olga-s-blog

[olga-s-blog]

Better than mountains can be only mountains

"Better than mountains can be only mountains," the famous Russian singer Vysotsky sang. When we arrived Træna I agreed with him more than ever. 

I have never seen such a remarkable mountains before.

This is a beautiful place which has a special spirit. It is hard to describe but easy to feel.

The municipality Træna consists of more than one thousand small islands!

The population of Træna is only 500 people. But it is the very famous place in Norway for the annual music festival. People from all over the country come here to enjoy the music and the nature.

When you see it you understand no human invention compares to the magnificence of nature.  

Better than mountains can be only mountains ...

[olga-s-blog]

Finding a moose

Since January, Tereza has been hunted by the idea of seeing a moose. I even started to think that this was the only reason why she came to Norway.

Locals suggested that there are a lot of moose in Hugla, the island next to Nesna. They told us different things about moose. Some people said that they could be very dangerous, especially moms who walk with their cubs, others said that they are quite inoffensive animals.

We made ​​plans to go to Hugla almost every time seeing this beautiful island from the distance. Yesterday, finally plans were put into practice.

We were lucky with wonderful weather.

 Hugla is a tiny place with not a lot people living there.

The houses are located at a big distance from each other.

There is the smallest church I have ever seen.

We went along the main road. The first sign suggests we are on the right way to find a moose. 

A little further, we saw the track. This clearly cloven-hoofed! Teresa cheered.

The woman we met there said that to see moose on Hugla it is not necessary to go into the forest, they often turn up right on the main road. Full of enthusiasm, we moved on.

We spend 4 hours on the island. During this time no moose of Hugla appeared.

At last we were still fortunate to meet this funny herd of sheep.

It seems like we will go there one more time. 

[olga-s-blog]

Bianca Riegler: “Here you have to be creative”

Bianca Riegler,  an exchange student from Austria, is taking art classes at  Nesna University College. Today she tells us how to be creative, where to get inspiration from and why Nesna is the right place to study Arts.  

-          Bianca, what kind of arts do you study in Austria?

-          I study technical arts and crafts for teaching in the secondary school. In these courses we work with different materials such as wood, metal, plastic and textiles. Wood is my favorite. Last year I made a small wooden table combined with mosaic and a wooden candle holder with a mirror foil inside to reflect the candle light. I like these things and I use them at home.

-          When did you start to be interested in arts?

-          I think I always was interested in it. For example, in secondary school I liked to draw.  Six years ago I took an oil painting class in California. But it’s hard for me to do one thing for a long time. I always need to try out something new.

-          Which arts classes are you taking at Nesna University College?

-          Here I am taking textiles and clay. We have to do a lot of different things for both of them. For textile class we have to sew a little bag, do macramé, needle binding, knitting and embroidering.

I have already done most of them.

For clay class we had to learn two different techniques and create five different patterns on the clay. Also we have to create a movie of at least 500 pictures which shows a story by using any plastic material. But the most exciting and also challenging part of this class is the task where we have to create something sensual and meaningful out of clay.

-          Is this new to you?

-          Yes. In my art classes in Austria we used to make practical things which you can use. You don’t have to be very creative with it and be able to explain what it means. I would say in Austria the focus is on the product, and here it is more on the process. Here you have to be creative and profound.

-          Do you like it?

-          I do. But it is not easy. To get some ideas you have to take away all thoughts and free your mind.

-          You talked about different approaches in arts which are used here and at your Home University. But do you see other differences?

-          I think here teachers are more open. Students can speak with them as friends but at the same time with respect.

-          The classes you are taking are taught in Norwegian. Is it very difficult for you?

-          I am the one who came to Norway so I accept it even though sometimes it is difficult for me to get the task. But there is always somebody who translates it to me. And the teachers also help a lot. Usually, after the lesson, they explain the topic in English to me.

-          Where do you get your inspiration from?

-          Music always gives me ideas. In example for my art project at Nesna University I was inspired by Eddy Vedder and Willy Mason.

Eddy Vedder, Society http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm8oxC24QZc 

Willy Mason, Oxygen  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoFlhwiHx14

I also get into creative mood from nature a lot. Therefore Nesna is the right place for me to do arts.

Sometimes an idea just pops into my mind and I have to write it down straight away otherwise I would forget it again. For this purpose I always carry my little creative book with me. 

[olga-s-blog]

Snow and snowdrops

In the end of February there was feeling  like spring around here. Outside it was warm and sunny. 

On the mountain the frozen brooks started melting.

One day this beautiful rainbow stretched on the horizon.

I was so overwhelmed by the first spring sun and then suddenly 8th of March it started to snow. Luckily the snow melted away the same day and I hoped again for the good weather. Unfortunately, within a few days stormy wind mixed with snow, hail and heavy rain raged. It was so strong that the boat service between Nesna and the nearby islands was even canceled. During the night our little house would sway and the cooker hood in the kitchen would make strange sounds, similar to those that are commonly used in horror movies.

Yesterday, spring returned but this was not because of the change of the weather but because Teresa brought home snowdrops. Small, tender, white flowers that can’t be fooled. March. And that means - time to go out for them in spite of all this confusion with temperature and weather conditions.

This morning it was snowing again. The snow covered the ground, rooftops and tree branches with a white fluffy blanket.

It seems that the owner of this bike and sled will make his choice in favor of the latter.

In spite of the winter outside there is real spring inside on our window-sill. As long as the snowdrops are standing there, we will be in our perfect spring mood.  

[olga-s-blog]

What do Nesna museum and my granny's house have in common

Nesna museum is located in a former shop near the quay. The main part of the exhibition is devoted to traditional Norwegians occupations: fishing and farming.

There is a wooden boat, a hut and different fishing gear.

My attention was attracted by a photo exhibition, which collected images of fishermen in the late 19th and early 20th century.

This part of the exhibition gathered tools that were used in agriculture, such as hoes, rakes, scythes.

The guide said that these things are rarities today. Retooling in Norway began after the Second World War. And by the 70s implements like hoes completely disappeared from farms.

Many things in the museum - a wooden chest, a distaff, crockery - reminded me of my granny’s house.

This led me to think that a couple of decades ago, the way of life of people engaged in farming, whether in Norway or Russia, was not very different.

 In this photo there are traditional Norwegian shoes.

The factory which made them  was founded in Nesna in 1953. Then the number of employees was only 6, but about 200 more sewed the shoes at home. In 2007 the factory was sold to Estonia. According to the guide, the reason was the big increase in the salary of the people who were sewing handmade shoes, which made its production in Norway very expensive. Today, traditional Norwegian footwear comes to Norway from Estonia.

 At the end of the tour, we discovered that Bianca could play the piano.

And Slavik too.

So, our little excursion into Norwegian history ended on a musical note.

By the way, sometimes on Saturdays there are a lot of visitors here.  I guess not because everybody likes museums, most likely because those days they sell cafe with good handmade cakes.  

[olga-s-blog]

How we tried to “capture” the Aurora Borealis

Two days ago we followed our way to the top of Utsikten surrounded by  total darkness. The reason for such a late climb was that the Northern Lights were likely to appear according to the Aurora forecast (which can be checked at any time on the site http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast).The sight from the top of the mountain was going to be fantastic.

My goal that night was to “capture” the northern lights with the camera, which is very difficult indeed. In most cases, the pictures do not convey the beauty that you can see with your eyes. My last photos are a clear example of this.

Having had some unsuccessful experiences before, that day I decided to prepare: I  studied  the camera settings, found the ideal for this kind of shooting aperture and exposure options and borrowed a tripod.

Taking our flashlights, we hit the road. The total darkness required to be very careful and concentrated, especially in areas where there is still ice. So slowly we got to the top which offered a night view of Nesna.

Drinking tea and eating faworki (polish cookies)baked by Agata, we waited for the moment when the night sky would fill up with green colors. Strong wind swept everything that was left unattended just for a second. So Bianca’s strawberries and carrots flew away, but she managed to catch some of them.  

Unfortunately, that night we didn’t see the Northern Lights. The conclusion is obvious: do not always trust forecasts.

But anyway a short walk before bedtime is always agreeable.

[olga-s-blog]

Mosjøen. Small town in old-fashioned style

This weekend we went to Mosjøen. It is the oldest town in Helgeland famous for its 19th century wooden houses.

On our way to Mosjøen we passed the "Seven Sisters." It is the chain of mountain peaks located at an approximately equal distance from each other. Due to this symmetry, the "Seven Sisters" has become quite popular. Today it is one of the favorite tourist destinations in Helgeland.

Uppon arrival in Mosjøen we went for a walk on a historic street Sjøgata which extends along the river Vefsna.

I have noticed that there are a lot of of cafes and restaurants there which is not so typical for a small Norwegian town (population of Mosjøen is about 9,000).

Their features are original design and old-fashioned interior. 

We stopped by the cafe which holds a sign indicating that it is a part of Norwegian heritage.

Old wooden houses and cozy cafes make Mosjøen different from others cities of Norway. 

[olga-s-blog]

What can make you run out in socks

11 pm. Complete calm. Everyone is busy doing something. Suddenly the silence is broken. With frantic cries Bianca runs out a room.

- Northern Lights!!! Northern Lights!!!

We were looking forward to it for a long time. Finally it has happened!

Being afraid that the Northern lights will disappear as suddenly as it appeared we slipped on a jacket and went outside. Tereza was so much in a hurry that she even forgot to wear shoes.

We were watching the fanciful movements of a green wave for a few minutes. At times it became brighter, at times dimmed.

Then it spread through the firmament and divided into several waves which went in different directions. 

The world around us proved once again to be amazing and wonderful. 

[olga-s-blog]

Norwegian cod and its shortest route to my plate

At 7.15 am we were already at the Nesna quay. The sun had not risen yet, on the street it was dark. Light frost instantly woke us up. Full of enthusiasm we were waiting for a speed boat. At last, plans to go fishing on the high seas would be put into practice. 

Travelling with the boat, which runs several times a day between main settlements of Helgeland, we got to Onøy in half an hour. On arrival we went to explore the area.

A boat with all the necessary fishing equipment awaited us at the Onøy quay at 10.30. It was small, but very comfortable with a table and a sofa in the cabin and even a shower in the bathroom.

It is difficult to describe the delight of travelling on a boat going at such a tremendous speed that it is even impossible to stand.

For three hours we fished in different places.

We passed the mountain called Horseman. If you look at it closely, you'll clearly notice the figure of a  rider in a long coat and the muzzle of a horse.

We were very happy to get to the Arctic Circle, whose location is signaled by a "Globe" on one of the islands.  I did not even notice if we crossed the Arctic Circle or just stopped on its southern side. Anyway it is not so important.

My first and last catch of the day was a shell. Bianca was fortunate enough to get a huge alga.

The other guys were luckier. They caught three cods.

In the evening we made delicious oven-baked fish. 

[olga-s-blog]

"Polar Expedition"

I have lost count of how many times I have been in a place called Utsikten. Getting up there is not difficult. The time needed to reach Utsikten by leisurely walk is about one hour and a half. From there you have a beautiful view of Nesna and its surroundings, with the nearby islands.

  Indeed, hiking in this area is a very popular activity. Climbing to Utsikten you will surely meet fellow travelers with their friendly «Hey!». This nice feature of small communes – greeting even strangers is always uplifting.

In Utsikten you will find a mailbox with a notebook, there you are supposed to write your name and also the date and time you reached the top. We have complied with the tradition and then decided to go further, jokingly calling our climb "Polar Expedition."

First, the road passes through a wooded area, and it seemed quite safe to us. So we got to an artificial pond.

Afterwards it became narrower and narrower. Often it passed close to the slope, and given the fact that it was covered with ice, we were afraid of slipping. So we decided to get off the paved path and go our own way. At this point, a joke about the "Polar Expedition" did no longer seem a joke.

Close to the top I realized that it was not so clever to climb so far without carrying any hiking  equipment…

On the way back I slipped twice and bruised both my knees. However, I was very happy that it did not happen on the slopes.

We started our way back home at approximately 4 p.m. Bright pink clouds appeared on the sky. The sun on the horizon lighted up with red and orange colures.

It was impossible not to look at it. We were going home with the head thrown back.

[olga-s-blog]

Bjørndalen. Interesting to see

A thirty minute walk from my home in Nesna, there is an interesting place called Bjørndalen. Waterfalls, a small lake, a cosy house.

Also there is a variety of vegetation that has been collected from different continents. In winter time, it is of course difficult to discern, but if you are interested in it, almost every tree and shrub has a plate with its name.  So walking in Bjørndalen may be not only enjoyable but also quite informative.

But for me, the most interesting things there are the German bunkers preserved since  World War II. May be I should be ashamed, but I did not know that they had gone so far north.

Two of them are located at the foot on the mountain and are now firmly nailed.

The third bunker on the hill is like a small hallway with access to the observation deck, which offers an open view of the see.

Inside it is certainly dark and creepy ...  

But it seems that locals are often there. In bunker we found a burnt candle.

[olga-s-blog]

Nesna. Winter time

[olga-s-blog]

Norwegian waffles. Try the taste of Norway

Yesterday we made ​​Norwegian waffles. It turned out, it's very easy. The dough is prepared like  pancakes’, the ingredients are the same: flour, milk, eggs, sugar (can be vanilla) and some spices (we had cinnamon and cardamom).

The only thing that can stop you to make waffles is not having a waffle iron. In Norway, there is one in every home. In Russia - not sure.

Traditionally Norwegians serve them with brown cheese. Also they like to mix sour cream and strawberry jam (and some of them - brown cheese and jam, which is a bit of a strange combination for me). In general, there are countless options of toppings. It all depends on your imagination and taste preferences.

[olga-s-blog]

Nesna eyes exchange students. Fall semester 2013

- Lifestyle, nature, price tags - everything I encountered here was unusual, sometimes strange and shocking but at the same time very interesting, - Natalia remembers their first impressions about Nesna.

And she was not alone. At the same time, at least five other people sympathized with her feelings of confusion. But everything was going well. Comfortable accommodation, friendly smiles and stunning views from the window. To begin with, it was enough.

Natalia from Cadiz (southern Spain) came to Nesna (northern Norway) under a student exchange program.   These are quite accessible nowadays, so virtually anyone can take part. For example, students in Europe can use the exchange program Erasmus. For students from northern regions of Russia there is Barents plus.

In this way in August 2013 six foreigners found themselves in Nesna. They were  Natalia, Monica and Paula from Spain, Jan and Martin from the Czech Republic and I (Olga from Russia). For four months, together with Norwegian students, we studied English language courses, such as Didactics, Grammar and phonetics, American civilization and British culture.

We remember that we were amused to learn about the college education system. 

- The relationship between students and teachers is very friendly and groups in the college are quite small, so you can easily get the necessary advice and assistance with your school work, - says Paula.

Martin adds that the teachers always give you feedback and explain what you have done right and what you need to improve, which certainly helps a lot.

In our free time we were participating in workshops of woodwork and knitting. Natalya was so carried away by the last one that in a couple of months managed to knit 8 caps.

Together with our coordinator Elin, we made ​​several exciting trips. In September, we visited Onøy, in October, Sandnessjøen. However, most of the time we were traveling on one’s own.

- Subjects are organized in "gatherings", which means six days of school per month in average. For some people it might be a disadvantage but for me it is the opposite, it allows me to travel and explore the whole country, - says Jan. 

He and Martin visited many interesting places in Norway, among them an archipelago of rocky islands called Lofoten. Monica travelled a lot as well. She with her friend rented a car and went to Trondheim, Oslo, Bergen and other cities in the south of the country.

The most striking event of the semester was STUKA13; when for a few days a lot of interesting things happened, such as concerts and parties. Jan, Monica and I even made ​​a small contribution to their organization. We helped to decorate the hall and keep the order.

This semester will be remembered for years to come. Espeсially for Natalia, she saw snow for the first time in her life. Such a thing is never forgotten.

#norway#helgeland#nesna#hinesna#students#exchange#travel#north#snow#russian

[olga-s-blog]

Christmas is coming

Christmas is upcoming in Norway. Its arrival could be felt in the middle of November, when shelves in stores had been filled with cookies with cinnamon and different goods of marchpane, traditional Norwegian sweets. Immediately after these Christmas soda, which is by the way almost the same as a Russian “Duchesse”, and Christmas beer with caramel taste appeared in a shops as well. Demand for mandarins sharply raised.

Everywhere  lights of different colors  turned on, spruces acquired decoration with garlands. The one that was installed in the college’s library was very likely the most original in Nesna and judging by  a big number of uploaded pictures in Instagram pleased to a lot of students.

Beside of traditional Christmas tree there is in Norway the corresponding house plant – Poinsettia - which appears in houses shortly before the holiday. By the way, this flower is quite popular in numerous countries, and Russia is not an exception, but unlike Norway it is not so common to decorate interiors by  Poinsettia just for Christmas there. Poinsettia blossoms in December, that’s why it is named “A Christmas star”. Norwegians buy the “star” on the threshold of Christmas, keep it for a few weeks and then throw out, which seems a bit strange for me… Because the flower can live much longer if you will look after it in appropriate way.

From the first of December spirit of Christmas is felt stronger. From this day special tear-off calendars appear in houses,  counting from the 1-st until the 24-th of December. Evelyn told me about this tradition. Then I didn’t understand at once what’s the matter to start a new calendar in the end of the year. She explained that kids like it very much. So they see very clear how many days remain before Christmas. There are different kinds of Christmas calendars, the most popular of which is chocolate. But this one fits just for very self-possessed ones, because it is supposed to eat just one candy daily.

  (The picture is taken from http://forum.svadba.kharkov.ua/showthread.php?t=20337&page=159)

Holiday mood in Nesna was raised by a few events. Christmas workshop took place in the college. So everybody could make some Christmas souvenirs.

    These sweet figurines still make me smile.

In a few days concert of Christmas Norwegian music was held in the church in Nesna. I liked one of the songs “Tenn Lys”, which is traditional for Norway, very much (you can hear it here http://wn.com/tenn_lys). It was sung several times in different manners. 

Norwegians celebrate Christmas with family. The dinner and gifts, watching a Christmas movies are the most important attributes of the holiday. Irene told me about one of them recently. It is an old Czech fairy tale ”Sinderella” (in Russia this story is best known as “Золушка”). Black-white “Sinderella” is broadcasted on TV in Norway every year and with one-voiced  translation which sounds quiet amusing nowadays. But viewing “Sinderella” has become a tradition for many Norwegians and this means that no modern even 4D movie can replace it. It is interesting that in Czech Republic “Sinderella” is not so popular. At least Jan, my classmate from Czech, has never seen it from the beginning to the end. In his country Russian fairy tail “Morozko” is shown every year for Christmas (you can watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vhU238UyuA) . To learn that was quite surprising for me. 

(Sequence from the "Morozko", the picture is taken from http://blog.i.ua/user/2252905/837016/)

Being in atmosphere when everything speaks of an approaching holiday, it is difficult to resister universal Christmas mood. Though Christmas is very different from the view of Russians and Norwegians. 

First of all, in Russia we celebrate Christmas on the 7-th of January. It is easy to explain why “our” Christmas is backward from the European in 13 days. The matter in a confusion of calendars. While since XVI century Europe has been using the Gregorian calendar, Russia is with the Julian one, the difference between these two calendars reached 13 days in XX century. Russia started to use Gregorian calendar in 1918 when the new authorities came, but the church as a separate from the state institute decided to leave Julian calendar (there were a few reasons for that), so Russians continue to celebrate Christmas in “old style”. I hadn’t have any idea of that before I met a professor of history of religion in a plane “Stockholm - Moscow”. During the 2 hours of our flight I asked him about this and also got answers to some other questions I was interesting in.

Getting back to discussing the differences between European and Russian Christmas, it is important to mention that for us this holiday is more religious, which believers celebrate by going to church service. Somebody tells fortune in Christmas because there predictions are believed to be the most truthful.

But celebration of Christmas in Russia is incomparable with celebration of the New Year, which is done in a great way. A lot of people outside no matter if it is cold or there are hard frosts, fireworks with duration of 40 minutes, table with a huge number of different dishes.

Having lived in Russia for all my life I’ve never played much attention to the 24-th of December, for me it is a normal day. It seems that I’ve never thought how important this day is for a huge number of people. Now it changed a bit. So having got up in the morning on the 24-th of December the first thing I will do is to wish my Norwegian friends Marry Christmas.

[olga-s-blog]

Why Norway takes English with bare hands, and Russia doesn’t

During my first visit to Norway, I already noticed that the vast majority of Norwegians speaks English fluently. That surprising still seems to me, especially in contrast to situation in Russia. I see a number of reasons to that.  First of all, both languages- Norwegian and English – are of Germanic group. So for Norwegians it is easier to speak English than for Russians who represent Slavic languages group speakers. It is totally different: contractions, sounds, even letters. But this is not the main matter.

Russian Alphabet. The picure is taken from the web-site

http://myrava.com/wp-content/plugins/letters-of-the-alphabet 

I think the most important factor is different approaches for teaching English in schools. In Norway it is aimed at language practice first of all, while in Russia the focus is on reading and translating skills . After that we move on to the painstaking study of tenses, voices, conditionals… So by the end of the school we are not even able to have a talk, ask for directions to the store, and express emotions ... However, I do not implore the importance of grammar, I just think that the ability to use, feel and understand a language should be formed paramount, or at least, parallel with grammar study . But not vice versa (like in Russia).

My relationship with the English developed quite difficult for many years at school and university. I still remember tons of translated and retold texts which did not help me to improve skills in producing speech... First time I spoke English when already spending a few weeks in Norway.

My statement about an another approach to language teaching in Norway is not proofless. I attended the English class at the local school and I saw how much attention is paid to the games and exercises by which children learn to speak. Exactly "speak", not "read" and "translate".

A huge impact on the overall distribution of language here is also made by TV which broadcast a lot of movies, series and show in English (accompanied with Norwegian subtitles). I can’t imagine this situation in Russia. By the way, the fact that we have all the TV programs in Russian (with the rare exception of regional TV in national languages) causes many Norwegians genuine surprise, and sometimes confusion. But for me it seems quite logical to translate everything from the West for native speakers of Russian, whose number exceeds 250 million people (compared to 5 million native Norwegian speakers).

In addition to television Norwegians often deal with literature in English, especially at higher education establishments. In college or university students always read textbooks and other scientific papers in the original language, which happens in Russia very seldom. 

Thus, learning English at school, being immersed in the language through television, and knowing that English is not a luxury but a tool of communication and getting knowledge, Norwegians take English with bare hands.

I am pretty sure it will happen in Russia as well but probably a bit later…

[olga-s-blog]

* * *

Snow

White and bright

Sparkles strongly

Like a sky of stars

If you only have time to see it