things that are underestimated

I was planning to write about things of which the value is underestimated in Norway:
- garlic
- chili
- quesedillas

People in Norway are scared of these things, at least the two top ones, the latter one is rather unknown. Garlic.Oh, no, I'll get a bad breath. Yeah, that's right, but the extra flavour that it adds to the food is worth it. Chili is too hot/spicy!The Norwegian tongues aren't used to anything a bit more spicy than normal pepper, and not too much of that either. Spicy food is just so good, and the chili is really healthy too. Your metabolism goes faster and there are so many vitamines in the chili, especiall C-vitamins which is so good for you if you're fighting a cold.
Today, I made myself a quesedilla with both garlic and chili. I can't remember having seen a quesedilla since I left the US, and that's a shame, because it's such easy food to make, and it's not terribly unhealthy either.

But now over to something that annoys me.

I'm reading for my classes in "vitenskapsteori" which reminds me very much of the course "Theory of Knowledge" in the IB-curriculum. Sort of nice since it sounds so familiar. The lecturer is better too than the ones we had in UWC, so it's quite interesting actually.But that's besides the point..
I was reacting to something I was reading by Torsten Thurén.

"We may imagine the strong believing Christian who sees everything that happens as a sign of God's goodness. His atheist friend will protest:'But look at all the evil and cruel in the world.' The believer will answer:'That's the punishment for the wickedness of humans.' 'Yes, but imagine all those innocent, think of all the children who are suffering,'the sceptisist protests. The believer answers:'These are trials that have been sent to us from God.'"

I disagree in that the evil things happening in the world is God's will, and I am a believer. I don't think He wants innocent people to suffer.That children should grow up on the streets without parents, struggling for survival.I don't believe that God is punishing us by leading us into wars. That the droughts and the flods are sent by Him to punish us for the cruelty performed by humans.
I believe in an awesome God who wishes the best for everyone. A good father who sees to our needs. But I also believe that there are forces which are evil, but these are separated from God. That is why we need a God. If there was no darkness to fight against there would be no need for a good, omnipotent God. And I think that although God doesn't want us to suffer, he can't stop people from harming themselves. We have our own free will, and we are easily deceived. But God is not the one deceiving us.
God is good!

Kent =D

The plan for the weekend was to go skiing with KRIK at Hovden, which I was really looking forward to. Two whole days with snow,activity, fun and getting to know new people.But, here I am, still in Kristiansand. I'm not packing as I was supposed to be doing right now because I've gotten sick:-( And that really sucks!Bye, bye thought of getting to know more people.Bye, bye snow. Bye, bye slopes..sob.. BUT last night I was at a concert which must have been this month's pinnacle! KENT!! For those who don't know KENT, look them up on youtube or something, they are fantastic. Those who say there can't come good music from Sweden, you are mistaken! Kent must be my absolute favourite. The lyrics are fantastic and the melodies are beautiful. But here are some pictures from the concert, and maybe I'm gonna succesfully upload a video from the concert too;)

It didn't work, it took far too long...but I recorded one of the best songs on their album "Du & jag døden", meaning "You and I death". But the song is "The man in the white hat".

I really don't know what's happening to me, but I'm in this period of missing udub and then I found this film online. It's made of one of the art students in my class and I think she is a great artist (and also a wonderful person).

mi oración

Señor, te pido que me llenes con
un amor por ti que sobrepase mi
amor por algo u otra persona.
Ayúdame a respetar y apreciar tus
leyes y a comprender que están
allí para mi beneficio.

This is Kristiansand

Mette, this post is dedicated to you since you're probably very curious of what is going on in Østerveien 25 now when you're gone;) (For us who aren't as lucky being allowed to spend five weeks in Mauritius). Just have to say that the apartment is doing well, and the microwave is working;)

So, what's going on, really, in Kristiansand? The weather has turned from cold and wet to just wet. Rain every day. I'd heard that Bergen is the city where you always should have your raingear with you, but apparantly this doesn't only count for Bergen, but for Kristiansand too. This morning I put on my rainpants and rain jacket as I normally would. Since it's dark in the mornings you can't really tell whether the weather is wet or dry. Today I had bad luck. When I'd gotten out the door I realised that it wasn't raining. But my luck turned. After a couple of hours at uni the drops started falling and by the time I was done it was pouring. So, I didn't bring my raingear in vain. I don't understand the abundance of water. We should be able to transfer some of the rain we get up here to some dry area in Africa or something where they could have taken use of it.

Mostly,though, there isn't that much time to spend thinking about the weather. As a new year's resolution, as probably half the rest of the country and probably a quarter of the rest of the world, I've been planning to start to work out a bit more regularly than before Christmas. I wish it was possible to store time in reservoirs as you can with water, because time is something that for me goes and doesn't come. In many cultures the aspect of time is circular meaning you will never be able to run out of time because it will always return. Everything is a cycle, what has happened will happen once again. If a summer has passed it's not important because the same time next year there will be a new one. But in our western culture where we look at time as a linear thing, we measure it and look back at the past and into the future and it's harder to live in the moment. Even if you do live in the moment, the moment flies by so fast. I don't get hold of my time because there are so many things to do, so many people to spend the time with and not enough time.
At the same time, in eternity what goes on now doesn't really matter. This is nothing compared to eternity. With a shift in focus, focusing on what is not in this world, but on what is really important in life, what counts in eternity, maybe time here will be less important. With a focus upwards. With a focus on God who is our Saviour. It is easy to be lifted up when you go to a meeting and hear a wonderful speach, but when you get back to the stress it is easy to forget what you heard on Sunday. Maybe that should be my new year's resolution in stead. In stead of working out everyday. I will remember our Creator and remember that this is just another stage of eternity. He sees us and if I have time for Him, He will always be there because he has an abundance of time for every one.

Update...?

Well, not really...I could come with a relatively long update, but this isn't the time for it...or it might be the time for it, but I don't have time for it. Actually, right now I should be in bed, but then I felt that it is such a long time since I've updated my blog, so though this is just a lot of BS just so that I can say that I have updated lately, it is an update...
That was a lot of words just saying the same all over...

Oh yeah, I can put in some pics from the weekend down in Kristiansand (cause I've been back for a week and some days now, and the weather is crazy).


And this picture doesn't give justice to the weather, because it has really been quite terrible. Blizzards, rain, slush...it's just been wild:P Where I come from the weather is normally a little more stable than what it is down here, but it's on the coast so I shouldn't expect anything else.

Today my I was up at the pub-quiz, and my team came third!!!(out of 35) A good start:) yeay!

For unto us a child is born!!

Christmas!! Today I will let the scripture talk...(I'll write in Norwegian, but read Luke 2 and Isaiah 9,6)



"For eit barn er os født,
ein son er oss gjeven.
Herreveldet kviler
på hans aksler,
og han kallast:
Underfull Rådgjevar,
Veldig Gud,
Evig Far, Fredsfyrste."
Jesaja 9,6


I dei dagane lét keisar Augustus lysa ut at det skulle takast manntal over heile verda. 2 Dette var første gongen dei tok manntal, og det hende medan Kvirinius var landshovding i Syria. 3 Då fór alle heim, kvar til sin by, og skulle skriva seg i manntalet.
4 Også Josef drog då frå byen Nasaret i Galilea og opp til Judea, til Davidsbyen, som heiter Betlehem, for han høyrde til Davids hus og ætt, 5 og skulle skriva seg der saman med Maria, som han var trulova med. Ho venta då barn. 6 Og medan dei var der, kom tida då ho skulle føda, 7 og ho fekk son sin, den førstefødde; ho sveipte han og la han i ei krubbe, for dei fann ikkje husrom nokon stad.
8 Det var nokre gjetarar der i området som var ute på markene og heldt vakt over flokken sin om natta. 9 Med eitt stod ein Herrens engel framfor dei, og Herrens herlegdom lyste kringom dei. Då vart dei gripne av stor redsle. 10 Men engelen sa til dei: «Ver ikkje redde! Sjå, eg kjem til dykk med bod om ei stor glede, ei glede for heile folket. 11 I dag er det fødd dykk ein frelsar i Davids by. Han er Messias, Herren. 12 Og det skal de ha til teikn: De skal finna eit barn som er sveipt og ligg i ei krubbe.» 13 Brått var det ein stor himmelhær saman med engelen; dei lova Gud og song:
14 «Ære vere Gud i det høgste,
og fred på jorda
blant menneske som Gud har glede i!»
15 Då englane hadde fare tilbake til himmelen, sa gjetarane til kvarandre: «Lat oss gå inn til Betlehem og sjå dette som har hendt, det som Herren har kunngjort for oss.» 16 Så skunda dei seg dit og fann Maria og Josef og det vesle barnet som låg i krubba. 17 Då dei fekk sjå det, fortalde dei alt som hadde vorte sagt dei om dette barnet. 18 Alle som høyrde på, undra seg over det gjetarane fortalde. 19 Men Maria gøymde alt dette i hjartet sitt og grunda på det. 20 Og gjetarane vende tilbake. Dei lova og prisa Gud for alt dei hadde høyrt og sett; alt var slik som det var sagt dei.
Luk 2,1-20

My christmas journal

I've decided to do something new thise year since I haven't gotten around to the traditional christmas card writing.. in stead I'm going to make a journal over the 'happenings' of this year's holiday. As I, for the first time this year, have broughg no books (that are in the curriculum that is), I find myself with an abundance of time which I can spend on blogging. Another thing which might add to that is that I've gotten a new digital camera, and why should I take pictures if I'm not going to use them?
Just a small picture to show those who haven't seen me in a while that I still look like me:P
Maybe that means that I have to write some more about me... there's not much to say, I'm done with my exams for this term and I got back home yesterday, which is lovely..or...at least quiet..


The 'Advent Star', the star that shines from the first of December till 13 days after x-mas day. And it lights up windows throughout the country and reminds us what time of year it is. It isn't real advent before the star is put up.


And with christmas come all the christmas preparations.. cookies to be made, rooms to be cleaned...and brass, copper and silver to be polished! That is what I have been doing for the last couple of days, I've been polishing these yellow-coloured metal items. I don't understand where my mom finds all these things cause they must appear from deep inside drawers and should never have been allowed to see the light of day, at least not my fingers. But they all get so pretty and shiny afterwards;)


(hope these pictures aren't as dark as they appeared on our desktop screen..they looked much better on my laptop:s)




For those who believe that during winter time in Norway it is dark 24/7, that isn't so. But it is true that the sun doesn't shine everywhere, and this is about how much sun I can expect to see during this break. It is full daylight, but we're missing out on the rays from the sun because of the mountains. So the only sun I will see is when it touches the mountains on the other side of the lake.

Now, I'm gonna sit down by the fire...



...and start on this book.

Ecuador

It's funny how one thing can lead to another, especially when you're online looking for something and then something else will turn up. I was in such a mood for a couple of minutes that I really missed my udub-peeps and I did the classical thing...searching for UWC USA on youtube. But what turned up was a movie about a guy-a quiteño- who is an alumni from the school, but now he was back in Ecuador. Just listening to the Spanish and watching Ecuador was enough to make me miss the country. I don't miss Ecuador very often, but now I really noticed how much I would like to go back, how I feel that it is my country. It is a country where I have lived and that I know.
So here is a movie just to show how beautiful it is..and if you speak Spanish, listen to the song:) I'm not born in the country, but I still feel at home there.

All I want for Christmas...

It is only fifteen days till Christmas Eve which was the best day of the year when I was smaller. Now, Christmas Eve isn't that important to me anymore, but the whole holiday season is what matters. Just being able to get a break from school and go home to see family and friends. It is about two months since last time I was, which isn't that long considering that for several years now it has been almost five months between each time I've been home.
All I want for Christmas this year is snow, I wanta white Christmas. Last Christmas was spent with my wonderful Ecuador-team, Joel and Jon Petter in the jungle, la selva, and it was the best vacation ever(!), but it wasn't Christmas. Well, Christmas Eve actually felt very much like it would have been at home with the exception of not being with family, but at that point last year, the team was my family.

But a white Christmas would have been amazing, because you don't see much snow in Kristiansand. I preferred New Mexico, where there was some chance of snow, and at least no rain.

Yesterday it was the 'julbord' with the translators (the first and third year of the bachelor degree), which is a nice party where everyone dresses up and eat heaps of Norwegian Christmas food. It was delicious...food you only get once a year..mmm...and you get to talk to people you haven't met that often. Afterwards we went out to this place called kick, the music was unfortunately not the best, but it was fun anyways! I haven't gone out much lately, and the last couple of weeks I have only been reading, which means that I haven't done anything on weekend nights, which is kind of boring. But I decided to take this weekend off to relax which is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Now I'm fresh and ready to face the books again tomorrow:)

So, I was supposed to write about Christmas, but I think I rather need to make myself some dinner...
Ok, more Christmas to come in future posts, maybe when I've gotten home and the peace of Christmas has settled and I can feel the fragrance of pine and gingerbread cookies in the house;)

Lester B. Pearson

"How can there be peace
without people understanding eachother
and how can they understand eachother
without knowing eachother"


I think this is what Lester Pearson said in his Nobel Peace Price speech, and this has become some of the foundation of and reason behind the united world colleges - UWC.



For one and a half week now I have been studying for my intercultural communication examination, and in the book I've been reading, I saw this quote and it reminded me (as almost everything else in that book) of my experiences at the college.
I realised how much I miss spending time with internationals and not only Norwegians. Spending those two years at the United World College of the American West has taught me so much and it is first now when I'm actually studying the subject that I pay attention to this. It is funny how I can read examples of experiences that the author has had and say that I have been in the exact same situation. I can read about stereotypes and think that this is how I have perceived people from different cultures as well, and I nod when I read about how stereotypes are washed away when you get to know people on a personal level and see them as exactly what they are, individuals with their own ideas - not solely reflecting their cultural background, but their own thoughts.

In about a year's time I will be in England, again experiencing the beauty of international living. I must admit that I have become very fond of Norway again and only a month ago I had no need to go abroad in very near future. I could even now say that I wouldn't be sad if I were to stay in Norway for the next couple of years either, but reality is that I am going to Exeter (probably)so I just have to start looking forward to it. So, that is what I have been doing the last month - adjusting my mind to the idea of going abroad again, and now I have succeeded:-) yeay!

Pustepause

I dag har eg bestemt meg for ein ting. Frå no av skal eg i alle fall ha ein kveld i veka for meg sjølv til å kvile, ein kveld der eg berre kan vera åleine med meg sjølv utan mas og mykje lyd, berre vera åleine med Gud.

I går bestemte eg meg for å avlysa alle planer for kvelden og berre vera heime, noko eg ikkje kan hugsa sist gong skjedde. Det var då det gjekk opp for meg at no er det sanneleg på tide å roe ned, når eg ikkje ein gong kan hugse å ha vore heime ein kveld. Det er kjekt å ha mykje å finne på, men det går ikkje i lengda. Når ein innser at ein ikkje får tid til å ta klesvasken eller andre daglegdagse ting som ein må få gjort, då er det kanskje nok..? Og i går då eg sat åleine innsåg eg at eg faktisk var litt sliten. Det er ikkje før ein set seg ned at ein får tid til å kjenne etter, men no merka eg at det berre var godt å vera heime.

På fredagskveld var eg på q-sport, som er noko ala allidrett driven av Salem der me leikar/gjer ulike sportslige aktivitetar og har det gøy, og i pausa der det til vanleg blir halde andakt vart det opna for all som ville seie noko. Då vart det sagt noko eg har tenkt litt på etterpå, og det er at det er lurt å setja av litt tid kvar dag utan musikk i bakgrunnen, eller radio eller tv, og berre bruke denne vesle stunda til ettertanke og gjerne til å vera saman med Gud.



Han gjev den trøytte kraft,
og den som ingen krefter har,
gjev han stor styrke.
Jes.40,29

I am the walrus

This music video from the Beatles is just brilliant.

Finals approaching! (and I'm in the dark of winter-Norway)

So, what to do on a dark Thursday morning in November? I have actually been working for an hour now feeling like an excellent student, but now there is only half an hour left to the last lecture of the semester. And how much reading can you get done in half an hour? Though I'd might as well update my blog since all I would have done is wasting time anyways.

This is the first time in three-four years that I am home at this time of year (at home being Norway), and it feels strange! I didn't remember how dark winter is in Norway. At 10 am it is still not full daylight and since I'm inside studying, by the time I get out of the school buildings the day is already over and I have to walk home in the dark. But I'm getting used to it, I even almost like it. When it's dark and raining outside, being inside is almost cosy. I only wish I had the time to bake some buns and make som hot chocolate to enjoy.
Maybe I'll put off some time when advent comes, although I really can't spend time on anything else than reading.

I have gotten a second home these days! If you enter the University of Agder through the main entrance and continue straight forward, then you'll end up infront of the library. Enter the library and walk up the stairs, take a right and you'll find me. Welcome to my second home!
It is quite nice:) Quiet, but not so quiet that you feel you can't open your packed lunch. It's almost as if there is a community in here. You see the same people all the time, so you almost feel as if you have something in common and that you know them, only that you have never talked to any of them.

So if you want to find me, follow the road description above:) I'll be here!

Procrastination

I have once again discovered the creative art of procrastination. Many times have I critisesed those who have not been able to get their work done because of hours and hours spent online, but now when I have gotten internet access, I've joined the lines of facebookaholics, youtubaddicts and msnaholics. What can I do to regain the focus that I once had? How should I resist the temptations that are thrown at me when I look towards my laptop?
I need to fight this addiction, get focused and start studying.
From this minute on I will stop opening my laptop and you will never find me on msn while studying again..
we'll see how long I'll manage;)

Så etter ein del masing frå min kjære sambuar Mette, har eg funne ut at det kanskje er på tide å oppdatera bloggen. Er ikkje akkurat lite å finna på som student, så har ikkje sett bloggen øvst på to-do-lista..
No har eg altså budd sånn ca. to månedar i Kristiansand som er ein liten, men veldig kosleg by og eg trivst kjempegodt:) Sidan det er ein såpass liten by så pregar studentane byen og det er ikkje vanskeleg å bli kjend me folk akkurat..
Me er berre 14 på studiet mitt (oversetting og interkulturell kommunikasjon - for den som ikkje har fått med seg det), og me har vorte ein gjeng der som heng mykje saman. I tillegg har eg blitt med i Laget, og der òg er me ein gjeng som finn på mykje rart, utruleg herlege folk! Det er sånn no at eg faktisk kunne tenkt meg å berre vera her ei stund, men må jo til England (eller eit engelsktalande land) til neste år, så har ikkje stort anna val enn at eg må flytte på meg..men eg kjem sterkt tilbake om to år! Men hallo..eg har jo framleis åtte månadar att(!) så treng ikkje begynne å sjå mot neste år enno..
Har òg klart å involvere meg i Kristiansand Brass Band som er eit korps litt over min standard. Etter å ikkje ha spelt i ensemble på fire år så har eg kanskje sikta litt høgt, trur ikkje heilt eg visst kva eg bega meg ut på då eg begynte der. Om halvanna veke (2.-4.november) skal me på Siddis i Stavanger og stiller i 1.divisjon, noko som er ganske skummelt med tanke på at eg aldri har vore med på konkurranse før i det heile tatt. I februar skal me til NM, men me får sjå om eg held ut så langt. Kjem kanskje litt an på resultatet av neste helg:P
No vart ikkje dette ei oppramsing av alt eg gjer, men det er ikkje noko problem å få tida til å gå i alle fall:)
Og som den flinke student eg er (eller prøver å vera) så er det kanskje på tide å begynne på neste innlevering...

Verdens håp

Jesus, du er verdens lys

og lyset det er sterkere enn mørket

Jesus, du er virkelig

og sannheten er sterkere enn løgnen

Jesus, det er bare du som redder

oss i fra fortvilelse og angst

Midt i motgang og i trengsel

kommer du med liv

kommer du med liv

Jesus, du er verdens håp

og håpet det er sterkere enn døden

Jesus, du er kjærlighet

og kjærligheten overvinner hatet

Kristiansand

Ny plass, nye venner, nye tankar...nytt fokus(?)...
Las gjennom diverse bloggar her i dag, mange frå GUS, og fann ut at eg har jo eigentleg ikkje skreve noko om det viktigaste. Alt som har kome med på bloggen har vore opplevingar, som i seg sjølv er spennande, og då spesielt frå Ecuador.
Men kva var grunnen til at eg havna i Ecuador? Kva er grunnen til at eg er i Kristiansand no, eller at eg har vore i USA?
Det meste har gått sin gang fordi eg tilfeldigvis har kome over annonser (bibelskulen) eller personar eller rett og slett studium som berre dukka opp på samordnaopptak (oversetting).
Men det er ingengting av dette som er tilfeldig, alt har vore, og er, ein overordna plan som Gud på førehand har lagt.
Det er så lett å misse fokus å gløyme det viktigaste, og så kjem dess augneblikka der du får aha-opplevelsar på nytt og på nytt. Du blir minna på kva Jesus har gjort for deg og kva du har sagt ja til ved å ta imot han.

Back to the motherland

So, you're really happy with life and all, nothing really to worry about except for the stupid, little fact that you're not sure of what to do next fall, yet you get these moments where everything would be a lot better if you went to the US, although you're fine! Finally you can go see your parents almost whenever you want (not that it happens very often), it's easy to keep in touch with friends you haven't talked much to the last couple of years (then realizing most of your friends are in the US), the system is so much easier (although you have to pay bills and actually learn how to live your own life) and you can finally have everything in your own language again (but what is my real language, my lingua franca?)...
Finally one day I'll get used to be living in my mamaland, settle down and live happily ever after...

Kjeder meg, eg?

Saa er atter ein dag gaatt med til timesvis internettbruk utan aa eigentleg ha faatt gjort noko ting.
No er det berre fem dagar til me reiser tilbake til GUS, og gjett kva eg har klart?
Kari har klart aa faa lungebetennelse... det begynte for ein maanad sidan..hosta litt (eller mykje), men tenkte ikkje noko saerleg paa det, og fyrst paa onsdag tenkte eg det var paa tide aa oppsoeke lege.
Maa sei at eg har blitt veldig imponert over det ecuadorianske legevesenet, mykje meir effektivt enn det norske! Venta fem minutt foer eg fekk time (maa ringe aa bestille paa foerehand heime), stilte fort diagnose om at det var lungebetennelse, men maatte ta roengten av lungene for sikkerheitsskuld. Venta fem minutt paa aa ta roengten (mot tre timar paa Gjoevik sjukehus), tok ein halv time foer resultatet kom (mot fleire veker i Norge) og fekk straks behandling med fysioterapi og innhalasjonsgreier. IMPONERT!
Det som er drit er aa vera sjuk den siste veka i Ecuador.

Saa har eg gjort det som saa mange foer har gjort daa dei ikkje har noko meir aa finne paa aa gjera paa nettet....soekt paa navnet sitt,

- KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
- Kari skapte radio-revolusjon med absurd humor og latterkramper
- Kari is the most advanced girlfriend simulations to date.
- Kari is an artificial intelligence entity which can learn and have a real conversation with you.
- Kari: Rock, terylenebukser og tuperte høysåter.

Meir spennande var det vel i grunn ikkje...

Gleder meg til aa koma tilbake til Norge aa treffe alle paa GUS att og alle venner ellers!!!!!