bergen. pilefletting. and yes it is getting dark; stop asking.

It's been a bit busy the past few weeks. I took a work trip to Bergen (the second largest city in Norway, in the south west), where I had a two day meeting conducted entirely in Norwegian Sign Language and spoken Norwegian. It was very productive. And, if I may say so myself, I did relatively well considering I've only been in the country for 4 months, AND they speak a different dialect, AND write in a different language there.

Also. I met a troll. A friendly one.

When I got back, I took a pilefletting class and made this!

I weaved this basket by hand using dried strips of tree parts. It took only six hours. And I only almost cut my finger off with a pair of plier-scissors.

Let's just say that while it was fun and I had visions of becoming a great basket weaver, renowned across Norway and the world, my practical side says that this is probably one of the last baskets I will ever weave. It's not sad though. I have this one. And it is pretty big, you could probably put like 20 onions in there. Or as I told Anna, at least 6 bottles of wine.

With those adventures behind me, I look forward to the next month which holds a trip to Copenhagen, a few company parties, and Christmas in Oslo. And apparently I am going to learn how to ski. On snow, frozen water. In the dark.

Because yes, yes, it is getting dark now. This photo is from today at 4:30 pm, and actually makes the sky look lighter than it was. Think middle of the night dark.

Hm.

Ladestein is a nice place to be.

Vincent and I have an apartment in Buran, Trondheim. And one of the great things about our location is that we're only a kilometer or two away from Ladestein, which is a trail that hugs the coastline around Lade. It goes for more kilometers than I can run, and the views of the fjord are, well, they are wonderful. I like it there.

Last night, I went for a walk around Ladestein with my new friend and colleague Torill.

Apart from her lovely company, I also had the chance to practice taking photographs of sunsets with my new camera. You see, usually I am running that trail, and we all know that Lindsay should not carry expensive things while running. Also, I rarely never run at night--again, that's just asking for trouble.

So, here you are: The view from Ladestein on a gorgeous summer evening.

I was happy with how the photos turned out since I only have a camera, and not any other fancy equipment. I guess the view and the weather helped out a lot. Thank you nice view. Thank you perfect weather.

self-revelations

This weekend I learned two things about myself.

First, I am a cookie monster. I think the year and a half without an oven gave me cookie-withdrawal that didn't manifest itself until now. It's ugly. But, if you want cookies--come on over.

Second, I hate building furniture. It makes me very cranky and causes bruising. "It's like legos" is complete crap. That's just the kool-aid IKEA gives you. But, I don't like kool-aid. And I don't like building furniture.

I think it's important that we always continue learning about ourselves.

beware of drunk mailboxes.

I'm starting to get emails in Norwegian, mostly from my work.

The problem, though, is that Lindsay doesn't really speak Norwegian. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know like five sentences. But that doesn't really cut it for the day-to-day email necessities.

So, I've been turning to Google Translate for most of my email-reading needs.

This is part of a translation of an email I got yesterday:

As recently as today, some of you received a message that the mailbox is allegedly drunk, with a link to validate your e-mail account.

My first question is: how can mailboxes even afford to get drunk? The cheapest six-pack I can find is still like $25.

Sheesh. Share the love mailbox.

Although, to be fair, I guess my mailbox (if they're talking about mine) is only allegedly drunk. Not certainly drunk. Maybe I should not rush to judgement.

Also--I haven't quite figured out why my allegedly drunk mailbox would like me to validate my email account. If it's so drunk, I doubt it's very concerned about me getting my email. But, perhaps Norwegian mailboxes are just that damn hard-working and caring.

Oh for the love of drunk Norwegian mailboxes. Why can't we all be like you?

um. i just made some cheese.

Ricotta, to be exact! And it turned out like it was supposed to! You know, like ricotta is. Thank you Greek Vegetarian for this recipe.

It was so easy! And possible with these household ingredients.

The lemon curdles the milk.

And then you strain out the excess liquid.

Then you let it sit for a few hours.

And voilà! Ricotta!!

What should I make with it? Lasagna? Asparagus & ricotta pizza? Fritters?! Ahhh! So many choices.

beer and flowers.

I love beer. I love flowers. I love my new Nikon DSLR 3200.

braids, the new anti-aging technique

Does anyone else find it strange that the only time I get carded for alcohol is when my hair is french braided*? I do.

I mean, I really believe it's statistically significant.

Now, I don't feel especially young when I wear my hair this way. In fact, it's just kind of my go-to-do when it's raining.

Hm.

But I'd be interested to see if this is true for others. Let me know.

* Single or double braids

smaller-city-life.

I've been in Trondheim now for a week and a half or so. Everything is going really well. Surprising, given my history of ridiculous-encounters-with-humanity. Let's knock on wood people. I need this.

I'm staying in a lovely share-house at the moment in a great locale. A beautiful trail along the Nidelva is only five minutes away! And so is a grocery store (!!!!). In just ten minutes I can be in the center of town, meeting up with people and/or enjoying a nice coffee. I'm also about a three minute walk from my bus to work (a trip that only takes 10 minutes!). Not too shabby.

I have to say I'm enjoying the smaller-city-life. Less people. More nature.

Oh! And I learned that nothing in the fjords can kill me! Kayaking here I come!

i moved to norway the other day.

The day has come and gone. I've finally moved to Trondheim. I stopped for a few days in Oslo to visit my dear friend and her little girl. We walked in the forest, drank beer, drank wine, and took ferry rides to the city. We listened to classical music in the park. All-in-all a good time.

Then I made my way north to the middle of Norway...in a plane. It's been a bit non-stop since then. Although, not a stressful non-stop. Just a "oh wow, today-passed-by-quickly kind of non-stop. And it's incredibly light out for three in the morning." Hm.

So far, there has been lots of shrimp.

And views... (this one is from the "backyard" of my college campus)...

And actually, a lot of singing and musical instruments. And sun, and rain, and well... wine!

Come visit me! Later though, because I don't have my own place until August. And it'd be awkward to share my room in a house already shared by a number of people.

weather is relative.

Weather is so different from place to place. An obvious observation, but still--it resonates.

In Massy, right now, there's a thunderstorm! With lightening! (or as the French would say--with éclairs!) I was just reminiscing on how little lightening and thunderstorms I saw in Sydney. And really, there's not much of that here in Massy...although it LOVES to rain.

Strange? Maybe. I don't know.

But in Georgia where I grew up, there were thunderstorms and lightening all the time. Then in Sydney, I remember there wasn't so much of that kind of weather. Yeah, they had fires and cyclones and floods and... well, fires, and cyclones, and floods, ...and sandstorms!

Hm.

But not so much thunder. Or lightening. Eh.

Now, we're moving to Trondheim where I imagine the weather will be different still. A lot of sun. A lot of not-sun. A little warm. A lot of cold. Who knows?!

france cares about unemployed immigrants.

Actual phone conversation had between me and someone who (indirectly) works for French immigration:

me: Hello?

her: Hello. I blah blah, blah blah blah OFII blah blah.

me: What?

her: I work for blah blah for OFII. blah blah professional assessment.

me: Oh yes. I already did that last year.

her: blah blah.

me: What?

her: Yes, five months ago.

me: So.

her: blah blah blah blah.

me: What?

her: Have you found a job yet?

me: Oh, of course not. I am not looking for a job. It is impossible for me to work in France. And next week I'm moving overseas. So, no, I do not have a job in France.

her: Oh. Okay. I'll make a note. Goodbye.

me: Yes, okay. Goodbye.

* Disclaimer: This conversation was actually held in French, so above are my translations.

** This was my FIRST conversation with a French person on the telephone. I think ever. Go me.

swedes...and norwegians!

I just spent the last week and a half or so in Stockholm as a guest researcher in the Department of Linguistics at Stockholm University. Sigh. It was so lovely. I didn't want to come home. Seriously.

Swedes + Springtime + Signed Language Linguistics + Beer = Good Times. 

Stockholm, Sweden.
*Disclaimer: This photo is actually from 2005. But I promise the view is the same. Well, maybe that speedboat wasn't there this time around.

I even managed to meet up with a friend from high school. Yes, high school. She plus two other foreigners are probably the only three people I still know from high school. Take that as you will.


In other, also Scandinavian news, I have accepted a position as an associate professor at Høgskolen i Sør-Trøndelag (HiST) in Trondheim. That's right people. Lindsay (and Vincent!) are moving to the middle of NORWAY!

Oh, so, pretty.

More photos here.

Another international adventure. Norwegian! Norwegian Sign Language! And apparently salmon, although I'm not as excited about that.

Full steam ahead.

food.

Lately it seems the only fun stuff I have to talk about is food. I mean I did just spend a few weeks in good-ol-Georgia (where I visited family and bought lots of stuff ...and ate heaps of Mexican food) and then went to Nijmegen to see my super-clever friend defend her super-awesome PhD (Go Nina!). But back at home in Massy, my life always takes a turn for the not-so-interesting. Except for food.

I've been trying out heaps of new recipes, because, well, I have time. And then, last night I decided to try to make some spinach ravioli from scratch. Now, mind you, I've tried to make ravioli before. Let's just say, it didn't end well. And everyone involved was a bit traumatised from the experience. But, while I was in Georgia, I got a fancy ravioli stamper thingy-ma-bob (thanks mom!) that looked like it could be the solution to all my problems, well, the ravioli-related ones at least. And I must say, it worked like a charm!

Yummy spinach+béchamel sauce filling!

All wrapped up in a nicely cut-out pasta!

Served with a cherry tomato sauce, that was just a little bit spicy, and some more béchamel sauce. 

They were--if I may say so myself--delicieux! I think Vincent liked them too, because he ate them all in about five minutes. I had to stop him when he wanted to move on the linguini I had made from the leftover pasta dough. Yay ravioli!

Now, it's back to it.  I have many not-so-fun immigration-related tasks that need my attention, along with a few linguistic-y papers (which are way more fun than the immigration stuff).

I also still have a few weeks before I know whether or not I'll be moving to Norway.  Fingers crossed people; I need all the good mojo I can get!

valentine's day.

Today is Thursday. And I didn't realize it was Valentine's Day until like yesterday. The whole Vincent-asked-me-if-he-could-go-to-a-handball-game makes more sense in this context. Yes, that's right. He forfeited a valentine-filled night with me for a handball game with his brother and father. French people.

Anyhoo.

I had a pretty big cauliflower in my fridge. And I wanted to make it into something delicious and awesome.

So, I had a quick meeting with my cook's companion (thank you oh so dear friend) and decided to give some middle eastern cauliflower fritters a go. I mean how can cauliflower + fritter + middle eastern be bad, am I right?

And yes, that's a beer. Not a Leffe, but something as equally satisfying. Stop judging. 

I got to use my mortar pestle; I got to shred some vegetables. I got to use chili powder. Where has this recipe been all my life?!

I made these bad boys and accompanied them with a bit of mâche and a lovely yogurt sauce. And some more beer. 

Like I said. Happy Valentine's Day.

weather madness

The other day Vincent and I (and lots of other people!) were in Sydney, Australia. And an interesting climactic event happened. It was the hottest day on record, ever (in the city at least). Temperatures hit 46 degrees Celsius (about 115 degrees Fahrenheit). Luckily, we were on vacation so we could go enjoy the heat in style...by drinking heaps of beer while catching up with friends. (Don't worry--there is so much water in Australian beer, there was no way for us to become dehydrated.)

Vincent noticed that in Massy that day it was like -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) and was getting dumped on by snow.

That's a 51 degree difference (or 91 degrees in Fahrenheit--which, let's be honest, sounds much more impressive).

Let's just say I was happy we were in Sydney.

Now, however, we're not--and Massy is cold and dark and ... cold. But that's nothing, because next week I'm going to Trondheim, Norway where it'll probably even colder...and even darker!

adieu.

2012 is over my friends. Thank Earth's rotational orbit around the sun!

Seriously. Thank it.

And tomorrow, Vincent and I will be starting the New Year in style. We've got two weddings in two weeks on two different continents. Wahoo. Bring it. Friends. The sun. The beach. The oh-so-cheap-good-food. The birds. The snorkeling. The elephants. The booze. I am extremely looking forward to a change of scenery. Did I mention there's sun where we're going? And like, summer? Numnumnumnumnum.

See you later Internet. I'm not taking you with me this time. I'm also not taking my phone, so don't try to call me either. I'll be back when I'm back.