Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
Don't be fooled, the title of this article is not in Norwegian, but in German. I found the saying, roughly translating to "Slide well into the New Year", more appropriate and descriptive than your regular Godt Nytt År. Especially in a country where snow reigns all throughout winter, sledding and slipping have pretty much replaced walking.
2017 is coming to an end, and I can safely say that I have been spending the best semester here, in Tromsø. I have done, and seen a lot, and definitely ticked off many items of a bucket list that I'm making up as I go. The downside of being on an exchange so far north, or anywhere really, however, is seeing your friends go back home. The city's population is mostly composed of students, many of whom staying for only half a year. Soon enough, you see yourself having the last hikes, the last dinner parties, and the last memories with the people you bonded with over such a short, but intense, period of time, and it's already time to hug goodbye. But hey, I now have an endless list of countries to travel to and proper locals to show me around, that's pretty dope.
Now that the snow has finally decided to stick around, the winter activities can truly begin. I chose to kick off the month of December with an incredible ride at a Sami reindeer camp. The day started with a feeding session: armed with buckets filled with dry food, I walked around the area, and was soon surrounded by a tiny herd. Gluttonous little creatures, they are! I was then carried by a reindeer on a sledge, which was the activity I was looking forward to the most. The ride was relaxing and pleasant, albeit very short and inside the camp rather than in the wild. Afterwards, it was time to go inside a traditional Sami tent, a lavvu, to get some warmth by the fire, eat a delicious soup called bidos and listen to the story of this indigenous people from the North. Our storyteller finished her tale by singing some joik, a traditional chant unique to each individual. In the end, learning about the history of the Sami in such an intimate way made this experience worth living, more so than the sledding in itself. I spent the following weeks going to small Christmas markets organised here and there in the city, revising for the upcoming exams and... tried my hand at cross-country skiing*. It was actually the second time that I had done that, but the years that separated me from my first try in Schliersee, Germany, during a week-long school trip were enough to have me learn from the start. Unsurprisingly, I fell a lot. But in a fun way, in so far as I did not have to get stitches or anything. There's something empowering about carrying skis longer than you whole body in the city or on the bus. People don't bat an eyelid and it somehow feels like you belong, on top of it being a cool accessory. You just have to watch out for the innocent heads behind you.
You don't have to solely stay on the enlightened ski trail meandering through the forest either, as you can reach the campus by this means (way to make a grand entrance at uni). Lastly, I feel like my arms have gained enough strength to enter an arm wrestling contest and actually come out victorious. I have still probably a long way to go, though.
*Fun tip: at a place called Turbo, you can rent skis and other outdoor equipments FOR FREE and for one week at a time, the only condition is to be over 18.
A few weeks later, I was off to test dog sledding. This decision was spontaneous, as I had originally planned to choose the reindeer sledding over this and that would have been it, but gosh am I glad to have made it. I had an absolute blast. The company offers a ride of three full hours, allowing the visitors to be both passengers and mushers. While it was the case with the reindeers, the sledges were not attached, and it is entirely up to the driver to brake when needed, and basically try not to go off-course and fall over. To my surprise, the sledge that I shared with a friend threatened to tip over many a time (especially when I was leading it, but let's not talk about it), but did not overturn even once. That's a little achievement, considering the bumps and turns and slopes scattered along the way.
Then came Christmas Eve, which I had the chance to spend with a Norwegian family. The day started off with a concert at the hospital that is held yearly, and at which the host's daughter played. It was a nice performance, but I blame it for leaving me with the song "På låven sitter nissen" stuck in my head all day. Once home, we savoured a traditional lamb dish called pinnekjøtt, naturally served with potatoes because Norway, and I then proceeded to eat as many cookies and sweets as my stomach could handle. We also built a pepperkakehus (gingerbread house) and decorated it with enough candies to cover it whole. Even though I was so far away from home on a day that I have always cherished and celebrated with my family, their hearty welcome made this short stay fantastic.
Also, special mention to the bus driver who greeted me with a "Hei, God Jul (Merry Christmas)" the next day. I appreciated it.
Again, God Jul and Godt Nytt År to you all! And best wishes from Tromsø.
