Peace, Love, and Lutefisk: Adventures i Norge

Not the next title of the Harry Potter series, but instead my afternoon activity on my birthday! After a great lunch at the Swedish equivalent of Subway with Rachel and after turning in an application for money to research in Nicaragua this summer, I finally made it home to my science project: brewing root beer!

I seriously felt like I was performing witchcraft, pouring a dark, smelling substance into a huge cauldron of water and suger. Stirring with a huge spoon, while sprinkling in a small amount of mystery powder that some people call yeast. After all this mixing, I poured everything into bottles and now have to wait for 24 hours and hope that nothing explodes. The yeast will eat some sugar, make CO2, and then I can get a degree in chemistry. Should be fun. First though I should get a degree in math! I spent about 30 minutes converting a recipie for a 5 gallon mixture in American measurement to a 3 Litre recipe in metric. Just a hint for the next person who tries it: multiply everything by .16. Obviously.

So, excitement here in Tromsø. It has been great receiving a ton of mail and e-mails today from all my friends and family so thank you for thinking of me! I will think of you and American as I attempt to make the impossible in Norway: a root beer float! Tonight we're having a small party and going to a rock bar with cheap beer so it should be a good end to a great birthday.

Off to Hogwarts now!