Learning about the Schools in Norway 🇳🇴

The start of my week began with a day at an elementary school and a day at a vocational training school. 

At the elementary school, Os Barneskule, I was hosted by Ms. Karianne, Ms. Sigrun , and Mr. Per. 

I shared a PowerPoint about Rhode Island, Martin Luther King, junior, and his legacy today. 

LESSONS LEARNED from Os Barneskule 

*teachers stay with the same group of students for many years

*teachers have multiple preps

*students do not wear their shoes in the classroom 

*Norwegian schools face many of the same challenges that schools in the USA 🇺🇸 face:  discipline struggles, fair wages, adequate planning/prep time. 

                 ✏️Tusen Takk Os Barneskule❤️

 📚  (A thousand thank yous Os Children's School)📝

A special thank you to Ingrid Nissan Kjørsvik for organizing the day

✂️✏️📌🖍

At the vocational training school, Os Vidaregåande Skule, my friend, Tone, graciously let me teach her social science class. I introduced the students to Rhode Island along with an abbreviated information session on American political parties.  

Followed by a school debate in preparation for the national election on September 11, 2017. 

KEY LESSON FOR THE STUDENTS:  Vote!

📝Tusen Takk Os Vidaregåande Skule📚

and Tone Hadler-Olsen

❤️

Norway 🇳🇴 from the Water

A water view changes everything. Seeing a country from the water 💦 offers a different perspective --a day spent kayaking and a short ⛴ ferry ride showcased the many islands and the rocky coastline. 

A view from my good friend Tone's house....

Eating My Way Around Bergen

Love, ❤️, love, love Norwegian food. First, it started with ferry ⛴ food, svele, a pancake filled with cream. 

Another favorite ....salmon

And the new Norwegian 🇳🇴 wasabi....ramsløk

The desserts are rich and not too sweet. 

One of my favorite desserts, Suksessterte (success torte), was made by my friend's mother, Marie Heldal. 

Cooking class with my friend, Marianne. I am learning how to make knekkebød(crackers).

Visiting Friends in Norway 🇳🇴

Never one to turn down a deal, I took advantage of Norwegian Airlines and their cheap deals to Bergen, Norway 🇳🇴 from our tiny Providence, Rhode Island airport. I am visiting two Norwegian friends I met when I was 15 and a Girl Scout. 

Norway 🇳🇴 is a monster compared to little Rhode Island. Norway 🇳🇴 is 103 times bigger than Rhode Island!

Here in Norway 🇳🇴 I am experiencing "boot camp" as my friend works to turn me into a forest troll (skogtroll).   

Each day we have done a different hike. There have been lots of rocks to climb over and swampy paths to slog through.