brenda in bergen

guess what? i'm in minnesota!

2009-06-15T18:23:00.002-05:00

Well, I have been home now for about 2 weeks and it recently had been brought to my attention that I forgot to finish up my blog and let people know I was leaving Norway...sorry! Well, my last few days in Bergen were great- lots of laughs, friends, and a few tears when saying goodbye. I balled my eyes out leaving Alrek- I couldn't help it once I saw a giant tear rolling down Kien's cheek.

Now that I am back in Minnesota, it is back to reality. No hiking, no adventures, no Norway. But every good thing has to come to an end, and I am extremely thankful for the experience I had living in Norway for 2 months. The memories I have now will be with me forever- amazing mountains and waterfalls, the feel of hiking a mountain I didn't think I could, the gift of so many new friendships and the growth of deeper friendships with old friends. I grew to love Norway, especially Bergen- despite the rain, how expensive everything was, and the rude pushy people in the grocery store! I loved that everything was new to me- the people, language, food, culture, scenery.

But it is good to be back. I am happy to family again. It's good to be back to my tiny little room in my tiny little apartment with wonderful roommates. It's nice to see friends and classmates at school and to know that I am almost done with my dental hygiene education at the U. It's great to be back to Bethlehem. I am thankful for email and facebook, I can keep in touch so much easier with my Norwegian friends and I am thankful they are only a flight away and they all promised to visit me one day!

norway in a nutshell

2009-05-24T09:55:00.003-05:00

After a late night of traveling for my dad, we woke up early Thursday morning to take in all the sights of mountains, fjords, and waterfalls. We walked to the train station and boarded the train to Myrdal. It was about a 2 hour ride until we reached the Flam Railway. The train went through lots of tunnels as it zoomed through the mountains. We got on the small, buy cozy Flam Railway that took us to the city of Flam. The train made a few stops at scenic points to take pictures of an amazing waterfall and lots of great scenery. Met a nice couple from Wisconsin on the train that had been riding it back and forth all day, obsessed with getting pictures along the way. Once we reached the town of Flam, we had a nice picnic lunch and walked around a bit to stretch out our legs and get fresh air. Next, we boarded a boat to cruise for 2 hours to see the most famous fjords in Norway. It was nice and sunny out, but a little windy on the boat. We got chased by a gang of sea gulls as well that came too close to comfort to me- it missed pooping on me by 1/2 and inch, eek! Enjoyed the scenery- lots of trees, mountains, waterfalls, beautiful colors of the water, sheep farms, blue skies, and steep cliffs. Dad and I chatted the whole way- talking about movies and playing some cards inside the boat to warm up with hot chocolate. After the fjord cruise, we boarded a bus to drive back to Voss. We drove down the steepest, windy road ever! I thought we were going to tumble down the side of the mountain a few times, good thing we had a very talented bus driver! Dad sat right behind the driver and leaned over his shoulder to take pictures and gasp at the steep turns he was making! I sat by a nice lady from Canada and we talked for the whole hour about the healthcare systems in the US and Canada- I really enjoyed it! After reaching Voss, we went for a walk and Dad made us get eggrolls because he had been craving one. So, he flies all the way across the ocean to Norway and wants Chinese food! After a delicious egg roll, we got on the train back to Bergen and nodded off for the ride home. Even though we sat all day, we were exhausted! Our brains must have been tired from seeing so much! Walked back to my place and crashed! What a great day!

2009-05-21T16:16:00.001-05:00

scott smith: world traveler!

2009-05-21T15:47:00.002-05:00

My dad arrived in Bergen late yesterday night! After a 3 hour delay leaving Minneapolis due to mechanical maintenance on the plane, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Europe! The delay resulted in missing the connecting flight from Amsterdam to Bergen, but it didn't stop him from making the most of his day. He ended up having enough time in Amsterdam to take a train into the city center to walk around and see some sights. I think it is awesome he took advantage of what could have been a long time traveling to explore Amsterdam and enjoy a beer and the sunshine! He flew into Bergen around 11 pm and my friend, Andreas, and I picked him up at the airport! I was so so so happy to see my dad (and that his luggage arrived with him as well)! We drove back to my place and I showed my dad a beautiful view of the city from the roof. Then off to bed because the next day at big adventures in store! Above are a few pictures my dad took while he walked around Amsterdam- see all the bridges, waterways, and neat buildings? What a great photographer!

2009-05-19T07:09:00.001-05:00

God Syttende Mai!!!

2009-05-18T05:38:00.002-05:00

Had a wonderful Sunday celebrating Norway's constitution day. Woke up early (way too early) and headed to the dental school for breakfast. After, we walked to town following hundreds of people in their bunads (national costume) to find a spot to watch the parade. The parade was filled with bands, schools, organizations, and clubs. I have never seen so many bunads or Bergen so busy with people! We watched the parade for a few hours and then decided to head back home and change before lunch. There were 2 official parades happening, but it seemed like every street was crowded with a parade, we ended up crossing over 5 streets of parades and running through them to cross! It was so packed!

We walked back to Alrek to change and then walked to Elise's apartment where she made us the traditional lunch of Runegrot (sour cream porridge) and flat bread with meat. We enjoyed the cheesecake we had made previously and relaxed for a few hours since we were all so tired from staying up late and waking up early. We made the trek back to Alrek and then met up with Hilde to go to Gunhild's house. Gunhild invited us over in the evening to continue the celebration! We drank wine and chatted with her guests and then enjoyed another traditional dinner of salmon, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. We had an ice cream dessert as well with raisans and nuts. It was a wonderful meal and we had great conversation! Her guests kept asking us tons and tons of questions about the United States! After dinner, we headed out to the terrace to watch fireworks. What a great evening!

This morning, Karin & I gave 2 presentations at an International School. The first presentation was to a group of 4th and 5th graders. They were so smart and asked really good questions! Our second presentation was to a kindergarten class of 5 year olds. They were adorable! We had a great time sharing our knowledge with them!

another wonderful week!

2009-05-16T09:23:00.002-05:00

Spent this week back in clinic! It has been great weather in Bergen so Karin and I have been spending our free time on walks, hikes, and soaking in the sun. We hiked Lovstakken, a mountain in Bergen that we hadn't been to before on Wednesday night with Elise. It is close to Elise's house so afterwards she cooked us fish for dinner! It was wonderful, we ended up watching 2 movies and relaxing the night away.

On Friday, my class was celebrating their college graduation while I filled my day with visiting a nursing home, seeing a patient in clinic, and a Norwegian lakeside BBQ. That morning, Gunhild, one of our professors, took Karin & I to a nursing home in Bergen as part of the gerodontology lectures she has been teaching to us. We had a nice visit with Par, one of the stars of the movie Gunhild made about geriatric dentistry. Although he didn't speak English, we had so much fun with him. We brought him flowers and he told us about how he was going to spend the afternoon sitting in the sun drinking Hansa (the beer brewed in Bergen) while his wife shopped for the weekend, what a great guy! The nursing home was very nice, every nursing home is public and free to those who wish to live there, they also receive free dental services- everything covered including dentures or prostheses. Everyone there was very nice, they gave us coffee and waffles and we watched as some young children came to visit and sing for the residents. Afterwards we visited the small dental office they have housed in the nursing home for the residents.

After my afternoon clinic, I walked to Elise's apartment and we went for a nice walk around a nearby lake to enjoy the nice sunny weather. Karin went to the city to meet her boyfriend, Derc, who flew into Bergen to visit. Elise & I met up with 3 other girls from the Hygiene Program- Maria, Carina, and Cecilia. Carina & Cecilia are coming to Minnesota this fall as exchange students in our program. We drove to a small lake to have a BBQ. The lake was surrounded by other people enjoying the nice evening, some kids, tons of Russ kids (the graduates in red and blue pants), and a group of swimmers! We enjoyed our dinner and shared some leftovers with some ducks nearby. We also had a great show while cooking- all the swimming men just stripped down and put on their wet suits, we couldn't believe it! It was definitely dinner and a show! Afterwards, Carina & Cecilia came over for dessert to Elise's apartment. Carina, Elise & I ended up watching a movie and I stayed at Elise's for the night.

I met up with Cecilia today to hike Ulriken because she had never been to the top. It was a great day for hiking, half way up we ran into Karin & Derc on their way down and as they approached I saw a sparkly ring on Karin's hand!!!! Derc proposed to her while they were hiking her favorite mountain! It was so so so so fun to see them and congratulate them both! Cecilia and I continued on our hike as they looked for a place to grill. Later we joined them for sausages on the mountain. Karin & Derc are now on their way to Floyen and I am resting before more adventures!

Tonight is the Eurovision contest- it is like American Idol but the competing singers are from different European countries. Of course I am rooting for Alexander Rybek from Norway! We are going to watch the competition at our friend, Kristin's apartment and then go out for a night on the town! It is the day before the 17th of May so everyone will be out tonight. Tomorrow we are waking up early for breakfast at the dental school before heading to the parade in the city. Everyone will be dressed in their bunads (national costume) for Norway's constitution day. We will watch the parade, eat lots of ice cream, and go for lunch to Elise's apartment for the classic Runegrot porridge! Elise and I made a cheesecake last night for us to eat on the 17th! Then we are going to Gunhild's place to continue the celebration into the night! It is going to be a great weekend!!!

God 17 Mai!!!

2009-05-13T03:51:00.001-05:00

road trip back to bergen

2009-05-11T06:51:00.002-05:00

Arrived back in Bergen around 2:30 am this morning after a long drive from Oslo. We had an awesome day yesterday, the sun was shining and we spent the whole day walking around Oslo. To start off the day, Yi Hu's parents made us wontons for breakfast! Yum! We checked out some ruins that were by Yi Hu's house. Next we walked to the new Oslo Opera House, it was build to compete with the architecture of Australia's opera house. We continued walking, making our way through a fortress now used by the military and a shopping district by the sea.

Next we walked to the Royal Palace where the king & queen reside. The palace was guarded by young soldiers- 19 year old boys! We were lucky enough to be there when they switched out the guards. After admiring the palace and wishing we could go inside to say hi to the king & queen, we walked to the Natural History Museum and National Art Gallery. Picked up some lunch and then it was already time to head home! We loaded up the car and started on our way back. Yi Hu had promised Karin that he would stop at the Stavs churches and runic stones we had seen on the way there so she could see them. Well, four Stavs churches and one runic stone later, we finally made it to Bergen! The drive took over 7 hours and on the way back a little longer because we made so many stops. It was an awesome trip, I am thankful I got to see so much of Oslo! It's a great city!

hanging out in oslo

2009-05-09T17:29:00.002-05:00

Left Bergen yesterday afternoon after clinic and ended up sitting in rush hour traffic for over an hour and a half! The delay didn't darken our spirits though! Yi Hu rented a car for us and drove Karin, me, and two other girls (Tea & Ida) the whole way from Bergen to Oslo- a 7 or so hour drive! Once we got past all the traffic in Bergen, we hit the open road! Drove through lots and lots of long tunnels through the mountains and windy, narrow roads. I can see now why everyone drives small cars here- the roads are so narrow that SUVs would never fit if 2 met at the same time!

We searched for a place for dinner and found a great little place along the way. After filling up on cheeseburgers, we continued on our journey towards Oslo. Much to our surprise, we saw a Stavs church along the way! That totally made Karin's day! The scenery changed as we continued along, changing from grassy mountains and waterfalls to snowy mountains and bare trees. We finally made it to Oslo around 1:30 in the morning. Dropped off the girls and headed to Yi Hus place to stay with his parents. His parents live in an apartment in the medival section of Oslo. They greeted us with big smiles! His parents speak Norwegian and Chinese-neither of which Karin nor I know so we just smiled back!

Today we had one busy day! First we started off with a traditional Chinese dish-homemade noodles! They were yummy! We were ready to see the sights of Oslo. Thankfully Karin is very talented in planning so she had found places for us to go! We started off at the Viking Ship Museum, it was awesome! The museum had 3 huge ships in it and tons of Vikings artifacts, I never knew that they buried loved ones in the ships into the ground because they thought they would need to sail in the afterlife! The Vikings were smart too- they were farmers, merchants and warriors! After the Vikings museum, we headed to the Polar Expedition Museum. Outside, it was a beautiful sunny day, we watched sailboats come in and out of the fjord and enjoyed the cherry blossom trees. Inside the museum, a giant ship used for polar expeditions to the North Pole was on display.

Next, while still on the island with the museums, we went to the Norwegian Folk Museum- it was practically a town! They had a Stavs church, lots of cabins and houses, tons of neat old buildings, and children danced in their traditional costumes! It was really neat, plus the weather was super nice so we enjoyed walking around in the sun. We were starting to get hungry for lunch, so next moved on to our next adventure! Yi Hu took us to the famous Vigeland sculpture park. The park was huge and packed with tons of people because there was a big running race going on nearby. The park was filled with statues of people from one artist. We ate our lunch outside and admired the art! I really enoyed the park. After walking around and seeing all the statues, we headed into the city center. It had started to sprinkle and soon the weather turned on us and it began raining. We walked around lots of shops and souvenior shops in the city. We stopped for some coffee and the wonderful Swedish waitress gave our varm schoklade (hot chocoloate) for free! Yay! After playing some cards and enjoying our drinks, we decided it was time for dinner!

Everything closes early in Norway and by the time we walked to the Sushi restaurant we had planned on going to, it closed! We found another one though- called Happy Sushi! It was great! Definitely hit the spot! After dinner we wanted to check out some piano bars, but they were all filled with crazy futball (soccer) fans! Instead we found a cafe to hang out in. All the places were really crowded with lots of people out for the evening! I was glad we found someplace to go! We enjoyed warm drinks, cards, and laughs. Went back to Yi Hus and his parents greeted us with lots of snacks and big smiles! Now time to get some sleep for another big day ahead of us exploring more of Oslo. Looking forward to seeing the king & queen!!!

trip to Tromsø

2009-05-07T04:34:00.002-05:00

Karin & I spent a few days in Arctic Circle, staying in the city of Tromso. We took a direct flight to Tromso on Sunday, arriving around 1 pm. We were greeted by 2 smiling faces when we landed: Mandy, my friend from high school, and her friend, John. They are both studying in Tromso for 6 months. It was really fun to see Mandy again and to have tour guides around the city! We took the bus to the city center and they helped us find our hotel and check in. We stayed at the Viking Hotell Tromso, only a few blocks from the clinic we would be shadowing in. After getting settled in, Mandy & John went back to their place to work on homework and Karin and I walked around the city and picked up some dinner. Enjoyed take out while watching cable TV that night.

Gunhild, one of our professors at the dental school, arranged for us to spend Monday and Tuesday in a speciality clinic in Tromso. On Monday morning, we walked to the clinic to meet the staff and get orientated with the clinic. We spent the day working with a tennelege (dentist) specializing in perio- Kari, and her two tannepleies (hygienists) Rande & Solveig. We learned a lot about their periodontal program, control appointments, and protocols. There are only 2 periodontists in northern Norway, Kari in Tromso and one in Finnmark. Therefore, the waiting list to become a patient of Kari's is over 2 years. We spent most of the day observing control appointments and asking questions. The clinic also houses many other dental professionals, including an endodontist, prosthedontist, orthodontist, and two general dentists. After clinic, Karin & I walked around the shops in the city and ran into Mandy shopping!

On Tuesday, we returned to the specialty clinic again and spent the day with all the specialists. It was really interesting to pop in and out of rooms to get a taste of what each specialist does. We saw some crazy decay and a gigantic cyst with the general dentist, unique cases with the endodontist, and learned more about ortho with the orthodontist. The orthodontist practicing at the clinic had actually spent a semester as an exchange student at the U of MN when he was in dental school! He lived in Psi Omega and was on the rowing team! He kept asking us about Moos tower and faculty! We had a great day on Tuesday in the clinic and were sad to say goodbye to everyone there! Mandy & John met up with us after clinic and we attempted to hike a snowy mountain, sadly it was impossible because the trails were covered in snow and the cable car had shut down by the time we got there. It was still a nice sunny day! We said goodbye to our hotel and headed to Mandy's to stay. Made some awesome tacos with the North Americas- Karin, Mandy & me from Minnesota, John from Iowa, and Anna from Canada- it felt like home!

We had Wednesday free to explore the city. First, Karin & I took a tour of Tromso's brand new dental school. It just opened in 2007 and it was the most beautiful dental school I had ever seen! Brand new technology and the building was very modern- like art. After our time there, we headed to the Tromso Museum to learn! John, Mandy, Karin & I walked around the exhibits and learned more about the Sami people. The Sami are the original inhabitants of northern Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Russia. Went back to the city center and continued to explore and walk around. Soon it was time to grab our bag and get to the airport! We were so sad to leave Mandy & John- they were such great hosts! But we were ready to get back to Bergen, where it gets dark at night! The crazy sun in Tromso never set- it was always light and it messed with our sleep cycles! We flew to Oslo and then Oslo to Bergen, I was hoping that there would be a Starbucks in the Oslo airport...I have been craving my usual for a while now but I think it will have to wait to the journey back when we have a layover in Amsterdam. Karin & I arrived back to our place around 1 am and hit the sack! Had a lecture this morning with our favorite, Gunhild, and then spent the afternoon in a public health clinic seeing patients. Now I need to unpack from this trip and get re-packed for the weekend. Leaving tomorrow (Friday) for Oslo! Roadtrip with Yi Hu!!!

2009-05-02T01:48:00.001-05:00

May 1- Labor Day

2009-05-02T01:30:00.002-05:00

I had the most wonderful time yesterday spending the day near Hardanger with Hilde, Elise, and Karin. The four of us boarded a bus early yesterday morning and rode about an hour and a half to the area of Hardanger. Hilde's brother was on the same bus as us- in his Russ gear (the graduating senior red pants). Her dad picked us up and we went to her house for brunch. What a feast! Her mom definitely spoiled us with lots of good food!

After brunch, we headed down to the bay to go sailing! Their boat is so nice and cute! We loaded up the boat and headed out to the sea to see the tall mountains and waterfalls. The Hardangerfjord was so beautiful- like nothing I have seen before, with such tall mountains jetting out of the dark ocean. We saw a little shark near the boat too! We saw a glacier, sheep farms, tall mountains covered in green trees, rushing waterfalls, and a crazy house on the top of a mountain that an old man lives in all by himself- he is practically a legend!

Had a wonderful time on the sea, drank hot chocolate and ate fruit. Took lots of pictures and couldn't believe my eyes at the beauty of where I was. The wind picked up a little bit on the way back and for a few minutes Hilde's dad went to work cranking on ropes and getting us to sail! I am so thankful that we got to go to Hardangerfjord and have a personal tour on their boat!

When we got back to land, the girls and I hopped in the car drove to ancient rock carvings. We saw 2 sets of carvings, one of 2 elks from 5000 years ago, and the other one was carvings of ships dated back to 300o years ago. They were really neat- ancient Vikings!!! Next, we drove to the biggest waterfall I had ever seen! It was gigantic! The waterfall was so loud and mighty because of all the melted snow. It was so cool to see, I was amazed at how much water was falling!

Went back to Hilde's house for a wonderful dinner of salmon, potatoes, and cheese cake...yum! Watched a little TV and tried to keep our eyes open until the bus came, being out on the sea all day made us all sleepy! Loaded onto the bus back to Bergen while Hilde stayed home for the weekend. The bus ride back was beautiful (I was asleep on the way there)- lots of countryside, rivers, and mountains. Elise and I tried to stay awake, but a half hour into it couldn't resist the urge to sleep. Walked home from the bus station in Bergen and had a nice night back in Alrek relaxing. What a wonderful day!

Karin & I are spending the day getting organized to leave for Tromso tomorrow. We will be there from Sunday through Wednesday, working in a dental clinic and seeing the sights. Looking forward to the trip!

let the good times roll

2009-04-30T05:56:00.002-05:00

Well, I am officially done with this semester's finals. Yesterday morning I saw a patient and then took my last final over the lunch hour. During the afternoon Elise, Kar, Erin & I went to town to walk around and shop. Elise has been on a hunt for a dress and Erin & Karin wanted to look at Norwegian souvenirs. Walked around and enjoyed the beautiful day in Bergen, it was great.

During the month of May, graduating seniors from high school celebrate and show off their country pride by participating in the tradition Russ. Seniors dress up in crazy red, blue, or black outfits determined by what subjects they studied in school. They wear their custom made outfits for the entire month! They are everywhere- anytime I go to town I see crowds of them! Some of them drink the month away, some just have fun, and some do certain things to earn little things to add to their hats- based on what "dare" they did. It is really crazy, but neat to see how every senior gets into it!

Going out tonight with the girls and some friends from Alrek & the dental school. Tomorrow Erin is flying back to MN and Elise, Karin & I are waking up super early to meet Hilde and take the bus to her parents' house in Hardanger. We are going to spend the day at the Hardangerfjord. The apple blossom trees are all blooming and her dad is going to take us out on his boat into the sea to look at the fjords- I can't wait for how beautiful the day is going to be! We will take the bus back to Bergen in the evening because it is only about an hour and half drive. Tomorrow is May 1- Norway's Labor Day, so everyone has the day off and is going out tonight!

surviving finals

2009-04-28T23:59:00.002-05:00

Today is my last final! Hooray! So far I have had a good, but a little stressful week. Spent Monday in clinic and studying for a final on Tuesday morning. Spent Tuesday in clinic and studying for a final on Wednesday morning! Last night (Tuesday) we nailed down our trip to Tromso. Karin & I are leaving on Sunday to spend a few days in the northern city of Tromso working in a dental office that is run by a dental hygienist. We will be working there and observing how dental hygienists can practice solo. We are both really excited. Everything was lining up for our trip so smoothly we kept on saying that something bad had to happen- well it did! Right when we were going to purchase our airfare, the prices rose dramatically. We had to talk to our contact in Bergen to change the trip around, previously we had planned to visit 2 cities and 2 offices, but because of the prices for flights, had to cut it to just Tromso. Anyways, we are excited for the trip. I am hoping to get together with my friend, Mandy, there. We went to high school together and she is studying abroad in Tromso for the semester!

Just studying a bit for my last final today, and then heading to clinic. After my patient and the final- it is going to be wonderful! Going shopping this afternoon with the girls, hanging out all day tomorrow and going out at night, going to Hardangerfjord on Friday morning to see Hilde's house and the fjords on her dad's boat, and fly to Tromso on Sunday...what a great weekend ahead of me!

weekend

2009-04-27T08:24:00.003-05:00

Wow, what a busy weekend! On Friday morning, Karin & I took two of our finals for the semester and said goodbye to periodontology and practice management! Later we spent the afternoon in clinic. I met up with my friend, Hilde, that night to go for a walk and catch up. Hilde spent 3 months as an exchange student at the U of MN dental school where I had the pleasure of meeting her! We spent 2 weeks in Willmar together and 1 week in Hibbing as roommates! It was really fun to see her again- and even better doing it in Bergen! We went for a walk around the city center and then met up with some of her classmates. I met a group of 4th year dental students that were all so nice! We went to a lounge and I had my first Hansa- a beer brewed in Bergen-thanks to wonderful Ase Kari (another dental student from Norway that studied at the U with Hilde) who was kind enough to treat me! Around 10 Hilde and I got tired and made our way back home with one of her classmates. The 4th year students have a lot of exams coming up so everyone was tired- I couldn't blame them! We tried to make it to the train station to meet Karin & her friend Erin who was arriving but missed them by a few minutes.

Karin's friend, Erin, arrived on Friday night to stay for a week with us! On Saturday we made our poor guest hike the longest trail- Vidden! To the top of Ulriken and over mountains, and down Floyen takes about 6 hours! We made Erin hike with us despite her jet lag! Packed a lunch and about 2/3 into the trip stopped to grill hot dogs with potato lefsa...my favorite! That was just enough fuel to get us home! Made a homemade pizza with the girls (4 of us: me, Elise, Karin, and Erin) and got ready to go out! Hung out with some of our friends from Alrek and then went out for a night on the town! Had a great time dancing and got to meet some of Elise's friends! Even met up with some of our Alrek buddies- so so so much fun to dance with Kien & see Yi Hu out and about, I love those two!

Had a really late night out, but a great time! Then next morning we thought a round 2 for our guest was appropriate so we laced up our hiking boots for another adventure! Took Erin up Stoltskleiven (these crazy stairs that make an intense hike up the side of a mountain). So proud of Erin for pushing through her tiredness and fatigue from the day before to make it to the top! Elise's friend, Jorgen, came with too! Once we reached the top, Karin, Erin, Elise, and Jorgen, went to see the anchor on top of Floyen and I went separately to go for a run and make my way back down. I had a great run back- beautiful sun shining and brisk air! Washed some clothes and worked homework until the crew returned. We made a delicious taco dinner and then Karin & I worked on a paper due on Monday.

Today (Monday) Karin and I spent the morning working at a public clinic seeing geriatric patients and the afternoon in the dental hygiene clinics. Karin saw our first patient, a wonderful woman with excellent English. I will be seeing the next patient tomorrow afternoon. Tonight I have a cram study session scheduled for my final I have in the morning! Eek!

Now, off to study the night away!

celebrities!

2009-04-22T15:52:00.002-05:00

Karin & I made the news! Elise's mom submitted this goofy picture of us skiing and it actually made the paper!

http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nrk_trondelag/1.6577203?index=4#image-gallery-content

study bugs

2009-04-22T09:36:00.002-05:00

I can't believe how diligent Karin & I have been recently despite the great weather. Although I am constantly looking out the window, staring at the sun shining on Ulriken, I have been studying all day! I also got my first pieces of mail today: new check card (lame, but necessary. thanks for the letter and $, dad!) and a package! My friend, Matt, sent me chocolate peanut butter....yum! What a great day. Making dinner soon & then a walk around the city before I hit the books again. Two finals on Friday...eek!

tuesday morning

2009-04-21T02:23:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful Tuesday morning! No rain so far, just sunshine! Yesterday we met with a professor at the dental school who we will be meeting with every week for special lectures on "gerodontology." She is an expert on geriatric dentistry and will be giving Karin & I private lectures on the healthcare and dental system of Norway. I am looking forward to hearing more of her insight and learning about Norwegian dentistry. There are many differences and it is interesting to investigate them and ask why we do the things we do in America. She also encourages us to share our viewpoints and interests to open up discussion on the differences and similarities between the US and Norway. She stressed how important the dental hygienists' job is for geriatric patients. In Norway, dental hygienists (or dental nurses) are the primary dental provider for nursing homes and the elderly through visits to nursing homes or public clinics.

After our meeting with her, we went to a public clinic that we will be working in on Thursdays. We will be mostly working with elderly patients there, I hope they know English. :) I believe we will also be visiting a nursing home for preventative care. After visiting the clinic and shadowing the hygiene students working there, we went back to the hygiene school for afternoon clinic. I shadowed Elise for the afternoon. We will be getting our own patients next week, hooray! Karin & I are ready- we just can't figure out the computer system since it is in Norwegian, but we are getting antsy to get to work.

Went for a great run yesterday- up to Floyen and down through the city center in the rain. It was refreshing and reminded me of my runs in Minneapolis in the spring showers. Worked on homework the rest of the night and played some cards with friends in Alrek. Clinic this afternoon and then going to hike/run afterwards to get some sunshine. Then more studying for finals!

vidden

2009-04-19T14:30:00.002-05:00

Went for another long hike today- 6 hours! Karin & I took the Vidden trail from the top of Ulriken to Floyen. We didn't realize it would be such a long journey! It was fun though, nice sunshine (we both got a little red) and laughs along the way. I had a quick plunge into some mud, resulting in a very brown and soggy left foot for the hike; and Karin had a little trip while rehearsing her favorite line from "Pride and Predjudice." Even with our accidents, we had a great hike- we are getting a lot faster too! Building up that endurance!

Just had Sunday Waffle night with the family of friends in Alrek. They make some tasty waffles! Better than the ones in the US- we still can't figure out why, but they are great! Add some jelly and brown cheese and it is a masterpiece! Pretty tired from the hike so I am going to tuck in. Clinic in the morning!

back to life in bergen

2009-04-18T12:25:00.002-05:00

It's Saturday night and I am back to life in Bergen. Had a good week after Easter break. Worked in clinic and started preparing for finals. Went on a few hikes- took the trail to show Elise the anchor and climbed Ulriken today. The weather has been great, lots of sunshine! Hope to climb tomorrow as well!

Last night was one of our floormate's birthday. Kien is a dental student and we celebrated his birthday with a cookout and singing on the deck. It was really fun! We were going to make homemade sushi but couldn't find fresh tuna so we grilled our favorites- hot dogs & potato lefsa! Yum Yum! Karin & I attempted to make the famous dessert "Worms in Dirt" for him, but the pudding in Norway is weird- it was like soup! Everyone still ate it, but it didn't highlight our baking skills very well!

Planning on studying and hiking tomorrow (if weather is nice) and then another week of clinic & schoolwork!

2009-04-16T09:42:00.001-05:00

2009-04-15T13:10:00.001-05:00

Påske break

2009-04-15T10:48:00.003-05:00

I had the most wonderful Easter break with Elise's family. On Wednesday, 4/18, Karin, Elise & I flew from Bergen to Trondheim through bumpy turbulence to travel north. On the plane, Karin met a nice friend. A little girl in the seat ahead of her kept turning around and holding her hand. Later when we were leaving, the little girl said something about my hair- turns out she thinks it's on the "squif"- whatever, little girl. Apparently that means it is slanted or something like that! Deb, Elise's mom, picked us up with a warm greeting and drove us to their home in Selbu, about 70 or so kilometers from Trondheim. We suited up in Selbu winter gear and headed to their cabin/cottage in the woods.

Slept in bunk beds and Elise's sister, Camilla, gave us giant easter eggs filled with candy...most it is gone now! That morning on Thursday, the Spets were determined to teach me to ski! Karin had been cross-country skiing before when she was younger, I think I had been 1-2 times before, but at least a decade ago! After filling up on a hearty breakfast of bread, jelly, and brown cheese (yum) we were ready to ski! I took lots of falls that day, but started to get the hang of it. The scenery was amazing, beautiful trees & mountains covered with snow! Ate oranges and Kwik Lunsj for lunch! (Kwik Lunsj is like a Kit Kat but 10 times better) After the trip back, which consisted of skiing (AKA me falling down a mountain) we made it home and had Sod for dinner. Sod is a traditional Norwegian soup- full of meatballs, potatoes, and carrots. It was delicious! Elise & I read and Karin & Camilla played cards, then off to bed!

On Friday, we went skiing all day! Roasted hot dogs on a campfire for lunch and ate them with potato lefsa and onions- so good! More Kwik Lunsj and chocolate got us through the long days skiing. Played cards after dinner and then packed up to head to Elise's house to do laundry and get ready to go into Trondheim next day. I took the longest hot shower in the history of the Spets' that night and sadly used all the hot water, sorry! But it was amazing, we were living in the woods with an outhouse and I needed a good hot shower! Watched movies and hung out, then off to bed. Deb & Gustof (Elise's parents) stayed at the cabin so it was just us girls going to Trondheim.

The next morning Karin & I decked out in our Norwegian sweaters and we were ready to take in the Trondheim sites! Camilla drove us around, first we went to the Kristiansten Festningfort- a fort and lookout over Trondheim. Next we went to the Nidaros Dommen Church. It was huge and beautiful, totally reminded me of something from the DiVinci Code! Olaf, "the holy one", is said to be buried there, he christened Norway and a very famous guy around Trondheim. We ate lunch at the Tyholt Tower- a tall tower with revolving floor. It made us all a little dizzy! Great view and pizza! Fell asleep on the way back as Elise took over driving and showed off her stick shift skills. That evening we headed back to the cabin for cookies & coffee. We later had Rakfiske, which is raw fish that Elise's dad had spent 3 months making, it has to soak in sugar and salt until it is perfect. We ate it with boiled potatoes, red onions, flat bread, and sour cream...yum, yum, yum! Played cards late into the night and then off to bed!

The next morning was Easter! Woke up to a breakfast of boiled eggs and then skiied! Grilled hot dogs again for lunch and ate lots of Ballerina cookies and sweets! For dinner we had Rommegrot porridge- a sour cream porridge that was delicious with enough butter, sugar, and cinnamon! Had potatoes, flat bread, potato salad, and meats for our 2nd course. We ate like Kings! More cards at night, Elise's family taught us how to play Matis, American, and Idiot- classic Norwegian cards games.

The next day, Monday, is considered second Easter, so you just repeat from the day before! We skiied during the day and then headed back to the cottage to sit out in the sun and read/nap. It was a beautiful day out, lots of sun! After evening and dinner, Karin, Elise & I went sledding. It was really fun to be silly and go sledding! We then packed up and skiied our stuff back to the van to head to Elise's house. Showered back at the house and hung out.

On Tuesday we spent the morning in downtown Selbu! Went swimming at Elise's mom's work and then took in all the Selbu attractions! Checked out the mittens store, ate waffles with jelly and brown cheese, and then saw the Selbu church. We climbed up the tower, it was so tall and dirty! It was fun but a little scary! Walked back to Elise's house and got ready to leave for Trondheim to fly out. Elise's dad drove us and dropped us off at a nearby town, Stordal, where I met Lill-Therese, a friend that studied abroad to my hometown when I was in high school. We met her and her cute son, Even, for dinner. It was fun to see her again and catch up. After dinner we walked around the mall for a bit and said our goodbyes, it was time to head back to Bergen.

My Easter was so great. The Spets family was way too good to Karin & I! We had such a great time, I love Norway and its people. Now we are back to Bergen and in full swing with clinic and dental hygiene activities. We are planning outreach presentations to an international school, on top of clinic, outreach to the nursing home, and trying to catch up on classes and prepare for finals!

the weekend

2009-04-06T02:23:00.003-05:00

Well, it is another Monday and everyone at UIB (University of Bergen) is on Easter break. A little overcast this morning but probably will go for a hike before it is supposed to rain this afternoon- then to the aquarium? I should do some studying as well!

Slept in on Saturday and then Karin & I headed into the city for some shopping. So far, everything we have purchased has been on SALG (sale!). We found more treasures on Saturday. Both of us bought beautiful Norwegian sweaters that were reduced prices, what a steal! We were pumped about our purchases and are planning on wearing them for Easter in Trondheim. After shopping, we went home, and got ready to have a fun night out with the girls! Walked to Elise's work to meet her there when she finished up. Elise works at Meny- the Norwegian equivalent to Byerly's/Lunds- fancy! She looked adorable in her work outfit! After she was off, we bought ingredients for the most amazing dinner ever!

Walked back to her house and broke open the wine & began cooking. For starters, we had shrimp & crab sandwiches. I wasn't a big fan of the shrimp- mostly because you had to peel it and their eyes were looking at me and they were full of tons of eggs/poop!!! I digged the crab, though, super tasty! After getting pretty full off that, we had our main course: ultimate nachos! Elise was hesitant when we told her we wanted lettuce on them, but she liked it! They were soooo good! Ate them all!

Later, Kristen came over. Kristen graduated from the hygiene program last year and became good friends with Song & Afton (the girls who studied abroad here last year). She is working part time as a hygienist and at Ikea! She's great! Our classmate, Belinda, came over as well. We hung out and danced to Eurovision songs before walking to the bus stop to go downtown.

Went to the Scottman- a fun bar full of dancing, and the workers wear kilts! Pretty fun- the dancing is a bit different than the United States, it is a lot of swing dancing here! I think Karin & I enjoyed sitting back and watching the most, we both enjoy people watching. :) Had a fun night and then headed back to spend the night with Elise in her giant bed! Ate 2 pizzas for breakfast and then headed home on Sunday!

Had a great Sunday as well- Karin & I, feeling a little guilty over the nachos & pizza eaten, decided to go for a run around Bergen. After, we were greeted with a chicken wing dinner home-cooked by our housemates, Yi Hu & Kien. They are our buds here- super funny and good cooks! We ate dinner with Yi Hu, Kien & Charlotte (another girl living in Alrek) and then jammed for a bit with Kien's piano and Yi Hu's guitar. Went downstairs to play some intense ping pong and then off to bed!

We are staying in Bergen until Wednesday, then off to Trondheim for Easter. Gut Paske!

Norway 3: Ulriken, Alrek, etc

2009-04-04T02:55:00.001-05:00

the hike to Ulriken

2009-04-04T02:35:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was the best weather we have had so far in Bergen- it was so sunny and beautiful! Karin & I went to the student center in the city to pick up our student ID cards and then headed to a museum we had been eyeing up for a few days. The Bergen Museum is home to a giant collection of whale bones and lots of animals. It was really fun to look at all the animals! After the museum, we headed back to our housing for a quick lunch and to meet Elise for a hike.

We earlier thought about going up to Floyen again, but since it was so nice out, we attempted to climb Bergen's tallest mountain, Ulriken. The three of us set out on the journey- it was rough terrain! Once we started climbing higher, the trail turned into snow. The scariest part was that every few steps or so one of us would fall through the snow when we stepped and when we would look down, there was no solid ground under us! A lot of the time we were walking on packed snow that was held up in between caverns and over rivers- scary!!! We crossed a few bridges that were rickety, Karin & I kept saying that there is no way they would call this a trail in America! The craziest thing is that what we were hiking on was bike trail- I can't even believe how people can be so crazy/brave to attempt to ride a bike down the rocky landscape!

We stopped a few times on the way up to check out the awesome views. I kept getting more and more fearful as we got higher thinking about how we were supposed to get down! I made Elise promise me we would go on a different route down so I wouldn't have to cross those bridges again! I am such a wimp!!! The hike was pretty intense, and Karin & I were still sore from all the hiking we had done previously throughout the week. Once we started getting closer to the top, we ran into more hikers- which was relieving to me that we weren't the only crazy people climbing this mountain!

Climbing and climbing and climbing- we kept going until finally we made it! What a view! I actually became a little sick to my stomach realizing how high up we were! It was beautiful though- and cold! We found a bench and took in the view. I wish pictures could have captured how far we could see. Into the ocean, over other mountains- we could practically see England! (not really) It was really neat and we were thankful that Elise showed us the way up. After catching our breath and taking in the amazing landscape, we decided to make our way down again.

This time we took a different trail, it was all rocks but most of it had a railing near by to hold on to. It was great! I had a spill during one part on a wet rock when I let go of the railing to let some others by, then took a step and slipped down the rock on my butt! I was fine- just had a wet butt! Most of the trail down was a rocky stream of melting snow so it was pretty slippery. Elise must have mountain goat DNA because she could fly up and down the rocks without a blink- I clung on for my life! She is a great hiker! The hike was awesome, can't wait for the next time up Ulriken!

After we got home, Elise went to her place to get ready for the next day. We are going to her place tonight when she gets off work to make dinner and hang out with a few girls from class. Should be a great time! Last night Karin & I made our classic dinner: noodles, chicken & broccoli and joined one of our housemates, Andreas, to watch Kung Fu Panda- best movie ever! Well, off to start the day and climb another mountain!

Norway 2: city, Floyen, anchor, etc.

2009-04-04T02:29:00.001-05:00

address in Bergen

2009-04-03T03:15:00.001-05:00

Hi, hope all is well! Here is my address I am staying at while in Bergen:

Brenda Smith

Alrek Studentboliger

Rom 410

Arstadveien 25

Bergen Norway 5009

wednesday: the quest for the lost anchor

2009-04-01T18:45:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a day! It is almost 2 am in Bergen time & I can't sleep cause I went to bed at 9 pm from a long day, so I am having a yummy snack and updating my blog- then will study a bit and hopefully go back to bed. What a day, what a day we had yesterday. It was quite the adventure.

Went to clinic in the morning and shadowed again. The clinics are different than our schools- different protocols and rules so still getting adjusted to the changes. Karin & I think we are ready for patients- bring 'em on! The only thing I am hesitant about is the computer charting system- in Norwegian. It is a bit difficult to navigate through for charting. I am getting better with picking up words, like tannestein- tooth stone- or calculus/tartar. No more clinic for the rest of the week since the students here have some big exams before Easter break. Going to Trondheim with Elise from April 8-14 for Easter break!

So after clinic, we could not search for the waterfalls from the previous day because it had stopped raining and the waterfall apparently only comes out when it rains, like magic! So Karin & I packed our backpacks, laced up our shoes, and headed out to Floyen again to find the anchor. *Side story about anchor: One day in the '40s, a Nazi bomb exploded a Norwegian ship in the harbor, and the explosion was so large it caused a part of the ship's anchor to fly all the way up to the top of Floyen. Apparently, Karin's grandpa (who grew up in Bergen) says it flew past him and knocked him off his bike when he was little. We didn't believe it and had to see it for ourselves.

We hiked to the top of Floyen and asked how to find the anchor. Found out is it a far ways away through many trails. Got directions (although semi-unclear) and headed out. We were on our way to find the anchor! Ended up going the wrong direction at a T and ran into a father/daughter and asked them. We walked with them for about an hour as they tried to show us the way. Kept walking and walking- still eager to find it. They left us with more directions wished us good luck on our journey. Kept walking and ended up going all the way down Floyen...probably not a good idea since we would have to walk back up it.

Asked for directions again from a few nice Norwegians- they are very helpful and pretty good at English, plus who can resist two smiling, happy, Americans trotting around on a search for some stupid anchor? Found out it the anchor was a long ways away, and the fastest way was to take a special set of stairs all the way up the mountain, we thought it was a great idea! Found the entrance of the rock stairs and a tribute to the world record holder for fastest run up- 8 min. 13 sec. for a man who ended up croaking at the top from a heart attack- probably a sign we were in no condition for it! But we were determined.

I conquered my fear of heights during that walk! It started off like going up some nice rocky stairs and quickly transformed our hike into a climbing with our hands and holding on for dear life! The climb was really hard, but awesome. Karin & I blame it on the high altitude (thin air) for the reason we were panting so hard, but it was super intense!!! I definitely have never climbed anything like that before, we kept on thinking we had to be close to the top because we climbed for about an hour. We kept on telling ourselves we were close to stay motivated, I had to concentrate on each step so I wouldn't look back and get scared of the height! We had a great time- many laughs and a few swear words... :)

Can you believe it? We made it!!! What an accomplishment. We were so excited! And the view was amazing! We thought we were only a few minutes hike to the anchor, but were wrong again. We continued on a path and found out quickly how chilly it was up there! Walked until we found a crossroads and asked the only guy we could see for more directions. He pointed us straight ahead- and said the anchor was close, just look for the tower if you get lost and need to find the way back to town. So we kept walking! By now, we had probably walked about 4 hours without stopping.

Crossed some beautiful lakes that we partially frozen, climbed over big boulders, and slid down snow hills. Stepped in muddy water (which led to some wet shoes, oops), saw breath-taking scenery, and kept walking, walking, walking. We were not seeing any anchor and I was starting to feel like this adventure may be a bust. We saw a little house far away and Karin thought we should explore it. I was freaked out cause it reminded me of Blair Witch Project, but we went anyway. Over more rivers and through more woods till we arrived at the log cabin- which was empty and locked. We couldn't believe it- all this way and we haven't seen the anchor! Right when we were about to throw in the towel and make our journey back, I spotted something on a rock behind the house...guess what it was? THE ANCHOR!!!

We had imagined a huge anchor standing proud on a mountain like a monument, but were surprised to see it was just a chunk of metal on a rock with a small sign next to it- nobody would ever find this. I have no idea how we did! Karin thinks it was the gods of fate, but I think it was her Norwegian spidey-sense that led us to it. We took some pictures and laughed so hard about climbing up and down mountains to find this stupid little piece of metal! I cried when we found it cause I was so happy- more happy that now we could turn around and head home, but that now Karin would be satisfied and I could stop hearing all about this anchor!

One would think my story would end soon, but just half way. We still had to make our way back somehow! We retraced our path and started walking back to Floyen. The hike to Floyen took awhile and then we needed to walk all the way down it. Our legs were starting to get sore, and as Julie says it: our dogs were barking. The wet shoes didn't help. At least our spirits were high in the sense of accomplishing such a huge hike and seeing the anchor in person! We walked, walked, walked all the way down- like zombies. Karin thought her hips and knees were going to bust and I was convinced a bone was sticking through the skin of my foot (side note: these injuries were not real, just manifestations of pain from our delirium- we are both healthy and safe!) Finally, 2 more hours of hiking and we made it back! Couldn't wait for a warm shower and to stuff my face with peanut butter.

What a great day! What an adventure. Definitely makes top 5 in my lifetime. I will never forget how beautiful every part of the trip was and how through friendship and laughs we made it through a tough climb. Ready for round 2!

first day in clinic

2009-03-31T12:34:00.004-05:00

Today was our first day in the dental hygiene clinics. To start off the day we got our fancy new scrubs for clinic (see picture). They are a lot different than the ones I am used to! To start off, we look like chefs, plus they are elastic at the bottom! Everyone wears bright neon Crocs- good thing Karin & I brought some, we look like regular Norwegian dental students!

After we finished getting suited up in our clinic uniforms, we had a quick tour around the school & studied for a bit. We attended a case discussion during lunch (which was in Norwegian) but luckily had Lise near by to translate. After lunch we observed in the dental hygiene clinics for the afternoon. The building is old, but the clinics are very nice. We watched a dental hygiene student, Belinda, work today. Patricia, a hygiene faculty, helped us translate a sheet for new patients and show us the ropes of their system. We couldn't stop admiring a beautiful waterfall out the window in the clinics & Karin is determined to find the bottom of it. She promised me there would be a pot of gold and trolls at the bottom if I would go with her to find it so she better not be lieing!!!

After clinic, we caught a ride into town with Lise on her way to work and walked around for a bit. We both bought some new rainboots at a big sale. We were bargain shoppers today! I got 2 scarfs for cheap and Karin bought a scarf and new umbrella- all on sale. Then we went out for dinner at Dolly Dimples (pizza place). We got the kid's meal which was AWESOME- pizza, pop, and endless ICE CREAM buffet! We gorged ourselves with chocolate ice cream. While we were eating, a delivery truck was stopped and unloading, met a nice gent through the window who kept sticking his tongue out at me while Karin wasn't looking. Never knew his name, but he will be forever called Snickers cause that is what his sweatshirt said. How I miss you, Snickers! Just kidding!

Had a nice walk back to our place with our leftover pizza and treasures from shopping. Clinic tomorrow morning and then off to find the bottom of the waterfall!

some pictures

2009-03-30T11:24:00.003-05:00

Below is a slideshow of some pictures from the beginning of the trip- the flight, taking a walk through the city, and climbing Mt. Floyen. Today, Karin & I met with the director and got our ID cards. We made friends with a shuttle driver, Arild, and convinced him to hire us as volunteers for the Bergenfest Music Festival later this spring so we can go for free!

It was rainy today- and forecasted to rain the rest of the week. Despite wrestling with our umbrellas with the windy rain, we had a great walk through the city on a search for cheap coffee. We quickly discovered that nothing in Norway is cheap, oh well. Made an awesome dinner & now off to study the night away. Tomorrow is our first day of clinic here!

Norway 1

2009-03-30T09:36:00.001-05:00

we are here!

2009-03-29T09:04:00.003-05:00

Kar & I are in Norway! No internet in our rooms yet, but thanks to Elise, we got computer access in the dental school. So here is an update on our trip so far:

We had an AMAZING flight! Great food, great movies, and free wine! I was too busy watching Twilight and reading it to sleep on the plane! Flew into Amsterdam at 6:30 their time (about midnight our time) and waited till 9:30 to fly to Bergen. I sat by some lovely kids from England going to Norway to ski and we chatted about Harry Potter. The flight into Bergen was so so so beautiful, I will put pictures up soon!

Elise & Lise (hygiene students) met us at the airport and took us to the apartment. We are staying in student housing right by the dental school. Everyone that lives by us is super nice, I can't pronounce any of their names, but I am trying! After we threw our soaked suitcases (it had rained on our luggage) in our rooms we hit the city! Elise showed us downtown- it is so cute! We saw the fish market, Brygen (cute wooden shops), cafes, and churches. There is so much to explore! We had some awesome subs near the train station for lunch and were starting to get tired since we had stayed up for over 24 hours traveling. Went back to our apartments, attempted unpacking, and went to bed around 5 pm!

Today Karin, Elise & I took a hike to Fløyen. Man-o-man, I thought I was in decent shape but these Norwegians are intense! I could barely walk up the mountain and there were people running it! Eighty-year-old people were hiking faster to me! Elise told us about the traditional Sunday walks that Norwegians are famous for. We saw lots of families taking their kids and dogs for walks today. It was really neat to see so many families out and about.

After a rest and some lunch, Karin & I are starting another adventure. Elise made us a handmade map to her apartment. We are going to try to find it! Wish us luck, cause we need it! We are hoping for more sunshine here cause it makes a ton of difference. The weather is great- a little cold on top of the mountain (snow up there too- we almost slipped on the ice). We are meeting with the director, Mona, tomorrow to get set up as international students and get cool ID cards that get us into places around Bergen for cheaper!

We are both loving it here! Pictures coming soon once we get internet in our rooms! Take care!

god bless facebook

2009-03-23T22:21:00.002-05:00

Let the countdown begin! Just 3 more days at Moos Tower until the big trip! Karin & I are facebooking like crazy trying to get ready! So thankful for Song & Afton (the 2 lovely ladies who went last year) and Elise (from Bergen) who we are constantly messaging and asking millions of questions! Traveler's checks or use an ATM? Do we have to pay for printing in the Norwegian computer labs? How are we going to fit towels into our already over-packed suitcases? Etc, etc, etc. What would we do without facebook?

I am attempting to convince Karin that she NEEDS to bring 2 suitcases to carry all her stuff. She refuses. I will not lose this battle, she will regret not being able to take home her precious souvenirs because her one and only suitcase is too small! I must change her mind!!!

2009-03-20T12:34:00.004-05:00

One week till Karin & I fly out! Woo hoo!

things i want to do in bergen

2009-03-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

So I know that I am still 10 days out before the big trip to Norway, but my excitement is growing more and more each day! I have compiled a list of things I want to do/see in Bergen. I am sure the list will grow once I get there and see for myself all the things to do. I hope Karin & I find enough time to do all this and study for boards!

Do this with Karin: http://www.rallarvegen.com/index.php?m=allinclusive&lang=enm=allinclusive&lang=en m=allinclusive&lang=en
Go to Sognefjord
Check out the Bergen fish market & Brygenn (waterfront)
Bergenfest - Music Festival 28 April-3 May
Take the Flaam Railway from Bergen to Oslo.
Visit the many art museums & churches
Go for a bike ride to see the old Leprosy compound, turned museum...right Karin?
Have Elise show us the town!
Take a ride on the Fløibanen funicular railway to Floyen
17 May: Constitution Day in Bergen: http://www.17-mai.com/
Climb all 7 mountains...on 25 May: the seven mountain walk is 30 kilometers long and a total elevation of 2200 meters.

Mount Ulriken
Mount Floyen (and eat gelato at the top)
Sandviksfjellet
Lovstakken
Lyderhorn Mountain
Damsgaardfjellet
Rundemanen Mountain

This list is in its prelimary stages, I think more will be added. :)

2009-03-13T17:53:00.000-05:00

<------ A preview of what's to come: Karin, me & Elise.

This fall we hit up a local store dedicated to the great country of Norway. Although Elise felt right at home, they failed to carry her favorite brown cheese. We were all heartbroken, but at least we could enjoy a great photo op.

This picture is super nerdy but I adore it.

2 weeks to go!

2009-03-13T17:23:00.000-05:00

2 weeks until Bergen!

I am flying out of Minneapolis on March 27 with my classmate & friend, Karin, to endure a long plane ride (full of excitement, Benadryl-induced slumber, and studying for boards) to the beautiful city of Bergen, Norway!

Karin & I will be spending April & May as dental hygiene exchange students at the University of Bergen Dental School. I am really looking forward to seeing Elise (the exchange student we had from Norway this fall) again to give her a great big hug and catch up on the past months. Also, I can't wait to hike some mountains and work on my photography skills as I admire the scenery. Hard to believe I will be there in only 2 weeks!

2008-12-30T08:47:00.000-06:00

Greetings, welcome to my first blog. I decided to create a blog to share my upcoming trip to Norway with family and friends easily. I hope you enjoy taking a look at my travels!