Daylight Day and Night

The sun now literally never sets. Around 1/1:30 at night it gets dark but that is only until about 3:30 in the morning.  It is so weird for me to look out my window at 9pm thinking it is 3 in the afternoon because it really looks like the middle of the day. Right when I came back from the Euro tour the weather suddenly took a drastic change. These past two weeks it has been nothing but sun, and hot. Everyday has been between 80 and 90 degrees outside, and it such a nice change. I am hardly ever inside anymore.

We recently celebrated Norway’s national day, the 17^th of May, in Oslo. I was lucky enough to get to wear my host sister’s bunad, Norway’s traditional outfit. I went with my host family out to Oslo to really get the full on experience. It was crazy how many people there were in Oslo that day. And they were not only Norwegians; there were lots of Swedes that came to see it, along with Germans, some Americans, and even French. We waited outside Karl Johan’s castle to see Norway’s King Harald and Prince Haakon. During the national day everyone lines the streets, and here in Oslo the streets were completely crowded. It looked as though all of Norway was in Oslo for the event. All the kids in elementary school parade the streets in their national costumes and everyone is holding a Norwegian flag. There were hundreds of marching bands that also paraded the streets. And all the students in the final year of high school march through with their Russ clothing, to show that they are done with school. It is a very patriotic day for Norway. Everyone is in such high spirits, and it is so much fun to be a part of. And on this day it is tradition to eat lots of ice cream, and that is just what we did.

My friends Anne and McKenzie

My host mom, Else Marie and me

Oslo on the National day

Gøran, Else Marie, and Svein-Arne

Me in front of Karl Johan's castle

All the people in Oslo

My host dad Svein-Arne

We took a little tour of one of the boats to my host dad's friend

On the 20^th of May, Gøran, my host brother had his confirmation. And confirmations in Norway are a really big thing. When you turn 15 every single Norwegian is confirmed either through the church or humanly, if they are not religious. There was a short ceremony in the church to confirm him and his classmates. After we were in the church we had a huge catered lunch with all the family and friends. After the lunch we went back to the house to have cake and coffee with everyone. There was tons of food and everyone was so festive in his or her traditional outfits. On this day the one who has been confirmed receives lots of gifts and money, and there sure was lots and lots of gifts. It was really special for me to get to experience a Norwegian confirmation and it was a lot of fun to meet all the family and friends.

Gøran and me on the day of his confirmation

Some of the food for Gørans confirmation mmm

Eating lunch after the ceremony

The delicious Marzipan cake

And the rest of the cakes

Anne- Tomina, Mari, Jan Tobias, Gøran, and me

I took my two final exams, one in Norwegian and one in Spanish. I find out the results in a month, so I am hoping they went well. Now I am basically done with school. Our official last day is June 22^nd because that is when the last exam is given. Each day of school is basically pointless for me because everyone is just studying for exams, but I am done. Now that the weather has been nice, we have all been out at the lake getting in our sun because here, we never know when the weather could suddenly change.

Andres and Juliana

Morten, Andres, Juliana, me, and Sousan out at Koigen beach in Hamar

Maren and me out for a night swim at 11pm

Svein-Arne out grilling dinner

We took a day-hike out in Valdres

Gøran at the top of Nøsensfjelle

The view from Haugsettsfjelle

It was about 85 degrees out and we were still hiking in the snow

And in a couple of days my sister, Nina, is coming to Norway! It has been so long since I have seen any family and I cannot wait. It will be fun to show her my Norwegian life.

One-month to go, and now the time is flying by faster than ever. 

Ha det bra for nå,

Imogene