There and Back Again

What I've been up to!

2009-04-04T11:44:00.007+01:00

I know it's been ages since I posted. Truthfully I have just been so busy (and a little sick) but I have medication now and an extension for my uni work so in both cases things are looking up.

I have been very busy though, lots of projects going on with uni and (most) of them are really fun but take up alot of time! One of my propjects is a brochure (though I'm doing a book) on Phobias - I'm doing it sort of in the style of a dictionary and it's going to be an exploration of typography and print / materials.

This week I have spend DAYS creating my own fonts for this book; I found a website where you can do this online (and for the moment it's comepletely free) It's not an in depth font creation programme so you can't spend time on kerning and the more technical side of typography but for a free programme it's really really cool. The address is www.yourfonts.com

This is the 3 fonts I have made (click the image for a better look) I think the site is mostly meant for people to make their own handwriting into a font but for what I needed it was great. I will invest in a font creation programme at some point in the future as typography is a side of design that I love, but for now this is fine!

This is an example of the kind of thing I am exploring for my book. Still at the experimentation stage right now.

Other than that there has not been alot going on apart from work (I havent really even been training that much, which I hate) Just been so busy - I have hardly studied Norwegian at all which is really nagging at me - I had a dream the other night that my little niece was speaking fluent Norwegian and I was still stumpbling my way through sentences. It's frustrating me obviously! I'll get there - there are so many things I need to get sorted right now it's quite stressful - As amazing an experience the exchange to Norway was I feel in a way that I have lost 6 months here - so many things were stopped in their tracks and I havent managed to pick them up yet. I guess I lost my routine. I am a person who thrives on routine and order in a way so it's been a bit much.

I am glad I went though, as time goes on the memories become even more rose tinted you know how it goes. I miss my friends the most, but I have had a few nightmares that I have woken up back in that grotty dive Fantoft! I miss Norway generally too, the place - but I do prefer the East. I know I'll be back there soon so no worries - and I plan to visit Bergen as well. See Maria et al and Anita!

Anyway I have to go - I am actually training today and then back to work (oh, on another good note one of my lecturers recommended me to some 3rd year photography students to help design their degree show material) so I am working on that too - it's nice to be recommended and a good opportunity for me to 'network'. I want to do a good job for them, they're a nice bunch. Tiny budget though. Aarrggh.

I shall try and make a slot to post on my blog every saturday just so I can keep this up to date. Fingers crossed!

Bye x

Real Snow

2009-02-12T20:43:00.004Z

Well.... Hans' Aunt Britt sent me a photo of the current snow in their part of Norway...

Kirkenær snow... not fair :(

Makes our England snow look a bit...hmm...crap. BUT it's still the best snow we have had for ages and ages and ages - since I was 9 years old :) I am ignoring the fact that it has dissapeared now and we are left with the standard english grey clouds and rain/drizzle.

Still really missing Norway - everyone keeps asking me how it went over there and the more I talk about it the more I miss it! I am more and more excited to think that in a couple of years I will be preparing to move there (REALLY need to start studying the language again)

I have been so busy here lately - started back at uni full time, back at work, not to mention the cooking and cleaning and attempting to get to the gym... not really settled into a routine yet so will have to sort myself out and fast.

Speaking of which, have to go and cook now!

This is England!

2009-02-02T23:16:00.004Z

I think I brought a little bit of weather back from Norway (well, hardly in comparison) but I have really started to miss being in Norway, so the recent wonderful weather here has been somewhat of a comfort; (or as the newspapers are putting it, the worst snowfall to blight England in 18 years!)

I decided to take a slow walk home from uni today (yes I am back at uni now!) so took a few pics to upload as it is a bit of a rare occurance - to be honest it's not a particularly large amount of snow in the city - but some parts of the country - particularly rural England - have LOTS of snow - it's still going too and apparantly will be with us for a few days...

My university building from the back entrance...

Some pretty white pictures from my walk home - through Markeaton Brook,
Markeaton Park and on to Allestree

I am really missing Norway though, I sometimes wish we could just go back there now (together!) but it's not the right time... I am missing everyone, especially Anita, Maria and her family (and the cats!) it will be so nice when I get to see them again. I am pleased to be back at my university though - it's such a great experience to be on an exchange programme but I do prefer the style of learning more here - I guess I will talk more about that as the semester goes on!

A few pictures from Christmas...

2009-01-20T21:19:00.009Z

The scenery this Christmas was just as beautiful as previous years - although alot of the snow had dissapeared by the time we arrived from Bergen.

The barn in the garden of Hans' mothers

We went ice fishing (again) and I attempted to skate (again) Ice fishing is a typical thing in winter. I love doing this its such an experience for an english city girl, so amazing.. there were no other sounds around for miles it was so beautiful and peaceful... maybe too quiet at times when you can here the thunderous cracks of the ice breaking!

Hans' uncle Finn - looking very much the image of a typical 'outdoors' Norwegian -
I love this photo it really captured the feeling of the day.

Hans here, enjoying some ice fishing...

Finn, helping with my very tight right skate... (well they were the OLD skates of Hans' cousin who is only 13, and secondly I had about 300 pairs of thick socks on - my own ski socks and then various socks handed to me by concerned and well meaning relatives)

... and Hans helping with the left!

We didnt stay on the ice too long as everyone was eager to get to the bank and cook pølser (sausages)
over the fire and drink hot chocolate and coffee! Such a wonderful day!

The family together for Christmas dinner

Opening the presents after Christmas dinner, I think my 1 beer and glass of Aquavit (a drink traditionally drunk at Christmas in Norway) had gone straight to my head, hence the silly grin!

Hello and Happy New Year!

2009-01-19T18:27:00.007Z

Well it's a bit late, but Happy New Year to everybody!

It's been a while since I posted, but after getting back to England I needed a break from everything that had happened the last few months and to concentrate on Hans and my home and getting settled back into my routines! I shall be catching up on my friends blogs (had a holiday from those too, sorry!)

It's getting there now, and Bergen sometimes feels like a dream - I have mixed feelings - I miss Norway generally (but then I always do!) and I really, really miss the friends I made sooo much - but I don't miss living at Fantoft (I have even had nightmares that I am back in that room!) and to be honest I am not missing the school yet - in fact I am really looking forward to getting back to uni next Monday and seeing all my friends and my more familiar teachers. Anyway, I shall save this stuff for a proper post reflecting on the experience - I have a feeling that over time and the more I get settled back into things here my feelings on the exchange will change... we shall see. I really miss the internet connection speed though. ALOT.

So, I have changed the name of the blog from 'Lost in Translations' to 'There and Back Again' which is apt, since I have been there and am now back again... and it is also part of the name of Bilbos book in Lord of The Rings. Ha ha, still a geek. I changed the name because I feel that the blog itself has changed - I focussed before specifically on the exchange and now it will be more general - about my life and studies and learning the language and hopefully a way to keep updated and in contact with my friends in the North, as well as friends here and any other person who happens to find this interesting!

So again, happy new year!

Goodbye and Merry Xmas

2008-12-21T06:17:00.001Z

Well, the end is here.

I must be brief, we are on our way to catch a plane now. I shall be back with beautiful pictures of christmas but for now everybody - merry christmas / god jul!

Take care

Bergen by night

2008-12-17T09:26:00.006Z

I haven't taken many pictures at night (purely for the reason that the camera doesn't like it) I managed to get a coupled of ok ones when I went to the gym with Ida on Sunday - though it wasnt actually night technically - it was about 5pm.

The Christmas Tree out on the water in Sentrum
The decorated trees surrounding the water, and the houses lighting up the mountainside

Ida getting impatient!

The Christmas Stars on the main street

A boat all lit up at the port

Some of the lovely buildings in Sentrum

A restaurant I always think looks quaint :)

Bergen

2008-12-15T12:10:00.006Z

I was in Bergen yesterday, an area of the city I don't normally visit often so I thought I would take some pictures as it's a pretty area and I don't actually have that many of Bergen itself.

View towards Bergen Centre from Johannes Kirke

Johannes Kirke (I think it's called that)

Pretty cobbled streets - very common here

Bergen Museaum (not yet visited - will try and visit with Hans at the weekend.
They have a whale skelton!) it's HUGE apparantly...

Outside the museum

The 'posh' houses, a really pretty street I thought.

I took some more at night but I will do another post for that at somepoint.

HAHAHA (Lord of the Rings Outtakes)

2008-12-13T19:19:00.005Z

Just the kind of thing to make my day - though I would share it

They are all on the extended editions, but good to wath the short version. Enjoy!

Gigi

2008-12-13T00:10:00.007Z

Gigi is my friend Hannahs cat - I drew Hannah a picture of Gigi today on that facebook graffiti thing... I am posting it here (mostly because Hans loves Gigi and I want him to see this) but also because it looks so much like her and its pretty cool!

Gigi drawn with a mouse and basic paints on facebook

And gigi in real life

Yes I know I have coursework, this was my break!

Kirkenær

2008-12-12T11:11:00.008Z

As promised some pictures I have of Kirkenær, but to be honest I dont have that many on my laptop. I will have lots of beautiful ones after Christmas though! This is a little way out of the centre, so very peaceful - hardly anyone about!

Restless!

2008-12-10T21:19:00.006Z

Guess how I am feeling? Restless.

I am struggling to focus on this last project, I think I am getting excited about Christmas and being back with Hans and just having a break. There are a few people I will really miss though when I leave here, so it will be sad too. Who would have thought!

I keep looking at the pictures of Kirkenær, I don't have many on my laptop though - i have hundreds at home. This is the driveway towards Hans' mums house which you can just see at the back of the picture. I love this photo, and it wasn't even particularly snowy that year - apparantly there is loooooads of snow this year.

I love this one too; it's a tree in the garden... it hadn't snowed yet but it had been so cold for days that a layer of frost had built up over everything - it was really beautiful in its own way. The grass and all the little twigs on the trees looked amazing!

I am looking forward to writing a good post after Christmas and putting up photos of what goes on - it's so beautiful there I can't describe it and its very cosy. It will be a nice thing to share. I think after being away for so long this Christmas will be great... just wish now that the uni term was done and I could spend my last few days in Bergen actually enjoying Bergen!

I am going to see Maria and her family tomorrow for lunch. She has so kindly offered to turn up some jeans I bought (I feel so bad for buying them but they are so nice) but anyway its a good excuse to go and say hi to everyone. Then this weekend I think there is an end of semester/xmas party at the school so I'll be going ot that with Maria and Anita, then Sunday (recover) and then go and say my goodbyes to Ida and her family. Then after that there are only 6 days left in Bergen and 5 of them will be full time working on my last project! (including another presentation, grrrrr!)

Anyway, going to do a little bit more work. Try at least. Might pack some more :)

#16 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-10T21:16:00.003Z

I really miss just having Hans there to waffle at at the end of every day - we do it on Skype but it's not the same... it really helps when I can't focus.

I'm all over the place right now, I can't settle on doing one thing properly I am wasting time really. I might clean up, de-clutter = de-stress.

Last Project

2008-12-08T19:16:00.003Z

I can't quite get my head around the fact that in 2 weeks I will no longer be in Bergen! I will still be in Norway, visiting Hans' family for Christmas and then finally back in England late on 30th December... it's a strange feeling, it feels like such a short time away yet it also feels like ages! Apparently its already so snowy and christmassy in Kirkenær so it should be lovely... I am a bit stressed at the thought of dragging my luggage around norway for a couple of weeks, but I guess that's minor details!

I will really miss Bergen, of course - but I am SO looking forward to going home and being back with Hans... and having a well needed rest. I think most of all I will miss the friends I have made her, but I definately intend to keep in contact with them so it's a good thing!

Anyway, its my final project in school (which feels so weird as I have handed in my portfolio now) The aim of the project is to design a web based solution for the magazine I created in my last project (a magazine called 'female fighter' and aimed primarily at women)

Part of the project is to keep a blog detailing our progress, so for those of you who are interested to see how it is going, the link to female fighter is on the right. You never know I might even keep it going afterwards, seeing as it's a hobby of mine anyway... we'll see how it develops.

I think this blog will keep on after I have arrived home too, but it will be more focussed on learning the norwegian language and any other Norway related business. I have an idea in mind after a funny conversation I had with some friends today so we'll see... and of course I will still post beautiful pictures from all my visits here. I am looking forward to posting ones after Christmas too!

Anyway, waffly random post there... I have not posted for a bit as I have been so busy with my portfolio and (literally) not left the room for 2 days at a time so there has not been much to post about. I'll try and be better but I think the next 2 weeks will be busy and go so fast...

Best thing though, there are only 10 more sleeps til Hans gets here (can't wait!!!)

x

#15 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-07T23:01:00.002Z

I miss that however hard I think I am working, Hans makes me work that little bit harder. With coursework, in the gym - everything apart from the dishes, he tells me to leave them :)

#14 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-05T06:13:00.003Z

Hans has a shaved head, and I miss when he hasn't shaved for a few days and he gets a soft, spiky layer of hair. I always stroke it (which is probably annoying) but i love doing it anyway

#13 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-03T22:00:00.005Z

I really miss Hans' damn fine bum ;) finest bum around. finest bum in town.

Uniqlock

2008-12-02T20:14:00.007Z

I was reading about some of the design related awards on the D&AD blog and came across the Uniqlo Clock you can see on the right - I just thought it was so cool I had to find it and add it. You can download it as a screensaver and as a widget, it's a constant accurate clock (you can set it to your time) with the dancers dancing constantly I just thought it was beautiful. Apparantly it does something special on the hour too so I shall have to keep an eye out :)

It has sound too if you want to hear it (and I would recommend listening to it to add to the effect of the dancers) but I added it to the blog to be automatically silent... if you are anything like me being taken by surprise by music and moving images on website can be annoying unless I actually want to watch / listen to stuff. Same reason I don't like purely flash websites - and not at all because I don't know how to make them ;)

#12 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-02T19:43:00.003Z

I really really miss (especially now!) how when I am getting stressed about deadlines Hans helps me sit back, take a breath and relax! Actually he makes me feel better when I get stressed about most things, but deadlines is at the front of my mind right now!

#11 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-12-02T01:08:00.002Z

Technically I have missed one out as it's so late, I have been working all evening...

The internet back home is broken, so I haven't spoke to Hans tonight - so a really obvious yet honest and true thing that I miss; Hans!

I really miss you Hans (but only 16 days to go woohoo!)

xxx

#10 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-30T22:03:00.005Z

I miss when Hans cuddles me in the morning before he even wakes up, and doesn't even know he is doing it :)

#9 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-29T22:35:00.007Z

I miss how in moments of extreme emotion (such as when he is watching his favourite fighter or the alarm clock is going off way too early) Hans reverts to cursing or shouting (well, talking loudly, he never shouts) in Norwegian. I always know he is really engrossed or mad with something when he does that!

ELF YOURSELF!

2008-11-29T22:14:00.008Z

I have been being really naughty and making jibjab 'elf yourself' christmas cards for people this year - they are alot more interesting than normal cards and they are also very humourous as you take peoples faces and stick them onto elves who then do little crazy dances. I am naughty because I have been finding the worst pictures of people I can and sending them!

BUT Hans got me back and made one of us, using the worst pictures he could find!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanks for that Hans. (It also stars little Junior, RIP)

Anyway, if you have a little time on your hands and fancy making your friends and family laugh whilst doing your bit for the environment, then check out the website. They are free to make and send and there are a couple of different choices of dances. Its definately worth it, everyone I have sent them to have absolutely loved them :)

#8 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-28T18:38:00.004Z

I really miss that sometimes when I get out of the shower, Hans has left a little message in the condensation on the mirror... but what the messages say is my secret ;)

#7 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-27T19:16:00.005Z

(Its 3 weeks tonight until Hans gets here - I can't WAIT!)

I miss how Hans always makes me laugh no matter how sad I am feeling. I especially love it when you get to know each other so well and become best friends and you have all your little private jokes and things like that - its a really nice side to being in a long term relationship.

(I mean long term as in forever and a day... dont worry)

#6 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-26T19:44:00.004Z

I really miss sitting in a coffee shop with Hans, just relaxing and inspecting our recent aquisitions; Hans will have his latest magazine (a fighters mag or SFX or something) and I will be admiring some little trinket I just bought or (probably more often) people watching out of the window (sometimes at the people right next to me which annoys Hans!!!)

I will usually have a Caramel Coffee or a Latte and a slice of cheesecake, and Hans will have a Chai Latte and a skinny blueberry muffin :)

We don't do it all the time but often enough; its a little treat for me I think!

100 Posts!!!

2008-11-26T19:33:00.004Z

I just realised when I logged in that this will be my 100th post. It falls on a nice day actually because this evening I started packing (not packing properly, but just 1 or 2 things I wont be needing) I am getting so excited to be back with Hans that I have decided to allow myself the pleasure of packing a couple of things a day until he arrives :) I tried so hard not to but there are a few things I brought along that I haven't used once, which is a bit annoying. On reflection my bags could have been lighter basically. But on the other hand I packed alot lighter than most girls would have (but I always do!) Anyway, hopefully the exercise of packing will help with my excitement / nerves!

Anyway there is not much to report; the Bergen rain has returned and is murdering the snow (but it was a lovely teaser, and I am glad I got the chance to take photos when I did) and other than that I have been a little run down with a cold and at the same time doing loads of uni work, so I have been sat at the desk for hours and hours at a time. Boring to write about but the work is fun...

So, just a quickie to celebrate 100 posts!

#5 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-25T19:38:00.007Z

I miss when we settle down to watch a film or a favourite show, and Hans massages my feet for ages and ages.

OK bogle.

#4 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-24T20:36:00.003Z

I miss his funny looks!

OK this one needs a little background: One could (if you were being stereotypical) assume that with Hans being Norwegian, he would have a healthy love of fisk (fish). Well he does not. The poor guys hates it! but bless him he is very health concious and every so often will go out and buy some to try because he knows its very good for him... BUT every time is the same - a torturous meal experience.

Sometimes I ask him (for a joke) if he would like it if I made him some lovely smoked salmon for tea. I really miss the look he gives me - a mixture of contemplation and pure disgust - before settling on his answer; 'NO.' It's funny to me because it seems like every time I ask he forgets he hates it (but knows there is some reason he isn't immediately saying yes) and has to think long and hard about what I just asked him!

Coffee after school

2008-11-24T20:07:00.006Z

One of the nicest times of the day right now is just when it's getting dark - Bergen looks really pretty especially with the snow (although the snow has subsided now, I hope it comes back!)

I went for a coffee and a bite to eat after school with Anita and Maria which was really nice. I love going for coffee anyway but its extra nice when there is snow outside and its getting dark. I cant remember everthing we talked about but we had a laugh too so it was a good end to the day! The cafe was so cosy, and my sandwich was lovely too :) Anyway, got a couple of pics to remember the evening by :)

The tree and lamp post reminded me of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Bergen Sentrum looks so pretty at dusk

Maria's yummy looking mocha

Anita chillaxin'

Maria chillaxin'

I shall keep this short and sweet as I am still not feeling well - now I am aching all over (even the back of my hands!) and my chest is sore and my eyes hurt... poor me! I am going to have a hot shower and then some hot chocolate and poached eggs and see if it helps. Fingers crossed!

x

#3 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-23T20:35:00.003Z

Well, I guess this is a no-brainer as I am feeling preety ill today and trying to work at the same time...

I really miss that whenever I am sick back home, Hans FORCES me to relax; brings me a blanket, lemsips, coffees - anything I need. I always seem to get better quicker...

#2 of '27 things I miss about Hans'

2008-11-22T18:28:00.002Z

I really miss (kinda miss) sometimes when I go to give Hans a hug and he turns it into an armbar... or reverses the hug, takes my back and tries to choke me out... ahh, they joys of living with a martial artist / MMA fanatic!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2008-11-22T14:43:00.012Z

I have been awake since 8:00am today (which is impressive since I finally slept at 03:30am this morning) I haven't done any work yet - I just couldn't!

The snow has continued to fall here in Bergen and it is just beautiful, so I couldn't help myself - I pulled on my thermals, charged my camera and waited for the sun to come out. It was lovely to spend a couple of hours out walking in the beautiful Norwegian nature, in what is (in my opinion) it's most impressive guise; winter.

It really is gorgeous and the camera didn't do it justice, but it really relaxed me to be outside - after the battery died on my camera i was finding excuses to stay out a little longer! As I have said many times - I love winter. And the snow was so soft and fluffy - like powder! not like the brown slush I am used to in the city back home in England.

I went walking up to the Stav Kirke I visited earlier in the year - there were a few locals around walking their dogs but surprisingly hardly anyone else - yet there are SO many people living here at Fantoft and the Kirke is so near and it really was a good walk - on my way there and back I saw plenty of people taking pictures AT Fantoft - but I don't get it, there may be snow yes but its on ugly buildings and a building site! If they walked 10 or 15 minutes up the road (if that) they would see beautiful scenery...

I guess snow is snow - on my way out a woman stopped me and asked me in very broken English to 'PLEASE take a photo of her in the white snow'. She didn't care that behind her there was a metal fence and cranes and mud - she only saw snow! It made me smile - I thought to myself afterwards maybe she has hardly ever seen snow before? Maybe even never? There are so many people out, all laughing, building snowmen, it's pleasant to watch.

Anyway, a few of my favourite photos of my walk. They are really worth a closer look so click on them to see a full size image;

The Stav Kirke in all it's glory

So pretty covered in snow

The snow was half way up my shins!

Beautiful Winter Scene

Snow on the mossy rocks

Winter Trees

The last remnants of autumn

Its like a christmas card

I was missing Hans on my walk anyway, but
this tree carving made me miss him more!
'elsker deg' means 'love you' in Norwegian

Finally, I just loved these tiny and cute bird prints!

I hope you get some pleasure out of the pictures and they show you some more of Norways' perfect beauty... well, I really should get back to work!

x

27 things I miss about Hans #1

2008-11-21T16:31:00.005Z

Ok, this is the first of my daily 'things that I miss about Hans' list, to help me cope with the excitement of seeing him in 27 days!

#1: I really miss that sometimes Hans makes me a 'special coffee' for a surprise, and always when I least expect it!

It's 'special' because he puts a little maple syrup in (I normally dont have any sugar/sweetner) and it's extra nice of him because he doesn't drink coffee, or hot drinks at all very often. He knows how much I love my coffee bless him!

The first snow

2008-11-21T15:41:00.016Z

I just had the best gym session EVER! I have been working on my new project at home and the last 2 days have probably worked 12-14 hours straight per day (with obvious food / coffee breaks) So that also means I have been to the gym quite alot - i love training anyway as most of my bored to death friends can confirm, but when you are sitting in front of a screen working so much its such a stress relief to have a break and go to the gym for an hour; you burn your energy, feel rested in an odd way and streeetch!!! Today anyway I went to the gym and it was all the things that make it a perfect session (to me)

hardly anyone there
had a great workout
snow was gently falling the whole time so it looked pretty out of the windows
they played Lord of The Rings; The Two Towers soundtrack - AMAZING

(People who know me would know how awesome I would find it to be working out whilst Lord of The Rings is on - plus it includes one of the songs I have secretly reserved for our wedding)

WEDDING SONG: (acually I just previewed this post and its really nice to look at the snow pictures below whilst the song is playing - go on indulge yourself)

I dont know what Hans will make of this, but I wants it precious! Man I am such a geek. So, now I have decided to watch Lord of the Rings again even though it was only 6 weeks ago I have watched it) I must have seen each of those movies now about 15 times?! The Felowship of The Ring is on pause as I write this... sad? no I don't think so.

Anyway, the last couple of days have been pretty nice - wednesday evening 2 friends came over - one had made a cake and the other came with wine - it was kind of a belated birthday thing and also just a general catch up, but it was really nice and good to have a laugh.

It has also been snowing!!! almost constantly for 2 days now, at first I didnt think it would settle as its so wet here in Bergen - but it has, and I am pleasantly surprised because everyone said it didnt snow here. Maybe it will go pretty fast but for now anyway it's really pretty.

The night it first started to settle - just my solitary footprints

The scene I woke up to from my window this morning

The mountain in the distance (Løvstakken I think)

everywhere looks so pretty

The fluffy snow looks so nice on the bushes

It is still snowing now so I hope it lasts a few more days. Everyone seems a little more smiley in general and whilst I work it's lovely to hear the children playing outside (not my children by the way, I havent been hiding anything)

I have also decided now that as there are only 27 days to go until I see Hans and also that I was 27 at the weekend I shall try to write '27 things I miss about Hans' One a day - It should help me deal with my excitement! They might not always be the obvious things, sometimes its peoples' little quirks that you really miss when you are apart... we shall see!

I love Norway

2008-11-19T16:06:00.006Z

You know it's only 29 days today until I see Hans again - I am looking forward to it so much I can't even begin to describe it!

But I have been realising, the last few weeks (since I got back from my trip home really) I have been loving it here more and more and although I can't wait to see Hans I am also a little sad to be leaving. As in Norway in general - I hate leaving every time... I think its because I am over the half way mark (very much over it now) and it feels less like something I have to do and I am remembering all of the reasons why I wanted to do this in the first place... because I love it here! I will miss Bergen, miss my new friends, miss the cold, crisp air, miss the school even! I haven't gotten to know all of my classmates as well as I should like (as everyone is so shy - including me!) but I will miss them all too. There is still another month to go though so I guess this is a little premature! so,

I wont miss Fantoft though, or the explosions, they are some of the few things I will scratch from my memory immediately! I think I am boring my friends to death by saying over and over again that if Hans was here I wouldn't want to leave (I guessed that when my friend Anita finished my sentence the other day!!!) Also I have begun panicking that I only have 29 days to become fluent in Norwegian (yeah right) so I told my friends today they can be strict with me from now on when I say things arse backwards... and also from now on will try and only speak to them in Norwegian (which should be fun!) and stressful maybe... for all involved!

Anyway just a short post to let you know how I am feeling at this moment in time. I have been so busy with uni that I haven't the capacity to write my usual essays! I finsihed the book design course which I got good feedback for (but the pictures will be too big to get on here) and now am working on 'Redaksjonell Design' which I think is editorial design... I have a great idea I am working on for a fighter magazine, and the teacher seemed to be very interested in the originality and also how I will solve the problems of addressing so many stereotypes within the design... more details to come!!!

Norwegian Hospitality (Part 2)

2008-11-17T13:40:00.005Z

I had another lovely weekend here in Bergen!

It was my birthday yesterday - 27! I was a little nervous about it actually as I am away from Hans, home and family, but Saturday night I had arranged to visit Maria's again...

It was a REALLY lovely evening as usual, with the usual gathering; Maria and her family and neighbours and also another couple of friends from school. Marias boyfriend Jan Ove made home made burgers with 'elg kjøtt' (Elk (moose) meat) and they were seriously the bestest burgers I have had in my whole life! there was home made fries and chilli relish and a few bottles of wine.

As before, the preparing of the meal was as relevant to the evening as everyone sitting down to enjoy it - everyone was taking part and lending a hand; Anita and Kim cutting the fries, Maria and I chopping onions and tomatoes! Very cosy. I was kindly surprised with a couple of gifts throughout the night too - some bodyshop cream and lipgloss, a book too!

Later after the meal I was totally surprised again with a birthday cake and the Norwegian Birthday song (I have no idea how it went though!) it was really very sweet of everyone! I really missed not having Hans there but nevertheless my friend here made it a great night for me!

I also had some really lovely birthday messages from friends and family - and a lovely necklace from Hans' cousin and a cooking apron with 'elg' (moose) on it from Hans mum! So all in all it's been lovely - thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and kindness!!!

My lovely cake!

A little shy and overwhelmed at such kindness!

I have been tagged! 15 things I am not afraid to admit

2008-11-10T02:08:00.009Z

OK, I have been tagged by L-Jay from mylittlenorway.com! I am not really sure what it is, but as she kindly took the time to tag me I will do my best to reply!

I think I will try and write a mixture of things - both about my experiences here in Norway and also little things about me! I have no idea what to put so far... I shall go and make a hot chocolate and mull it over....

.... ok here goes

I read The Lord of The Rings at least once a year and watch the films probably 2 or 3 times (and yes, I still cry every time Gandalf 'dies' - even though I know he comes back later on)
I don't understand the difference between the seemingly billions of different kinds of Norwegian Bread... so I just buy the cheapest.
I knew I would marry Hans the moment I first saw him - a story for another time but one I will never forget!
I am really terrified of flying and spend the whole time in the plane convinced that I am going to die.
Since I have been in Norway I have studied my Norwegian books properly around twice - one of the main reasons I am here is to get better at the language and I have really been slack with it. It's just SOOOO tiring listening to people speak Norwegian all day - it really takes it out of you - the last thing I want to do when I get home at the end of the day is read Norwegian.
I forget everybodies names and everybodies birthdays. I really am terrible with things like that - I am forever forgetting names, calling people the wrong names and I am the WORST person I know with birthdays. I annoyed my brother Josh when he came to stay for the weekend by calling him Ryan the whole time (the name of another brother) I dont even remember my age alot of the time - seriously. I have to ask Hans.
I am not as independant as I thought I was - this exchange trip to Norway has made me realise alot of things about myself. I think I am better at being alone than alot of people, but I am not as good as I thought I would be. The first few weeks after Hans left were so hard to bear that I almost folded.
I am scared of being in love. Although it is the best thing that has happened to me and I have never been happier - I am terrified of how vulnerable you can feel sometimes when you are in love. Enough said - anyone who has ever been in love will know what I mean.
I talk to myself. Alot. I talk to my laptop, the TV,animals, the weather outside (yes the weather) I also argue with myself. No I don't. Yes I do. (Ha ha couldn't resist)
I am shy. I have always been shy; I can remember hiding under tables when I was little...its a bad thing alot of the time - especially here sometimes I miss opportunities to speak Norwegian or talk to people or make new friends because I am shy.
I have been training MMA for over 2 years and I am still not very good at it (the memory thing again)
At least once a day I wonder 'what is out there?' I am not currently practicing any religion (I was brought up Christian, christened and baptised) but i wonder about it every day and I get scared in case I'm wrong.
I have a minor obsession with Zombies (and one of the reasons I love Hans is because he does too!)
I feel ignored sometimes in Norway - hence the blog name! I feel like an alien...
And finally, I deleted loads of things that I wrote down because I realised - I was afraid to admit them!

Phew that was hard - 15 things is alot. For me at least, I don't like to admit stuff unless the mood takes me...

I shall tag Hannah at Spans Stitchin - a friend of mine who has recently begun crafting and has a lovely blog documenting her progress!

Its nearly 04:30! Oh dear, goodnight

xxx

Lastest project - book design

2008-11-10T01:40:00.009Z

Just thought I would post a bit about my latest project - bok design (book design - not a hard Norwegian phrase even for me!)

The basic task was to go out and find a book, and re-design it. It's actually pretty fun, I love this kind of stuff - but we don't have very long to do it! I found an old book (almost as old as me!) calle økologisk design (ecological gardening) and this is the one I have decided to re-do!

As you can see (it is kind of 'quaint' and has a quality to it) but it is also very outdated (and as my friend put it - it looks like a childrens book) I haven't started on the inside yet - although I have plans! but here is what I have done so far for the cover;

Redesign of the book title - I decided that it would suit the theme of the book to actually make the title out of soil! It turned out good, although I don't have the best camera in the world! It took a whole night (with the aid of online TV and a glass of wine) to make the stencil and glue all the soil into the letters - but it was worth it - I am happy with the way it turned out. You can click on the picture to see it in more detail;

The plan for the front of the book is to have it very simple - the title and a simple image only. After loads of sketches I decided on the idea of having a little sapling and some roots (with natural and earthy colours) and then on the back of the book the sapling will have grown to a full size plant (symbolising that this book will have you growing your own garden by the end of it)

FRONT COVER

BACK COVER

So there is still alot to do, but this is where I am at so far (and why I have been so quiet)

On a ultra cheerful endnote - Hans booked his flight today! (WOOHOO) He is arriving in Bergen on 18th December. That is a day earlier than expected so he has cut my countdown down by a day :) So today it is 39 days instead of 40 until we are together again. I really can't wait - we have been invited to go and visit Maria and her family (in fact she said they would come and kidnap us if we didn't go!) so I really can't wait for that weekend - it will be amazing. I will finally be able to be 100% happy being with friends in beautiful places, but with Hans.

xx

Literal

2008-11-07T19:16:00.005Z

Just wanted to share these videos that Hans showed me on You Tube... a bit silly but really made me laugh!!! watch them, they are really funny and will make you laugh!

Ha ha, thanks Hans xx

It's good to have great friends...

2008-11-05T20:47:00.007Z

Especially old friends that you have had for years! Friendships are like alot of things - they come and go sadly, but there are always 1 or 2 people you hope to know for your whole life - I am working away right now and trying to write my 'oppgave' (it's sort of like a statement to justify my work) For a moments respite, I wrote to Hannah on MSN and the conversation made me laugh out loud to myself so I had to share it;

ME: "i cant believe i am writing about ecological gardening in norway in the 1980s! If you told me that 6 years ago I would have handed you another hallucinogenic cocktail"
HANNAH: "mate, i'm crocheting a pair of 1980's legwarmers with some foul green yarn someone has given me - for my sister, and yes she will wear them"
ME: "What happened to us?!"
HANNAH "I know!!"
ME: "...those funky rock chicks drinking black russians; me jumping around to Fear Factory - you prancing about to Guns'N'Roses..."
HANNAH: "I think I would still do that now!"
ME: "Me too... would take a couple of black russians though - and a hallucinogenic cocktail"
HANNAH: "I banned Phil from making cocktails after he made a foul one one new years eve with a pickled onion in it - made him sick all the next day, i'd never known him to be sick with a hangover before..."

Ha ha! the good old days - in all serious though, it's great to reminicse; as well as making you smile it makes you realise just how far you have come - even if you are not exactly where you want to be right now (or more to the point, not with who you want to be with)

Thanks for all the good times, Hannah and Phil - we had such a laugh!

x

New day, New Course... 45 days

2008-11-05T19:02:00.010Z

Oh well, It's a new day!

I have started back at the school now, and we are embarking on an interesting project; to re-design a book. I have chosen 'økologisk hagebruk'. Cant be bothered to talk about it now but I am sure I will update as soon as I have some ideas!

I got to school early to day (amazing for me) about 8:40 i think - i was under the impression that we started at 9:00 (as per usual) but apparantly my Norwegian skills aren't sharp enough yet to pick up 'dear students - due to the American Presidential Election, come in at 10:00 tomorrow'. Could have had a lie in.

Anyway, there was no-one else around so I wandered off around the school and took a couple of pictures of the place, it's a beautiful old builing - sure a little messy at times but hey! it's an art school! I am sure I will want to look back and remember the school too, as knowing my memory I wil start to forget around...hmm January 10th 2009!#

Pretty stained glass windows feature in the main stairway

About to go up the stairs!

The awesome view down the stairs!

View towards the town from the front windows

The view from the back of the school - the houses nestled
on the bottom of the mountain slopes. Beautiful.

Don't you just hate it when...

2008-11-03T20:07:00.006Z

...you try and talk to someone about something and they completely brush it off? I do. Really bugs me and makes and already tetchy mood worse..... nevermind.

I have just had a tough couple of days I guess, and as before I am not sleeping very well. I think it's because when I eventually switch everything off and turn down the lights and wait for sleep to come, that's the time when I feel most alone here. It hits me again every single night that I am in a strange (and horribly thin) bed, without the familiar warmth of Hans behind me. I have to fight not to get back up and do something - I have even started to get dressed a couple of times with the idea of going for a walk (and even a run) before I realise it would be pretty dangerous to do that at 2 or 3 in the morning. I love night time anyway, I really do - I always have... everthing looks so beautiful and there is a silence that you never get in the day. No-one is around. And feeling so restless coupled with such wonderful nature here in Norway is a bad mix - I often want to walk and be outdoors when it is dark more so than when it's light. Maybe it's one of the reasons I love winter more than Summer.

When I was around 19 or 20 I think, I used to go out every week with a couple of friends and particularly in winter I used to feel the same as this - the problem back then was I was drinking too (and as certain friends can testify) I occasionally used to leave the clubs and decide I was going for a 'walk'. I never knew where or why but all I had in my head was a desire to be on my own and leave the town, streets and houses behind - I just wanted to walk and find countryside, fields, trees - no idea what I would have done if I ever got there.

I think its one of the reasons I want to work for myself too - I hate the day sometimes for taking my nights away from me! I have energy at night and always without fail get the majority of my work done between 8pm-2am. I could work later too if I didn't have to be up to fit in with the 'normal' working day.

If I am honest, I am starting to resent feeling like this. I am somewhere I have always wanted to be (though not in the circumstances I would choose) and I am trying to find something (or someone) to blame my restlessness on. I was always so independant so why am I acting like such a wet sock??? I just feel like I want to disappear sometimes.

I start back on the course tomorrow - I am looking forward to it I guess - not only for having work to do so I keep busy (and therefore time goes quicker) but also to be out and about and doing stuff. Since I got back from my holiday in England I have been pretty much stuck in this room - I have been to the gym a few times and seen a couple of friends but it's not enough. You need to keep occupied. I guess thats my problem. I hope it is anyway!

Anyway, I am going to leave it at that

On Any Given Night...

2008-11-02T16:56:00.005Z

One of my favourite songs right now, by 36 Crazyfists. It always makes me think of Hans... it's a beautiful song anyway, with great lyrics - I love it!

"this could be the hardest thing to leave without a single trace.
Here without you
Here without you, I fall apart.
I fall apart...

when its over
Turn down the lights,
dont wait for me
I’m pretty sure I won't be coming home tonight
(we’ll place these stars inside our hearts)
Turn down the lights,
dont wait for me
I’m pretty sure I won't be coming home tonight

this could be the hardest thing to leave without a single trace.
Here without you
Here without you, I fall apart.
I fall apart"

A taste of England's countryside (49 days)

2008-11-01T17:45:00.012Z

So here I am. Back again. It wasn't as hard for me as last time to be honest, although it was still difficult. Leaving Hans was sad. He had to go to work anyway and I was at home alone for a few hours which in a way was nice. I got to potter about the house and pretend for the last time this year (wow that sounds strange) that I didn't have to go anywhere; I was just an everyday woman watching rubbish day time TV and doing some odd jobs.

I had such a nice time at home though. Unfortunately Hans was really sick the last few days I was there so we didn't get to do alot of the things we planned; we were going to drive to Uncle Andy's to say goodbye to little Junior and we had to cancel that, which was sad. We also had to cancel the meal we were planning to go out for the night before I left. The last morning I was home I cooked Hans' favourite meal (Bexican Lasagne) and left it for him as a surprise when he got back from work!

I didn't get to see everybody I would like to have seen, but I did meet up with a few friends and some family. It was so good to see everyone again. We met up with my brother and his family and went for a walk in Cromford - I managed to get some photos of the English Countryside at (in my opinion) it's best; A sunny, crisp, Autumn day...

I really like the pictures - they are a lovely memory for me to bring back here. England can be as beautiful as Norway in it's own way. I really love the picture of Hans and Abbie (my little neice) it's so gorgeous!

Anyway, it feels a little like I have recharged my batteries. I found myself sad to be leaving Hans but happy to go back to Norway (although, I kept wishing I were travelling to East Norway - my heart is there I think - more so than the West) Maybe because it's where Hans is from so it feels more like home, and as I have said before it even looks kind of similar to England. Whatever the reason, I love it there. It is 49 days until I finish my course and see Hans - then he will come here to Bergen (hopefully I will get the chance to introduce him to some of the friends I have made here) and then we shall travel to his little town, see his family and spend Christmas together - I can't wait. 49 days.

Thanks Hans for such a lovely time at home - I really miss you! Thanks to all my friends and family too, and a big thanks to Phil and Hannah for picking me up from Gatwick, and also to Uncle Andy for driving me back there. You all made it so easy for me to come home.

I love you, Hans!

New Look!

2008-10-30T18:05:00.008Z

In preperation for my second leg of the exchange trip I decided to change my blogger layout; every time I have logged on lately I found my old blog quite depressing - I guess it had some emotions attached to it that I didn't want anymore. I feel I have moved on alot from when I first started the blog so therefore - a fresh, new look for a fresh new start.

6 weeks left of Bergen schooling I think - then Hans and I are together again. I am so looking forward to spending a wonderful, snowy Christmas in Norway with Hans in the knowledge that we are together again... I shall be counting down the days!

Home at last... temporarily

2008-10-24T19:19:00.005+01:00

It's so amazing to be home! I missed Hans so so much - even more than I realised.

The whole day travelling from Bergen seemed strange - I felt like I was in a dream... I got to the airport over 3 hours before my flight left (just in case) and I bought a book and kind of just got lost in that. The flight was ok - I was very nervous with it being the first time I had flown alone but I am proud of myself for doing it and hoping maybe this will help me be less scared in future.

Anyway, my wonderful and kind friends Phil and Hannah picked me up from the airport; the journey took about 3 or 3 1/2 hours but it went much faster - it was really good to see them again and talk.

When I arrived home it was the weirdest feeling - it felt so familiar yet so alien - again like I was walking in a dream - it was pretty late and I took the lift up to the 4th floor of the apartments where we live (for a brief moment I worried I wouldn't remeber but my fingers knew the pattern they should make) I finally arrived and knocked on the door.... Hans opened the door slowly and so many things just hit me at once (not Hans though, fortunately) The sight of Hans, the warmth of our flat and the wonderfully comforting smell of my own home; I missed that so much - the smell that is so specific to each person and their home. Strange but true.

I got in the doorway and dropped my bags and we just held each other for ages! Then (as planned) we made some food, Hans had bought me some wine too and we just sat and cuddled up and watched the UFC together and pretended the last 2 and a half months hadn't even happened.

It was beautiful.

We spent the next day just relaxing and eating and watching TV, and yesterday we did pretty much the same and then went to Phil and Hannah's for a wonderful chilli that Phil cooked and we just relaxed and had a laugh... such a good time.

I have plans to see a few more friends and some family before I go back - it will all be good fun I am sure, but I will be enjoying it as much as I can so may not post much! I find that I dont want to think about going home at all, in alot of ways I wish it was over and I could stay with Hans now. I miss Bergen and the friends I have made, but I want to only go back with Hans! Oh well, I am sure it'll be worth it in the end and I shall be glad I have done it...

....I hope so!

Winter in Kirkenær, Norway

2008-10-20T20:24:00.004+01:00

Graffiti Hans

2008-10-20T16:55:00.006+01:00

Home!

2008-10-20T14:06:00.005+01:00

well today is an in-betweeny day I think; yesterday marked exactly half way through the Erasmus Exchange and tomorrow is the day I go home for a holiday.

The tough thing is I am only letting myself think about going home and seeing Hans and everyone else, I am not thinking about coming back! Maybe it is going to be harder to come back than I though, although saying that when I am back there will only be 6 weeks left...

I can do it - I know I can. I will be proud of what I have done afterwards. I just wish Hans could be here with me and that I could living in a nicer place - that would be perfect. I love to be in Norway, but as I have said many times before the thing I love about Norway above everything else is still in England!

Many people I have spoken to think it's actually quite funny; I am English and in Norway and Hans is Norwegian and in England - seperated temporarily from each other but we know what we're doing (I think) No pain no gain, and all that.

At least I am in a beautiful country and have some good friends here - it makes it all so much easier .

I have waffled enough

What is an Erasmus Exchange?

2008-10-19T12:12:00.005+01:00

I was asked this question in a comment - I guess it would be a good idea to explain more clearly what an Erasmus Exchange is!

For me anyway;

Erasmus is something you MAY choose to do as part of your studies - you have to be a university level student and have completed your first year of study I think.

You choose a country and an institution you want to study at and need to make an application to go there. For example, I knew specifically I wanted to study in Norway as it would really benefit future plans (particularly with the language) so I looked at applying to both Oslo and Bergen.

You need to check with your own university what their specific process is - some have very rigid paperwork you have to follow - mine kind of left the whole thing up to me to sort out! I think though, its your responsibility to research the institution you like and check that they have relevant courses that fit in with your degree - then you can apply - I had to send a portfolio and a letter of motivation.

Basically if you are doing a degree and want to do an exchange there is nothing really stopping you - it is encouraged I think but for some reason it doesn't seem to be as popular in England as in other European countries - some courses actually require it too I think.

You still get your usual student loan and an erasmus grant (unlike a loan so you don't pay it back) although saying that - today is EXACTLY half way through my exchange and I still haven't had it :S If you study for 1 semester you pay for your course at home still - if you study abroad for a year you wont pay any course fees for that year. You DONT pay fees at the institution you study at abroad as far as I know.

Finally, the exchange is normally recognised as part of your degree, and even if it is not you will get a special 'mention'. Again something you check with your uni :)

I have included a couple of links for anyone wanting to look further, but my suggestion would be having a word with your university first anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERASMUS_programme

http://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus

http://www.esn.org/

Kirkenær (East Norway) øst-Norge

2008-10-18T10:05:00.011+01:00

Hmm, I have an engligh laptop so I use the shortcuts to put in the extra Norwegian Letters... don't know how to capitalise them...

on my keyboard they're:
æ = alt + 0230
å = alt + 0229
ø = alt + 0248
just in case anyone wondered :)

Had a few pictures from Kirkenær (Hans' home town) from summer - i am just going to upload them. It's so beautiful there, and he's very lucky to have grown up there. As beautiful as Bergen is, with it's dramatic coastline (and even more dramatic weather) I love the eastern part of Norway even more, the colours are absolutely beautiful throughout the year and then in winter with the snow it's even more stunning. There are rolling fields and lakes, rivers and hills too - and especially from what I have seen around Kirkenær itself it's so quiet and peaceful... I guess the scenery is a little more like the countryside in England - particularly the Lake District - so maybe I love it so much because it's a pleasant blend of home and Norway to me. Also I guess I am biased towards Hans' hometown too :)

One of the views from the porch at the front of Han's mothers house

A look back over where we had just walked - it's the end of
Summer and the fields are full and golden

The man himself - we were on the way back from the 'Health Spa/Badelunsj'
at Finnskogtoppen and stopped here for coffee... he tried to no
avail to teach me how to skim stones!

More pictures above and below of one of our walks along the Rive Glåma

This one particularly reminds me of England...
on a short walk very near Hans' Mothers House

I have not seen South Norway or North Norway yet and have heard good things (I am really keen to see the North, I think maybe that would captivate me the most) I REALLY want to see the Northern Lights, I would be so happy to see them. People have told me that they can sometimes be seen here in Bergen, so maybe I'll be lucky - who knows? I am peeling my eyes since I heard that and will be keeping them peeled until Christmas... it would be annoying if the appear over the period I am home for... but when all is said and done I would rather see Hans!

3 days to go!!! (63 til end of semester)

2008-10-17T21:35:00.010+01:00

I really, really, really can't wait to see Hans! Of course there are so many other people that I am looking forward to seeing, including my little hamsters (and saying goodbye to Junior) but I can't begin to describe how hard it is to be away from Hans for so long.

I have handed in the animation project and apart from tying up a few loose ends I am looking forward to some days of relaxing, not working and just being with the people that matter and thinking about the things I love.

We are such an odd couple; with a constant need to put random things on our heads...
maybe that's why we are so perfect together :)

Talking about things I love, below are some pictures from when we were in Kirkenær together in late Summer, before my little adventure to the west coast of Norway - I am always amazed at how many different shades of the same colour I can find in one place!

Finally finished the animation!

2008-10-16T17:48:00.010+01:00

This is just a quick post to get the final version of my 8 second After Effects Animation up - I have finally finished this project so hopefully will have a little more time to post properly, I haven't done the last few weeks as I have been so busy (and also unwell, but that too is hopefully sorted)

Anyway - I hope you like the animation. I was a little concerned about it at one point as it just wasn't looking anything like the idea that I had in my head - but as usual (and as Hans has commented before about his own work) it usually looks rubbish right up until the last day or 2! It worked out ok I think!

Thanks to all my friends (and a huge thanks to Hans) for all the support and advice they have given me over this - I have had good feedback from the teacher and classmates, but there is nothing like the brutal honesty of friends :)

Cheers Guys!

xxx

Having fun with the language! Norwegian - English - Beckywegian

2008-10-16T17:40:00.002+01:00

One of the best things about being in a new place and learning the language is to be able to laugh about it! It really helps to try and get past feeling so self concious about trying to say things (which I always do - especially when I don't know people very well!) I think to have the ability to look at the mistakes you make/have made/will make/ or possibly could make and just be able to laugh at the whole business will get you through andmake you more relaxed in future!

As an example, I was at the doctors here and it was obviously came as a bit of a surprise when I asked him to speak English (because 'jeg forstå ikke så god Norsk') It was no problem though of course, and absolutely fine for him to explain things to me and ask questions - and then it came to the dreaded question that doctors always ask; you know the one about 'is everything ok with your bowel movements?' Anyway, the conversation went almost exactly along the lines of;

"have you been to the toilet today?"
"yes I have"
"and...."
(the Doctor stopped for a minute and his forehead creased while he searched for the right words)
"and when you went to the toilet, did you take a crap?"

Despite being in pain I just couldn't stop from laughing, and then so did he! It was a definite ice breaker anyway - and so funny! I can't imagine a Doctor in England ever asking me that!

I told my friend Maria about this later on and she said that it probably translated right in Norwegian - but the words just have slightly different meanings in the 2 languages - or different situations in which they are suitable...

That conversation led on to Maria, Anita and myself discussing some of the words in Norwegian that I probably shouldn't use so often - it actually got quite silly but it was hilarious and I don't think I have laughed so much since I have been here! I told them about when I first started learning Norwegian and Hans (being Hans) told me that the Norwegian word for 'please' was 'rævskjegg' - which translates roughly to 'anal beard' (Thanks Hans!) I am SO glad he corrected me before I met his mum for the first time, things could have gone very badly! Anyway - this obviously made them laugh and started us on a silly task of listing the some similar words and suitable situations I could use them in, and who it would be appropriate to say them to!

Anyway, the list has been put up by the side of my desk at the school so we can add to it as and when a new word emerges! I took a picture of it but it's not very good quality as I took it on my phone.

I won't go into the words and what they mean - it wouldn't be very polite of me! but we came to the conclusion that most of them were unsuitable to say to your bestemor (grandmother) and none of them at all would be acceptable to say to Kongen / Dronning (the King and Queen) It was so funny anyway, really made me giggle :D

One last thing I remember language wise, was the last time I was invited to Marias' for the evening (I know they wont mind me saying) her partner, Jan Ove, turned to me with a bottle in his hand and I think he asked me if it was pronounced;

"wush-shu-shu-shoor....sh"

(it was a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce) We laughed alot about that one too! I can't really hold that against anyone though, it is a weird word with strange pronuciation at the best of times!

Almost done! (8 days to go!)

2008-10-13T19:30:00.007+01:00

Tomorrow will be exactly a week before I go home to see Hans - I can't wait. I am so lucking forward to a holiday and I really feel like I need one after the last few weeks. Just to sit, relax, spend time with Hans and catch up with friends and family - nothing like it!

I had a word today with both my course tutor for the motion graphics and the head of my year - I explained that I had been ill and gave them a copy of the sick note. They were so sympathetic and I feel tons better now I have gotten it off my chest and explained why I have not been myself lately. They both actually commented that under the circumstances they think I have done really well with the project - especially considering I was working on the Rycon Project at the same time.

Anyway - the animation part is almost finished (I have one or 2 finisheing touches to do) and I also need to add sound now and then I should be there.... I hope.

I wanted to do a bit more with the characters, but I had the issue of time and overcomplicating things so I think it is going to be left how it is - a couple of friends saw it today and laughed so at's doing it's job - making people laugh!

Anyway, another early night for me - still not 100%

x

Autumn is here

2008-10-11T16:47:00.007+01:00

Autumn is so beautiful - I love it anyway, and here it is extra beautiful - the trees are starting to turn gold and red. I am going to give it a few more days then maybe take another walk to the Stave Church as the surroundings were beautiful then - I bet they will be even more so now.

Only 11 days then I'll be home for a holiday! can't wait :)

x

God bless the NHS / My animation so far - UPDATE!!!

2008-10-11T12:53:00.008+01:00

It was a pretty eventful day yesterday!

I love Trivium by the way.

I guess a good place to start is that I am not crazy! I have been feeling so tired and down and generally unwell the last 2 weeks - I have been unable to wake in the mornings despite going to bed earlier and I have been looking more and more like a piece of poop everyday. Every time I tried to go to the gym after 5 minutes I looked like I was working out in a sauna (tried to convince myself it was the elevation but I knew it wasn't!!) my body was trying to sweat something nasty out - I even had a word with my head tutor wednesday and told her I felt like I wasn't making the most of this and maybe I am not coping with the pressure - I mean I definately felt like that this week. The last few dys (starting really last weekend at Marias) I have been having pretty bad lower stomach pains on and off - so the started to worry more about what was wrong. Yesterday the pain got worse again so I ended up taking myself off to the emergency doctors (turns out it's pretty much like A&E) in England. Anyway after waiting 4 hours I was seen by a doctor who seemed to know what the problem was pretty fast - they did a couple of tests and turns out I have a pretty nasty infection (UTI) that had started to get into my Kidneys :O So, no wonder I have not been myself! I have to take antibiotics for a week, but I should be feeling myself after a few days - I am glad that I know whats wrong now and I'm on the way to fixing it...

The consultation / diagnosis cost about £25 and then I had to pay about another £13 for the prescription (or as people here call it when they talk to me in english 'a recipe' which is such a cute way of putting it I may start saying it myself; 'well the doctor didn't know what was wrong - but he did give me a lovely recipe...') I also payed my rent and utilities yesterday so turned out to be an expensive day! So, I shall certainly appreciate the NHS benefits when I am back in England - although the doctors and the treatment here was very good (and thorough too - no 'take paracetomol and come back in a week if you don't feel any better')

Anyway - I still feel crappy but I started taking my meds last night so hopefully by the end of the weekend I will be myself again. I am going to relax this weekend and not do anything apart from work on my animation, which is fortunately not very taxing)

Speaking of which, here is a clip of the animation so far - it's come on alot from the photos but there is still alot to do - I have lots of fine tuning, bits to change and the ending yet to do - but I shall leave the ending as a suprise.

To end on a happier note, Maria said yesterday that all of the family really liked having me there at the weekend - that was a such a nice thing to say and made me very happy! and the feeling was more than mutual - like I have said before it's a lovely place to be! Tusen takk, Maria!

I have a really strong urge to watch Lord of The Rings (pt1)

x

Bad Lord of The Rings translation!

2008-10-08T22:22:00.008+01:00

I have seen this version before (the whole way through) and have since tried to tell peple about it - it was so funny to watch and I think people didn't beleive me (especially when I quoted that part with Gimli and the wargs!) See Hans! I wasn't making it up - Gimli really did say that!

It's so funny - made me smile then and it did again! Man I love these films so much

(books still better though!)

The best policy?

2008-10-07T19:07:00.007+01:00

'Honesty' isn't coming across really anymore - I mean it is, all of the good things I experience about here I definately talk about honestly, but I said that I would write a blog for good and bad. I am missing out the bad things now. I think I felt like I had moaned and whinged too much at the beginning of this 'adventure' and I had better be more cheerful now on... also I am coming home for a holiday (2 weeks today by the way) and I should be happy about that - but I am having a pretty bad day or 2 (again) So I am going to be honest and write about it;

Following on from the good weekend I had, Sunday afternoon (I was still at Marias) I got a really, REALLY, bad pain in my stomach - possibly the worst stomach pain I have ever had - I am not going into detail but it cleared up anyway and I felt fine later on. Yesterday though, it was a little sore - not much but enough for it to be on my mind and therefore enough to get me worried. My back has also been really painful again today (for those who don't know I get very bad back pain pretty regularly) I apparantly have a couple of joints in my spine that seem to enjoy nothing better than becoming inflamed, and when they do the surrounding muscles spasm to protect the joints. It lasts anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks - anyway it's really hurting me right now and it's really getting to me. I am crying now whilst I am writing this - but not proper tears because I am not sad, it's because of the SHEER FRUSTRATION I am feeling!

I can't sit down here (or anywhere) for more than 5 or 10 minutes before I have to get up and walk around, or stretch or lie down... I have so much to do and I can't get into it because I can't work for long enough. I am so mad at the time I have lost today just waffling around the room, feeling sorry for myself and hating my stupid spine. I have a meeting tomorrow about 1 project (the RYCONS) and I haven't done enough for it - and I also really need to be getting on with the animation project and that really requires concentration and I just can't right now.

I can't prevent it happening as there is not a particular thing that sets it off - the doctor 'advised' that I should stop training and stick to things like Yoga but NO WAY - the only thing I really love to do as an active hobby is to train at Hans' MMA class back home and go to the gym - it's been a part of my life for years now. I can't give it up and I won't. They said the next step if it keep getting worse would be to have steriod injections in my back but I said I wanted an x-ray first - I don't want to do that before I have 100% diagnosis that what they said is the problem IS the problem and they need to do an exray for that - too expensive you see, they would rather just give me the needles. I hate needles.

I am well aware that the more stressed I get the more aggravated my back will become but it cant be helped. I miss Hans, he always makes it better and when it gets really bad he is there to give me a massage or an elbow (the physio advised that when it spasms, somebody can help by putting their elbow in the centre of the muscle and put all their weight on it - it REALLY hurts but after a minute or so it causes the muscle to release and it really helps) I have only 1 codeine tablet left (again, one of the few things I have found that temporarily eases the pain) I have just been to the shop and bought hot chocolate and muffins so maybe comfort food will help. I think I am going to have to take the tablet too.

To make matters worse, I have still not received the grant from the Erasmus fund - I am almost half way through it's ridiculous; if I had not worked all summer I would be pretty screwed right now. It seems the problem has been lack of communication between the 2 schools, but I think it's pretty poor. I had an email back and been promised it'll be sorted next week... we'll see.

Right now I just wish I was home and I had never come on this exchange.

Weekend at Stokkedalen... (14 days!)

2008-10-06T21:24:00.009+01:00

I feel really busy at the moment (well, I am really busy!) and I hardly have time to post but I think it's good for me too take the time to write things down, like I said when I started writing this blog I'll forget these times afterwards and I really want to remember them well...

My face hurts; on each side - and I realise it's because I am clenching my jaw alot of the time - I know I do it alot when I am stressed (I do it in my sleep even) I wake up sometimes with really achy cheeks! I can also vaguely remember my mum telling me off for grinding my teeth when I was little! I can't stop, I don't even know I do it until they start to hurt!

Normally I don't sleep away from from home very much, I just really like to get back to my own bed at the end of the night and just relax - but this weekend I was invited again to Marias' house and I was also invited to stay the night - I actually really enjoyed the change; it was good to get out of this little room here at Fantoft and sleep in a nice house - and even though it wasn't my home it was a 'home' - somewhere that people love to be and a family live there very happily, so it was really nice and relaxing.. anyway I am getting ahead of myself!

Saturday night was another small gathering; Maria's cousin was over for a meal and their neighbours had just arrived back from Portugal (I had not met them yet) so as it was a small event Maria very kindly invited me again.

It was a really fun night - they picked me up to take me there (I tried to rememeber the name of the place, I am so bad with names but I think it's called Stokkedalen) I discovered that we were making home made pizza - one of the things that actually makes the night so enjoyable is that the making of the food is usually a joint effort; Maria made the pizza bases, Her cousin and I chopped up the toppings and I also helped to make the meatballs. A common meat product in Norway is Kjøttdeig; I tasted homemade kjøttkaker (meatcakes) the first time I came to Norway and I fell in love with the stuff then - but as far as I know you can't buy it in England - I have never seen it anywhere, maybe the closest thing to it is the sausage meat you can buy in the long packs but it tastes very different - it's really delicious. Anyway, we worke together and created some of the best pizza I have ever had (Hans makes a mean pizza too - which he hasn't made for a long time - hint, hint Hans!)

Creating the masterpiece...

The rest of the night was lovely - we just sat for a long time and ate and talked and drank wine, and all the time the lovely cats were slinking in and out of the kitchen. Later that night when I had my bed made up for me, they said if I wanted to I could sleep with the door open so the cats could come in and out - I was really pleased actually! I used to have 2 cats when I lived with my ex and I really miss them, so it was really nice to have them around all night - I woke up a couple of times (once of natural causes - cramp in my calves) and once by a cat digging ferociously into the crook of my leg behind my knee, I drifted off and then woke up again to see 2 cats curled up around my leg :)

The little cats, and also my hosts; Maria and Jan Ove

The rest of the weekend there was good too, as I have said the house is very cosy and the people so nice and welcoming it is just a good, wholesome place to be. The post hasn't reeally done the whole weekend justice, but I have been so busy and tired and now I can barely look at the screen! I really wanted to get the pictures up though so I might just add to the post later on!

The beautiful house and the amazing garden and view - click the picture to enlarge!

On a final note - it is 2 weeks now until I go home to vsit Hans - I really can't wait! He texted me today and told me he has the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and the following Monday off work so we get to spend some really good time together! A good few days together, hopefully it will keep me going until I see him again at Christmas - I miss him so much!

Goodnight xxx

Amazon recommends...

2008-10-05T23:38:00.005+01:00

I had a really great weekend, such a lovely time at Marias - but unfortunatley I haven't the time to write about it now! As promised though, I have managed to take some lovely pictures so they will be on here very soon!

I just wanted to quickly share this email I got from Amazon today;

Hmmm... is this just for me in particular? Has Amazon had an amazing near death experience? Or is this the beginning of the internets plan to destroy the human race one by one....?

Who knows?

Perfect Beauty

2008-10-04T13:37:00.005+01:00

Just an example of some of the perfect beauty that Norway has to offer. I love it!

On Norway... (17 days!)

2008-10-04T09:38:00.013+01:00

I am going to visit my friend Maria again tonight, I am really looking forward to it - as I promised before I shall take my camera as she lives with her family in the most gorgeous house, and in a lovely garden with an amazing view and also some very handsome cats!

I like to be there, there is always good food and good conversation - with good people. It reminds me a little of visiting Hans family as it's always so warm and welcoming. Both are perfect examples of Norwegian social gatherings and hospitality, so I think some photos and a post about it tomorrow will be in order, it's definately something I want to capture; for myself when I go home and for others to read...maybe in particular those who don't know much about Norway, I hope for those people it will enlighten you somewhat. Now I am by no means an expert, but my general observations and opinions are as follows...

For a start, some people don't know anything about Norway, for example SO many people have said things like; "so Becky, when are you moving to Sweden?", or "are you going back to Sweden for Christmas then, Hans?" (but that's actually pretty funny, if only to see the look on his face) I don't blame people - of course if you don't know much about something, then by default you will be somewhat ignorant on the subject. People just need to learn that every scandinavian is not Swedish by default

The only thing that does annoy me is small mindedness that people stubbornly refuse to solve in themselves, like when people cry
"why on EARTH do you want to live in Norway - it's freezing all the time and they don't have the sun there"
"actually Norway is pretty huge and has a vastly diverse climate, i think it only really gets like that in the north"
"I saw it on a documentary though..."
"yes, but I have BEEN there, and trust me - it's pretty much the same weather as England in the south" (except probably slightly better)
They just look at me all troubled as if to say, 'why are you lying?'

The worst I have had is stupid statements like 'Norway is depressing - everyone kills themselves' - that just doesn't even justify my efforts to argue with them, I just wait and hope that Darwins Law does the world a favour.

The second thing (and Norwegians are the first to admit this) is the infamous repuatation for being reserved and difficult to get to know - obviously it doesn't go for everyone, but in my opinion that has some truth to it; Hans was (sorry angel!) extremely hard work to get to know, as are many people that I do meet - BUT once you do get to know them they are the warmest, most welcoming and loyal people you could ever meet (as is Hans to me - the best friend I have ever had and the most genuine and warm person)

And this is what I am getting at (finally!) after considering this quite alot and after discussions with various people, I decided on this as actually being one of the things I love about Norway and not a bad thing at all - I myself am quite reserved, and particularly when I first meet people I am very shy. I have never been a fan of gushing out compliments for the sake of it and getting to know someone fast on the basis of falseness, so it suits me perfectly. After all, in any situation anywhere what relationships are more worth having? what will you get the most out of? someone you have taken the time to get to know, and of whom you are sure about their intentions and loyalty - of course! for me anyway... some people thrive on having hundreds of fickle relationships, but lets not get into that.

Everbody is different and unique personally, each culture and country has their own traits which make them who they are - and I wouldn't change it for the world... well, it is the world!

Just as an end note to my post which somehow turned into a mini rant, I had a similar conversation with my friend Yvonne, who is Finnish. We were talking of the (very general) scandinavian inability to give and receive compliments well, and she said 'oh yes, it's a character trait - it's the 'Jantelagen' or in English, 'Jante Law' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jante_Law and as Yvonne put it, a 'must know' for people visiting scandinavia!

Work for Spans Stitches

2008-10-02T18:18:00.008+01:00

The last couple of days (on top of everything else) I have been working on some 'emergency' business cards for my friend Hannah; she has not long set up shop, selling her wares on www.folksy.com/shops/span1 - as I have mentioned before she makes really beautiful handmade accessories such as bags, doorstops, stress heat pack things (?) I don't know what they're called!

Anyway, she had the opportunity to send some business cards and samples to London I think, and as she has only just set up she didn't have cards, or even a logo really - so I helped her out;

This is the logo, and the business cards which I think work really well for what she needs; an accessible, warm and handmade look.

I found a really excellent tutorial which gave me some great ideas for the stitch effect on the logo too, so all in all I was please with how a full days work turned out - and more to the point, Hannah is chuffed to bits :)

Lost contact! Oh no...

2008-10-01T00:13:00.013+01:00

For 2 days now, Hans has been without internet access at home - which means I haven't spoken to him or seen him since Sunday night! I know that won't seem like a long time to some people but it's horrible for me - the highlight of every day is our little chats before I go to bed. It is so therapeutic to just tell him how my day has been, and show him the work I have done - and most importantly just talk about normal every day things and for that short amount of time I am almost sitting in our lounge and talking to him like nothing is out of the oridinary. I really miss it and I just can't relax!

On a brighter note, it is 3 weeks today (well, yesterday looking at the time) until I go home for a holiday and I am looking forward to it like you wouldn't beleive! I have decided the night I get back I am going to have a portion of 'Georges Tradition' fish and chips with mushy peas and their home-made tartar sauce (my favourite naughty treat) The Georges Tradition at Park Farm does the best chippie chips in Allestree (my favourite ever actually) so I recommend them highly... I am hoping they read this blog, recognise me from my profile picture and give me free chips forever now. Yeah right!

It will be lovely though (the visit in general, not just the fish and chips) my friends Phil and Hannah are picking me up from Gatwick, bless them - and I am really looking forward to seeing them. Then there are a few friends and family members I am planning to meet for coffees and lunches as well as spend LOTS of time with Hans, and also just some free time at home alone! I just want my home and my bed, and my shower and washing machine! Not to mention the TV... early morning dossing and Jeremy Kyle here I come!

I am also planning to take a trip to Uncle Andy's and say my farewells to little Junior. I still don't want to talk much about it because it still hasn't hit me properly (I am not sure it will until I go home and realise he's not there anymore) but by all accounts he had a nice little burial in the garden at Uncle Andys, by a holly bush. Nicely symbolic as it is an evergreen.

hmmmm, poor little guy.

Anyway - annoyingly I STILL haven't had my grant through from the Erasmus Fund - at this rate I will just be getting it as I go home! It's so annoying really I have been here almost 2 months, and within the next week or 2 I have to pay the next lot of rent and I have just had to fork out for the monthly bus card and £75 for the gym membership. I couldn't hold off any longer with that as it wouldn't have been worth buying - but now I am wondering if I did the right thing - maybe I should have just stuck to mountain walking and going for the odd run - it would certainly have been cheaper... oh we'll see - I can't talk about that anymore it's stressing me out!

I found out from some friends back home that one of our lectures is 5:00-8:00pm! I am glad I am missing that one! Actually though, I don't think they are in university at all that day previous to the late lecture so it wouldn't be so bad...

Wow, I am really waffling I must be tired!

Anyway, a few more pictures of this beautiful place to leave you with - the compositions is rubbish as I was trying to catch up with people who kept walking off when I tried to take them!

A gorgeous little church close by Fantoft - at some point I will put up pictures of the grounds around it - it really reminded me of England (in the bestest of ways!)

Just a pretty little tree - Autumn is descending fast here (my joint favourite season - can't pick between Autumn and Winter!) Everywhere is beginning to look even more beautiful!

The famous 'Bergen Rain' I kept hearing about is finally here after 6 weeks of nasty heat (or as most would say glorious weather) But, if you are going to be in the rain anywhere in the world then this is the best place - it still looks stunning - and the rain clouds feel so low down when they cover the tops of the mountains... it's really beautiful.

Goodnight!
xxx

ps - fix the internets for Hans please someone? Google? Bill Gates? Andy? anyone?

Need to smile? (81 days)

2008-09-30T21:41:00.009+01:00

Anyone need to smile?? this video made me smile and laugh and it makes the world seem less huge to me!

This (or something similar) is going on my 'things I HAVE to do before I die' list! what a great video! genius :)

x

Learning Norwegian! how it all began...

2008-09-28T14:26:00.001+01:00

Note: I found this unfinished post from when I first started the blog - about why I started learning Norwegian and how I went about it. I have just updated and finished it, and will post this today as I am still busy working and sad about Junior still...

I had wanted for the last few years to take up a learning a language, I thought maybe about German as that's what I studied longest as school - I guess that's as good a reason as any!

Then when Hans and I had been together a few months I mentioned to him that I would like to learn Norwegian; the main reason being there was a reason for it, if you know what I mean! It became especially important as we both realised that this relationship was meant to be and that we are in it for the long haul; I would most certainly be meeting his family and there was a possibility of him moving back home at some point, etc... it just made sense for me to learn it! (I have to admit I also thought I would have it easy with a live-in tutor, but it didn't quite work out like that)

So it began, with me learning the Norwegian Alphabet and 1-10! I found it fascinating instantly - especially with the extra letters; æ, ø and å! I remember not having a clue where to start with it as I had decided to teach myself (try finding a Norwegian course in Derby) so I just began by really bugging Hans to tell me stuff and writing everything down in a book. I will always remember him teaching me the alphabet, and then we went together to take the recycling and as we walked I was just repeating the letters over and over! I tried to completely ignore 'R' as it was very rolled and a completely different way of using my tongue than I was used to (Note added later - I have since discovered that there are a billion and one ways to pronounce the 'r' in Norway depending on the dialect, well actually there are a billion and one ways to say everything in Norwegian depending on the dialect) but Hans was very firm and kept making me say the R - I dont have a problem with it now, for some reason the letter I have most trouble with is 'O'.

I will also always remember the first time we came to visit his family in Norway, and we were waiting at Heathrow for the flight to board and I was hounding Hans 'can we go for a coffee please just one coffee I haven't had a coffee all day I am starting to get a headache COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE please please I'll buy them I'll buy you one too dont you want one I really want one I have a sore throat coffee helps me when I am waiting c'mon sweety lets go for a coffee...' aww poor guy :-) Anyway, we were sitting there and he was teaching my to say 'jeg bor i England' (I live in England) and I just couldn't say England right - I can't even descrbe the differences in the word which are pretty subtle but so important. I think it's probably one of the best words to hear to giive you an idea of pronunciantion. Anyway this was 2 years ago and following this event I have only just realised the England is spelt the same (I thought it was spelled Englond) That right there is the danger of teaching yourself - the grammar will always be a bit sketchy if you don't have grammatical experts marking your work and making you work harder on bits you just don't get - and there is not a proper structure to what you are learning either - therefore it can be very hard to see how far I have come...

Anyway, he taught me a few random words which I think gave me an idea of pronunciation, tone and (inevitably) norwegian insults and swear words, then one day I got back from work and there waiting for me was the complete book and audio CD programme of 'Teach Yourself Norwegian' - bless him! He realised I was taking this seriously (and was getting fed up of me asking him all the time) so he bought me the book to help me on my way. I have to say it has been a brilliant book, it starts off very basic and the book is structured well, with dialogue, translated words, relelavnt grammar and then excercises at the end of each chapter.

The good thing about teaching yourself if you can do it at your own pace and go over the bits that are harder for you as often as you want.

The bad thing about teavhing youself is also that you can do at your own pace! (meaning sometimes you can be a bit lazy with it) and you also have no-one to push you.

I think that although Hans doesn't teach me as much as I would like (I had this grand idea that he would of course spend an hour a night as my Norwegian tutor - what was I thinking?!) I am lucky that I have someone to listen to me when I speak it and tell me what I am pronoucing wrong and stop any really bad habits forming.

So, all in all - for saying I have taught myself from a book I have come a long way and done really well. I often tell others (especially in Norway) that I speak really basic Norwegian and really badly, and they are usually quick to correct me and say no - we understand what you are saying, or, 'du er flink for å snakker Norsk!' I think honestly though that people are just pleased I am bothering to learn the language - almost every Norwegian has a story of an english person they know who has lived here from 5 to 20 years and still refuses to learn the language! I am determined not to be that person, and I think I am doing ok.

The biggest think is my confidence with speaking it - especially here in Bergen as the dialect is so 'special'. I shall keep it up though! Sometimes after I write an email to a friend on Norwegian or realise I have been chatting with someone for 10 minutes I realise just how far I have come - sure its not grammatically perfect but I am starting to like my own version :-) Hans and I have dubbed it 'Beckywegian'

My practice run to test After Effects animation!!!

2008-09-27T22:03:00.003+01:00

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so I know to a seasoned animator this will look rubbish, but this is my test run - it's the first time I have even used After Effects (never mind animated anything) so I am pretty pleased that I managed it first time! It's definately the look I am going for - i dont want it to look too real as it's a stickman... so I can start woking on the final run pretty soon :)

A sad day... RIP little Junior xxx

2008-09-27T10:10:00.008+01:00

I was in 2 minds whether to post about this or not, as it's such a personal thing for us. Also this means alot to me, but inevitably to other people it wont mean so much.... so why should I share? But at the same time I am here alone, in my room, it's raining and dark outside and I need to share it with someone.

I got a text from Hans this morning;

"I'm sorry sweety, but Junior is off on his final adventure :( must have happened sometime in the day or last night, he was out in the morning :( RIP lil buddy x"

So yeah, little Junior is gone now. Its already been said on the blog that he wasn't himself, but the little soldier was SO old - he would be 3 around christmas and thats like 120 years old or something... he was so gorgeous and such a little character. I was so hoping I would see him again when I went to visit (just over 3 weeks) but I guess expecting him to hold on was just too much to ask.

I have just thought of another reason this post is good - I plan on saving this whole blog when (and if) I am done and keep it with all of my other diaries - I guess I feel like I am immortalising him a bit and keeping him with me and with all of my memories - the best and worst. In Juniors case, the best of them.

Goodbye little one, we'll miss you so much! Enjoy hamster heaven, where the streets are paved with cheese and banana chips

xxx

Something for the weekend... (25 days)!!!

2008-09-26T17:27:00.009+01:00

Ok, so - after experiencing mild panic at having to produce this short animated clip in After Effects (without having used it before and going through the basics in a different language!!!) I am starting to feel much better about it because I have finally decided on my idea. I have included it below on a slideshow this time as it will hopefully give you a better idea on what I am aiming for in the final piece - remember though that these are mockups - some example photographs I have taken. For the actual stickmen I sketched them on layout paper (which took a surprisingly long time for saying they are stickmen), scanned them into Photoshop and made each one into a brush (so I have them on there to play around with now) so there is still alot of work to do!

The brief is to create an animated movie, 7 or 8 seconds long. Now, a leading Norwegian TV Station are involved with this, and if they like the movies they will be broadcast on national TV - the style of the TV channel reminds me of E4 in England (similar programmes and target audience)and they wanted kind of surprising or silly humour that would appeal to most people watching the channel.

Anyway, it's pretty self explanatory - and like I said this is an example - there is alot more to do.

The basic idea is a cosy, nicely lit shot of a desk and it pans in to focus on this notebook with doodles on - when it gets reall close they interact with each other (to put it nicely) Any comments or opinions on this idea would be most welcome!

I haven't posted much this week purely because I have been busy with this and other work, and I think I am going to be horribly busy until I come and visit! It's Friday night now, and I have't got too much planned for the weekend apart from work, hopefully going to the gym tomorrow, and hopefully seeing the 2 friends who live in this complex on Sunday.

On a side note, I was just beginning to come round to the cost of things here - I was thinking to myself something along the lines of 'hmm, actually if you know where to shop the prices aren't that much worse - you just have to be a bit clever about it!'
.....and then I went to pick up a tin of Heinz baked beans as I had a bit of a craving and they cost me £1.63. I wouldn't have bought them if I wasn't craving them so much!

The After Effects of After Effects (27/87 days)

2008-09-24T21:37:00.008+01:00

I have been very tired this week to the point that I spoke to my tutor about it at the KHiB (Kunsthøgskolen i Bergen) The last 3 nights now I have gone to bed pretty early (for me) usually around 11:15 - 11:30, and just lying there unable to sleep until around 3:00am. It is making me pretty tired to say the least (and it happened a bit last week too which I think is the reason I slept so long at the weekend) The weird thing is I feel really tired until I actually get into bed - and then WHAM - I am awake.

Its more annoying then anything - if it carried on a few more days I will have to try and find a doctor.

Anyway, I am not going to write about my school project right now (the task is to create a short animation in After Effects) and I am still researching and working my way through tutorials as I have never used the programme before (and I really want to learn it - the things you can do are amazing!) When I have some good solid ideas I will start writing about them but for now a big resounding "NO, not yet!"

Anyway - I am still really happy to be going home for a visit - already I have lots of arrangements so think I will be pretty busy - I am going to try not to make too many more though as I want to spend time with Hans (which is after all, my main reason for going home) It will be lovely to see others though - its actually helped me to have 2 dates on my calendar which I am focussing on (partly because my brain doesn't know which one to dwell on) though I guess it makes sense to just count down to the closest one for now!

My calendar - this is on the wall by my bed, and crossing the days
off is the last thing I do every night before I sleep;
the last thing I look at before the lights go out

I finally managed to speak to my tutor today about going home too, at first she looked a bit worried (yikes) but then we discussed the work I have doing outside of school for the PA Team and my brother Ryan (the RYCONS as I have dubbed them) and she said that it would be more than adequate for me to submit that work as an alternative 'module' for the 2 weeks I will miss.

On a different note, I have been a bit fed up with myself lately as I can't put my hand on my heart and say I have properly studied Norwegian since I have been here (apart from listening to it ALL day and speaking it more and more) Yes, I KNOW that accounts for something, but I just think (and Hans agrees) that if I study aswell, I will improve even faster. Hans suggested that I go to bed 15 mitues earlier each night and read my Norwegian course book - so now I feel more like I have been 'told' what to do then I will do it - I started last night in fact; Sue og Arne reiste til Oslo (to celebrate New Years together) I will try harder - I only have 3 months left so I have to really get stuck in now.

Oh and a nice image to leave you with;

This is another 'dirt' picture from my room - it is the window (the outside obviously - I have cleaned inside) It is going to take alot of cleaning if and when they finally get around to it, this is one of 3 windows in my apartment - and there are about 1300 apartments here at Fantoft...

Anyway - as promised early night - study Norwegian and continue with the really good (but harsh) book that Hannah sent me!

Goodnight xxx

The Precious Things (27 / 87 days)

2008-09-24T09:15:00.009+01:00

Aw, my precious things! Sometimes the smallest things mean so much; these are a 'mini' bunch of flowers picked by Hans and given to me when we were at his mums, and some pine cones we collected together from our day out at the finnskogtoppen healthcentre.

They mean alot to me - we collected them together - at home i have dried all of the flowers he has bought me and kept them all too. Maybe I am slightly over the top though, as I noticed the last couple of times he has bought me a plant :)

Bless him xxx

28 DAYS LATER!

2008-09-22T23:23:00.005+01:00

After a discussion with Hans tonight we decided it would make more sense to visit myself rather than he coming here - IF I could find a cheap flight...

The advantages are I could stay for longer, I could see friends and family, I can see the hamsters, Hans wont have to book as much time off work, I get to chill out at home for a bit - WOW I am SO happy :-)

Anyway - I looked at flights as soon as I got off the phone (at the same time talking to Hannah on MSN) and I found some really cheap ones (£100 return!) The only problem was they flew to Gatwick which would have meant alot extra hassle travelling and also alot more expense - Hannah asked me what date it was and then her and her husband Phil offered to come and collect me! they are such good friends thank you so much!!!!! xxx

So for the fist time ever I booked my own flight and am planning to travel alone (first time for everything) I'm not worried though it'll be so worth it! So it's Tuesday 21st October I am back, leaving again on 31st so 10 days with my sweet angel and i get to see my nearest and dearest too :-) Also I think as afterwards there will only be 6 weeks left of this exchange so I will quite look forward to coming back (as I know already I will miss the place and the people)

I called Hans AFTER I had booked the flight to surprise him with the great news - he was a bit shocked that I had actually booked it I think, but really happy to and excited - then as an afterthought (but almost one of the first ones) he asked if I could make him his favourite mexican lasagne! Ha ha thant's my Hans - of course I will, I need to make sure my cooking skills are kept up to scratch.

Well this will answer my earlier problem, hopefully. I think apart from the usual stresses of daily life my extreme mood swings will be over as the biggest problem is when it felt like 3 longs months away, not a few short weeks. And now I have something almost directly in the middle I can look forward too!

I have marked it on my countdown calendar in a different colour - WOW, 28 days to go. I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!

xxx I love everyone xxx

Norwegian Hospitality and Weekend Mountain Hikes

2008-09-21T12:03:00.017+01:00

Saturday night at Marias was lovely (again) and another great experience of Norwegian hospitality, and of course - delicious Norsk food!

We started of the evening by all mucking in to prepare a salad, and when we finally sat down to eat we were treated to some leftover fish soup (fiske suppe, i think) I can't remember exactly what it was called but it was deliciously warm and spicy - and Maria's partner remarked that it was 'the fish dish for people who don't like fish'! The warm spices delicately overtook the usual strong taste of fish but in a good way - you could still taste fish of course but it was really well balanced with all of the other flavours.

I felt as usual a little awkward not being able to join in fully with everybody conversationally - I sometimes feel almost like a child at an adult dinner party - wanting so much to be a grown up but not at all understanding what the adults are saying! I think I must have been a little frustrated with it because I began talking more, but I am ashamed to say it was mostly in English. I am glad in a way I did though because I got to know everybody a little better, although inevitably I talked alot about Hans then! Everyone is so weet about it though, and seem to be interested in hearing all about him - I think the way I talk about him makes it so obvious to everyone that we are besotted - and it resulted in my hosts holding a toast for Hans; to 'absent friends'. Again it was a lovely gesture and I felt really touched.

There was alot of hassle getting home as Anita and I caught the last bus, and due to alot of drunken imbeciles all thrying to use the same bus we arrived into Sentrum late and I ended up getting a taxi home. This ended up setting me back 200 krone, but Anita absolutely insisted on paying half for it which was so sweet of her, so I need to think of a way I can pay her back!

I overslept on Sunday (again) and was awoken at 11:30 by a knock at the door - I finally woke up enough to put my dressing gown on and I opened the door to see Yvonne (another exchange student from Finland who is also living at Fantoft) started to walk away down the hall. She apologised for waking me (but trust me I was more embarrassed than she was for being so lazy!) and she informed me that she and our other friend (another Exchange student from Denmark) were planning on hiking to Løvstakken (one of the mountains near Fantoft) and would I like to come along??? I was just awake, and the idea of hiking really didn't appeal to me so I declined. Another time maybe. As soon as I had closed the door I knew that I would regret it, so I made myself a strong coffee and had some galaxy chocolate (that Rob had sent me) for breakfast and messaged Yvonne on Skype.. somewhat sheepishly enquiring; "erm, what time are you going?" I had about an hour before they were meeting, and I was still slightly in 2 minds, so I pondered the matter as I drank my coffee.

Of course I was going to go - I knew that I would really - I was just being typical Becky (very, very bad at last minute arrangements - I like to plan in advance wherever possible)

I am so glad I did - all in all I think we walked for about 4 hours (so not the longest hike in the world ever!) but it was pretty tough going and wow, was it worth it - the views from the top were absolutely breathtaking and it was a really nice day spent with 2 lovely people!

The lovely 'elvish' glenn we spied a little way up

Yvonne and Anne begin the climb - not very steep at this point!

Gorgeous view of the fjords from the top - though this does not do it justice

Beautiful view of the lake below - autumn is playing with the colours

Anne and myself (grinning like an idiot) at the top of Løvstakken

Yvonne surveying the world (well, Bergen)

Me, so happy to be at the top!

So all in all the weekend was lovely - we got back from our walk just after 5:00pm I think - we went back to our respective apartments for a shower (very sweaty - nice) and then all met up at Annes and made a broccoli, tuna and sweetcorn pie with salad and drank coffee, ate jelly men and some delicious cocnut biscuits. It really was great, and around 7:00 finally got back to my room feeling absolutely exhausted (in a good way) and in high spirits. I worked on the photos I had taken, spoke to a couple of friends on MSN, and then (the other absolute highlight of my day) I spoke to Hans for about an hour on Skype. Then I went to bed about 11:15 which is really early for me.

It would be great if it ended there (but unfortunately this is an honest account) so I have to say that I had an awful night - I have no idea why but I could not sleep at all. I decided to try reading the book that Hannah sent me for a while - that didn't work. At 1:00am I took 3 valerian tablets to no avail - and all the time I was feeling more and more depressed. It sounds so extreme now but I felt something close to despair, I wish I knew why - after such a good weekend and speaking to Hans and being in a relativly good mood I just crashed. About 1:30am the tears started and didn't stop for half an hour. I was so desperate I ddn't know what to do and what was making it worse was I was getting more and more agitated because I knew I had to be up early and focussed to start my new course. I ended up pouring a glass of wine and downing it in one, hoping it would help to knock me out. I lay back down in bed (and I feel so guilty about this now) I texted Hans to tell him that I was sad and couldn't stop crying and couldn't sleep. I'm sorry Hans. I know it can't be easy for him anyway, and it must make him feel pretty awful to get that text at stupid o'clock in the morning. Anyway the crying and the wine did their job and about 3:00 I finally drifted off to an uncomfortable sleep, nightmares (which I wont go into) and having to wake up at 06:45 to wash my hair...

What is worse than having a bad night is just the fact of having these mood swings - it is seriously doing my head is and making me so tired. One minute up, the next down - and often no obvious trigger. Maybe it is just the strain of all that's happened and being away from home. And I am SERIOUSLY starting to lose my patience with people who say it should be all fun, all a great experience, 'it's only a few months, what are you so bothered about?' Of course it bothers me - maybe it wouldn't bother some people but this is me, not you, and I will not deal with it the same way as you would handle a situation like this (or more to the point how you think you would handle a situation like this)

See, ranting AGAIN - What is wrong with me?

The Last Week of ROM: Space Lab! (91 days)

2008-09-20T12:14:00.007+01:00

Well this week has been pretty busy and as some of you know I have been REALLY up and down which is why I haven't posted much. My mood has improved alot now, and I realise that I just have to try and think more positively. At the beginning of the week everything just got to me; I was really missing Hans, I was sick (therefore stuck in my room), I decided to spring clean and realised how dirty the kitchen actually was, and I think (a big factor actually) is that I hadn't trained since the Thai Boxing trial session...

I gave the gym a go on Thursday night, it was pretty good actually I am going to join on Monday - the really nice guy at the reception let me have a trial session for free (actually I think I interupted whatever he was listening to on his headphones and he just couldnt be bothered to talk to me!) So I had a good workout and really cleaned out the last of the sniffles and alot of stress. I was annoyed with myself afterwards, whenever I get down or stressed I am so frustrated with trying to find out why, and every time I fail to remember that excercise will REALLY help. Especially if you are used to doing alot anyway - I remember when I used to train Thai Boxing nearly every day (pretty much every day apart from Sunday actually) and go to the gym and run, then I got a knee injury and had to take a break and I got really depressed. Your body gets so addicted to the endorphins and to just stop like that makes you go on a real downer. Looking back now I have never managed to get to my original level, I still do some form of training nearly every day but its not as intense. I think I am scared to get back to that again... who knows. I am also alot busier though - and happier generally. I remember starting Thai Boxing when I was living with my ex and having a very hard time personally - I needed to start building my life up ouside of my usual routines and it worked - increased confidence and fitness, made new friends (and met Hans!) so it was meant to be, and I think maybe I just don't need it as much anymore.

Anyway, slightly waffled on there and lost my track :)

So, where was I? Oh yes, thinking positively - I need to do that more. I think I am hassling Hans a bit too much to come and visit me at the minute; my reasoning is that if he comes for a long weekend at the end of October that is 6 weeks away and something I can look forward too (less than 6 weeks now actually) and then after he goes home it will only be another 6 weeks until I see him again at Christmas. When I actually write that down I realise maybe it's pretty selfish - it's alot of money and hassle and time of work just for a few days, and even though 12 weeks away seems alot to me at the moment its not that long. Maybe I should just leave him alone and if he wants to come, he can come. I dreamt last night that I went home for a weekend so when I got up this morning I started to look at flights; annoyingly I think Sterling have stopped flying to East Midlands from Oslo, but one random german company flies from Bergen to Birmingham, which is a short and cheap train ride away. I dont know though, the cheapest I could find would set me back around £280 and I really dont have money to spare. If I did go though, I would go in the 2 weeks here that aren't technically part of your course and I would maybe go for a week or 10 days so it would be worth it - then again on the other hand when I got back it would be 6 weeks til it's over and like I said earlier - is it really worth it? I mean, of course it is - to see Hans and my friends and family anything is worth it - but I mean is it worth it just a couple of months before I come home anyway? Who knows. I'll talk to Hans - maybe I am just torturing myself again for no good reason.

So anyway - actual uni work. I haven't spoken about it this week, we were still working last week on the course about Space (as in spaces around us and not the thing with all the stars, planets and darth vadar) The last project lasted nearly the whole week (though I was sick for 2 days so only got just over a day to work on it) Luckily though I had had ideas and sketched them out at home, I could have joined another group when I got back and took credit for their work but the teachers liked my idea and said I should try and make it.

The task was to build a speace representing your daydream (I think) When the class were asked as a whole to think about what they daydream about, I decided that a really relevant thing for me was becoming fluent in Norwegian; I said I daydreamed about the day when I could walk in to a room and understand everything being said around me - and when someone cracked a joke and everyone laughs I can laugh along because I GET IT and don't have to stand there smiling awkwardly. I want to watch the news properly, and listen to the radio and really get to know people properly - and that is what gave me my idea. Even though I have met some lovely people and tey have become friends - there is a lways a barrier there - almost a physical wall. Neither side can say what they really want to say and be very descriptive, so I feel alone in a sense - trapped behind a wall from where I can see and hear everyone, but not yet be a part of them. Every day I am chipping away slowly at the wall and a few more holes appear - and one day it will be gone! It was actually a pretty accurate metaphor, and the way I built it could really reflect my personality - for example the holes I made in the wall were small and precise and that showed brilliantly my perfectionist traits - someone else who was less bothered about doing things correctly might be ripping the wall down with their bare hands and therefore destroying it much faster - but not me.

Full view of the finished 'walls' - my personal barrier with the Norwegian Language
and ability to communicate effectively with those around me

A view from the other side - here you see less 'holes'
(progress made) and also Maria

A guest lecturer we had in the class wanted to try it out - Odd østbyx -
he really loved the idea and offered me a cookie, perhaps as a reward?

What the 'barriers' look like from inside - pretty
cool structure I think

Finally - a distorted view of the outside from one of the openings -
people I can see and hear but not quire reach - YET!

I was pretty please with it in the end (yes I know it is made out of tape and cardboard but I only had 1 day!) I got really good feedback for and it was even suggested I leave it standing and then every day come and make a new opening - see what happens! Its a good idea, I may just do it! It would ceratainly be a good ongoing project to document whilst I am here.

Anyway, I am going to go and wash my hair - I think I am seeing Maria and Anita again tonight for some food (hopefully) I am very glad I met them both, they are very kind and really nice people and its friends like that who are making it easier and fun to be here. I hope I keep in contact with them when I come home...

Until next time

xxx

94 days... FILTHY!!!! Arrrggghhh!!!!

2008-09-17T19:04:00.004+01:00

Still in a bad mood, very low - so not much of a post again i'm afraid ('hooray', I hear you cry) I am going back to uni tomorrow, I feel better enough. So bored again today that I decided to have a real go at the cleaning in the kitchen (3rd time lucky)

Just as proof as to why I have been whinging about the state of the apartment so much, see pictures below;

This is the bucket of water after I had cleaned the front of
all the wooden doors in the kitchen

This is the gap between the kitchen counter and the cupboard -
years of grim, grease and food in there :(

This is the light above the kitchen counter -
it is just baked on grime I have tried cleaning it twice

After I moved the blue cushion this is what i found in the handle of the bench -
click to enlarge (note the nail clippings)

I read the contract and it says that the cleaning department are supposed to make sure its suitably clean before the next tenant moves in... I might complain. I have cleaned most of it now but thats not the point.

Anyway, I have made the concious decision that I will try and be more positive tomorrow - I know the happier I am the faster it will go and the more I will enjoy it anyway. I will try, I have just been ill and had a tough few days - it will get better! The school is great and the people on my course are really nice, I have made some lovely friends... it could be so much worse than it is! There is just one, big thing missing (clue: its shaped like a Hans) Ha ha ha.

XXX

BORED & SICK! (95 days)

2008-09-16T18:59:00.013+01:00

I have been bored stupid today; I wasn't feeling particularly great last night and woke up this morning to a horrible headache and sore throat. I thought I might have just had a bit of 'morning grogginess' so I had a shower and stuff, but that only seemed to make my headache worse!

So I decided to stay home today and I didn't go to school; after I had emailed a couple of people to tell them I wasn't coming in I went back to bed and fell straight to sleep again - then at around 11:00 I was rudely awoken by the alarm they sound before they make an 'explosion' in the tunnel (I don't know if I have mentioned before but they are building a metro system and the tunnel they are blasting through the rock happens to be right outside my apartment) I had to dive out of bed and shut the window and then dive back into bed and pull the pillow over my ears - it's horrible! So loud that it hurts your ears but it's not really the sound it's the blast - you can actually feel the force of it through the walls and windows and everything. Anyway, it was the worst one by far today, the whole room shook like I was in an earthquake and the blast was huge! It was really scary to feel the floor shaking to and fro! I am surprised this Fantoft hasn't collapsed or something :)

Like I said before, the apartment is bearable but really not very nice and Fantoft as an apartment complex is awful! It's pretty depressing coming here everyday and thinking of my cosy flat with Hans back in Derby - but at the same time I think I will find it funny later on when I look back at this - it's like going to stay at Guest House Paradiso or something! As well as the manky, 40 year old rooms and ridiculously small kitchens you have a laundrette that looks like something from a horror movie and daily explosions to cope with!

Anyway I couldn't get back to sleep after that, so I ate a small lunch and started work on the icons I am doing for my brother Ryan;

Just a few so far - but he wanted a simple and colourful style that was universal for everyone and is happy with these - I have quite a few to do so when I have finished I'll upload them all.

Anyway - my friend is coming over for some well needed cheering up - so just a short one tonight!

Thinking of you all xxx

PS: Hans - the image on the actual photo used in the icons is one of the ones from Finnskogtoppen! How cool is that?

96 Days! Reflections and daydreams!

2008-09-15T18:06:00.008+01:00

I don't know how to start today, erm...

... Saturday was really nice (after my depressing post I mean!) I met Maria and we walked to Anitas house where we had loads of tacos, beer and wine (Hans generously said he didn't mind me eating tacos bless him - I feel like such a hypocrite!) Later on the other girl from my class came (Kristine) It was really nice actually, and it was good to get to know them all a little better. After we had eaten and had a few drinks we went t out (which was a surprise for me as I had obviously missed that part of the arrangement!) But nevertheless it was a good night... I haven't drank for ages though so I can't remember too much of the club, but I remember enough!

Some pictures of the girls from saturday night

The funniest part about saturday night was getting home (I can't really remember it to be fair) and then sitting at my laptop trying to email people at 3:30 in the morning! I think I emailed my brother a random quote from Flight of The Conchords and then then next thing I knew I woke up at 4:30 at my laptop, with really bad neck ache :-)

Sunday again was really nice - I just recovered... I mean relaxed in the morning, and then in the afternoon 2 friends (other exchange students that live at Fantoft) came over and we ate pasta and LOADS of ice cream.. Nom nom nom. They are both really nice and fun girls (Yvonne and Anne) so it was a laugh - hopefully we are doing it again soon and Yvonne has promised mudcake..nom nom nom....apparantly it goes well with icecream..NOM nom nom....ok, stop drooling Bek!

Sunday night though (last night) I had a pretty bad night sleep; I fell asleep with the lamp on and then woke up around 2 and I didn't have a clue where I was - it really scared me! It must have taken about 6 seconds to remember, then I looked at my phone and saw a picture of Hans and it hit me all over again that he was far away and I was here on my own. It was quite upsetting and I couldn't sleep for a while, and subsequently woke up at 8:45 when I was supposed to be in class at 9:00.. oh dear!

Anyway, today at uni we had a psychologist come in and give a talk (I would have struggled to understand it anyway) but I basically missed most of it due to being late. Anyway - it was about daydreams and the next task has something to do with our daydreams - what do we dream of and what do we want. I THINK the task is that we must now desing a space similar to how we did ast week, but apply it to our dream... I am not really sure I understand but I will give it a go!

I said that my daydream was obvious really - I think alot about being fluent in Norwegian and being able to understand everything that is said to me and to feel like I am really talking to people and letting them know who I am, rather than just struggling through sentences. It made sense I think! I have a few ideas, but I need to have a think about how to move forward with this - I may be working in a group with 2 other girls so we shall see.

I went for a coffee at lunch with Anita, and that was really nice - we managed to talk pretty well together (in English and my bad Norwegian) She seems to understand alot of what I am going through and is very empathetic (as well as being very sweet) so I think I am lucky so far in that everyone I have met is really nice. It could be much worse than it is so I need to keep feeling positive.

When I arrived home, I decided to treat myself to buying dinner from the hot counter in the store so I didnt have to cook (dauphinoise potatoes and a pork chop!) and went to check if I had had any letters - I was IMMENSELY happy to find 2 packages; one from Rob in which he had sent a copy of his favourite poem and some mini pens! Thanks Rob!!! And one from Hannah whch was a really lovely surprise; a relax pack for Bek! It contained a sample olay face mask thing and a really beautiful 'buckwheat cold therapy' pack to put on any aches and pains, and also a matching 'linseed cold therapy eye patch'. I have to stress that my clever mate has handmade these herself and they are beautiful (and in my favourite colour Han Han! thank you!!!) she has recently realised her own talen and has set up shop (online) so if you fancy any beautiful home-made goods take a look on http://www.folksy.com/shops/span1 She makes all kinds of things, doorstops, bags etc. She is very talented!

Hannahs gifts - beautifully handmade!

Letter from Rob - thanks Rob :-) ur weekly correspondance is much appreciated!

I also got a book from Hannah on friday so now I happily have something to read (in English!) and I love reading books anyway - they temporarily take you away from everything.

Anyway, I shall leave it at that for now, I am pretty tired and I think I am getting a cold. I feel heady and achy, really hope I don't get one! I dont need that on top of everything else!

xxx

Saturday blues, and subsequent muse!

2008-09-13T15:00:00.008+01:00

Saturdays are really tough every week - even if I know I am doing something later on in the evening, I always get pretty sad and homesick. Maybe because it's the longest period of time I am here and on my own, I don't think it's just that though...

I think about Hans and what he is doing, and I wish I was there. I mean, Friday nights are ours almost without fail every week, we eat tacos or something else relatively 'treat based' and we watch all of our series and maybe a film.. It's a proper 'cuddle up and watch tv' couple night. Then saturdays we kind of do our own thing in the morning; I will normally clean and have a late breakfast, Hans will have a bit of a lie in and then prepare class stuff for the MMA session. We train, then afterwards we either go into town and do some shopping or just drive to Marks and Spencers, get some snacks for then and food for the evening, and go home and relax... I think my favourite is going to town, because we will normally spend an hour or 2 walking around holding hands, & almost always without fail visiting holland and barratts, games workshop and forbidden planet :-) If I am lucky Hans will agree to sit and be bored to death while I have a coffee somewhere, and if I am extra lucky Rob and Lorna will meet us for a coffee with my nieces... I love and I miss it so much.

I think that it's a culmination of things; yesterday I thought alot about Evan Tanner who I posted about - and situations like that always hit me hard; people are taken away so suddenly and so many things are left undone and unsaid. Then also, being away from Hans, and thinking about the things we do together normally makes me sad too - and even though I know it's not forever (98 days today by the way - double figures!) it sometimes feels like it is, and I feel like I will never get those days back.

Even though they are simple, routine things - that is what is important in this life. Spending time with the friends and family - the people you love, just being yourself and being happy, that is what this life is all about. Your job, education, all the other stuff yes it matters of course it does, but at the end of the day I think love is the most important thing in this world. I know I have spoken to some friends and colleagues who think I am silly and naive for believing in true love and soulmates, love at first sight and all that (I mean, I didn't until it happened to me so I don't blame them) but it's not silly - there is somone out there for eveyone and even though I am sad and feel so far away, I know I am lucky. We are both lucky to have each other..

..and that is it - that is the essence of the frustrated feeling I have here - I know how lucky I am and how important every minute together is because it can (god forbid) be gone in an instant. Even though I am doing this for me, us - our future together - it feels like I am sacrificing such precious moments to do this.

I love you Hans, and Rob and Lorna and the girls and mum and dad and ruth, ryan, rox, Josh, Beth, Junior, Bobberty, Tiny, Fluffy, the Nogueiras and Renzo, and Hannah and Phil and Andy and ...ok this could go on for a while - all of my family, and all of my friends I miss you all. But especially you, Hans - I love you forever!

Believe in the Power of One - RIP Evan Tanner

2008-09-13T00:44:00.004+01:00

I felt like I just wanted to make my own tribute to Evan Tanner, a great fighter and a great person. He had thousands of friends and fans all over the world and will be really terribly missed by many - for those of you who don't know who he was, just look him up and you will surely gain some inspiration... RIP x

"Now you may ask if I regret it, if I would do it differently if I could, if I would take it back. NOT A CHANCE!!!!! I went for it. I put it all on the line. I always will. I knew what the consequences would be if I failed, and I was willing to accept them. So any of you reading who might be feeling a twinge of sympathy, don't. I made my decisions, and I accept the consequences. I'm no victim. And to those who are thinking about preaching at me, don't bother. I won't hear you. I haven't accomplished anything in this life worth remembering by playing it safe. That's boring to me anyway."

- Evan Tanner '07

Pictures, work, etc

2008-09-12T23:48:00.007+01:00

Just a few photos today - not going to write! can't be bothered! doing quite alot this weekend so i will write after when I have some interesting news to report!

x

This is a photo of the finished 'shelter' we made for the shelter project in the Rom:Space
course we had this week - see the post below if you want sort of an explanation to it!

This is a photo of the sunny, yes that's right SUNNY park in Bergen close to the school -
I sit here sometimes on a little wall and eat my lunch

I think this is the finished letterhead for my friends at the PA Team!

And lastly, I think this is the finished business card for the PA Team too!

Space, light and black eyes - 100 DAYS TO GO

2008-09-11T19:02:00.016+01:00

100 days to go to the end of my course here! (you know the calendar I made on which I cross off the days?!) well, last night I crossed off 101, so after tonight we are into the double figures.

Today has been pretty good - after finally getting into work yesterday I was quite looking forward to the next task; we were being put into pairs (although I ended up going in a 3) The task (again something COMPLETELY different to the kind of thing I am used to doing) was to work together to build a scale model of something that represented 'Shelter' in some form... I think that is the general idea anyway, again it is all in Norwegian but I had the advantage today of working with other people :-)

Anyway, after discussion between us we came up with an idea pretty fast - I suggested that I had been thinking of the atmosphere, as that is earths ultimate shelter - without it we wouldn't be here. So taking that idea and blending it with their own thoughts we came up with having shelter in 3 parts (I find this hard to explain, sorry!) Basically though, we wanted to represent the atmosphere (the sky) as the ultimate shelter, a house within it as a man made shelter, and within the house would be the person with their own comforts and private thoughts as we each have, sheltering us from the world......(!?)

Anyway, the 2 people I worked with were people I had not met properly before, and they were both really nice (one is in my class too) and we worked hard, and worked really well together and ended up almost finishing the model (which takes up half a room!) we are not meeting until 10:00 tomorrow instead of the usual 9:00 so I get a lie in too, yay!

Anyway, here are a couple of pics of what we have done so far, to give you a general idea - the material used was very important as we wanted something that would allow the sunlight through, but kind of diffuse the light into the colours at the sametime; we got the effect we wanted and the light felt hazy and comforting, and inside the 'house' where you sit it was very secure.

The hardest part was definately making a structure to build the house!

Starting to cover the 'house' in the white material

The pureness of the material and sunlight in the 'house'

After we had added the 'atmosphere' - almost finished!

So that is what I have been doing today! I am actually really glad I have done this course as it is something I would never have chosen to do normally, and it has made me more aware of space and light and I really think I can apply this to my designs - or at least be able to think about the issues with more understanding.

I am looking forward to the weekend - the party on Friday with the 2 girls from my class should be good, as I said before they are both really nice. I think we are having food and wine and just hanging out... should be good. I need to talk to Hans about it though - I am sure I heard them talking about tacos :-( I made Hans promise that neither of us would eat tacos until we met again - it's our special meal!

Talking of Hans, last Friday he inadvertantly got 'caught' in the eye with Luciens heel when sparring, and over the last 6 days we have been photographing his black eye.. here is the end result!

The first night it wasn't particularly 'black' and you can't tell from the phots properly but it was really swollen, poor thing. He really doesn't mind though, and I know what he means you don't mind injuries from sparring so much it's all part of the sport, but it's not nice seeing someone else with the injuries!

And here is another picture too! I got another letter from Rob today (thanks Wobbie! I love it!) I got an album I have been hassling him about for ages, the soundtrack to one of my favourite fils - 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' and.........some ELF EARS!!! So I have been indulging my inner geek tonight pretending I am an elf from Lord of The Rings (did I really just say that?!) I actually think they really suit my features so next time someone asks me if I would ever have plastic surgery and on which part of my body now I know what to say! I would like to have elf ears - big, pointy ears!!!

Ta ta for now! xxx

Finished piece - Unititled

2008-09-11T17:13:00.004+01:00

As promised, a photo of the finished piece from yesterdays work.

It's on 'my' wall now by my desk at school - I'm pretty happy with it (see previous post for explanation)

Bek xxx

Feedback for 'Rom' assignment (Light and Space)

2008-09-10T18:29:00.013+01:00

Well the work I showed on my blog yesterday seemed to go down really well when I presented it today. I was a little worried at first as i was nearly last to show my work and all the others that had been discussed were really really good and alot more 'interactive' than mine. I thought for a while that maybe I had misunderstood the brief! A couple of the other students had really good ideas that appealed to me (particularly as they were things I never would have thought of myself) and I think I'm going to ask if they mind me photographing them for my influences file.

When my turn came though, I explained a little about what it was, and read out a short 'poem' I had written to explain the feelings and the reasons behind it - the feedback I got was that it was a very strong image, and it evoked emotions of fear. They also liked the element of the ropes that I had chosen to represent the story and how I used the shadows to make them distorted and appear as bars. They want me to type up the text I wrote, and put them together as one piece on the wall, so people can look at it - when have done this I will take a photo and add it to the blog. One of the lecturers came up to me afterwards and asked me to keep hold of the piece, as they would like to talk about it further...

Anyway, as promised I will elaborate on what I made! As Andy rightly guessed, it was an abstract depiction of the memory of my first thai boxing fight (well, not the fight in itself, the moments leading up to the fight and the intense emotions involved) This is another pcture of the mock-up - I haven't managed to photograph the fianl piece yet. So here goes, my work as presented today;

"I have waited for this and now I'm here;
but my eyes don't see what you see - my ears don't hear what you hear.

Adrenalin courses through my body and I see only a white square;
everything else is black - the people and their noises disappear
and the only sound is my heart beating.

The bright lights cast shadows and the ropes become bars
- my own, self-made prison
Time stands still as I climb in and I know;
I cannot leave until I have served my sentence"

I keep referring to this in my head as my 'ring piece' I really must stop :-) Think I will just title it - 'self-made prison' or 'my prison' or something like that. Any suggestions on a title, or comments (or even constructive criticisms) on the work will be welcome. Personally, this feels like I am expressing how I felt before my first fight really well - I never felt quite the same the other times. I doubt I will feel the same if and when I fight again. I should also try to say 'competing' as it kind of ruins the mood when the lecturers think you mean your first FIGHT in the street or something :-)

Anyway, I won't say too much more tonight - I will however have a moan about the place I am staying at;

WELL, I had a letter stuck on my door last week to say they that a pest company would be routinely 'bug controlling' my room today(!?) After much deliberation I decided that I would leave my laptop here and just use the security lock Hans bought for it and hide it under stuff. All I knew is they were coming between 9-3pm.

I arrived home from uni at approximately 4:00pm, and to my horror my door was left completely unlocked! I have my laptop in here, art materials, passport etc...I was fuming!!! and to make matters worse I came and looked around inside and a load of toiletries had been knocked off my bathroom shelf and left lying on the floor! I was asked to remove the bed covers and nothing else so I don't know what business they had in the bathroom anyway! I was so mad about this and have written an email to complain - I will let you know what I hear... I am getting really fed up with this place (as in Fantoft, not Bergen) my stay here would be much easier if I had a nicer home to stay in :-(

Anyway, lastly I want to mention that our eldest hamster Junior has been poorly and not himself the last few days. I am not going to go into it because it's pretty personal and not really anything to do with the exchange - but at the same time this is supposed to be an honest blog about how I feel and so I'm mentioning it because obviously it's really sad. I can't be there obviously, so kisses to little Junior

xxx

Finally started working...

2008-09-09T19:59:00.012+01:00

This week I have actually started to get a bit more hands on with stuff, which has felt good. The course I am doing now is called 'Rom: Space Lab' or something along those lines. It is completely different to anything I have ever done before really - maybe I would have worked similarly if I had done the art foundation year of my degree? Who knows?!

Anyway, I have found (most) of it pretty interesting so far; yesterday was a day long seminar - some of which I found very interesting and inspiring, and some of which went over my head or just didn't interest me I suppose.

Today, we began talking about space, and how light affects space - we were shown some great examples of work by artists such as 'Metzer' and 'Turrell', and we were given 2 opportunities today to think about how we can use light as a material within a piece of work... the first task was to make some kind of a structure (individually) using only one piece of card, that somehow utilised the daylight coming into the room, and 'played' with it in a way and turn it into art - I wont go into huge details about any work I do on my blog as it must not be interesting at all for some people! But anyway, below are the 2 structures I made - Columns and Circles;

The point of these was to use the light source in someway, so bearing this is mind I made 2 things that would take advantage of the fact that the light was from the sun and constantly moving - the shadows would move and change shape and in particular, the circles would almost endlessly be manipulated. Obviously ignore the execution of this - I had no ruler and not much time to do this - it was mainly for experimentation purposes.

The second task which I have not completed yet (and much more to my taste) was to think of an experience or memory of your own (preferably that had something to do with space) and recreate it using light and dark and in an abstract way, to express the emotions and retell the story of the experience - this was a little more open and you can make use of other materials if you wish (though mine will be very simple) and I have made it yet as we are continuing tomorrow... I have however done a mock up on Photoshop to get a clearer picture in my head of what I want;

When I make this, the white and black will still be flat I think, and I will try and make the objects casting the shadow in 3d... I will confirm this with the lecturer though as I don't want the shadows to be 'normal' I want them distorted, to better reflect the feel of the experience. All of the elements you see are vital to the meaning; the white, black, shadows, mood, etc... particularly the fact that the white is square (or the square is white)

If anyone reads this before tomorrow and want a guess at what this is feel free to comment (no cheating Rob and Hannah) Though when I put my finished piece up I will offer an explanation!

On a personal note (though just a quick one as I am still not feeling quite myself) I feel a bit better than yesterday, but not quite right still. Of course I am missing Hans, and of course I see the benefits of what I am doing but it is still so damn hard. Thanks for comments again guys, oh, and yes Andy, I have heard about Evan Tanner (for those who don't know, he is a UFC fighter who died at the weekend) it is so very sad and as it is obviously a terrible tragedy it intensifies my feelings in a way, but probably more so as it makes me painfully aware of how precious time is and makes me even more want to be around the people I love.

But on a cheery note, I have been invited to a small party/meal/housewarmingtype thing on Saturday by a couple of the girls from my course, so at least I will have a chance to get to know them better and have plans for the weekend to keep me occupied.

Anyway, off to make a peanut butter sandwich ...had to be frugal with my shopping this evening; I bought a small plastic tub of salad at lunch (which wasn't priced as they go by the weight) and when I got to the till to pay it came to about £7.50!! ouch... poor purse. Paid 2 months rent today too so really feeling the pinch :-(

Much love

Beks

xxx

Fed up

2008-09-08T19:00:00.004+01:00

I just want to go home again today... I am fed up and just want to climb into bed and snuggle up to Hans and forget all about everything that's happened.

But I can't can I??? Not for at least another 103 days.

It was Sea Trout!

2008-09-07T09:57:00.011+01:00

It was a good day yesterday!

For the first time in I don't know how long I didn't wake up until 11:30! I must have been so tired from the first week at school. Then I worked on the design project for my friend throughout the day, chatting with various friends as I went! I actually had a chat with one of Hans' aunts on MSN too, which was a bit strange - apparantly they just bought a pc and are now on line... she said she may be online again today along with Hans' mum so I shall keep one eye/ear open for noises coming from MSN! A friend also called on Skype which was a surprise, and it was really good to talk to her again too.

Anyway, as planned I was picked up at 6pm by Maria and her boyfriend. We picked up her sister from work and drove to their home - I wish so much I had taken my camera; they had an absolutely gorgeous house and garden, with amazing views across the water and to mountains in the distance - they were situated partway up a mountain themselves so you could see for miles. Their garden was full of fruit trees, it was sunny and warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! They also had 4 gorgeous cats - 2 siamese and 2 oriental - but I discovered that they are actually the same breed, but siamese cats carry a specific gene which gives them their famous colouring. They were beautiful cats though, the whole place was lovely and they had a very relaxed feel to the place.

The house itself was a typical, red wooden house as you see all over Norway, but it was different to all the others too. The owner of the house has kept adding on parts so it has a unique look and feel to it; maria lives in one part of the house with her boyfriend, her sister, sisters' boyfriend and their little girl live in the top part - and then the house is kind of split down the middle and other people live there. I didn't meet them as they were away on holiday - but I did meet a few different people, and I can't remember who they were, what they did or where they were from! I am terrible with names and didn't bring anything to write them down. I will ask Maria nicely next week for a recap on the names and edit this post later!

I sat in the garden with them and a lovely cup of coffee and we chatted and drank coffee, then it was time to prepare the meal!

The meal was absolutely delicious, but the preparation of it was something new for me too - I shelled and beheaded (i don't know the term for it!) a big bowl of shrimp, I have never done this before; I ripped of their heads and pulled all the shell off and gave them a quick rinse under the tap. The whole feast (because it was a feast really) was a complete sea food delight - for starters we had the shrimps, and some whole crayfish (again something I have never eaten) all still in its shell with head and everything, and all it's eggs attached (also edible) there was also a crab shell in the centre of the table with lovely sweet crab meat inside, and to round it all off was a lovely sauce and a salad made with lightly roasted aubergine slices, garlic and grated cheese. It realy was delicious, and when we had eaten the starter we sat back with a glass of wine and waited for the main course -

I was so intrigued as to how the main course would taste - i had seen the fish earlier - a huge thing lying on a tray, very fresh, and then when I had finished my coffee earlier and come back in from the garden in place of the fish was a huge mound of rock salt. I have heard of this being doe but again I have never seen it - apparantly cooking the fish covered in salt has 2 main benefits, it retains the flavour and alot of moisture, and also it is supposed to take the skin of with the salt later on. Anyway, the fsh was roasted in the salt for not even half an hour, then it was brought to the table along with a hammer (for the salt which goes rock hard!) and i sat mesmerised and watched the fish being dug out of the salt.

I was given the first piece, again we had the same nice sauce, a different salad, some potatoes and vegetables. I began to eat it and it was honestly some of the nicest fish I had ever eaten - it was sea trout apparantly, which is different to freshwater trout. The colour and texture was much like salmon but it had a sweeter taste - but being sea trout it had a very fresh, 'sea' taste to it. It was delicious anyway, and I helped myself to seconds when I had finished and the whole time I ate I was silent, just really enjoying my food!

For dessert we had ice cream and hot berries from the stove - something I have had a few times here before. Another cup of coffee and a small tot of a really nice, smoky cognac finished the evening off. I was kindly driven back to Fantoft, and was so full and tired when I got home that I just managed a quick text to Hans and then tried (to no avail) to watch an episode of Flight of the Conchords, and I drifted off into a satisfied sleep. I had a great night, and I'm very grateful to Maria for the invite and to the family for making me feel so welcome!

And here we are today - I feel much more rested as for the first time I got here I slept ok and didn't wake up once in the night. I woke up really missing Hans though; even though I am making friends and it's getting easier to be here I still really miss him - and all the new people I meet and the nice things I experience I always wish he was a part of it too... maybe apart from last night - Hans hates fish and passionately hates aubergines so he would have been a bit stuck! haha...

So, I am going to go and do some washing in the launderette now, then finish off some of the graphics work (hopefully) and wait for Hans to call later. Then I shall prepare for the beginning of my next course tomorrow. I forgot to buy food and milk yesterday (the shop is not open on a sunday) so i need to be very frugal with my coffee, and try and salvage something to eat tonight!

Fun and games, bye! xxx

Week 1 over, red fish, and I getting my first packages!!!)

2008-09-05T18:27:00.021+01:00

Friday 5th September

So it's been an interesting few days with it's ups and downs! I am actually glad it's Friday and for the first time since Hans went back to England I am not dreading the weekend!

As I mentioned before it has been the first week of my courses, it was the heavy going 'design metodikk' class... and it's been an experience! I am planning on including the work I do on my course within the blog, but this was all discussions and research and with a presentation at the end so if I do go into detail you will probably never read the blog again (however good your intentions are!) All I will say is it was tough going at times (particulary with all of the lectures and discussions being in Norwegian) it was interesting theory behind the lectures and the lecturere has sent me a briefly translated copy in English so it will be useful for future reference. It was more the method behind coming up with a concept and writing a brief, as opposed to solving a brief - so a completely different point of view to what I have been used to.

I guess if I am honest the most interesting aspect for me has been getting to know 1 or 2 people on my course, and working within a group (in my group their were 4 of us, all girls) It has been reassuring in a way because I have realised that the group dynamic was the same pretty much as any other group I have worked in before, you have people naturally falling into distinct roles and here it was no different. I don't know why I feared it might be, I guess just nervousness. But in the end the language wasn't as big a problem as I thought (obviously I couldn't jump in with suggestions when they were discussing things in Norwegian) but overall if there was something vital that I didn't understand the could tell me basically in English anyway.

An example of a really quick collage (they call it a mood board here)
that I put together for the presentation - I wanted to get across a general 'feel' for 1920's cinema.

Only one of the girls in the group I was working in is actually on the same (Visual Communication) course as me - my desk is directly opposite hers - and although we didn't speak much the first couple of days, now we have talked a bit more, and today went and had lunch together - she is called Maria and she is very nice! Anyway, she asked me today what I was doing at the weekend, I said (trying not to sound like a loner and completely failing) that I was just going to catch up on sleep and relax, and she very kindly invited me to dinner tomorrow night. I graciously (and gladly) accepted, and thanked her as it is a very kind gesture. I hope it all goes well and to plan, I am really looking forward to it - she lives with her boyfriend and a few other family members (including a couple of children) so it should be fun and easygoing. She is cooking fish, or to quote her directly; 'some fish....it's red', and I love fish so I am sure I will like it... whatever the case she made it sound so mysterious, I really can't wait! Red Snapper maybe? I don't know...

I actually went to Ida's house on wednesday evening too - after helping her to clean her apartment for 2 hours (which I WONT go into, but it was the reason I was so tired yesterday) and I was treated to my first homecooked meal since arriving in Bergen (some kind of chicken casserole which her dad had made for the first time) He was super happy because I had 4 servings - including 2 huge chicken legs!!! and I mentioned every time how delicious it was (I know that sounds alot of servings, but anyone who knows me well knows how much I eat anyway, particularly when the opportunity to have a homecooked meal presents itself!) I was very pleased with myself that night too, because we basically spoke only Norwegian (just occasional English to clarify things) and my confidence was boosted because they understood what I said and were really impressed with my language skills. Anyway, it was lovely and they said I am welcome to stuff myself with food there anytime :-)

Anyway, the only other thing I will talk about today is MY PACKAGES YAY!!!!!!!

Basically all week I have been waiting for letters from Hans and my brother - Hans posted his last Saturday so they took nearly a week to arrive but they have FINALLY made it! I have been rushing and home and checking my postboks every night, only to be dissapointed with an empty space (yesterday was even worse - I was sure that at least one letter would have arrived, and ran from the bus and opened the postboks and there was nothing there but a little sheet of paper - I looked at it and it was an invoice for over £500 for the rent) I was so deflated that I had to go and buy an icecream to cheer myself up.

So, they have arrived today and they have made me so happy (so get writing friends and family!) My brother Rob sent me a very humourous typed letter and a 400g bar of chocolate (lovingly smashed into bite size chunks by the various people that have handled it between Sheffield and Bergen) and my angel Hans has sent me some very thoughtful little gifts that made me cry a little and smile alot! He sent;

A mousemat - I only had a piece of cardboard before!
Some feminax (for those times that only a woman can understand)
Some earplugs (I live above 'Klubb Fantoft' and have very arguementative neighbours)
A little packet of chilli (to spice up my life even when he is miles away I guess:-0))
A fridge deodoriser (I won't even go into what the fridge smelled like when I first moved in!)
some newspaper clippings - one about some London ads for my graphics influences and one about alot of English people not being able to make roast dinners or bread anymore (I guess because I make a smashing roast!)
Some wine gums! - this is particularly sweet (no pun intended) Before we left for Norway I hid lots of little cards and packets of wine gums around the house for him to find (he loves wine gums!) he has eaten all but 2 in the packets and then twisted the ends up to make little wine gum sweeties! I knew before I opened them they would be they black ones as they are my favourite, and whenever he eats wine gums he always lets me have the black ones :-)
And finally, thank you SO much Hans - 2 cds with various films and series that I can watch, and a couple of excercise tutorials.

I didn't miss it at first, but I have been longing to watch some TV for the last few days. I even (this is so embarrasing) watched an episode of Eastenders on youtube that Rob told me was good (it was the one where Jase dies and had loads of complaints) it was chopped up into 3 seperate 10 minute segments hahaha. I don't even watch it normally (well occasionally when there is nothing else on I might!) So tonight I am going to curl up in bed with my chocolate from Rob, a nice cup of coffee and watch a film from Hans!!! Woohoo!!! The only thing wrong is that I'll be snuggling with Hans the Penguin instead of Hans my fiance... but I guess you can't have it all!

My pressie from Rob - thankyou!!!

And my lovely, thoughtful gifts from Hans! thanks angel :-)

It's all little things like this are keeping me going while I am over here, and friends and family that I love are reminding me why I am doing this and keeping me strong - thanks to everyone who calls, emails and writes, but a special thanks again to Uncle Andy for the no-nonsense emails when I'm struggling and sending all of the comics for me to read at my laptop - and also to Hannah who seems to be there waiting whenever I need a friend to talk to... I promise I will buy you some new ears when I come home Han Han!

Anyway, wish me luck for the weekend - and all being well I'll let you know how the meal went - I am sure that is enough waffling for now!!!

Much love to everybody xxx

Hello, Goodbye!

2008-09-04T23:38:00.004+01:00

I have had a tough and busy couple of days - so this is just a quick update. Just to say hi to everyone really and I have not forgotten about the blog. I am a little stressed out and it's late now so I am not going to write anything other than that! I may just go and cry into my pillow instead...or just go to sleep :-) I haven't had a really good nights sleep since I arrived so I'm knackered. Anyway - I'll update properly tomorrow - it'll be the weekend, YAY!

Thanks for the ongoing support everyone, I need it!!!

Much love xxx

Second line = 1 eighth!!! (and more silly Bek Humour)

2008-09-02T15:43:00.010+01:00

I am on the second line of my 'Hans Calendar'... remember the one I drew to count down the days until I see Hans? (and of course, all my family and friends too!) well there are 8 and a bit lines of days on it and I have crossed off all of the top line now...

...that means I am about an eighth of the way through my exchange trip (no Lorna I'm not wishing the time away!) but I just need to do the last 2 weeks 8 more times and I'll see you all again. It helps to have a goal you see, I'm sure you understand.

Yay!!!

(I'll probably post again later - I'm off to try out the Thai Boxing tonight with Ida...)

Oh, and this pic really made me laugh when I saw it - and not very hungry!

see more pwn and owned pictures

And another favourite from www.english.com

I'M A FOREIGNER!!!! (a smelly one)

2008-09-01T19:48:00.023+01:00

Hmmm...... what word would I use to describe today??? Let me see.... I think;

AAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes that will do nicely :-)

Today (well, this morning at least) was HORRIBLE - absolutely the worst day since Hans left (but still nowhere near that bad, thank god) I was really nervous about it anyway, as my classmates are completely different people from the ones I met last week, so it was like starting all over again, again! Also the particular course for this week is methodology and lectures which are COMPLETELY in Norwegian...so no, wasn't looking forward to it - but I guess having that frame of mind put me on a downer from the start...

I woke up late to begin with (7:45) and I had to leave at 8:15, so I had quickly get dressed and grab my stuff and a bowl of cereal and fly out of the door - JUST caught the bus. I washed my hair Saturday before I met Line for a coffee so it's not too bad, but I don't like leaving it long, so I felt trampy and smelly all day (it's not even greasy now, but you know how it feels!)

Anyway, then I got to the building with 10 minutes to spare, sweating and feeling even more smelly from all of the rushing around and tried to find the room I was supposed to be in - now I could guess at the right floor but it took me ages to find the right room as the doors are not numbered until you are actually in the first set... anyway, eventually found the room to discover that the rooms had been changed, but luckily I saw and followed some poor guy up the stairs to the right room. The guy introduced himself, he was quite nice :-) he is actually in furniture design, and he remembered my name and that i was from England (from when I introduced myself to the wrong class last week - he was there!) Shame...

So the lectures began - and they may as well have been in Cantonese... We had a designer do a presentation first, I was catching odd words that I knew but basically all I heard was;

'hi everybody my name is Bente....fjirbgjbgojnjg....I work for Fuggibaggi Design........fejjjnjfknmvknfjkadng....design......njinrfvriwgr.....working in a team.....vnrjinjnfmkldnmvnljln...very, very difficult.......rjajnhjtl...yes?......fewijfjekojebfk....bus station......numbers........jrjgnjrnjnjngjra......typograpy.............jhfnm....architects, furniture designers and several graphic designers......frjoajgk;lkgra'h....many, many people....vbehhbjfnem.....for 10 years.....rwihfjrnjnjnaji...in an office near Bryggen...."

Looking back at it now, I am actually pretty impressed that I even managed to pick any of it up - especially considering I have taught myself from a book - I mean, I did get the very general gist of it, so it could have been worse. I was really focussing on every word though (like I am not supposed too!) and I am so drained now because of it! On top of it though, I didn't know anyone - there were quite alot of students there and they were all Norwegian and people kept looking at me (with interest obviously, but at the time I just felt out of place and.....smelly!)

Lunch time came around pretty early (11:15) and everyone shot up instantly in their little groups and disappeared so fast they left smoke trails - you should have seen me then I was feeling SO sorry for myself, poor ikkle Becky, all awone in Bwergen! Honestly though, I felt really sad and friendless, so I got up slowly, put my stuff away in my bag and (lip quivering!) made my way outside. I had no idea where I could get a cheap lunch from and (it's so embarrasing now) but I was walking down the street nearly crying! The feelings of missing Hans just intensified by 1000 and I texted him then and there - something along the lines of 'It's going really badly - I can't understand a word and no-one is talking to me...'

Just then I saw the guy who had spoken to me earlier, and I asked him where I could get some food, and he kindly took me to the little student kitchen in one of the buildings, I thanked him and went inside to get a sandwich. As soon as I sat down I got a text from Hans - he texted me back super fast, bless him - it said; "Be brave, just talk to someone. You won't regret it. Also, (wo)man up and ask the lecturer for a brief recap in English. Wish I could be there to help you out"

As soon as I read that and I had eaten, I started to feel a little better. Then I had a coffee and felt even better (coffee solves everything) My mood lifted fast and so visibly I felt it - it was like the sun had come out from behind a cloud or something! Then a couple of the guys I made friends with last week came out from their lecture (which just happened to be in the same building I was eating in) so they came to say hi, and we had a bit of a chat about how my day was going, I did say honestly how I was feeling and somehow getting it off my chest made me feel a little better.

Anyway, I went back to the class and although the afternoon was much of the same, I felt happier about it all - I did as Hans ordered and spoke to a couple of people when I got back (before the class had started) and they said they had been watching me before and wondering how much of the lecture I was understanding - so that explains the stares! Its amazing how when you feel 'different' and not one of the crown, paranoia just takes over and it's a slippery slope. I can see how easy it is for people to just go into themselves or hand around with ONLY other students from their home country - but I am absolutely determined I am going to do what I set out to do. I WILL get whatever I can from this experience - as MUCH as I can acedemically and personally. I will be able to say when I get home 'I speak 2 languages' - not 1 and a bit! I won't go through all this and be away from Hans only to see it as a bad experience the whole way through. And I won't, it's not my nature to do that - I may struggle now but I work best when things are tough and I am under pressure, I always come out on top and stronger for it - LOOKING GOOD - I just get lots of spots in the process. Ha ha.

Coffee break...

Anyway, I felt more positive all afternoon, though tired. I am quite looking forward to tomorrow - we had to pick a type of cinema (kino - like German!) that we would like to have a go at designing and I picked 'cinema in museum' or Kino i Museum and I am working with 3 other girls tomorrow. Not quite sure what I am doing, but I guess I'll find out - one of the girls was really friendly (again not on my course so won't see her for long) she wrote her name down for me, åshild, and the names of the other girls in my group which were Maria and Silja. I will post about how it goes but I think I have written enough for tonight.

On another positive note, Phil (PA TEAM friend) liked the designs I mocked up for them, and we have decided on an amended version of the black and white soundwave lot, so I will do them up properly and more professionally and send them over to him. I will post the finshed versions when I have done them!

Thanks again for everyone's comments and emails - it is constantly comforting and cheering to read them all!

Much love x

Work done for the PA Team

2008-08-31T17:42:00.012+01:00

These are some examples of the work I did for my friends (who own the PA Team) I just redesigned some stationery (as in letterheads and business cards) These are only really quick preliminary mock-ups though, not finished pieces! I am doing it as a favour so I want to make sure they definately want one before I spend too much time on it.

I had freedom with the design really, I just couldn't change the Logo / font etc as I think they were already pretty happy with this plus it's on the website and everything. So anyway, a couple of quick designs based on the theme of sound waves (as the company is sound engineering and equipment hire)

Sending letters and Improving Language

2008-08-30T22:11:00.011+01:00

Its been an ok couple of days - After feeling ill Thursday I felt bad again Friday - I wasn't well all day and because of that I missed the Graphic Design welcome party last night. Its not the end of the world I guess, but it would have given me a chance to mingle JUST with people on my course - all of the people I met last week are first years so even though we got on I wont be actually working with them.

I am really nervous now because Monday morning I am walking into a class full of people I have not met!!! And the first week is when I'll be studying 'Design Metodikk' - and that is the one that is all lectures and theory in Norwegian only!!! I am betting that I'll be pretty damn stressed by Wednesday! Oh, well I'm not even going to think about it right now!

I began writing my letters yesterday - I have a big list of people I am going to write to and I managed 4 yesterday! My hand was killing afterwards, it just goes to show how used I am to typing! I sent one to Hans too, even though we speak every day! But I bought 25 envelopes for a couple of quid which wasn't too bad, but the 10 stamps cost me almost £10!!! Some things are just amazingly expensive here - but I KNEW it would be so didn't I?

I met Line today - the girl who contacted me through the 'Buddy Bergen' program. I was really glad I met her - she was one of the nicest people I have met so far, very bubble and friendly! She showed me a little cafe which I had completely missed up until now, and we had a couple of cups of coffee..

She was really good with talking to me generally; she asked if I would prefer her to speak in Norwegian or English so I told her Norwegian (but slowly please, thanks!) So she did! I was really happy actually, we managed to have almost the whole conversation in Norwegian, and if I didn't understand something I just said. It is exactly what I need to do - the more I hear it the more I relax with the language and begin to understand more. As Hans says, I need to relax and focus on the words i DO understand rather than fret about not understanding every part of a sentence. I did that tonight and I am doing it more and more as time goes on here. I am also getting more and more confident to speak to others in norwegian too, which is always good - I know that alot of the time my grammer is off and i use the wrong tenses and endings on words - but most people just 'let me off' as they know I am only learning. As Line said today, as long as I am speaking the language that is good - the grammar will follow. It will be something that improves naturally as I get better - I was thinking about it, even when children are learning their own native tongue the grammar is awful for years and it gets taught in school so it's nothing unusual I think. Technically I should be more aware of grammar because I know the English rules (or I am supposed to!) but that is going to be the bit that falls into place almost last I think... that and dialects. When I was speaking actually, Line said she could hear the East Dialect in my voice (as in Oslo!) and I explained that MOST of the voices on my Norwegian Course are native Oslo speakers - speaking bokmål.

Anyway, she was lovely and I'm so glad I met her - we may be meeting again next week. She did invite me out later this evening to a concert with her and some friends but by the time I had gotten home and eaten food it was pretty late - also even though I feel better I am still a bit tired from feeling ill before.

Anyway, I am going to go now. I am a bit sad - poor Hans is feeling really poorly today, so I won't be able to speak to him tonight. He has gone to bed feeling sick and with a migraine. I really worry when he is sick if I am not there to look after him (yes I know he is a fully grown man, able to take care of himself) but still, wish I was there too tuck him in and bring him tea and just keep a watchful eye on him. I know it's not my fault but I feel guilty for not being there, especially now.

I still miss him so much. That is one part of this 'adventure' that wont be getting any easier. I know it.

How I keep occupied...

2008-08-30T14:44:00.007+01:00

I have been watching a few things on you tube lately, in particular something Hans discovered that we have gotten really into: if you have never see Flight of The Conchords I highly recommend you give thema listen and / or watch. These are links to some of (my personal favourite songs) which are generally parodies of different music styles but with clever and hilarious lyrics (Rob it's the guys on the disc that wouldn't play so see if you like them!);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8jaGs7xJ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64a_1fWTsls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqxnm6t3QMw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT5AQIlmM0I

Sorry - random! an insight into my humour! ;-)

Bad belly, boxing and looking forward to the weekend...

2008-08-28T19:30:00.008+01:00

After having such a good day yesterday, the evening ended on a pretty miserable note, but I wont go into it! I went to bed pretty early though - tried to study my Norwegian for a while but was too sad and just fell asleep :-(

Anyway, not much to report today, I went to a presentation thing at the uni this morning and then had to come home about 11 as I had REALLY bad stomach ache... I went back to bed for a bid but didn't sleep, just had some painkillers and felt all sorry for myself all cuddled up! wished I had a water bottle or something :-( Anyway, I started to feel a little better so sat on the laptop and carried on working on the design stuff I am doing for my friends. I have nearly finished a few mockups so once they have seen them I shall put them up on the blog. Might as well get a bit of work up there!

I did meet Ida to go and check out the Thai Boxing, my stomach still hurt but I cancelled meeting her on Tuesday and didn't want to cancel again - it actually looks quite good. I spent a while talking to one of the girls who has trained there for the longest - she has also had a couple of Thai fights over in England so we had something in common! She was really nice and very friendly and we had a good chat; I am going again on Tuesday for a free session. If I take it up I will hopefully train straight boxing twice a week, and Thai Boxing 3-4 times. It's actually pretty cheap (especially for Norway) If you are a student you pay 350kr (approx £35) per month and you can train as much as you like (thats the same as I used to pay in Derby, before you had to sell a kidney to be able to afford to train there!) I'm hoping the class goes well, as I would really like to take it up again and hopefully I can get another fight in when I come home. I would have trained to fight here but a) I probably wont be here long enough and b) you can't fight in Norway - it's illegal! So I'll be there Tuesday, and Ida is coming along - I hope she likes it.

Well thats about all I have for today - I probably wont post again until the weeken as I'm not doing anything special tomorrow in the day, and then tomorrow evening I am going to a welcome party for the Graphic Design students. I spoke to Hans briefly today, he has gone to visit Uncle Andy - but hopefully we can chat qickly to say goodnight again later...

Oh, I did get a reply from the 'buddy Bergen' program thing that I signed up for; a girl called Line Elise. She is younger than me (only 18) but we chatted for a bit on MSN and she sounded really lovely - very bubbly and friendly! I may meet her for a coffee on Saturday so if I do I'll post about how it goes. I am going to take my profile off the other things I registered on now though - a couple of websites for 'guides' and 'friends' but they seem kind of dodgy! I had a few emails and comments from really random people (not even in Norway...or even England!) requesting to be my 'friend', but I didn't even bother answering them. I think I was probably just being a bit naive about the majority of people actually signed up to 'meet new friends' websites!

Oh well, lesson learned!

x

Update...

2008-08-27T19:58:00.007+01:00

Apparantly the EU haven't released the funds to my university yet, but as soon as they do I will have the grant released to me... hope it doesn't take too long! I will soon be getting an invoice for 2 months rent (August and September) so I need it!!!

And Sushi tomorrow is no longer happening! No!!! Ida hasn't had time to buy the fish, but we are still meeting up and going to check out the Thai Boxing class that we should have checked out yesterday.

Oh, and now the weather is as promised - Bergen Rain! Yayyyy.... think I have been really lucky up to now with the weather!

X

Bingo!

2008-08-27T13:11:00.007+01:00

Today has been ok so far, it's still pretty early though! I am really missing Hans!!! (I know I say that every day lol) but I really am. The days are beginning to go alot faster in one sense, but even though it's only a week today since Hans left it feel like years... really really miss you sweety!

I had to be at uni for 9:00 again this morning (actually missing the 10:00 starts in Derby!) It means I have to get up pretty early, especially if I want to wash my hair! Today we (as in me!) had to join the first year BA students (for Visual Communication) in the main design building - the 2nd and 3rd years students had planned a 'fun' introductory day for the first year students, and being new I tagged along. It was really awkward when I first got there - I wasn't that nervous I just really wasn't sure what I was doing! But nearly straight away people started to talk to me and make me feel welcome so it was really nice.

It was quite a fun day and I made a few friends - although everybody there seems pleasant! I asked the people I did meet today to write their names down for me! I am going to write them in my blog too, as anyone who knows me will know how terrible I am with names! So far I have met, Jakob, Martin, Eldbjørg(!?), Gudrun, Birgit and Ingar - I'll have no problem remembering that one, Hans ;-> hee hee

I met a few more people of course but didn't catch their names - anyway - all of the above were really nice! They were all asking me tons of questions and being really friendly, and the best bit is that they asked me in Norwegian (sometimes took 2 or 3 times for me to understand) and better still I answered them all in Norwegian (but again, sometimes took me 2 or 3 times due to my pronunciation!!!)

The conversation over lunch was something along the lines of;

"so, where are you from?"
"England - near Nottingham"
"How much Norwegian can you speak?"
"Just a little, I can understand basic conversation but not technical stuff..."
"thats great! would you prefer it if we speak to you in English or Norwegian?"
"Well one of the reasons I am here is to get better at the language, so Norwegian please! - I'll ask in English if I struggle" (lots of nods of approval!)
"So are you staying for a year or...?"
"No, just 1 semester, but I'm not going home until after Christmas"
"why? are you staying in Bergen?"
"No my fiance is Norwegian, so we'll stay with his family"
"Oh your fiance is Norwegian? so what is his name?"
"Hans""
"where does he live? in England?"
"yeah, we met there"
"oh..... so are you going to visit each other?"
"i don't think so - hopefully if he gets time, he has a very busy job"
"Do you live together? and you are here on your own? that must be hard! I think it's really courageous to study in another country and in a foreign language"
"Yeah it's pretty tough..."
"Where in Norway is he from? Kirkenær..no, no never heard of it... near where? Kongsvinger, yeah I know that... "

So on and on it went, following similar themes - it was really fun! At that point, Birgit (who had been really quiet) piped up that she knew the place Hans was from as she comes from Kongsvinger! It was really sweet actually as she had been really shy up to that point and didn't know anybody else either, and she looked so relieved to find someone who knew where she was from. She looked kind of scared too, so I forgot all about my own nerves and tried to talk to her a bit more, and it turns out she has only been here 3 days and was missing Kongsvinger; the poor girl was really homesick! I told her about how bad I was last weekend and wanting to go home on Saturday, and she looked really relieved - i think it must have been nice for her to not feel like the only one!

Anyway, I got on with her really well and after lunch we had a break and went and got a coffee together. While we were getting the coffee I asked her if she spoke English and she said no - then I realised just how much I had been speaking Norwegian - she didn't speak my language yet we had managed to understand each other pretty well! It works out well as she said she will only speak the dialiect they speak in Oslo (which is what I have been learning) so she is alot easier for me understand than the native Bergen Norwegians! Anyway, there is a party at the uni Friday night for all the Visual Communication students, so we are going to meet up for a chat again then.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! They have started to renovate the room next door to mine! All I can hear is drilling and banging and smashing! Hans, when you send me the disk can can post the ear plugs too? They are in the kitchen drawer... lol

There were 3 opportunities throughout the day to win a bottle of red wine - and I didn't win one! :-( first we played Bingo (which was an experience! I am glad I know my norwegian numbers!) Then we had to make paper aeroplanes and the one that flew the furthest won (if you got a prize for shortest I would have won) and finally we had our names drawn in a raffle - no such luck. Humph. We also had to draw huge pirates on the floor, but that is a blog in itself so I'll not go into it! All you need to know is that is was funny ;-) You know what students are like, there were penises being drawn everywhere lol

Anyway, I guess thats enough waffle for today. I need to go pick up my laundry from the laundry room, tidy up, email Derby Uni about my Erasmus grant (which I haven't got yet - I am starting to worry!) If that doesn't come through soon I will be requesting food donations guys!!! I also need to fill out my student permit registration form (if you are in the country more than 3 months you have to register with the police and get an ID number... without it you cant work, get a bank account, etc etc)

Just wanted to thank everybody again for reading the blog, and your comments and all of your emails! Its nice to hear from everybody and it feels good to keep the link with home so strong. By the way, I have changed the setting on my blog so you can post a comment now without having to register - which I know was an issue for some of you lazier guys (mentioning no names Mr Johansen)

xx