The sun is back!
I've been waiting for this moment the entire winter, hoping to regain some kind of energy with a simple apparition... Begone polar night, let the sun finally shine, god damn it!
In the quest for this precious golden light, a group of friends and I set out on a journey... to the local beach, Telegrafbukta. We decided to camp by the sand, frozen from head to toe and looking like penguins with a hoodie. It was a cold, windy day, and unfortunately our first glimpse of the sun was obstructed by clouds hanging low in the sky. It felt good to know that it was back nonetheless, glowing weakly but surely behind the mountains. The 21st of January officially marks the end of the polar night, but it was only a few days later that the sun shone in all its glory, and we can increasingly enjoy the rhythm of a regular day. Listen, THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING, I cherish my buddy the sun more than anything now.
With the return of the light, outdoor activities can last longer than before, and I turned to my newfound passion, cross-country skiing. The University of Tromsø's sport centre, Kraft, rents skis to international students who wish to enjoy this activity for the whole season, poles and shoes included. More information on their website here (the page was published in 2016, but I could not find any updated version...). I naturally got hold of some skis and went down the snowy slopes, observing the silent sky burning with shades of orange and bright yellow. Nature always finds ways to surprise me with its beauty.
When I am not sledding, skiing or erm... studying, I like to cheer for the local hockey team at Tromsø ishall. Alright, this was a first time for me. I had never watched a hockey match before, and I have to admit that it's pretty entertaining – if you ignore the terrible smell that fills the room the minute you enter. It is not as violent as I imagined – bummer! – but impressive to follow the players glide so mindlessly on the ice, these people were for sure born with ice skates on their feet, not skis. There is also a sense of pride whenever your favourite team (an easy pick, whoever reprensenting Tromsø) scores. Everyone around you gets excited, even the commentator in her glorious dialect. It's something so joyful to experience, I will make it my little Saturday routine.
All in all, this beginning of term promises to be full of events, and I cannot wait to see what Tromsø has in store for me this year...
