Peace, Love, and Lutefisk: Adventures i Norge

It has only been two days and already I feel at home back in Tromsø! I hardly missed a beat upon arrival Wednesday night, and Tromsø didn't disappoint. I landed about 8.30pm Wednesday night after a delay in Oslo where I got to talk in Norwegian with a Norwegian about hunting in Finmark and how water affects the taste of beer. After that enlightenment, I sleptt almost the whole way to Tromsø and got by massive bag without a hitch. I hopped in a cab and started asking about how the weather was this summer, and started talking about how it was raining. Then the taxi driver turned to me and asked if I had a reflector on. How perfect! I, unfortunately, was not prepared with a reflector so he opened up his glove compartment where he had about 100 extra reflectors ripe for the taking. He gave me one and told me to put it on my coat immediately. So I safely returned to my house and took a big breath in a smelled the fish scented air. It's funny that I don't notice it when I live here, but when I've been gone and come back, it has such a distinct smell.

I was literally home for 30 minutes, just enough time to read a pile of rotting mail, before I headed down to the student pub Driv to meet up with old and new classmates. We had a great time talking and meeting everyone. We stayed until it closed and enjoyed the cold walk home in the rain. Perfect Tromsø weather!

Yesterday I headed to the university and saw a few more international friends and claimed a new desk in the reading room and dropped off some books. I did the monster shopping trip getting a hundred dollars worth of groceries and finally getting back to the house. When I came back, I finally met a few of my new housemates and they are great! Very fun and social. If we can figure out the dish washing we'll be great. So, now in the house we have 3 Norwegian guys: Stian who was here and two new guys named Andre and Andreas. I haven't talked to much to them. We also have two new girls in addition to Marjaana: Maaika from the Netherlands who is working on a master's thesis in fishery management and sociology and Ida who is studying to be the person who reads X-rays. Ida is very perky and happy with stereotypical Norwegian blonde hair and blue eyes. Plus, she has the unenviable task of living in Igor's old room! Maaika is very chill and is willing to sit in the kitchen with Stian and I and keep up with our ridiculous banter. Plus, she likes board games so I think we are busting out Diplomacy this weekend!

It should be a great year and a great house. I'm excited to get started, and no better way than doing some laundry! Ha det fra Norge!