Blogs from Northern Norway, Norway, Europe - page 23

Our guide Trygvor picked us up at the hotel and before leaving we poured over the latest meteorological charts downloaded from the local Weather Centre’s website just 30 minutes earlier. “It’s not a great night for the Aurora” was Trygvor's very frank and somewhat disappointing summation “but, if we head south away from the clouds then we will find the Northern Lights”. With renewed vigour, we jumped into the warmth of Trygvor’s car and headed out of town. As we drove south away from the Arctic Ocean we were told to keep our eyes peeled, not on the Arctic firmament but the roadside. “An interesting Northern Lights viewing strategy” we all thought in unison “our guide is obviously stark raving bonkers”. Fortunately, he clarified his position. “There’s a ghost” he explained “a German soldier who died ... read more

April... de vogeltjes beginnen te fluiten, de bomen kleuren groen... tijd om de knusse winter op te zoeken. Bestemming: het noorden, meer bepaald Westelijk Lapland, de Noorse en Zweedse streek boven de poolcirkel. Alles is wit en nog steeds in een diepe winterslaap. Op sneeuwschoenen trekken we door een ongerepte bergwereld vol rondzwervende rendieren en magisch, nachtelijk noorderlicht. Het ene ongerepte gletsjerdal in, over diepgevroren meren en arctische bergplateaus, het andere gletsjerdal weer in. We dwalen heen en weer over de grens tussen Noorwegen en Zweden. Geen sneeuwvlok die er naar kraait. Voor de Noorse kust ligt een archipel met imponerende eilanden vol fjorden, waar granieten, messcherpe pieken uit de zee oprijzen, gepolijst door de weggetrokken gletsjers en eeuwige westenwind: de magische Lofoten. Kleurrijke vissersdorpen kladden de wanden in... read more

It's pretty funny how similar older people can be to teenagers. The issues in the green group are very similar to the issues that I had in class back on practicum. Classroom management, inappropriate comments, apathy, sass, refusing to do work.. it's kind of funny really. This group, as I mentioned yesterday, if VERY different than the blue group. In many ways, no just age. As some of the instructors told me, one of the most important things at VHSS is the community. Every group that comes here comes in a group. Then they stay for 2, 3, 4 weeks, depending on the group. The point is that they come, stay, eat, and sleep together the entire time they are here (their rooms are in the same hallway- so close. they don't actually sleep together.) The ... read more

That's right, that's just one of the many Norwegian phrases I now know. It means goodbye (but - as I have learned, if you are just saying something like "see you" you just say Ha Det) Today was the big goodbye for the blue group. The day started out well for my girl, as she got to ride the dog sled again! Those dogs are the best too, they aren't racing dogs and THEY'RE SO FLUFFY (aka they let me pet them. it was nice). After that we all went to a course for a little wrap up race. Once again they organized it in a way so that everyone could succeed. The object of the race was to go around the track twice and try and get the exact same time both times. The girl ... read more

That's right.. it's exactly what you think... well maybe not quite. Today was "expedition day!" Since our group is a ski-focused group, today we had an all day ski trip! Since the patient I work with has more advanced Cerebral Palsy than the others, we got to take a dog sled to the place where we set up camp. These dogs were small huskys, but they were so friendly (very well trained). She sat in the sled, with the driver behind her.. while I was attached behind them on my skis, holding onto a rope (just like water skiing). It was so much fun! I started out down a hill and narrowly avoided eating my ski poles and from there on it was smooth sailing! When we arrived at the camp, it was at the side ... read more