The First "Stroll" From My Dorm Room

January 3^rd

^{Day 3}

I arrived in Kristiansand last night around 11:30PM.

Two girls from UNO arrived about an hour before my flight, but much to my delight, they waited for me at the airport. From there, we split the price of a cab and took the twenty minute commute to the central bus station, where we waited in the bitter cold for our designated ride from the University of Agder. Now for those reading this, let it be known, that when I say bitter cold, I mean frigid, freeze your blood into ice kind of cold. In fact the native” who picked us up claimed that Norway is experiencing an unusually cold winter this year (as if Norway isn’t already cold enough in the beginning of January).

It turns out this “native” is also studying Political Science and will be taking two classes with me this semester. His name is Mats. But don’t try to pronounce the name, for I am quickly realizing that learning even the simplest Norwegian words is like acrobatics for my tongue. They have letters in their alphabet that seem to come from somewhere in the back of the throat. I literally fail at almost every word I attempt, but I will continue to try everyday.

Today, after putting on a pair of wool socks, long johns, a turtle neck, another pair of socks over the wool socks, my winter jacket, gloves, and a silly hat (yes the blue one Elsie), I headed out into the freezing cold for hours by myself to explore some of Kristiansand. And what did I see but people everywhere, doing much the same thing that I was!

Like a warm summer day back in Nebraska, people were walking their dogs, riding their bikes, chatting in groups and playing with their kids. The only difference was they wore layer upon layer of clothing like me, as if the next ice age was coming. I guess the fliers I read about Norway are true: Norwegians love being outside, regardless of the weather.