June 29

I am having such a wonderful time in Oslo!

Monday, we had this incredible welcome ceremony.  After dinner, everyone dressed up and went down to the University of Oslo downtown campus by bus.  There, we had a ceremony in the University Aula, a room that has been under renovation for 3 years and has just opened in time for us to be the first group.  It is a beautiful room with high ceilings, grand furniture, and paintings by the artist Edvard Munch.  The ceremony started off with music by the Bygdelagskoret choir.  The music was so beautiful it gave me goosebumps! During the ceremony, we were further welcomed by the director of ISS, a professor of the University of Oslo, the Minister of Research and Higher Education, Pat Shaw (a member of the ISS class of 1947- its very first year), and a member of the student parliament. 

When the ceremony was done at the University Aula, the entire ISS parade down to City Hall where we had a reception.  Everything was very elegant with a live band, wine, and a beautiful view of Oslo Fjord.  Upstairs rooms of City Hall (that usually remain closed to the public) were opened for our viewing pleasure. 

Overall, this night made me feel so welcome and so honored to be able to attend Oslo International Summer School.  As they said, we, as important people, needed to be welcomed by important people!

Tuesday was the second day of classes.  I am already in love with my Norwegian Architecture class! Just this week we already get to go on three excursions.  Starting off, we are talking about the Vikings!  My other class, Scandinavian Government and Politics, seems interesting as well but it also seems like I’m going to need to work a lot harder.  There is just so much reading!  Between my two classes, my stack of books must be 4 inches thick… all to be done in 6 weeks!

Tuesday night I was also able to buy my month long transportation pass.  Now I am free to travel as much as I want on any t-bane (metro), ferry, bus, or tram in the Oslo area.  Guess it’s time to do some deeper exploring!

Being Wednesday, I already feel like it has been such a long time that I’ve been in Norway.  It also feels impossible that less than a week ago I left home.

Things I am looking forward to: excursions in both my classes tomorrow, the reindeer safari and hike in Jotunheimen Park that I signed up to take next weekend, the hike in Nordmarka on Sunday, and more adventure in general!

And that’s the way the cookie crumbles…

Danielle

P.S. That was for you Jon :P