Today and yesterday, I basically did do two things.
1) continue to write my master thesis, do corrections, coming closer to the next version I will send to my supervisor
2) longing for doing something different, like, for example, travelling. Because then I thought - yeah I should go there! And in the end of the two days, I have to admit that I am delighted, shocked and looking forward to the madness I have just offered my credit card credentials for. 2 days Amsterdam. 5 days London. 2 days Bergen. 5 days Tromsø. All rather cheap, but nevertheless... Never write a masterthesis and think about something different at the same time or have people you should visit... never ever. So - no more stuff until the semester's over. And - a part time job as soon as my master thesis is done!
2013.08.27 - Routine?
Last week I went to my first lecture. That was OK, I was able to focus for those two hours or so. But yesterday I had to follow a norwegian class for almost four hours, which was really exhausting. After an one hour break, there was the other lecture, again two hours. At 18.00, there were three other hours of choir. My ability to focus was quite drained at the end of the day. But I do know this feeling, I already had it when I learned french in France; that's the feeling you get when your brain has to learn heaps of words in short time. Actually, it's a good thing. I hope that in a couple of weeks, it will be easier. But I am quite sure it will.
A big thing is still my master thesis. I am almost entirely sure I will send the next version to my supervisor this week. After the thesis is done, I will look for a part time job to be able to afford some more expensive food (e.g. bread or crisps).
I was swimming in the fjord; that was nice! and even warmer than swimming in the Sogsnvann, the lake I've been to again. Actually, the weather is quite interesting: for almost a week and a half, there is just blue sky all day long! Really nice .. especially when I hear it's all rainy in Austria and Germany.
So, back to write my thesis...
A big thing is still my master thesis. I am almost entirely sure I will send the next version to my supervisor this week. After the thesis is done, I will look for a part time job to be able to afford some more expensive food (e.g. bread or crisps).
I was swimming in the fjord; that was nice! and even warmer than swimming in the Sogsnvann, the lake I've been to again. Actually, the weather is quite interesting: for almost a week and a half, there is just blue sky all day long! Really nice .. especially when I hear it's all rainy in Austria and Germany.
So, back to write my thesis...
2013.08.20 - First days in Oslo III
Lack of sleep - The first thing that pops into my head when I think about the last five days.
But for very good reasons though.
In Norway, as is commonly known, alcohol is expensive. But as the university doesn't want to hinder its students to get a bit of alcohol, it provides facilities of each faculty for a pub. For the humanities, there's a small cosy pub called Uglebo, the house of the owl. As the workers there all are volunteers, the beer can be quite cheap for anyone and it's a good possibility to come together and be social - and for me, to meet Norwegian people.
Additionally, there is a student festival called Studio, where I helped out as well - until 4.30 am. And I am really not used to staying up that late, repeatedly.
But well, to know people, sacrifices are necessary. :-)
Yesterday, I had a first meeting with the choir of my choice, the Oslo Voices. If I get accepted, which will be shown next Monday, the choir will sing in Trondheim, Oslo, and even Berlin! I will keep you updated!
I keep getting visits all the time as well. So, after the Austrian colleague left for Bergen, the next people visiting me where a girl I met on the way to Tallinn and a friend from Berlin who I met in Helsinki... Yes, I have a gift to meet random people in random places!
I had my first lecture as well, introduction to old Norse and Celtic culture ... in Norwegian! That was challenging, but it went surprisingly well. But it will be quite a job to get that class done.
With my flat mates, I went to the Sognsvann, a lake which is a few subway stations (!) away from my student village. Oslo is I great place, to much forest, lakes and everything close. It was .. refreshing to swim there.
As you see, I made some efforts to get away from the international students and try to find nationals.. And I met some nice people already, but of course not that closely yet. But - still - I am here for just a week now.
And I am far away from feeling bored or useless, so, everything is very close to absolutely awesome...
But first, I need to catch up with my sleep .. My last shift is tomorrow evening, luckily just until 12.30 am, then I'll be in bed at 10 pm every day!
So much to do here! There was also an interesting tour: arts students are giving free tours, e.g. of street art in Oslo, based on tipping. And next week will be free cinema, free concerts (e.g. Beethoven9 at the city hall) and the many pubs/venues in Oslo with other concerts...
But for very good reasons though.
In Norway, as is commonly known, alcohol is expensive. But as the university doesn't want to hinder its students to get a bit of alcohol, it provides facilities of each faculty for a pub. For the humanities, there's a small cosy pub called Uglebo, the house of the owl. As the workers there all are volunteers, the beer can be quite cheap for anyone and it's a good possibility to come together and be social - and for me, to meet Norwegian people.
Additionally, there is a student festival called Studio, where I helped out as well - until 4.30 am. And I am really not used to staying up that late, repeatedly.
But well, to know people, sacrifices are necessary. :-)
Yesterday, I had a first meeting with the choir of my choice, the Oslo Voices. If I get accepted, which will be shown next Monday, the choir will sing in Trondheim, Oslo, and even Berlin! I will keep you updated!
I keep getting visits all the time as well. So, after the Austrian colleague left for Bergen, the next people visiting me where a girl I met on the way to Tallinn and a friend from Berlin who I met in Helsinki... Yes, I have a gift to meet random people in random places!
I had my first lecture as well, introduction to old Norse and Celtic culture ... in Norwegian! That was challenging, but it went surprisingly well. But it will be quite a job to get that class done.
With my flat mates, I went to the Sognsvann, a lake which is a few subway stations (!) away from my student village. Oslo is I great place, to much forest, lakes and everything close. It was .. refreshing to swim there.
As you see, I made some efforts to get away from the international students and try to find nationals.. And I met some nice people already, but of course not that closely yet. But - still - I am here for just a week now.
And I am far away from feeling bored or useless, so, everything is very close to absolutely awesome...
But first, I need to catch up with my sleep .. My last shift is tomorrow evening, luckily just until 12.30 am, then I'll be in bed at 10 pm every day!
So much to do here! There was also an interesting tour: arts students are giving free tours, e.g. of street art in Oslo, based on tipping. And next week will be free cinema, free concerts (e.g. Beethoven9 at the city hall) and the many pubs/venues in Oslo with other concerts...
2013.08.15 - First days in Oslo II
Food's expensive. In the course of these first days, I was already shown a cheap vegetable/asia/strange-stuff market in the immigrants quarter of Oslo (Grønland). Normal prices do make happy!
This week basically consists of two official things.
1. registration at the university, bureaucratic stuff as it necessary for every semester. It is pretty organised, everybody is helpful and on 15Jul, my courses were registered. It's gonna be a 20 ECTS language learning course and a 10 ECTS intro on celtic/old norwegian stuff.
2. Buddy week. Heaps of people in red t-shirts everywhere, on average two buddies for 20 people. Lots of international people. Lots of Germans. Germans everywhere. Games, funny games and get-to-know-each-other-stuff. Parties every day - the university is organising an own student festival with tents, music and so on.
I already found out my way to go to parties.
step 1. leave water bottles at home
step 2. join people who go to a free pub/location
step 3. have your ID and bag checked; water bottles have to be thrown away.
step 4. don't drink anything, it's too expensive.
step 5. have a good and cheap evening
Another annoying thing is my master's thesis. I do progress not as quickly as expected .. but I know I will be quiiite happy when it'll be done.
so happy.
So long, I will let you know when something exiting happens.
This week basically consists of two official things.
1. registration at the university, bureaucratic stuff as it necessary for every semester. It is pretty organised, everybody is helpful and on 15Jul, my courses were registered. It's gonna be a 20 ECTS language learning course and a 10 ECTS intro on celtic/old norwegian stuff.
2. Buddy week. Heaps of people in red t-shirts everywhere, on average two buddies for 20 people. Lots of international people. Lots of Germans. Germans everywhere. Games, funny games and get-to-know-each-other-stuff. Parties every day - the university is organising an own student festival with tents, music and so on.
I already found out my way to go to parties.
step 1. leave water bottles at home
step 2. join people who go to a free pub/location
step 3. have your ID and bag checked; water bottles have to be thrown away.
step 4. don't drink anything, it's too expensive.
step 5. have a good and cheap evening
Another annoying thing is my master's thesis. I do progress not as quickly as expected .. but I know I will be quiiite happy when it'll be done.
so happy.
So long, I will let you know when something exiting happens.
2013.08.12 - First days in Oslo
The first three days in Norway.
Hello everyone.
Yes, I did arrive safely in Oslo - The weather in Vienna had been hot. Quite hot. At the airport, I was waiting at the gate, the plane was already a bit too late, but that's OK. Then, the plane did not get clearance for take-off because of massive thunderstorms. 2.5 hours delay. Funnily enough, the weather in Oslo was then approximately the same as in Vienna. So, everyone got nice(r) weather.
A colleague of mine joined me for the week-end, we got to Oslo together (to be precise: with 10 minutes difference; different planes) and got a super expensive airport bus to the city ( - all regular public transport was already closed). We stayed at the Anker youth hostel in Grünerløkka, where we walked to. In the middle of the night, me with to 21kg suitcases. The next morning (10Aug) we headed to University of Oslo to fetch my key, and then went to my apartment. This apartment, in a wide area of student housing is in the middle of green and quite friendly area... I will provide pictures as soon as I get home to take my camera which I forgot in my room in Austria (stupid!).
We walked around the city, to Holmenkollen, Aker Brygge, Operaen, and Bygdøy.
On monday, the tourist program ended, I bade my colleague farewell, she left to Bergen by train.
For me, the semester started with a little bureaucratic journey, but well organised though. Nevertheless, it always seems to be a struggle to get to know how it works. I am not through with it, but it definitely IS well organised. The Buddy meeting forced us to play uncomfortable know-each-other games, but that's proven to have its benefits... a heavy thunderstorm and downpour followed (NOT common for Norway at this time of the year!). Because of that, the buddy group did split up and mostly did not go to the city center, where the rector and others held a welcoming speech to all students. I and some others did go and e.g. enjoyed a nice performance of O Fortuna.. (there of course, it didn't rain anymore..).
Then, to my new home, first time alone in the room, time for some organising and blog writing.
See you in a couple of days.
Hello everyone.
Yes, I did arrive safely in Oslo - The weather in Vienna had been hot. Quite hot. At the airport, I was waiting at the gate, the plane was already a bit too late, but that's OK. Then, the plane did not get clearance for take-off because of massive thunderstorms. 2.5 hours delay. Funnily enough, the weather in Oslo was then approximately the same as in Vienna. So, everyone got nice(r) weather.
A colleague of mine joined me for the week-end, we got to Oslo together (to be precise: with 10 minutes difference; different planes) and got a super expensive airport bus to the city ( - all regular public transport was already closed). We stayed at the Anker youth hostel in Grünerløkka, where we walked to. In the middle of the night, me with to 21kg suitcases. The next morning (10Aug) we headed to University of Oslo to fetch my key, and then went to my apartment. This apartment, in a wide area of student housing is in the middle of green and quite friendly area... I will provide pictures as soon as I get home to take my camera which I forgot in my room in Austria (stupid!).
We walked around the city, to Holmenkollen, Aker Brygge, Operaen, and Bygdøy.
On monday, the tourist program ended, I bade my colleague farewell, she left to Bergen by train.
For me, the semester started with a little bureaucratic journey, but well organised though. Nevertheless, it always seems to be a struggle to get to know how it works. I am not through with it, but it definitely IS well organised. The Buddy meeting forced us to play uncomfortable know-each-other games, but that's proven to have its benefits... a heavy thunderstorm and downpour followed (NOT common for Norway at this time of the year!). Because of that, the buddy group did split up and mostly did not go to the city center, where the rector and others held a welcoming speech to all students. I and some others did go and e.g. enjoyed a nice performance of O Fortuna.. (there of course, it didn't rain anymore..).
Then, to my new home, first time alone in the room, time for some organising and blog writing.
See you in a couple of days.
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