Monthly Archives: October 2013

Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2013 by sophiakingsley

Happy Halloween, everyone! Halloween isn’t a very big holiday in Norway. Kids stop going trick-or-treating when they’re ten or eleven, whereas if I was in the US, I would definitely be going this year. Not very many carve pumpkins either. … Continue reading →

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Båtsfjord

Posted on October 27, 2013 by sophiakingsley

My host mom comes from Båtsfjord, a tiny fishing village in the mountains even farther north than Vadsø. It normally takes about two hours to drive there, a little longer now that there’s snow. The road is narrow and goes … Continue reading →

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Bunad

Posted on October 27, 2013 by sophiakingsley

The bunad is Norway’s national costume, and there are many, many different types for the various regions. The one I’m wearing comes from Lillehammer because my host dad’s family originally came from Lillehammer. Lillehammer is in the south, sort of … Continue reading →

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Sparking

Posted on October 20, 2013 by sophiakingsley

I would consider the weather today to be a snowstorm, but apparently it’s not. You have to wait until you literally can’t see a meter in front of your face to call it that. People kept calling this bad weather, … Continue reading →

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Vadsø in the Fall

Posted on October 16, 2013 by sophiakingsley

A snowy view of Varangerfjorden. A little more snow comes every night and then melts a little during the short day. It’s absolutely beautiful to go out walking in the dark when the snow is falling. It’s a constant winter … Continue reading →

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Second Month (And Snow!)

Posted on October 13, 2013 by sophiakingsley

SNØ! DET E FØRSTE SNØ! Not much and it’s melting quickly, but it’s finally here! Now I can bundle up in my huge winter jacket and boots without looking like a complete wimp. We expect to get more later this … Continue reading →

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On Holiday!

Posted on October 11, 2013 by sophiakingsley

It’s høstferie! That’s the Norwegian autumn holiday. I’m very happy they have it, since there’s no Thanksgiving, obviously. The days are getting shorter, with the sun going down around 5-5:30pm. It’s also colder and windier, and there’s snow on the … Continue reading →

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When People Find Out I’m American

Posted on October 8, 2013 by sophiakingsley

If I had gone to a country like Japan, it would have been immediately obvious that I’m foreign. However, in Norway I often have to tell people where I’m from in order to explain why I have the grammar of … Continue reading →

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Why Americans Don’t Study Abroad

Posted on October 7, 2013 by sophiakingsley

Warning: this isn’t quirky information about Norway or cute pictures of reindeer. It’s a frustrated rant about the American education system and how it discourages students from even considering going abroad. I was the first person in quite a few … Continue reading →

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Finland

Posted on October 6, 2013 by sophiakingsley

Tana Bridge (Tana River is a little west of where Varanger Fjord begins) Finland! We drove to Finland today. It didn’t really feel like crossing a border; we just kept driving along the road. I wouldn’t have known we were … Continue reading →

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