June 6-7: Relaxing and first day of Internship!

Yesterday I got a day of sitting! Sitting was so nice after walking so much all week. Laura and Eva (German roommates) checked out and I sat in the tv room and was on the computer almost all day. Got some reading done, skyping, etc. Really nice to just relax for a bit.

Ellen came around 5:00 and took me back to her apartment. She is a nice, hardworking 60(?) year old woman. I have my own room and we share the bathroom. The living areas are really quaint! Super cute. Ellen then took me out to dinner and grocery shopping. I got to do a load of laundry! (This will be a whole post later I think). We chatted and when she heard I had ancestors my family was looking for she got out a program on her computer. We found my great grandma Clara! And my mom's cousin Tim. otherwise no such luck. I gave her a bottle of wine from Morgan, MN and she was really happy. Then I got ready for bed.

6:45 is early when you haven't had to do that for a long time! Walked to work and the location of Sim Optima is a great story itself. Just behind the Royal Palace, directly across the street from the Prime Minister's house and the King's guest house lies on the second floor- Sim Optima. Along with like 7 other small companies. Its really cute, they all seem to be the same company- their own floor work culture. We unloaded the floors dishwasher, and made coffee before the others got there. Hannah shares the office with Ellen and she is really nice as well. She works for a company called Soulutions (yes I spelt Solutions the way she likes it spelt).

My job (in oslo): Create an engaging, interactive presentation for a new management training concept in a collaborative venture between Sim Optima and Soulutions. After learning about Sim Optima and all their practices I had a meeting with Hannah and Ellen about my project and they explained their concept to me. I got it right away. I think they were both surprised. It made total since to me! Anyway now I'm creating a Power Point presentation to be given to 40-50 year old, highly educated managers of various companies.

(everyone was interested in the American in the building....I got introduced to everyone!)

After work Ellen got a call that 2 dear friends of hers was having supper and asked if I wanted to go! Duh. Her friends are really nice and one was Norway's National Alpine Ski Champion for 3 years in the 70s! haha she is still so embarrassed that she gets recognized sometimes.

After I finish this post I have to get my presentation ready for work tomorrow!

The picture is from a few days ago, but I wanted to highlight the always entertaining street performers!

Info on Oslo

Wiki Info on Oslo

Oslo (Norwegian pronunciation: [ùʃlu] ( listen) or [ùslu]) is the capital and largest city in Norway. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by a fire in 1624. The Danish–Norwegian king Christian IV rebuilt the city as Christiania (briefly also spelt Kristiania). In 1925 the city reclaimed its original Norwegian name; Oslo. The diocese of Oslo is one of the five original dioceses in Norway, which originated around the year 1070.

Oslo is the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental centre of Norway. The city is also a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is also an important centre for maritime industries and maritime trade in Europe. The city is home to many companies within the maritime sector, some of them are amongst the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers and maritime insurance brokers.

Oslo is considered a global city and ranked "Beta World City" in studies performed by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network in 2008.[1] For several years, Oslo has been listed as one of the most expensive cities in the world along with such other global capitals as Copenhagen, Paris, and Tokyo.[2] In 2009, however, Oslo regained its status as the world's most expensive city.[3][4] Oslo is a pilot city of the Council of Europe and the European Commission intercultural cities program.

As of 2009, the metropolitan area of Oslo has a population of 1.4 million of whom 876,391[5] lives in the contiguous conurbation. The population currently increases at a record rate of over 2% annually, making it the fastest growing capital in Europe. A large portion of this growth stems from immigration increasingly changing Oslo into a cosmopolitan city. The immigrant share of the population in the city proper now counts more than 25%.[6]

June 5th- Mom goes home, hanging with the roomies

Yesterday was another big day in Oslo.

Ate breakfast at the hostel and got Mom packed up. We took the T-bane (subway) to the Central Station and found our way to the flytoget Express airport train. Gave Mom and few hugs and watched the train leave. Thanks for coming with me mom!! I love you!

Now I was on my own for a bit. I bought a snack and walked around before getting back on the t-bane to meet my German roommates for our afternoon plans.

We went back up the mountain to go to the ski museum. This is the future site of the 2011 World Skiing Championship. There is construction everywhere trying to get ready for the event. The museum is the oldest ski museum in the world. The ski lovers in my life would have just gone crazy here. So I took lots of pictures for them. They had skis dated 600 AD. That is nuts! The best part was they had a ski simulator. I got to pretend I was a skier in the Torino 2006 Olympics. First was the Ski Jump. Amazing. it is so quick. When you watch on tv, it seems they are in the air much longer. You felt your feet leave the ground off the jump and then they hit the floor again when he landed. Crazy cool. Next was the downhill. I thought I was going to be sick by the end. They are going so fast! I could barely see, your feet really feel like when you are skiing: pressure on one foot, then the other. You flew when they flew, you landed when they landed. I had to close my eyes for awhile because the movement with the visual was too much. I seriously was nauseous for like 45 mins after that.

Because of all the construction, we got lost trying to find the bus stop. Lots more hills and walking. We then heard of a music festival that was going on in a city park so we went and sat with half of Norway! Soooo many people there! We mostly went because Eva loves the tv show, Euro song contest. The Norwegian in the contest was singing there. He sang Everything by Michael Buble. Ok, it was horrible compared to Michael. Eva didnt agree with me. haha.

They REALLY wanted to eat at Burger King for dinner. At that point I was too tired to care where we ate. So one hamburger, fries, pop was 43 Kr. That is 3X or more what I spend in the states.

Back to the hostel and we played card games. We taught each other our card games. Interesting. I think I will describe then in another post.

Before bed we got on the topic of 9/11. interesting to discuss with Europeans.

June 4th- More Oslo sites

Anyone getting sick of me yet?

Today we used the great Oslo Pass. Mom and I think we haven't paid for anything except food during our time in Oslo! In Oslo = get the 72 hr Oslo pass!

The four of us (Laura and Eva) went to the harbor this morning to use a free cruise we get on the Oslo pass. It is an genuine old wooden sailing rig boat. It started at city hall, went to their Opera House (see picture), and around some of the close fjords, to the museum island and back. Our roommates got off for the museums but mom and I stayed on for the whole thing.

Then we went to the highest point in Oslo (using metro and bus lines). It was devaju from 2.5 years ago--if Lisa, Kelly, or Jackie are reading this---it was the shop we rented our sleds at!! (Those of you who are uninformed: when the hill is closed due to ice, don't try to go sledding anyway) So Mom and I did the 10 min hike down to Frognerseteren. Guess what my International Public Relations class buddies: in the summer the view is even better! Mom and I grabbed lunch there and ate outside with the entire view of Norway to look at. We both had fish of some kind.

Once down again we went to the Royal Palace. The guide book says tours in June- late June people. So no tour but we could walk the grounds. Beautiful fountains and huge trees, plus guards watching you all the time! hehe. We then got really lost.

By the time we got back to City Hall our feet, ankles, hips, etc all just killed. We think we have walked at least 4 miles a day since getting to Norway. City Hall was interesting, weird art on the walls I must say. Then we just sat at the harbor and watched street performers and people digging in the garbage for bottles and cans. I mean multiple people!

The Oslo Peace Prize Center is across the street from where we are sitting so we decide to go. Its free with the pass! I had been there before so I could show Mom to the better places inside.

We decided to eat at TGI Fridays. I know, its American, but we are tired and hurt so don't pick on us too bad. We got a 20% discount there with the pass! To be fair the "American food" didn't really taste or look American. We shared a couple of appetizers and made the trek back to the hostel.

Skype is a beautiful thing everyone. You should all have it if you are away from loved ones.

June 3rd- Oslo tourists

Really. We were soooo touristy today. We had maps out all the time, looked a little confused, and had our heads going in every direction. For the most part, the stress of the night before had vanished and I was excited to show Mom a city I have spent time in before. We got up and dressed and bought our Oslo Pass (72 hr) before 9:30. Then into town using the same frequent path from 2 years ago. Once to the main area, we went to the tourist information center to find a place to buy me a cell phone. Since I will be here for a few weeks, I feel it will be necessary to have one- to contact the people I will be staying with, in case I get lost, etc. I have a Euro cell phone number people! Its crazy. 4 two digit numbers.

Then we get on a ferry that took us over to an island that had the Folk Museum and the Viking Ship Museum. The Folk museum was HUGE! Really old buidings from around the country gathered in one place. Buildings from the 1500-1900 were there to explore and see how our ancestors once lived. They has sessions on weaving and other traditional crafts. They set up the one part like a Norwegian town from the 1800(?). Too cute.

We had lunch there (really good salads) and bought ice cream. The weather was incredible today! NO HUMIDITY PEOPLE. So probably in the 80s but it sure didnt feel like it! So sunny, sky clear. You could tell it was the kind of day Norwegians live for in the summer. We walked to the Viking Ship museum so I could show mom. I had been there before so we walked through in like 10 minutes. The Oslo Pass gets you in free everywhere, free metro travel, etc. Great card.

Ferry back to the mainland and we walked over to the Castle. Much easier to walk up the cobblestone hill in the summer versus January. View great. We also went to the Norwegian Resistance Museum (the WWII Norwegian part of the war). Hitler thought that the Allies were going to use Norway for their go-between to the rest of Euro so he wanted to destroy it or control it first. What a weirdo. Anyway- every culture seems to have a sad WWII story.

After a rest in the park, we walked to the area of town I know really well. It seems we always met there, etc when I was here last. That was comforting to see an area I knew really well. We found an interesting place to eat for dinner before heading back to the hostel. (We are fine with the hostel- we are sad ALL the hotels under $900 a night were booked though)

After resting a bit, the German girls, Eva and Laura and I decided to try to see the lights come turn on at the National Theater. No light yet (never gets dark!) but we walked around the harbor and chatted. This guy from Palestine asked for a picture, couldnt really understand me, but he was studying in Spain where Laura's family lives. So yep, a Spanish, German, and American girl walking around together is a lot of languages to throw out. It was easier for me to understand his Spanish!

June 2nd- Norway in a Nutshell

Norway in a Nutshell is a way to get around the country while seeing the most important sites Norway has to offer. You use 3 methods of transportation: train, bus, and boat, ....followed by 2 more trains.

At the Bergen train station we met another mother-daughter travel team from Minnesota! Really nice- Cathy and Karrie. The train to Voss was short and really let us see the little villages/towns along the coasts/islands of Bergen. The ocean was beautiful and it was great to drink coffee and wake up a bit.

At Voss we got on a bus- probably close to the craziest transportation ride I have ever received. Drive crazy fast up this hill only to see at the top the most gorgeous view ever. Right away, however, we started going down hairpin turns seriously. From the picture you can see the valley below. Yep, we kept taking sharp left and right turns over and over to get to the bottom. All along there are beautiful things to look at all to get to the famous World Heritage Site of the Sognefjord.

We got on our boat, the Skagastol Folro, in the town Gudvangen. We dumped our luggage and found seats with our new friends. Can you even really put into words the sites? It felt so peaceful....when you werent looking at the 1,000 cameras everywhere, or the Asians throwing bread for the loud seagulls, or a little kids singing as loud as possible. But seriously, for the most part it was amazing. I can't imagine how they even built the houses at the top of the mountain with the steepest drop offs! It was a two hour boat ride. I hope you like the picture! The best part was other then the few villages, the nature is completely untouched by humans. So nice to see that once in a while. There are a zillion waterfalls. I have way too many pictures of waterfalls.

We got off the boat in Flam and ate a great soup lunch with the travel buddies. The train to Mydral was really cute and wooden. The biggest waterfall ever is called the Kjosfossen. They had this old Norwegian folk fairy woman doing her dance- funniest thing ever!

At Mydral we had like a 2 hour wait so we just saw and chatted with Cathy and Karrie. Then the train to Oslo was like 4-5 hours. That is really long.....we sat with a really old couple from Norway. Learned a few things and overall just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Once we got to Oslo, the scariest most un-fun part of travel exists. When you have no idea where you are or how to get there. I knew the Hostel we were staying at but from the location we didnt have a lot of help to find it. But thank the Lord above we met nice people and found eventually the hostel. We are sharing the room with two 21 year old's from Germany. We are getting along fine.

June 1st- the day of walking (alot)

I guess the video didnt load. I will show everyone the video(s) when I get home in July! So we took the funicular up Mount Floyen (the o should have a line through it). A funicular is basically a train made to go straight up a mountain. Mount Floyen is the highest point of Bergen. Yep.... so then we climbed down it. Ramsey Park (in Redwood Falls) is nothing compared to what we walked today. Twisting and turning steep down is hard on the knees people! But we got to watch a lot of schools and daycares trying to keep lots of little Norwegians from falling down the steep mountain. While the language is different, little kids whining and screaming is a universal "I don't want to do this anymore" or "he's touching me!" The rest of the day we walked around town and saw a botanical garden, street musicians, and had a great supper talking with locals about America and how we are looking for our heritage.