursday night in August, I was brought back to my youth...and for one night, was one of the boys.

The international language of friendship...

On one night while staying in Notodden (by the way, I am finding that pronouncing "Notodden" in Norwegian is much harder than one might think) the Underdal's took us to a good old fashioned BBQ at the house of Jan's sister. The BBQ was very similar to any standard grill out one might have in the US, EXCEPT that it was in Norway, which automatically makes it awesome...additionally the house was located on a picturesqe Norwegian farm nestled into the hill side, with forest and rock outcroppings behind, and a beautiful view of a wonderful serene Norwegian lake. Also, there happened to be a group of youngsters from Belfast, Ireland there (they were working on the farm during the week for a sort of work exchange trip with their church) and many members of Jan and Kjersti's church. The husband of Jan's sister is the pastor of their church (Dad he reminds me a lot of Ian from Scotland...you would have enjoyed his company), was the Master Griller of sorts, and is one of the most sociable people you will ever meet. After an hour or so of grilling (there was none of this quick-and-easy "pre-cooked" business), we sat down to eat (all 40+ of us) in the barn, which was pleasently lit with candles precariously perched around the room. The food was great and I met some very interesting people, inlcuding one young women who studied for a year in Bakersfield, California very near to where I lived in Fresno (I am finding this to be the smallest world), but the best part of the night was the extended conversation I had with Halvard, Jan and Kjersti's 13 year old son.

Up until that point I had only talked a little bit with Halvard, as he was understandinbly shy around a never before seen 20 year old American. But I knew that he played football (soccer), so that was the launch point of what turned out to be a wonderfully in depth conversation. Its strange...I never cease to be amazed at how, despite language barriers, people of such different up bringings and cultures can relate and become friends. Its not that I dont think its possible for two different people to become friends (as I have witnessed or experienced many examples to the contrary) , its the ability and desire to make connections and understand one another despite impervious circumstances. The topics that are discussed, while sometimes simpler in depth, are never dull...and I never feel as though just because they cant speak English as well as me (I have been painfully reminded throughout this trip that I am not multi-lingual, and everyone in Europe is...thus all conversations are kindly conducted in English to help me), that they are any less of a friend. It is this ability to forge friendships with people so different from me in many respects, that is truly fascinating, wonderful and humbling.

I think I have a better chance of winning the lottery...twice...

As I set off on this journey, I wondered a few times if I would see anyone I knew? Obviously I was staying with people I knew and traveling with someone I knew...but when would be the first time, if any time, that I saw someone I wasnt expecting to see? Would they be from home? From school? I mean, what are the odds of that?

To be completely honest I was thinking that on the morning of August 5th, as we set out in the car from Notodden, over Mt. Gausta, to Rjukan, a tiny mountain village located in the valley between mountain tops. You may have heard of Rjukan, or the hydroelectric plant located there...during WWII the plant was creating hydroelectric power, but they were also making fertilizer as well, which had a by product of "heavy water" (used in nuclear reactors). The plant was the largest power plant in the world during the early 1900s, and when the German's occupied Norway during the war, they immediately took over the plant to get their hands on the heavy water production in hopes of creating the atomic bomb. Long story short, there is a museum there now commemorating the effort from some Norwegian special forces that sabotaged the plant and the German nuclear effort. It is a very interesting little museum, and it is nestled partway up the mountain providing for a spectacular setting. It is here however, that the odds were defeated...not by the Norwegian special forces sabotaging the German war machine, but where I saw someone I knew. It is on the trail leading from the parking lot to the museum that we saw Ben Antoniewicz. For those of you who dont know, Ben and I played basketball together in middle school, and went to the same high school. I havent talked to or seen him in a couple of years, but as we were walking down the trail (he was walking up), we passed him and I turned to Amy and said "Was that Ben Antoniewicz? No, must be someone who looks like him...a lot like him." But then as we passed, a second later I heard a "Wait...Tallis?" Yup, it was Ben, and we did see him on a trail on the side of a mountain in a rather remote part of southern Norway. Yup, we were about 4000 some miles from home, with hundreds of millions of people between us. Yup, we happened to walking on that exact trail at the exact same time. If anyone can tell me the odds of that (*cough**Ken Psyck**cough*), I would love to know. We chatted a bit, took a picture to document the occasion and went our separate ways. It was so utterly unbelievable. I mean really...what are the odds? I still cant get over that part of it...

Anyways, the rest of the day was amazing too, we stopped at a small cottage restaurant located halfway up the other side of the valley for a bowl of traditional Norwegian porridge (it was made of essentially sour cream and flour). We went up a chair lift of sorts to the top of the valley on the far side where we had a magnificent view of Rjukan and the entire valley. Then headed back over the mountain, stopping at a little hotel nestled in the mountainside for some coffee and desert. Mom, you would have loved this hotel...it had so many antiques and little collectibles it was also a bit ridiculous.

So all in all it was a great day. I was convinced afterwords that Norway was the most beautiful country I had ever been to...and I saw Ben Antoniewicz.

I need a thesaurus to be in Norway...

I have traveled through much of the United States and parts of Europe. I have seen many, many beautiful places (the Seirra Nevada mountains, the Grand Canyon, the Great Lakes, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, southern England, southern France, and the list goes on....)...but there is nothing, nothing that compares to the beauty and magnificence of Norway. I can say with 100% confidence that Norway, with its mountains, fjords, forests, rivers, lakes, etc. is the most beautiful place on Earth.

Now I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I know that every person defines natural beauty in different ways and what is beautiful to me may not be to someone else. And I respect that...I respect other opinions...but for me, Norway takes the cake. I can take as many pictures as I like (and believe me I took a lot), I can try and describe the beauty with big eloquent words, but nothing will do it justice. There is nothing that can truly capture what it looks like as you drive up a windy mountain road, past the tree line, turn the corner and are presented with a serene, truly serene natural lake....and the best part is, it keeps happening. Maybe it was just the part of Norway where we were, but it seemed like around every bend there was a magnificent view, lake, mountaintop on the horizon, winding river, etc. It was ridiculous. I am sure I sounded like a broken record ("WOW!", "This is SO cool!", etc). There weren't enough adjectives to describe it all...

So I am going to stick to one...beautiful.

Via Lithuania

On Monday, August 4^th my journey shifted from Germany and the mainland Europe to the Scandinavian country of Norway. This day started painfully early (we were leaving the Otto's house at 5:40 AM) and included just about all forms of transportation. Over the course of the day we would travel by plane (twice...we had to get off the plane in Lithuania, get sent every which way in a sleepy airport, only to walk back out to the very same airplane...with the same cabin crew and all...I love seeing familiar faces...), train, subway, bus, car, and walking (lots of walking). The day would also take us through three countries (Germany, Lithuania, and Norway), four cities (Berlin, Vilinus, Oslo, and Notodden), two student housing complexes (Kringjsa and Sogn), and the beautiful countryside of Norway. After landing in Oslo around the noon hour, we somehow made it up to the student village where I will be living for the semester, I checked in, dropped some stuff off, and made it back downtown to catch a bus to Notodden (where we would be staying with family friends Jan and Kjersti Underdal and their family)....all that and we didnt once get on a wrong train, bus or plane (we did walk the wrong direction for a bit once, but all things considered, whats additional 15 minutes?). We did finally make it to Notodden (a small former industrial town about 2 hours southwest of Oslo) where we were greeted by Jan at the bus stop. After some conversation and some 30 year old pictures of my Dad (Kjersti and my Dad met back then when she was living and working near Minneapolis...then when he studied in Norway for a year their friendship continued), we settled in for a very Norwegian meal of frozen pizzas and Fanta with the Underdal's two teenage sons Hökan and Halvard.

The joys of travel...

Just a little disclaimer...over the last two weeks I have been traveling in Europe and not had much time to post on the blog...that is not to say though that I have not been writing...so as I have time to actually post what I write, I will. That will lead to maybe three posts in a day (like today...ha hah!). It is all in an effort to catch up and then be blogging in the present.

Also, I have been taking pictures over these two weeks...lots of them. Unfortunately it is taking me a while to post them...but you can check out my Flickr page if you want and see what I have put up so far...enjoy!

http://flickr.com/photos/28276957@N03/

Norwegian Sized Expectations?

As part of an online class that I am taking this semester, we had to write a two page reflection of any assumptions and expectations we had going into our semester abroad...the idea of the assignment is to get students thinking about their experiences before, during and after...this is what I wrote...

The reason I chose to come to Norway was my interest in Environmental Geosciences (aka Geology) and natural landscapes. I had heard about a program near Trondheim, Norway (about half-way up the country) that focused on Environmental Geosciences and Natural Resources. The program included many field experiments and studies, and seemed to be exactly what I wanted in my study abroad experience. Unfortunately after some investigating into program application, I discovered that it did not exist anymore due to low enrollment. At first I was crushed, I had gotten very excited about studying the sciences in Norway and being exposed to the supposed natural beauty of the country, but now being unable I started looking into similar programs in Germany. Having already spent time in Germany with my family, I was not as enthusiastic about the options as I had been about Norway, a country of unknown adventure that I had never been to. It was then that I decided I could still go to Norway, maybe not to do the exact program I had wanted, but I could still live, study, explore, and enjoy the western most Scandinavian country. Which is how I found the University of Oslo.

From the beginning my expectations and assumptions about a foreign country and studying abroad have been shaped by my own experiences from living abroad previously and by discussions with others who have done it before me. Everyone I talked to said they loved it, that it was the best time of their life and that they were sure the same would be true for me. When I would tell them I was going to Norway, they would tell me that I would fit right in with my tall stature, blond hair, and blue eyes. I knew from some research and what people told me about the country that there were spectacular fjords, mountains, geology, and natural beauty, which was why I had chosen the country in the first place. But one of the most significant things I was told, and something I have tried to live out, was to have no expectations as I headed off for life on foreign soil. Undoubtedly, my friend told me, your experience will differ from any expectations you have, so if you go in without any then you can enjoy your time there for what it is, enjoy it more fully.

Obviously as one prepares to move to a different country, you have some thoughts and assumptions about how life will be, but I tried to ignore those and approach it with an open mind. I tried to brush aside the assumptions that Norway would be full of mountains, fjords, and natural geologic beauty. I tried to push away the idea that because I was tall, blond and blue-eyed that I would fit right in. I tried to forget all I had heard about climate and daylight hours in Norway and how it would be tough as the days got shorter. I tried to move past any anxieties about not just meeting new people and making new friends, but having to do so in a setting where I may not speak the same language or have any similar life experiences as them.

As I prepare to leave my home, friends, family and comfort zone for the next five months, I have tried to do so with only the expectation that I do not know what lies ahead. I don't have any inkling of what life will really be like, how the people are, what my classes will entail, or whether I will enjoy my time or not. I don't have a plan. And by doing this I think that I have sufficiently readied myself for the journey that lies ahead. I am setting off with flexibility, excitement, a bit of fear, and uncertainty, no expectations, no assumptions, no pre-conceived notions, and no plan.

Sweet Home Alabama

On the last day in Berlin, the Ottos planned to take us to the Bier Mile (or beer festival that stretched for many, many blocks) in downtown Berlin. One can try and imagine what a beer festival in Germany looks like...At this particular one there were a series of 20 stages set up along the festival where artists of varying talent levels were playing. And while the beer was good (I prefer the dark beers to those that are lighter in both calories and color), it truly was the assortment of musical artists that made this experience special. Many stages had cover bands playing, covering different artists from all genres...most, no correction, all were bad, but highly amusing. One lady (a bigger lady with mostly black, gothic looking clothing) stepped up onto a stage that looked like something out of Gilligan's Island, and played a “Sweet Home Alabama” cover...we all lost it...it was so funny. Something about the outfit, the stage, and the setting of a beer festival in Berlin, Germany made that song choice such high entertainment. The festival just stretched on, with different countries being represented in different sections (you had your German, Czech, Danish, African, Vietnamese, etc. types of beers). It was a spectacle thats for sure. I once told my friend Andy while at Summerfest in Milwaukee, that I came to people watch (watch all of the various people and their outfits, hairstyles, posses, actions, etc) almost as much as I did for the music...Andy, I tell you now, the Bier Mile blows Summerfest out of the water in terms of people watching. I couldnt be blatantly creepy or rude and take pictures of it all, but take my word for it when I say it was great....ha hah! All in all, it was an entertaining end to a wonderful week in Berlin!

I love hiking...

After a week of city living in and around downtown Berlin, Bernhard and Barbara offered to drive us three hours south to the mountains for some hiking. Being self-proclaimed nature enthusiasts, Amy and I were all about spending a Saturday hiking and exploring some mountains of Germany...even if it meant we had to get up at 5:30 AM. So the plan was set, we would leave by 6 AM, spend the day hiking, and if time (and energy levels) allowed we would make a stop in Dresden on the way home. It was shaping up to be a action packed day...and when it arrived it did not disappoint. Yes, the 5:30 wake up call was early, but it was so worth it. After arriving in a small town near the base of the mountains (technically I think they were more like very large sandstone uplifts, that over the centuries have been eroded and carved down by rivers and other factors leaving magnificent outcroppings and peaks flanked by lush, forest filled valleys) we had a quick picnic breakfast and then boarded a trolly/train that would take us partway up to the base of a trail. It was a day filled with so many spectacular views that I finally had to stop taking pictures of them all because they were all so good. We hiked, zig-zagging our way up the steep mountain side, with another overlook of the surrounding valleys and farmlands around each corner. To add the beauty, the weather was kind of overcast and drizzly all day, so the forests, trees and plants on the way up all had a wonderful sheen from the slight moisture. The area in which we were for the day is a destination of rock climbers from around Germany. There are designated routes that you can climb using pre-set pins (to put your climbing ropes through) all with varying difficulty. At one point we came around a corner and Bernhard mentioned that there was a trail off to our right that technically wasnt for rock climbers, but because of its severe incline, usually only rock climbers with gear used it. Curious, I checked it out. To get to it you had to squeeze through a crevasse that was about a foot wide and went in for about 20 feet. Once in, there was a series of “steps” that had been inserted into the rock in the form of a twisting ladder. It went up farther than one could see. So again curious, Amy and I decided to start the ascent and see where it lead. It was a crazy climb up, and after about 50 feet I could see the “steps” veering off to the left, at which point I spotted a climber (in full climbing gear). I decided that if they were using climbing gear, that we should probably not go any further and risk falling...or death. If you are claustrophobic, afraid of heights, or not good at balancing, this would not have been a climb for you...ha hah! We hiked for a total of 5 hours I think, with stops along the way for water, and a longer one for lunch (for which we were situated on the edge of this breathtaking cliff). It had been a tiring but satisfying day of hiking and being in nature. As we got back into the car to head home, I figured we would not stop in Dresden as we all seemed a bit tired...but after about an hour, I woke up to find Bernhard parking the car in a parking lot in Dresden. And am I glad we stopped. We only spent about an hour and half in Dresden, but it is one of the coolest cities I have ever been in! During the war, the city was essentially flattened by British bombs, and not until the last 15 years has the city really started to build back up...but they did so using many of the original materials or building styles making it look like the buildings have been standing for centuries. It seemed that at every corner you could see another old, historic building, church, castle or spire. It was fascinating and a perfect way to end, in my opinion the best day of the trip so far.

Ich bin ein Berliner

Well rested from a good nights sleep, we woke up on our first day in Berlin with an idea of what we were going to do, but no real plan. I think that that is and will be a theme for me on this five month excursion, no real plan. For the first time in my life I am embarking on a trip where there is no one making plans or preparations for me. Where I go, what I do, how I go about it...is completely up to me (and whoever I may be traveling with). There is a sense of independence around that idea and I am quite excited to fully embrace such freedom. That said, you cant exactly go into a foreign country or city with absolutely no idea what awaits, but you can go in with a flexible list of places, things, people, etc that you think might be fun or interesting. As the trip progresses you may stick to your ideas or you may stumble upon something new and unexpected....it is those unexpected tangents that I look forward to the most.

With some tips from the Ottos combined with some of our own ideas, over the next few days we took in many of Berlin's main attractions. We saw the Pergamon Museum and its exhibit on Babylon: Myth and Truth, the TV Tower (the tallest building in Berlin), the Berliner Dome, Alexander Platz, Hauptbanhoff (the main train station in Berlin that was built within the last four years), the Chancelory (the building where Angela Merckl works, affectionately called the "washing machine" by Thomas because of its appearence), the Reichstag (complete with a very informative session on the German government and how it works), Brandenburger Tor, the newly built Holocaust Memorial with its impressive and modern architecture, we biked through the Tiergarten (where you can find an old statue around every corner), Siegessaeule at the Grosser Stern (where Barack Obama recently gave a speech in front of a massive crowd), and finally Potsdam with all of its old and historic castles and sites. It was an action packed, historic, culture filled first part of the week.

For me though, the best parts of the week came at times where we were with some or all of the Ottos and taking the less touristy parts of Berlin. One night we drove from the Ottos house in the eastern neighborhood of Mahlsdorf into the countryside where there was another lake to swim in. It was again very secluded, but magnificent with cool, deep, and clean water and a spectacular setting in the German countryside. Another night we went with some of the Otto children to a "beach bar". My first experience at a European bar was not the expected German pub or techno rave, but a very relaxed, comfortable setting of a beach bar. With Bob Marley music playing in the background, a cheerful bartender, good friends and conversation, and sand between your toes, I coudnt ask for a better evening. On the way home we walked back to the train station along "the Wall"...usually bustling with tourists and posed pictures, but that evening it was quiet and mostly deserted...a very humbling experience. On another afternoon on our way home from Potsdam, Matthias took us to a "boat restaurant" located along one of the rivers running through Berlin. It had a very quiet, secluded, but charming atmosphere, as it was off the beaten path a bit. You could sip on your "hefe dunkel", or dark beer, and enjoy the serenity of the river (even if it was nothing more than a glorified canal). As the week went on there were all sorts of these moments, afternoons, evenings that occurred giving us a real sense of life in Berlin.

Welcome to Europe

After a long day of travel and bad food we, my friend Amy and I (Amy and I went to high school together and have been planning to go to Europe for some time now, initially our plan included many more from our circle of friends and was going to span many more weeks...but finances, jobs, and life sometimes takes precedent over travel...so Amy and I travel on as the last two of that initial idea) finally arrived at the house of Bernhard and Barbara Otto in Berlin, Germany. My family met Bernhard, Barbara and their family (children include Matthias, Andres, Lena, Thomas, and Lisa, with the youngest being Thomas and Lisa at 16) four years ago in Taize, France. Since then our friendship has grown and continued, to the point that this is now the 5th time I have seen them in the past four years! The Ottos were (and are) extremely accommodating and hospitable, providing us with anything we could need. After we arrived , cleaned up, had some fruit to quell our hunger from lack of decent food, and relaxed a bit, we decided to go swimming. After a nice bike ride through the neighborhoods of East Berlin, we arrived at a nice sized lake. To try and set the scene a bit, the lake was tucked away in what appeared to be a small nature reserve/park surrounded by trees and field grass. There were several beaches on all sides of the lake where one could enter the water. And about half of the people at the lake were swimming or in some cases just standing...naked. I think technically calling this a nude beach would be a stretch, but for the purpose of this blog and all stories I will tell in the future, it was a nude beach. According to Bernhard it was not uncommon in Germany for people to swim in the nude, even if others had suits. As someone who is open to new ideas and accepting of other opinions and cultures I was cool with the idea that some people like to let it all hang out (or float out if they are swimming)...not so cool, mind you, that I joined the nudist cause (I had a suit on for the duration of our swim)...I did not make a scene, stare or act otherwise out of line. As for the actual swim, well the water was AMAZING. As a resident of Madison where the lakes are gross, full of living organisms like algae, and sometimes spawning diseases like ecoli, I am always a bit wary of swimming in natural bodies of fresh water. But this one was fantastic with cool water, deep in the middle and nothing weird about it (other than the nudist here and there). It was a great way to kick off our stay in Berlin. After we got home, the Ottos served us a traditional Berlin summer beer, called Berliner Weisse. It was a very light beer (almost bitter), that was mixed with a shot of flavored syrup (like an Italian soda). I imagine it is similar to Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, that mixes lemonade and beer. So as the sun set on our first few hours in Europe, we relaxed on the back patio with good friends and a German beer.

In the Beginning...

On July 26th at about 1:15 Central Standard Time my Norwegian Adventure (Norske Eventyr) officially kicked off when I departed from Madison to O'Hare airport in Chicago. After months of paperwork, preparation, planning, (did I mention paperwork?), and packing the 5 month, intra-European excursion began. It will be a journey filled with fun, new, and different experiences, taking me to countries, cities, and cultures that I have never experienced or lived in. It will span from now until after Christmas and be indisputably my biggest undertaking yet. All that said, I cant wait. I don't know what to expect, but I cant wait. I don't think that the true enormity of it all hit until I was about 25 minutes still from London on the plane and we flew over the southwestern English Coastline. It was then as I flew over one of my favorite places in the world, where the rolling hills of the countryside abruptly meet the water in the form of magnificent cliffs, that the thrill and excitement of returning to Europe washed over me.